When it comes to punctuation, many people either don't think it's important, or if they do understand how important it is, they have trouble with it. If you fall into either of these categories and you have to write anything at all for your job -- even something as small as an email -- you have a problem. There are three major reasons proper … [Read more...]
The dawn of the ‘zero email company?’
The announcement in 2011 by global software company Atos Origins that it plans to become a "zero email company" by 2014 has sparked much discussion about email and social media as internal communications tools. In an effort to combat what it calls "information pollution," Atos will replace its email system with tools such as Microsoft Lync … [Read more...]
Social intranet nurtures innovation
A quick rundown of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2011 affirms that innovation is synonymous with success. No. 1 on the list is Apple, an innovator in every sense of the word. No. 2 is Twitter, which has experienced five years of explosive growth by redefining communication. Also present in the top five are Facebook -- you might … [Read more...]
Secrets from JFK’s speechwriter
Ted Sorensen was one of the great wordsmiths in American history. An advisor and legendary speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, Sorensen will always be remembered for penning some of the most eloquent and inspiring language ever spoken by a U.S. president. Sorensen -- who died at the age of 82 in 2010 of complications from a stroke -- wrote … [Read more...]
Hemingway’s 4 Rules for Writing Well
Simple genius. That's the best way to describe the writing style of Ernest Hemingway. Some writers love to fill their prose with flowery adjectives or complex descriptions that run on and on, but not old Ernie. He wrote simply and clearly, and reading him is like eating a meal of meat and potatoes that tastes better than anything you could … [Read more...]