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Frederic Rzewski's "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!": An analysis and historical perspective
Doctor of Musical Arts
Frederic Rzewski's The People United Will Never Be Defeated! is a compositional tour-de-force that successfully combines a lengthy series of opposite forces uniting musical trends of both the past and the present. This duality extends to the social and political context of the work as well as its position in the history of keyboard music. Through his highly-organized structural plan, Rzewski achieves a pianistic masterpiece that successfully straddles the fence between the academic high-art of atonality and the more accessible realm of tonality. Despite all the differing influences and styles integrated within the work, Rzewski manages to maintain a certain unity through the lengthy piece, producing a landmark in the history of variation form. | <urn:uuid:3cceb2e6-055a-49c9-b8c1-7451cbf1f93b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://scholarship.rice.edu/handle/1911/19291 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.911939 | 208 | 2.15625 | 2 |
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Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Kingdom of Judah.
(See JUDAH, KINGDOM OF).
These files are public domain.
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Kingdom of Judah.'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/k/kingdom-of-judah.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19 | <urn:uuid:2d607d7b-c495-4a3e-b4b5-537a27b1962e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/mse/k/kingdom-of-judah.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.67597 | 143 | 1.523438 | 2 |
‘Ignore the noise:’ Officials warn voters of efforts to sow doubt in election process
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) – State officials expressed confidence in the security of their systems following National Intelligence and the FBI confirming foreign interference in the U.S. election.
U.S. intelligence officials say Iran and Russia obtained voter registration information and used that information to try to confuse voters through spoofed emails intimidating the recipients.
“There is no evidence that Wisconsin’s or any state’s systems have been accessed or compromised in any way,” Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe told reporters Thursday.
Wolfe said the commission has prepared its security system to handle such efforts for the past four years and voters should have confidence in the state system.
Still – Wolfe warns voters to not fall for bogus information.
“I know I myself get confusing mailings every day that say I haven’t returned my ballot or I’m not registered to vote, and I basically tell voters to ignore that noise,” Wolfe said. “Ignore the noise, there is a lot of noise out there go right to the source and get the official information from your election official.”
Experts said it was encouraging to see the intelligence agencies alert the public early about the issue.
“I’m glad that the FBI and DNI alerted the public before the election,” Young Mie Kim, a political science professor and election security expert at UW-Madison told CBS 58.
Kim noted there’s still more important information to be learned about this latest effort, such as did Iran and Russia obtain the voter information through publicly available means or through hacking efforts. If the latter, Kim warns it could mean foreign actors have access to manipulate voter rolls and similar information. If the former, then it’s likely the election system is safe and secure.
While it’s difficult to predict how foreign actors may move forward with just 12 days left until Election Day, Kim said voters should expect social media to be a target.
“I think that there might be a lot of disinformation campaigns, especially on social media so voters should be alerted about that.”
For official information about the election in Wisconsin voters can go to: | <urn:uuid:6414b467-5779-4626-af55-2b14f522dcc9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cbs58.com/news/ignore-the-noise-officials-warn-voters-of-efforts-to-sow-doubt-in-election-process | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.933553 | 474 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Since the 16th century, the Netherlands has a large number of very good art painters. The average quality of landscapes, still lifes and portraits is high. In the 16th century, the oil paint was still made by the painters or their pupils. Coloring pigments were then rubbed in oil. In the 19th century, the artistic paints produced by industry came together, with the consequent “competition”, which meant that quality was not always the best. It was also found afterwards that a newly discovered, chemically-made color was not color-resistant in the long run. Examples of these include paintings by Vincent van Gogh. In the 20th century, the Acrylic paints have been added. These are color pigments dissolved in a plastic dispersion and water soluble.
I have experience in all of these paintings, in terms of cleaning and the possibilities for repair / restoration. | <urn:uuid:c1768e6e-db6a-45d1-bf0b-2ca3167dba55> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.restauratieatelierpicard.nl/en/paintings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.986529 | 188 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Discover the EU’s priorities for 2019-2024: promoting a green Europe, developing the economic base, protecting citizens and their freedoms.
Discover what the EU does for citizens, how it protects rights, promotes prosperity and strives to make the world a safer place.
How the EU achieves its key political and strategic objectives by topic.
The Conference on the Future of Europe has enabled people from across Europe to share their ideas and help shape our common future.
Overview of EU actions to support citizens, businesses and the economy, provide medical equipment and boost research in response to the coronavirus pandemic. | <urn:uuid:965982b7-0072-440b-adff-afc249829264> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://european-union.europa.eu/priorities-and-actions_en | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.925455 | 124 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Posts tagged NASA
“This final panorama embodies what made our Opportunity rover such a remarkable mission of exploration and discovery,” said Opportunity project manager John Callas of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. “To the right of center you can see the rim of Endeavor Crater rising in the distance. Just to the left of that, rover tracks begin their descent from over the horizon and weave their way down to geologic features that our scientists wanted to examine up close. And to the far right and left are the bottom of Perseverance Valley and the floor of Endeavour crater, pristine and unexplored, waiting for visits from future explorers.”
Earth as seen from the Moon during the total eclipse on 21 August 2017. The shadow of the Moon is centered over Hopkinsville, Kentucky (18:25:30.386 UTC or 1:25:30 pm Central Daylight Time in Kentucky; E1257979198R, NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University).
Large area WAC mosaic illustrating reflectance differences due to 30° change in view angle from the center of a WAC frame to each edge (no photometric correction). Mosaic composed of ~30 WAC orbital image strips [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].
A huge payoff from the longevity of the LRO mission is the repeat coverage obtained by the LROC Wide Angle Camera (WAC). The WAC has a very wide field-of-view (FOV), 90° in monochrome mode and 60° in multispectral mode, hence its name. On the one hand, the wide FOV enables orbit-to-orbit stereo, which allowed LROC team members at the DLR to create the unprecedented 100 meter scale near-global (0° to 360° longitude and 80°S to 80°N latitude) topographic map of the Moon (the GLD100)!
Seven Worlds for TRAPPIST-1
Seven worlds orbit the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, a mere 40 light-years away. In May 2016 astronomers using the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) announced the discovery of three planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system. Just announced, additional confirmations and discoveries by the Spitzer Space Telescope and supporting ESO ground-based telescopes have increased the number of known planets to seven. The TRAPPIST-1 planets are likely all rocky and similar in size to Earth, the largest treasure trove of terrestrial planets ever detected around a single star. Because they orbit very close to their faint, tiny star they could also have regions where surface temperatures allow for the presence of liquid water, a key ingredient for life. Their tantalizing proximity to Earth makes them prime candidates for future telescopic explorations of the atmospheres of potentially habitable planets. All seven worlds appear in this artist’s illustration, an imagined view from a fictionally powerful telescope near planet Earth. Planet sizes and relative positions are drawn to scale for the Spitzer observations. The system’s inner planets are transiting their dim, red, nearly Jupiter-sized parent star.
As humanity continues to excel in going beyond human abilities through technology, the victory comes with a price: American photographer Roland Miller travels to abandoned places once found useful by the space exploration organization NASA and the U.S. Army and collects their remnants as memories.
There was a time when even NASA didn’t know if humans could eat in the microgravity environment of space. Thankfully for the future of long-term crewed missions, John Glenn proved that it was indeed possible when he ate applesauce from an aluminum tube while orbiting the Earth in 1962.
Since then, the research conducted at our Space Food Systems Laboratory at Johnson Space Center has resulted in improved taste, variety and packaging of foods intended for space travel. Current-day astronauts are now given a standard menu of over 200 approved food and drink items months before launch, allowing them to plan their daily meals far in advance.
So, with such a variety of foods to choose from, what does the typical astronaut eat in a day? Here is an example from the International Space Station standard menu:
Sounds tasty, right?
However, these are only suggestions for astronauts, so they still have some choice over what they ultimately eat. Many astronauts, including Tim Kopra, combine different ingredients for meals.
Others plan to eat special foods for the holidays. Astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren did just that on Thanksgiving last year when they ate smoked turkey, candied yams, corn and potatoes au gratin.
Another key factor that influences what astronauts eat is the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are delivered via resupply spacecrafts. When these foods arrive to the space station, they must be eaten quickly before they spoil. Astronaut Tim Peake doesn’t seem to mind.
Nutrition is important to help counteract some of the effects spaceflight have on the body, such as bone and muscle loss, cardiovascular degradation, impairment of immune function, neurovestibular changes and vision changes.
“Nutrition is vital to the mission,” Scott M. Smith, Ph.D., manager for NASA’s Nutritional Biochemistry Lab said. “Without proper nutrition for the astronauts, the mission will fail. It’s that simple.”
We work hard to help astronauts feel less homesick by providing them with food that not only reminds them of life back on Earth, but is also nutritious and healthy.
Here are some unusual space food inventions that are no longer in use:
- Gelatin-coated sandwich and cookie cubes
- Compressed bacon squares
- Freeze dried ice cream
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10 Images to Celebrate the Historic Exploration of the Pluto System
One year ago, our New Horizons mission made history by exploring Pluto and its moons – giving humankind our first close-up look at this fascinating world on the frontier of our solar system.
Since those amazing days in July 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft has transmitted numerous images and many other kinds of data home for scientists and the public alike to study, analyze, and just plain love. From Pluto’s iconic “heart” and sweeping ice-mountain vistas to its flowing glaciers and dramatic blue skies, it’s hard to pick just one favorite picture. So the mission team has picked 10 – and in no special order, placed them here.
Click the titles for more information about each image. You’ve seen nine of them before, and the team added a 10th favorite, also sure to become one of New Horizons’ “greatest hits.”
In the northern region of Pluto’s Sputnik Planum, swirl-shaped patterns of light and dark suggest that a surface layer of exotic ices has flowed around obstacles and into depressions, much like glaciers on Earth.
This dramatic image from our New Horizons spacecraft shows the dark, rugged highlands known as Krun Macula (lower right), which border a section of Pluto’s icy plains.
Pluto’s haze layer shows its blue color in this picture taken by the New Horizons Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC). The high-altitude haze is thought to be similar in nature to that seen at Saturn’s moon Titan.
At half the diameter of Pluto, Charon is the largest satellite relative to its planet in the solar system. Many New Horizons scientists expected Charon to be a monotonous, crater-battered world; instead, they’re finding a landscape covered with mountains, canyons, landslides, surface-color variations and more.
Our New Horizons spacecraft looked back toward the sun and captured this near-sunset view of the rugged, icy mountains and flat ice plains extending to Pluto’s horizon. The backlighting highlights over a dozen layers of haze in Pluto’s tenuous but distended atmosphere.
The color and brightness of both Pluto and Charon have been processed identically to allow direct comparison of their surface properties, and to highlight the similarity between Charon’s polar red terrain and Pluto’s equatorial red terrain. Pluto and Charon are shown with approximately correct relative sizes, but their true separation is not to scale.
A moment’s study reveals surface features that appear to be texturally ‘snakeskin’-like, owing to their north-south oriented scaly raised relief. A digital elevation model created by the New Horizons’ geology shows that these bladed structures have typical relief of about 550 yards (500 meters). Their relative spacing of about 3-5 kilometers makes them some of the steepest features seen on Pluto.
This view is dominated by the large, bright feature informally named the “heart,” which measures approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) across. The heart borders darker equatorial terrains, and the mottled terrain to its east (right) are complex. However, even at this resolution, much of the heart’s interior appears remarkably featureless—possibly a sign of ongoing geologic processes.
One of Pluto’s most identifiable features, Cthulhu (pronounced kuh-THU-lu) stretches nearly halfway around Pluto’s equator, starting from the west of the great nitrogen ice plains known as Sputnik Planum. Measuring approximately 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers) long and 450 miles (750 kilometers) wide, Cthulhu is a bit larger than the state of Alaska.
Colorful Composition Maps of Pluto
The powerful instruments on New Horizons not only gave scientists insight on what Pluto looked like, their data also confirmed (or, in many cases, dispelled) their ideas of what Pluto was made of. These compositional maps – assembled using data from the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) component of the Ralph instrument – indicate the regions rich in ices of methane (CH4), nitrogen (N2) and carbon monoxide (CO), and, of course, water ice (H2O).
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Scientists have long known that Jupiter is noisy: The planet produces intense radio storms powered by interactions between the planet and its moons, not to mention the wild gases at play on the planet itself. But they didn’t realize that Juno’s entry into Jupiter’s orbit would produce such complex data. “While this transition from the solar wind into the magnetosphere was predicted to occur at some point in time,” the agency writes in the blog post, “the structure of the boundary between those two regions proved to be unexpectedly complex, with different instruments reporting unusual signatures both before and after the nominal crossing.”
A NASA-led team of scientists has developed the first-ever method for detecting the presence of different types of underground forest fungi from space, information that may help researchers predict how climate change will alter forest habitats.
Image from a simulation of two black holes merging and the resulting emission of gravitational radiation, published by NASA in 2012.
“EPIC maintains a constant view of the fully illuminated Earth as it rotates, providing scientific observations of ozone, vegetation, cloud height and aerosols in the atmosphere. Once EPIC begins regular observations next month, the camera will provide a series of Earth images allowing study of daily variations over the entire globe. About twice a year the camera will capture the moon and Earth together as the orbit of DSCOVR crosses the orbital plane of the moon.”
The Nonhuman Autonomous Space Agency
This is the first image ever taken from the surface of Mars of an overcast sky. Featured are stratus clouds coming from the northeast at about 15 miles per hour (6.7 meters/second) at an approximate height of ten miles (16 kilometers) above the surface. The “you are here” notation marks where Earth was situated in the sky at the time the image was taken. Scientists had hoped to see Earth in this image, but the cloudy conditions prevented a clear viewing. Similar images will be taken in the future with the hope of capturing a view of Earth. From Mars, Earth would appear as a tiny blue dot similar to how a star would appear to an earthbound observer. Pathfinders’ imaging system will not be able to resolve Earths’ moon. The clouds consist of water ice condensed on reddish dust particles suspended in the atmosphere. Clouds on Mars are sometimes localized and can sometimes cover entire regions, but have not yet been observed to cover the entire planet. The image was taken about an hour and forty minutes before sunrise by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 16 at about ten degrees up from the eastern Martian horizon. (via http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/science/clouds.html )
A trip to Mars, with its invisible technology and vast, unprecedented distance from home, could estrange or alienate a crew to an unprecedented degree. Such a distance could produce an entirely new kind of boredom, impossible to imagine on Earth.
The Lunar Plant Growth Habitat team, a group of NASA scientists, contractors, students and volunteers, is finally bringing to life an idea that has been discussed and debated for decades. They will try to grow arabidopsis, basil, sunflowers, and turnips in coffee-can-sized aluminum cylinders that will serve as plant habitats. But these are no ordinary containers – they’re packed to the brim with cameras, sensors, and electronics that will allow the team to receive image broadcasts of the plants as they grow. These habitats will have to be able to successfully regulate their own temperature, water intake, and power supply in order to brave the harsh lunar climate.
Ambient noise of the International Space Station
That’s the sort of hard-headedness that I used to love about NASA - the idea that humans, if they just kept plugging away, could figure stuff out - and that other humans - astronauts and test pilots - would stake their very lives on it. Not this hand-wringing by deniers that argue we can’t figure anything out, we can’t afford to do anything, it’s all a vast hoax, and we shouldn’t try. A far cry from the can-do of NASA. How could guys that once put their very lives in the hands of science be so dumb about it as they get old? | <urn:uuid:d9bb27f9-8cfc-4a54-af25-ac5dc162a63b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://entangled.systems/tags/NASA.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.925792 | 3,074 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Statement by Peter Exley, FAIA, 2021 President and Robert Ivy, FAIA, CEO
April 21, 2021
Yesterday’s guilty verdict provides a small measure of justice. In the year since George Floyd was murdered, the nation and the world recommitted to having the difficult and necessary conversations needed to end systemic racial injustice in all its forms. This one act of justice is an opportunity for reflection, and for some, provides a sense of hope.
As we are all painfully aware, systemic racism endangers the health, safety, and welfare of far too many and erodes their trust in public institutions. This is a moment that calls on all of us to act with urgency, integrity, clarity, and courage.
We make this statement today, not only as members of a society of architecture professionals, but as members of society.
AIA remains committed to doing the hard and urgent work to break down barriers and promote a culture that advances equity and belonging, values diversity and protects human dignity. We know that as an association representing a profession sworn to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public nothing less than our full attention and best efforts will do. | <urn:uuid:e071de25-6d3d-4851-8f19-0a2631920589> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.aia.org/pages/6393463-statement-by-peter-exley-faia-2021-preside | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.954331 | 243 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Jungbunzlauer L(+)-lactic acid has “virucidal activity against all enveloped viruses- incl. corona virus”
The coronavirus pandemic has brought attention to hygiene and disinfection.
The virucidal activity of L(+)-lactic acid against enveloped viruses incl. corona virus was investigated with the European standard test method EN 14476.
The modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) acts as representative virus for all enveloped viruses incl. corona virus.
The test was conducted at 20°C under dirty conditions. The test criterion, a ≥ 4 log10 reduction (≥ 99.99 % inactivation) of the MVA titre within the recommended exposure period, is passed for the following L(+)-lactic acid concentrations in water:
0.90 % L(+)-lactic acid at a exposure time of 1 min.
0.45 % L(+)-lactic acid at a exposure time of 5 min.
These results show Jungbunzlauer L(+)-lactic acid has “virucidal activity against all enveloped viruses- incl. corona virus”.
Further tests are being conducted.
Jungbunzlauer L(+)-lactic acid is a natural, sustainable and less hazardous ingredient in the formulation of surface disinfectants and antimicrobial hand soaps. It is derived from renewable raw materials via fermentation and is readily biodegradable.
Jungbunzlauer L(+)-lactic acid conforms to Regulation (EU) 528/2012 (biocidal products regulation) and can be used as a biocidal active substance for product types (PT) 1, 2, 3 and 4. Test results obtained for antiviral (EN14476) and antibacterial (EN1040, EN1276 and EN13697) disinfection applications are available.
Please visit the download section on our website for further information and do not hesitate to contact us.
Jungbunzlauer is one of the world’s leading producers of biodegradable ingredients of natural origin. The Swiss-based, international company’s roots date back to 1867. Today, Jungbunzlauer specialises in citric acid, xanthan gum, gluconates, lactics, specialties, special salts and sweeteners for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, as well as for various other industrial applications. | <urn:uuid:e991c3f9-24ed-44d7-97da-dc8303c4628c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.sofw.com/en/news/latest-news/home-care/1787-virucidal-activity-of-jungbunzlauer-l-lactic-acid | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.868974 | 525 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Mental Health Today
Suicide is a global phenomenon. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 700,000 people die by suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. That’s one person too many.
Suicide has now become the LEADING cause of death in people aged between 15 and 44 years old. 65,000 people attempt suicide each year in Australia alone. Of those, 3,318 died in 2019.
There are indications that for each adult who died by suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide. Mental illness is a massive problem and is growing. Almost half of Australians will be diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their lives.
On a human level, this is an enormous amount of suffering in people’s daily lives. This is now considered to be a mental health crisis in Australia and around the world.
Timely, low cost and evidence-based interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts.
So 100% of our profits will go to suicide prevention and mental health research.
Thank you to family, friends and https://generated.photos/ for kindly donating photos.
*We make no claims about the effectiveness of this game for helping any particular individual deal with any particular issue or problem. For the treatment of health problems, please consult a qualified health professional. This does not replace the advice and/or treatments from health professionals.
Healing Habits Global LTD
42 Ferris St Christies Beach, 5165, South Australia, Australia | <urn:uuid:f5bda203-89e3-47cc-bf7c-0ed2fbb873cc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://happygameface.com/about | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.938417 | 328 | 2.734375 | 3 |
hangzhou strong magnet & assembly co.,ltd comes here today with the great news that we have successfully developed magnetic tiles，magnetic marble run tiles，magnetic racing track car set，magnetic cube blocks，magnetic drawing board.It is a kind of new product made by state-of-the-art technologies. High-end technologies are used to manufacture Rainbow Snow Flakes 358pc Discs STEM Educational Brain Building Toy Interlocking Plastic Construction Connect Set Kids Toys.The product can play out its greatest effect in the field(s) of Other Educational Toys. hangzhou strong magnet & assembly co.,ltd relentlessly strive for innovations and changes, hoping to lead the industry development and improve our products and services in our unique way. We are committed to being one of the best enterprises in the market.
|Type:||Other Educational Toys||Gender:||Unisex|
|Age Range:||2 to 4 Years, 5 to 7 years, 8 to 13 Years, 14 Years & up||Place of Origin:||Zhejiang, China|
|Brand Name:||Giromag||Model Number:||8560|
|Product name:||Building Blocks Bricks Toys||Function:||Intellectual Development|
|Description:||Pretend Educational Toys||Feature:||DIY Building Brick|
|PAYMENT TERM:||T/T||Qty/Ctn:||10 sets|
Plastic snow flakes sets
Construction Toy, DIY TOY, Educational Toy, MODEL TOY
Place of Origin
Building Blocks Bricks Toys
Pretend Educational Toys
DIY Building Brick
To better ensure the safety of your goods, professional, environmentally friendly, convenient and efficient packaging services will be provided.
Q1: Are you a manufacturer or trading company?
A:We are manufacturer with more than 10 years manfacturing experience of magnetic toys.
Q2: Can you provide sample for checking ? What is your lead time for samples ?
A:Of course,?the sample usually will be shipped out within 3 days, but the customers have to pay the sample cost and the courier cost.
Q3: Can we print our own logo onthe package or products ?
A:OEM/ODM order is greatly welcome, we'll strictly design the products you want to make you satisfy.only if you meet our MOQ1000-5000 sets.
Q4: How long is the production time for big order ?
A: It will usually 15-35 days to finish production, The specific time mainly depends on order quantity .
Q5: How can you ensure products’ quality?
A: We have a professional QC team, which monitoring from material purchase, semi- finished products, assembly to packaging and delivery.Also, our products own CE, EN71, ASTM, CPC certificate.
Q6: How can we check our goods ??
A:You can arrange QC to check by visiting our factory, or ask Third party testing agency to check, or check by picture and videos simply.
Q7: What's your payment term ?
A:Usually 30% deposit, the balance 70% before shipping for mass shipping; If we cooperate better in future, it will be more better.
Country / Region
Enterprise Legal Person
Annual Output Value | <urn:uuid:c665228b-3172-46f6-af29-4e903f125bb3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.chinamagna.com/video/products-detail-695786 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.817407 | 890 | 1.507813 | 2 |
What does Emerson say is his main concern? – Emerson urges his readers to follow their individual will instead of conforming to social expectations.
What is the summary of Emerson’s essay the over soul? – With the human soul as its overriding subject, several general themes are treated: (1) the existence and nature of the human soul; (2) the relationship between the soul and the personal ego; (3) the relationship of one human soul to another; and (4) the relationship of the human soul to God.
What does this sentence meaning of Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind? – It is a call to be an Individualist and not a Conformer. And it asks that we be Self-Sufficient and not Co-Dependent. As with all quotes, we can take them or leave them, believe them or reject them.
What point of view does Emerson use in self reliance? – Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance” is written in the first-person in a conversational tone, as if Emerson is offering his thoughts…
What is Emerson’s main point in this essay? – Emerson uses spirituality as a major theme in the essay. Emerson believed in re-imagining the divine as something large and visible, which he referred to as nature; such an idea is known as transcendentalism, in which one perceives a new God and a new body, and becomes one with his or her surroundings.
What is the main idea of Emerson’s essay Self-Reliance? – In his essay, “Self Reliance,” Emerson’s sole purpose is the want for people to avoid conformity. Emerson believed that in order for a man to truly be a man, he was to follow his own conscience and “do his own thing.” Essentially, do what you believe is right instead of blindly following society.
What is Emerson’s concept of the over soul? – The Over-Soul is “that great nature in which we rest … that Unity within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other.” This Platonic concept, first stated in Emerson’s early lectures and in such works as Nature and the “Divinity School Address,” is here developed as a basic principle in …
What does Emerson mean by the term over soul? – Oversoul definition In the transcendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a spiritual essence or vital force in the universe in which all souls participate and that therefore transcends individual consciousness. noun. 11. 2. Oversoul is the concept that there is a universal spirit that lives in all.
How does Emerson define the Soul? – Emerson’s Essays For example, the soul is not an organ, but it animates all organs; although not a faculty, it uses all of them; it is not the intellect or the will, but the master of them.
What does Emerson say a man must be in order to keep the integrity of his mind? – “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness; but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.”
What is Emerson’s thesis in self reliance? – “Self-Reliance” is an 1841 essay written by American transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson’s recurrent themes: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow his own instincts and ideas.
What are the four main ideas of self reliance? – › lit › main-ideas
How does Emerson view the relationship between society and individuality quizlet? – How does Emerson view the relationship between society and individuality? Society is the enemy of individuality.
What does Emerson argue should be the basis of human actions in the second paragraph of Self-Reliance quizlet? – What does Emerson argue should be the basis of human actions in the second paragraph of “Self-Reliance”? These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world. Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. .
How does the author of the selection from nature describe himself when he loses himself in a natural setting? – Terms in this set (12) Energized despite the dark setting. How does the author of the selection from Nature describe himself when he loses himself in nature setting? Trust your instincts, regardless of what others do. People must conform and give up their individualism in order to gain resources.
What does he may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall mean? – He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall”. Here Emerson is talking about the ability to try something new and change one’s mind. Transcendentalists like Emerson were into the idea of discovery. Going with the status-quo, as many of us do, never leads to discovery or change.
What I must do is all that concerns me meaning? – Emerson states, “What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think,” meaning that he is not concerned with the appearance of goodness—he only cares about what he believes to be right.
What does Emerson say is the greatest delight of being? – In Nature, what does Emerson say is the greatest delight that nature ministers? “The greatest delight which the fields and woods minister, is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable.”
What does Emerson say we must do to achieve greatness? – Emerson believes that those who aspire to greatness must allow the larger spirit of humanity to work through them. Success in this lofty endeavor rests not in the personal will but to the degree that the efforts of the individual run parallel “to the course of thought, which found in them an unobstructed channel.” | <urn:uuid:56195103-fc40-4270-acc1-ba5f54c52748> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://academicassignmentexperts.com/society-everywhere-is-in-conspiracy-against-the-manhood-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.965147 | 1,284 | 2.640625 | 3 |
All Four VCAT Volumes
Today, millions are asking: "Why should I care about being Catholic?" Our response is the Video Catechism (VCAT)—60 engaging short films that are relevant, entertaining, and compel you to live the Faith. A one-of-a-kind collaboration between ODB Films and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, the VCAT answers today's tough questions: "What happens when I die?" "What is God's mercy?" "Is pornography really that bad?" "Does marriage matter?" "How do I mourn the loss of a loved one?" "How do I pray?" "How do I become holy?"
The four volumes in this collection coincide with the four sections of the Catechism: Creed, Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer. At 3 to 8 minutes in length, VCAT films can be used in any setting as stand-alone content or as the complement to a theme night, a speaker, or a lesson plan. Pastors, catechists, religion teachers, and youth ministers will celebrate the creativity and relevance of their content. | <urn:uuid:7b692340-8fab-4a3b-9cd8-03d740e8a465> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.osvcatholicbookstore.com/product/collection-all-four-vcat-volumes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.902077 | 267 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Sometimes, you have to work with something you don’t want, in order to figure out what you do want.
A Florida agency found that out the hard way when their command staff decided their crime scene unit wanted a laser scanner. To clarify, the crime scene unit didn’t ask for a laser scanner – it was simply purchased for them. Due to the big price tag, crime scene technicians were expected to use the scanner often, especially on major scenes. Having eight technicians share one piece of equipment meant centralized storage and extended response times, not to mention the hours of on-scene time required to properly scan a crime scene.
Then, they met OSCR360.
When the crime scene unit saw a demonstration of OSCR360 they were immediately impressed with its simple setup, ease-of-use, and quick processing speed. Leveling issues were eliminated with OSCR’s built-in tilt sensor. Harsh differences in lighting? No problem with OSCR’s optional HDR setting. One technician remarked that she could leave her notepad in her van since OSCR’s tablet could be used for note-taking. Best of all, every member of the unit could be easily trained to proficiency in just a few hours – for free.
The department wanted OSCR in every crime scene van.
Customers immediately see the benefits of one complete OSCR system – capture kit and software license. As time goes by, many departments realize they can use OSCR on every scene. Additional capture kits are purchased and licenses are upgraded.
This Florida agency was not the typical new customer. They cover more than 1,100 square miles of rural and populated ares with nearly 300,000 people. Several of their neighboring agencies were already using OSCR. Command staff at the agency quickly realized OSCR’s numerous advantages, so they jumped in feet first and bought eight capture kits and a floating computer license – all for approximately half the cost of a single laser scanner. Each OSCR capture kit that was purchased will live in eight fully-equipped take-home vans for crime scene technician use.
The end results:
Each crime scene technician at this department has an OSCR capture kit readily available to accompany them on EVERY scene. Added benefits of outfitting each crime scene tech’s van with OSCR include:
- Waiting in line for a critical piece of equipment is a thing of the past.
- Response times are shortened since there is no longer a need to make an out-of-the-way stop at the office to pick up a laser scanner on the way to the scene.
- On-scene times are shortened too: a scene that used to take five hours to scan can be fully documented by OSCR in 20 minutes.
- Laser scanning can now be reserved for one or two major scenes, and its output can be converted to an overlay for inclusion in the OSCR presentation software.
- During the COVID pandemic, investigators can limit their use of PPE and the number of Officers needed to enter the scene. Read more on how OSCR assists Officers during COVID-19.
The standard OSCR license is only used on one computer however, this agency chose to purchase the OSCR floating license. The floating license allows each technician to use the presentation software on any computer. There is no need to drive o the office to sync images and complete projects, which can potentially reduce fuel and overtime expenses. With no need to wait for a designated computer, projects can be completed faster and shares with prosecutors sooner.
We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with this Florida agency. All of L-Tron’s products are built from the voice of Law Enforcement. This means that the feedback from this agency (and other users) will help to drive software updates, changes to the product & more.
Do you want OSCR in every crime scene van at your department? Meet OSCR360 & see how the system can assist your agency:
About the Author:
Andrew retired from the Monroe County (NY) Sheriff’s Office after spending the majority of his career in the Technical Services Unit, where he was responsible for crime scene investigation, collision reconstruction, and latent print examination. He was also the lead forensic instructor at the regional Public Safety Training Facility and a photography instructor at the New York State Academy of Fire Science. Andrew is an IAI-certified CSCSA and ACTAR-accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist. He has spoken on a variety of forensic-related topics at various colleges and conferences. In his spare time, Andy enjoys kickboxing, traveling and photography. | <urn:uuid:9039e0f6-9add-427f-9f4e-c64bc355180b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.l-tron.com/oscr-in-every-crime-scene-van | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.959714 | 973 | 1.78125 | 2 |
The IEC 62952-1:2016 standard specifies the general requirements of power modules for wireless communication devices (WCD). This includes additional optional specifications to permit use in explosive atmospheres and harsh environments. This International Standard is based on VDI/VDE 2185 Blatt 3 and is now available on the IEC webstore.
Description: IEC62952-1, “Industrial wireless communication network devices like a pressure transmitter or a valve positioner are mostly using non-copper-cable power sources. These devices are using a power module for their power source that can contain a battery and/or an energy harvesting element. In order to increase usability, power source of wireless sensors and actuators require a standardized interface and harmonized requirements. This part of IEC 62952 specifies interface and specification of power source of wireless devices and does not specify the mechanical interface within a wireless communication device and the power source. Additionally, energy harvesting is a key technology for power source of wireless devices. This document also specifies interface and specification of energy harvesting devices.”
Description: IEC 62952-2:2016, “specifies a profile for a power module containing batteries used as power source for wireless communication devices.”
*Description from the IEC Website. | <urn:uuid:f20d725c-4d88-445e-9b76-fa004c3be841> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://incompliancemag.com/iec-publishes-iec-62952-1-and-iec-62952-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.83158 | 265 | 2.25 | 2 |
The book, Economic Problems of Agriculture in its 7th Edition has a minor change in its title as against the previous ones. In fact these minor changes in the title do not mean much ? for so long as the primary objective remains the same. The present study is divided into Chapters instead of only in the 6th Edition. The idea is to have a wider coverage to enable the reader to have better knowledge of the new problems being faced by the students of agricultural economics in their every day problems. Drastic changes have take place since 2002, when the 6th Edition was published New book it is hoped will be as valuable as the previous issues. | <urn:uuid:5028b680-9997-4ce9-943d-933a9b0e3241> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ibpbooks.com/economic-problems-of-indian-agriculture/p/20680 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.981442 | 131 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Solar power has been going gangbusters since my previous post under this title (2014) and an update of it is well overdue. This isn’t it, however. What I want to do here is talk about domestic solar power, and specifically its advantages here in North Queensland, via four small projects which came out of our own move from one suburban Townsville house to another two years ago.
I will go from smallest to largest.
The new house is a low-set, 1950-ish cement block home pleasantly surrounded by trees. That makes it much darker than our old high-set home, and its double-fronted layout means that the central hallway gets no direct natural light at all.
We had to choose between running lights all day, every day, and putting in a small skylight. Initial quotes for a skylight (Solatube, basic model) were around $750 with, of course zero running costs for about 10 hrs/day of adequate light, 365 days/yr. Could we do better?
Innovation 2 – Studio2 Exhibition
OpeningMarch 1 at 7pm
In a collaboration between Finlay Homes and Artcetera Studio2, local artists were invited to choose waste materials from the building of Finlay Homes new ‘Innovation’ home, to create artworks for the display home. A range of materials from steel to plasterboard, wiring to tiles, and even lowly rust was swooped up eagerly for transformation into art.
The ‘Innovation’ home will be an educational and interactive example of sustainable living for the tropics. Not only is it designed with sustainability in mind, but it will have monitoring systems running to allow visitors to see just how much energy is being saved. As part of that environmental commitment, and in an attempt to reduce the staggering amount of building waste that heads for landfill, the furniture and artwork will be made from offcuts, recycled and waste materials.
Artists include Alison McDonald, Lynn Scott Cummings, Maggie Wretham, MJ Ryan-Bennett and Margot Douglas.
The exhibition will be on display until March 12 at Artcetera Studio2, 486-488 Flinders Street
For information: 0418 750 854 Sue Tilley.
I missed the opening but got there with my camera on the Sunday. It’s a small show but with a wide variety of good works; the two pictured here are from the two ends of the art-to-craft spectrum on display. | <urn:uuid:b4218bbf-a5d2-4f62-b6d7-90d56590a994> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://malcolmtattersall.com.au/wp/tag/sustainable-housing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.95639 | 519 | 1.59375 | 2 |
WordPress websites are often built based on a theme, and they often have predefined formats on what their pages will look like. With patterns, you can take a simple theme like the default Twenty Twenty-two theme and use the full site editing system to create your own template. Since free Patterns are also available on the web through the WordPress.org site, this makes the ability to create new sites based on patterns much easier.
This tutorial will walk you through the steps of building a site by first creating a rough draft or wireframe of your eventual site, building the templates of your pages using patterns, and then showing how you can fill those templates with your own information.
We will be building a simple informational site with only four pages, but you will be able to see how easy it is to expand the site for your needs.
- Starting with a Rough Draft or Wire Frame
- Using Patterns to Build your Website Templates
- Filling Your Content Based on Your Selected Patterns
This tutorial uses WordPress 6.0 and the default Twenty Twenty-two theme. We will also be using patterns from the Pattern directory in WordPress.org.
Starting with a Rough Draft or Wire Frame
One of the best practices you can do when building a website is to create a rough draft or wireframe of the website you intend to build. You can use pencil/pen and paper to draw it out, get graphics programs, or even use programs dedicated to creating prototypes of applications/websites.
Before you start drafting your website (or while you’re doing it), you will need to make a list of the pages that you intend to include in your website. The website we will demonstrate in this tutorial is a simple informational site with the following pages:
The front page is important because it is the first page that anyone sees when navigating to your site. It will also include the menu system to navigate your site, information that you want to present immediately to your viewers, and a footer that can include other reference information or contact information.
We will keep things simple and use the tools provided by Google Slides to create the rough draft. Basically, we can draw shapes on the slide and it can provide a model of how we want the website to be arranged. This is also an opportunity to put notes about what will be placed on a page.
The rough draft is not intended to be a pure representation of how the site will appear, but it will give you and others who might be part of the website building process insight into what will be on the site and your intentions for the operation. It is an approximate appearance of the site.
For example, this screenshot is a slide that represents the front page of the site:
Although I’m providing a general description of these pages, you can be really specific when building the draft so that you have a better idea of the items on the front page.
Additionally, since the Google Slide can be shared with people, you can collaborate with others. For example, you might have a strong graphics person who can provide your site graphics or other images. You can add the images to the slide to help make it closer to how the page will appear.
The about page is generally a biographic or information page that describes the history of an organization or person or the story behind it. It can also be used to provide mission statements or other important information that characterizes the organization or people who are represented by this website.
In the screenshot of the rough draft below, you can see that the header and footer remain in place. You can leave them the same, or change the size of the header or footer depending on the links you want to display when a person is viewing this page. At the very least, you should provide a link back to the home page of your website.
A contact page is generally a form that can be filled online through a computer or mobile device so that contact can be established with someone who may be interested in your products or services.
There are many different plugins that can be provided to create contact forms. We have provided a link to a weForms article that shows you how to create a contact form. The plugin provides the form as well as the tracking of responses to the form.
Contact pages should not include email addresses as they can be read by robots used by spammers who look for email addresses to send their spam. However, if you feel that an email address should be provided for further contact, then definitely include it. We would recommend a good spam filtering service to help fight spam emails that hit that address.
Phone numbers are generally not listed either, but if you have a business phone number and it is imperative that you are contacted by phone, then it can be added to this page.
Addresses for businesses should be added if a physical location is part of the information you’re trying to provide through the website.
The info page can also be called a product information page or curricula vitae (of a person) – it’s generally a page (or pages) that include information on the persons(s), group, organization, or service that you want to advertise on the web.
You should provide media such as images or videos that will help to show visitors your knowledge or products.
The info page is different from the about page in that the information you are providing is more specific to describing your services or products that you want people to know about. You may also want to rename the page to something more appropriate.
Header and footers should remain on the page and provide navigation options for the viewer. This also helps to maintain colors and format that can help to establish the professionalism of your website.
Make sure to include a call to action that encourages interested parties to contact you through the contact page.
As you can see, it’s really very simple to quickly build an informative website. The next step is to find patterns that you can use to quickly build your site.
Using Patterns to Build your Website Templates
Patterns can be found in block themes that include them and in the WordPress.org Pattern directory. While you can go crazy choosing all kinds of patterns, it’s best to try and keep it simple so that website has a more uniform look.
Editing the Templates
To keep the website consistent, it’s best to first modify the website templates. The templates make up each page within the site. To see a list of the pages, you will first need to be in the site editor. If you’re in the WordPress Dashboard, click on Appearance, then click on Editor. Click on the WordPress symbol in the top left corner of the screen, then click on Templates.
Each template represents a page within your website. If you wish to add your own page, then click on the Add New button in the top right corner.
Changing the Header on the Home Page
Making changes to some of the pages may at first seem daunting, but it’s a very simple process once you understand the elements of each page. The Home page is very important since that is the first page that anyone sees.
The Twenty Twenty-two theme home page uses a header and footer. In order to make changes to these elements, you will need to work with Template parts. Follow the steps below in order to change the header of the Home page by first changing the template part.
- Log in to the WordPress Administrator.
- Click on Appearance, then click on Editor.
- You will see the editor open the Twenty Twenty-two website. In the top left corner, click on the WordPress symbol. This will display a menu on the left side of the screen.
- Under Editor, click on Template Parts. This will show the template parts included with the Twenty Twenty-two theme. Template parts make up the templates used as headers or pages and in order to make changes to those elements in your site, you will need to first change the template parts or add to them.
- You will see that there are several headers here that you can select. You can also add your own. In the top right corner, click on Add New.
- You will be given the choice of template part you want to create: General (checked by default), Header, or Footer. Since we’re modifying the header first, click on Header.
- You will notice that the Create button is grayed out. In order to make it clickable, you will need to name your template part first. Type a name for your new template part, then click on the Create button.
- You will see a blank white rectangle where you can create a new header. For this example, we’re going to use the patterns within the Twenty Twenty-two theme. Click on the + sign in the top left corner.
- Next, click on Patterns. By default, there is a filter that is set to Featured directly beneath the Blocks, Patterns, and Reusable options in the left column. Click on the drop-down arrow in the box and select Headers. You will then see a list of header patterns that come with the Twenty Twenty-two theme. Select the one you want to use.
- Click on Save in the top right corner. It will confirm that you’re saving your new header. Click on the Save button again to confirm, or cancel to choose a different pattern for the header.
- Now we need to return to the Editor menu so that we can select the Home template to modify it. Click on the WordPress symbol in the top left corner, then click on Templates.
- Click on the Home template. To see this change more clearly, first, click on the List view option in the top-left corner.
- This will bring up the list of blocks making up the Home page. The default header should be in place. Click on the Header (either in the editor screen or in the list view).
- You will see a contextual menu bar appear and you will see a REPLACE option on it.
- Click on Replace. This will bring up the list of available headers (from the template parts) and should include your newly created header. Choose your header.
- Click on Save in the top right corner. It will confirm that you’re saving your modified Home page. Click on the Save button again to confirm, or cancel to choose a different header for the Home page.
To make changes to the other pages of your WordPress site, repeat these steps, but select the page that you wish to edit (other than the home page). If you want to make further changes to the Home page template, then you can edit it without having to change a template part.
Just remember that template parts make up the header and footer. So, if you wish to change those elements, then you will need to change the corresponding template part first.
The Twenty Twenty-two theme only has header and footer template parts. This may differ in other themes.
Using Patterns from the WordPress.org Site
If you want to use a pattern from the WordPress.org site, then follow the steps below:
- Log in to the WordPress Administrator.
- Click on Appearance, then click on Editor.
- This will take you to the home page. In this example, we will demonstrate changing the header pattern. Click on list view at the top left corner of the editor. You can then see that the header consists of multiple blocks. The header is a template part in this pattern so, in order to create a custom one, we will need to create a new header.
- Click on the WordPress symbol in the top left corner. This will open the menu for the template and template parts that are part of the theme and make up the site. Click on Template Parts.
- You will see a footer and three headers that are in the Twenty Twenty-two theme. Click on the blue button labeled Add New in the top right corner.
- You will see a dialogue window open asking if you want to create a general(checked by default), header, or footer template part. We are creating a custom header, so select header, then add a name for the customer header. You will need to do this before you can click on the Create button.
- Once you click on the Create button, you will see the editor screen for the template part. Keep the editor open (don’t close it). Open a new tab in your internet browser and go to the WordPress.org Patterns directory and then select a new header pattern there.
- If you use a pattern from the online directory, click on the copy button of the pattern you have selected and then paste it into the editor. For example, I have selected a pattern from the online directory and clicked on the copy button.
In the template editor, right-click on the block, then select Paste.
You will see the pattern added. It will appear like this:
- Click on the blue Save button in the top right corner of the template editor. Note that the graphics of the custom header can’t be edited unless you edit the template part. There you can select the graphic and replace it using the blocks.
You can repeat this process, but selecting the footer and then using the same steps to make changes. You would be creating a custom footer. The next step is to add your content to the modified theme.
Filling Your Content Based on Your Selected Patterns
The final step in using patterns to build a WordPress site is to fill your modified site using your own content. This is typically the easiest part of the process. You would go into the editor and add your content starting with the front page (home page).
Typically, the home page may have elements on it that don’t regularly change. These elements can be changed using the Site Editor (from the WordPress Dashboard: Appearance >Editor).
Otherwise, the content that is on your front page comes from posts that are displayed between the header and the footer. Create new content by creating posts.
Patterns are not restricted to simply making changes to the templates or template parts that make up your WordPress site. You can use them in a post to help provide some creativity in its appearance.
Finally, if you’re working with patterns, don’t be shy in editing them when using the WordPress full site editing system. They’re excellent guides in giving you a format to work with but they don’t need to have the same elements. Change them as needed per your needs.
Here you can see the text highlighted for editing. You can also easily replace the background graphic or add other blocks. Have fun and be creative! | <urn:uuid:0e1a5ea3-abf2-48b5-9094-be40e777d838> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/wordpress/full-site-editing/build-website-with-patterns/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572221.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816060335-20220816090335-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.880127 | 3,050 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The big news story, at least in the Right Blogosphere, is that Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum announced in a press conference that a declassified Pentagon document finds that at least 500 chemical weapons have been found in Iraq since our invasion of the country in 2003:
WASHINGTON — The United States has found 500 chemical weapons in Iraq since 2003, and more weapons of mass destruction are likely to be uncovered, two Republican lawmakers said Wednesday.
“We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons,” Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said in a quickly called press conference late Wednesday afternoon.
Reading from a declassified portion of a report by the National Ground Intelligence Center, a Defense Department intelligence unit, Santorum said: “Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq’s pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist.”
Certainly not the Right Blogosphere. Anybody who’s been paying attention knows that caches of chemical-filled shells and the chemicals to put in the shells have been found from time to time since 2003. The count mounts up over time. I also remember reports during the battle for Baghdad that traces of mustard gas and sarin had been found in the Tigris River, the implication being that chemical weapons-armed Iraqi military units had dumped what they had rather than being caught with them in their possession. That Saddam possessed chemical weapons and/or had the resources to reconstitute his stockpiles is not news.
Certainly not the Left Blogosphere. Many loathed Bush and the Republicans before September 11, 2001, allowed a breathing space after the destruction of the World Trade Center, and returned to the regularly scheduled program in full force shortly thereafter. There is no doubt whatever in my mind that there are those in the Left Blogosphere who, had a fully functional nuclear weapon found in Iraq in 2003, would have loudly declaimed that Saddam had been driven to the possession of nuclear weapons by an intransigent United States and a nuclear-armed Israel.
Consider this graph from the most recent Pew Research report on American opinion on Iraq:
It doesn’t change the substance of the situation in Iraq at all or alter what we need to do or what we’re likely to do there. It won’t save a single American or Iraqi life, it won’t strengthen the new Iraqi government, it won’t have any impact on the insurgency in Iraq, it won’t change public opinion there. It won’t build a school or hospital or keep the electricity turned on or the oil pipelines pumping.It won’t persuade anyone of anything.
It doesn’t change the fact that Americans and Iraqis are dying. It doesn’t change the fact that the Iraqi people are completely exhausted by the ongoing violence.
It doesn’t change the fact that President Bush has repeatedly and unqualifiedly stated that he will keep American troops in Iraq until the Iraqi government is able to defend itself against the insurgency. It doesn’t change the reality that both Democratic and Republican Congressmen and Senators overwhelmingly recognize that “stay the course”—shorthand for American military presence in Iraq to root out insurgents, train the Iraqi military, and act as a combination bodyguard and referee—is the only realistic alternative we have for the foreseeable future in Iraq.
Does it matter to Rick Santorum? He’s struggling in a bruising re-election campaign. If I were a Pennsylvanian I might care, but I live in Illinois and don’t honestly give a damn about who Pennsylvania sends to the Senate.
But I’m getting mightily tired of this endless search for who shot John and I think a lot of other Americans are, too. | <urn:uuid:34f46914-47a2-4ed1-abb4-8ed5d6ec8c9a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://theglitteringeye.com/500-chemical-weapons-found-in-iraq-who-cares/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.960299 | 809 | 1.648438 | 2 |
I’m on this kick lately where I want to be a positive, happy, kind person. Emphasis on ‘kind’ because that’s the main goal I’m working on. Kindness towards other people, but also kindness to myself because I believe you must take care of yourself in order to be able to help others.
My mind hasn’t always been a pleasant place, but more than unpleasant, it was unsafe. While I curled up in fear of other people, in truth I was my own worst enemy by a long shot. I’m working really hard to clean up all the mess up there. It’s a slow, tedious process but I am beginning to see changes!
One of my strongest methods of self-sabotage is anxiety. Until recently I pretty much allowed my anxiety free reign in my life and completely indulged its every whim. Avoid social interactions? Why, yes! Walk a different direction in the store to avoid an interaction? Already headed the opposite way! Why should I hang out with those people? You know they don’t really like you anyway! That person was quieter than usual today? They obviously don’t want you around.
Unmanaged, my anxiety had taken over and controlled my entire life. In the South we have something called kudzu (Japanese arrowroot). It’s an invasive vine brought here voluntarily back in 1876 to control soil erosion. As you can see in the pictures below, kudzu is quite prolific and, left alone, will take over any and every thing in its path. This is kind of what I picture was happening with my anxiety.
Anyone who deals with or has experienced anxiety on a regular basis knows it is a battle. I use the word ‘battle’ because there are no rules and no fair play. Anxiety can come out of the blue and attack whether you’re ready or not. It appears from unexpected angles. It knows your weaknesses better than you do.
Every single day I battle my thoughts. I battle my emotions. I battle my perceptions. Sometimes one at a time, and sometimes all together. Even this is progress though, because there once was a time I didn’t fight them at all.
I can give you a perfect example of anxiety from just this week. I’ve started back to college and my first classes were Monday and Tuesday. Everything is now handled via internet so on Monday I logged into my school account to make sure nothing had changed with classroom numbers and such. I was taken to a screen I wasn’t familiar with and discovered the teacher of my first class (Monday night) had already sent an email and made an assignment. The first ‘assignment’ was to ‘like’ the email she sent and add my name to acknowledge I’d received it, only…..there was no ‘like’ button to be found on the entire site. Panic mode.
Suddenly every story that’s run through my mind about going back to school at 40, and all the uncoolness from my high school experience in general, started playing in my head on repeat. Ohmygod, you’re already embarrassing yourself! What an idiot! I bet all those 19-year-olds can find the ‘like’ button!! Why do you always embarrass yourself?!? This is why you shouldn’t be in school at your age. You’re gonna be sitting there looking like everybody’s mama in class. What were you thinking?!?!
I knew I had to do something though, so after a solid five minutes of beating myself up I responded to her email with my name (minus the imaginary ‘like’). Next was the assignment – For 100 points, write down what psychology means to you. Anxiety. How do you even do an assignment these days?? It says “legibly” does that mean I have to write it? What if I type it? Typing is neater. Does that make me a nerd? I’m typing it. How do you even lay it out? Do I put my name at the top? I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! I’M TOO OLD!!! After typing it up:
Waste. Of. Paper. And after all this? The entire class was cancelled for the day.
Then it’s Tuesday night and I have math class. I wasn’t as nervous this time. I didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about what to wear like I had the night before. I’m doing pretty good so far!
Then the teacher starts teaching….
It’s literally been 10 years since I was in a math class (I took Math 99 or something on a whim years ago). I did really well in that class, but I mean it when I tell you I’ve forgotten every single thing about it. So after his introduction the teacher walks to the board and writes some kind of -3x + 42 = y and told us to “find y”. I’m telling you it took every ounce of willpower I have not to get up and walk out that door. Well, you are lost already. You shouldn’t have done this. What made you think you could return to school? You’re old!
For the first 20 minutes or so of his teaching these are exactly the thoughts that ran through my head. So what do you do when this happens? How do you make it stop?
Here are some ways I’ve learned to cope with my anxiety:
1. Prepare for a Battle. Know yourself. Where are your weaknesses? What are your triggers? Triggers can be anything from a new situation to a big crowd to an aggressive, outgoing personality. Find those soft places and brace for impact. Listen to the stories you tell yourself, and then learn what the truth is.
In the story above, I knew what I was telling myself leading up to class. I’m too old to return to school. I’m going to be laughed at. It’s going to be just like high school. I’m horrible at math.
So when the panic came as I was looking at the teacher’s email, it got out of hand for a few minutes but then I started to reign it in by replacing those thoughts with the truth. I can do this. I’m not too old. I can figure this out.
2. Acknowledge the Source. Most, if not all, of the anxiety I experience is caused by unfounded fear. In the story above I was doing a new thing, with new people, and I was unsure of myself. Of course I was scared! This is where my anxiety starts rubbing its hands together with an evil grin and tries to get a foothold. However, knowing these thoughts are fabricated by fear and not reality makes it easier for me to fight the negative thoughts with positive, truthful ones.
3. Force Your Focus. Most people with anxiety are hypersensitive. I mean, I catch every change in tone, every facial expression, every look. My anxiety uses these things against me. Flip that around and use it to your advantage.
What you’re looking for is what you’ll see. Pay attention to the things that don’t support your fear instead of the things that do. It’s all about replacing the ‘story’. So when you notice someone is quieter to you than usual and later you find out it was because they’d had a really late night and not that they were wishing you’d fall off the face of the planet, make a note of that. Next time they’re quiet and those thoughts creep up, remind yourself that last time it had nothing to do with you!
4. Change Your Thoughts. Give your brain something to ‘chew’ on besides those negative thoughts. Pay attention to what’s running through your mind. When you catch yourself in a negative spiral, replace it. I am enough. I am smart. I forgive myself. I can do this. My friends love me. My family loves me. I am loved. I can write. I can make an ‘A’ in this class. Make your own to replace whatever floats through your mind.
I started off writing mine down. Over and over and over in this little notebook. Writing felt more powerful to me than repeating them in my mind. Then I started saying them out loud on my way to work. A little later a friend of mine told me about people like Les Brown and Eric Thomas on Youtube and I started listening and watching videos.
It felt strange, even false at first. Eventually though, I got used to it and it wasn’t strange anymore. When I did, I added on. You know what happened? The mess in my head started clearing up. The ‘battles’ became easier to fight.
5. Borrow confidence from someone else. Sometimes the best way for me to boost my confidence is to borrow it from someone else. Most often for me that happens when I listen to rap music. Big Sean is a new favorite. Jay-Z. Kanye. 2Pac is an old favorite. Lots of confidence to be found in rap music.
A few weeks ago I was going to meet with someone that, for whatever reason, I was really anxious about. I’d avoided it for two months. Driving over I could feel the nerves kicking up so I turned up the speakers and me and 2Pac had a fun little concert together the whole way there. (Now, 2Pac will have me getting out of the car looking for somebody’s ass to kick sometimes, so kind of keep yourself in check with the attitude.) When I got there I felt much better about myself and wasn’t half as nervous as I’d been earlier, all thanks to 2Pac.
If rap isn’t your thing, watch a video on Youtube. Les Brown and Eric Thomas, who I mention in #4, are both powerful motivational speakers. Tony Robbins is another. Lisa Nichols. Mel Robbins. There are so many. Find your favorite!
6. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. You’ve probably seen the quote, “So far you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing great!”
The majority of the time will it truly matter if that person you’re worried about likes you? No. If you’ve lived any amount of time at all you’ve already survived someone not liking you. You’ll survive this one too.
If you look silly in front of that group of people, is it really going to ruin your life? No. It might be uncomfortable, but it will pass. Laugh it off! My favorite people are the ones who are able to laugh at themselves.
So far I’ve survived 100% of the people who didn’t like me, 100% of the times I looked like a big dummy, 100% of the times I said something embarrassing. I will survive the next one too.
7. Stop the Bleeding. It’s unfortunate, but at the end of the day, sometimes you have to admit some people are just not good for you. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad person, though it can. Maybe you’re in too weak of a place and they’re a little too harsh and unforgiving. Whatever the case, it’s time to do some serious thinking about it.
If someone makes you feel bad about yourself purposefully or not, sit down and have an adult conversation about how they make you feel and why. If they’re truly that good of a friend when they understand what they’re doing, they will stop. If not, unfortunately you will sometimes have to let those people go, or at least put some distance there. It’s not worth your sense of self-worth or confidence.
By the way, after the twenty minutes of beating myself up in math class Tuesday night I refocused my thoughts and changed the ‘story’ I was telling myself. One by one those little math rules I’d forgotten started coming back to me and by the end of the class I knew if I got those down and did my homework I would be just fine. In fact, I might just get an ‘A’ at the end of all this!
I hope this helped at least a little bit. Wishing you all a fantastic day free of anxiety and filled with love, given and received! | <urn:uuid:a6e7f9a9-ffc9-4ae2-972a-9b97debd971d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://positivelycrystal.com/2018/08/23/thoughts-for-thursday-anxiety/?like_comment=73&_wpnonce=e14662ab5c | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.971516 | 2,668 | 1.53125 | 2 |
You need to understand that like a car, air conditioning requires regular washing and maintenance. AC is also a machine that requires maintenance and servicing. You need to get Fujitsu air conditioning service & repairs from a reliable professional.
Image Source: Google
One of the best ways to keep the air conditioner functioning like a new machine is to maintain the air conditioner. Why pay the electric bill if your air conditioner isn't cold enough? All you have to do is fix and repair your air conditioner to solve the problem.
You will need to clean the windings of the device, lubricate the fan motor, adjust the belt and inspect the compressor. This is the main part that needs cleaning and repair for the AC to function properly.
Look for companies with the professional services you need. First of all, you need to consider and compare prices before hiring an air conditioning company. Typically, the new service company may not have the experience compared to the old company.
To do this, it is necessary to regularly maintain the air conditioner with the help of a qualified and trained professional. There are many different types of air conditioners you can consider, and each has its own maintenance and routine service requirements.
Routine cleaning should be done for 3 months and dry cleaning for at least 1 year. Whether you use an air conditioner that is mounted on a wall or ceiling, you can get help with the care and maintenance of your device so that it is always functioning properly and safely. | <urn:uuid:2d41afdb-ee10-48b0-8980-a767bc81482e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lidnjar.com/tag/air-conditioning-service/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.947398 | 303 | 1.640625 | 2 |
UX is no longer the plan troj, but the normal intention of a whole organization. UX is essential to the achievement of any site or mobile iphone app and, in the present environment, regularly the key competitive benefit. UX refers to the complete experience of the idea and the method that it makes the user feel. At the simplest level, UI is composed of all the elements that enable a person to interact with something or product. A superb UI gives a continual interface in many mediums, if web or mobile. Right now, needless to say, the UI of its search homepage is simple, clean and refined ww.designcommunication.com.au.
The design may be the way functions. Interaction design is the way that people interact with your website. Towards the contrary, the important designs are frequently more useful than beautiful. Fantastic style is not difficult to trust. It is easy to process the brain should not have to use a ton of energy to figure out what the heck really looking at. UX design is certainly an increasing self-control. Normally, UX design and research is the initial step when ever deciding whether to create a alternative or app.
Following your designer incorporates a firm understanding of the wearer’s demands and goals, they will start to draw out the interaction framework (also called wireframes). Visual designers aren’t focused on how displays link to the other person, nor how one interacts with the idea. Basically, a visual designer must aim for your usability together with maximum desirability. He lies out courses and changes every single nullement to ensure that the end result is perfect. Graphic designers concentrate on grabbing the user’s attention with all the method by which the style looks. Designers ought to be well versed in data architecture and can organize the info so that it has the simple to comprehend. Item Designer Product designer is actually a catch-all expression used to refer to a designer whoms generally needed for the introduction of the style and come to feel of an item.
Design isn’t a monologue, it is just a conversation. Nav design may be the fashion where interface elements are placed in order to regulate the users movement through the info buildings and allow it to be basic. In short, this can be a process that will require certain expertise to deliver outcomes. User interface style demands a very good comprehension of user requirements.
The designers carry out wonderful testing at each stage on the plan approach. Increasingly, UX designers have found that lots of recruiters expect they have not simply UX expertise nonetheless also UI design skill sets. Some UX designers also are predicted to complete interaction style, and frequently UI designers happen to be anticipated to thrust pixels too. They explore many different ways to solving a specific user issue. They handle much of the explore that will validate or invalidate initial item ideas and guide the advancement the product. An adequate UX artist will focus on the way in which the person thinks.
Since it’s such an easy approach, everyone finds it simple to adjust in their present procedure. The applying detects the present schedule requires a re-routing and gives the agent while using very best fresh travel alternatives to advise to the passenger. The software a user-experience fashionable uses varies on account of the various products in existence. Every end user is trying to find the ideal experience. Self-Explanatory Pictures Engaging users instantly is normally something which every single application want to reach. Just in case the user feels confused at all, that’s chaffing. Placing the end user in the middle of the style process is vital.
The only means to supply the very best experience is to use a wonderful Ui and User Experience. Equally as the user encounter is composed of a lot of unique components, graphical user interface design being only one of which, that when combined together form the user experience. The user encounter is the wider context the place that the UI exist, taking into account the individual’s role in the total treatment, how they collaborates based on a men and women, and the surroundings where the individual and the UI can be found. User encounter (UX), on the flip side, is the inner experience an individual has because they interact with each facet of a firm’s products and solutions. Our work is to generate things even more clear.
Leading Digital advertising businesses incorporate three elements to extend the best responsive merchandise to the consumer. You understand what you’d anticipate from the goods you decide to employ, and thus don’t you dare build something much less. A useful product complies with a need which is not already staying met in the marketplace. The item is usually an assortment of parts. Digital products usually are meant to be touched, scrolled and swiped. Getting in the exact same room although someone problems to utilize your product is a solid trigger for creating empathy with users – common characteristic. There’s a huge selection of sound to select from . | <urn:uuid:e45c98b3-cdaa-4ae3-b5ac-19ab832402c1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.prohara.ro/the-appeal-of-ux-ui-4/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.937702 | 1,012 | 2.453125 | 2 |
The University of Michigan recently released a new smartphone app that’s designed to help you do self-examinations for skin cancer.
The free app, called UMSkinCheck, works by taking 23 (naked) pictures of yourself and analyzing them for moles and legions. The app will also have useful information and tools associated with skin cancer.
I wonder if smartphone cameras are really of a high enough resolution yet for this to be truly effective. Of course, it’s never going to be infallible, but will this really detect skin cancer unless it’s already quite far along?
Better to have something than nothing I suppose. | <urn:uuid:0660bc8a-0250-45b8-a2ac-5d8ea554fd42> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.geeksaresexy.net/2012/07/18/smartphone-skin-cancer-dermatology/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.952202 | 135 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Tags The Netherlands
Tag: The Netherlands
In January 2010, Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza returned from The Netherlands to Rwanda to attempt to run against sitting President Paul Kagame. She said she knew that she would be either assassinated or imprisoned, and she is now entering the fifth year of a 15-year prison sentence. KPFA’s Ann Garrison spoke to Marie Lyse Numuhoza, the founder of Friends of Victoire, a new organization created to fight for her freedom.
Rwandan Dutch citizens and political asylum seekers in the Netherlands demonstrated in The Hague, the country’s capital, on Saturday, Nov. 29. They called on the Dutch government to stop supporting the dictatorship of Paul Kagame and stop deporting Rwandans at Kagame’s request. After watching the video of the demonstration, I spoke to Jean Flammé, a Belgian attorney for a Rwandan facing extradition for supporting Victoire Ingabire.
Victoire Ingabire has become an icon of peace and democracy in the war ravaged Great Lakes Region of Africa. She returned to Rwanda in 2010, announcing her intention to run against sitting Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who responded by imprisoning her instead. Opponents in Rwanda are neutralized, and they try to do that with people abroad too. This is what is happening now with Victoire Ingabire’s husband Lin Muyizere.
CDCR has proposed regulations that could permanently ban any documents it defines as “contraband,” including political publications and correspondence that should be protected by First Amendment constitutional rights. Why are prison officials attempting to increase the political, mental and emotional isolation of people in solitary confinement struggling to resist an already crushing physical isolation?
President Obama, who many expected to bring peace and civility, has become a warmonger. His predecessor, George Bush, created so much animosity in the world ... So naturally, the world expected Obama to be different. Sadly, this hasn’t been the case.
The liberation of Congo requires that people in countries that profit from Congo’s wealth stand in solidarity with those who rightfully own it. As Lumumba once famously said, “Free and liberated people from every corner of the world will always be found at the side of the Congolese.”
"We applaud your focus on the horrors of the conflict in the Congo by addressing sexual and gender based violence; however, such violence against women is a direct result of the resource war. The United States can play a key role in bringing an end to the conflict," Friends of the Congo wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. | <urn:uuid:430347e1-02ec-4228-8c34-30f29e501524> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sfbayview.com/tag/the-netherlands/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.955305 | 548 | 1.703125 | 2 |
48g Unclassified HED Meteorite | Beautiful HED Meteorite fragment with CRUST
On Offer: 48.0g fragment of an unclassified HED achondrite meteorite with extensive remnant fusion crust. (likely Howardite)
Type: Unclassified HED
Parent Body: Vesta or Vestoid
Description: 48.0 gram fragment of an amazing unclassified HED meteorite with beautiful remnant crust covering much of the meteorite.
The HED Meteorites: The HED meteorite group is so named for the three types of meteorites that comprise the group; Howardite, Eucrite and Diogenite. The Eucrite and Diogenite are distinct meteorites, while the Howardite is a mix of the Eucrite and Diogenite lithologies. The HEDs are differentiated achondritic meteorites previously thought to originate from Vesta, but now leading researchers are starting to think they originated from a Vesta-like asteroid (not Vesta itself) that was destroyed long ago. This is because we also find iron meteorites with similar isotopic genetics as the HED, leading researchers to conclude the HED meteorites come from a large Vestan-like body that was in a large enough collision to also liberate pat or all of its metal core.
What you get: 48.0 gram unclassified HED meteorite specimen as shown, membrane storage/display box, & signed Certificate of Authenticity.
I offer a 100% no questions asked 30 day return policy.
ID - TMSBUncHOW1702
We Also Recommend | <urn:uuid:0769ee87-3998-4afd-b988-8bc78902765c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://topmeteorite.com/collections/all/products/48g-unclassified-hed-meteorite-beautiful-hed-meteorite-fragment-with-crust | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.905451 | 330 | 1.53125 | 2 |
The director current account is a summary of transactions between the director of the company and the company itself.
The director of the company and the company itself are separate legal entities.
Usually, each director, where there are multiple directors, would have a separate director current account (also sometimes referred to as directors loan account).
We always produce a director current account for limited company jobs and send this to clients as part of our year-end pack and ask clients to approve this.
The type of transactions that are listed in the director current account include:
- Director salary
- Dividends issued (Based on the profits of the business)
- Director loan interest (If applicable)
- Personal expenses paid on behalf of the company by the director
- Money introduced to the business (which can be paid back to the director tax-free, cash flow permitting)
- Any transfers or cash drawings
- Sales received personally
- Ultimately this then results in a closing balance which Rolls forward to the next period
- If the balance is negative which means that the director has withdrawn too much money, this money needs to be paid back within nine months of the yearend accounting date
- If the balance is positive, the director can withdraw the money from the company tax-free. However, must know that the balance applies to the date of the accounts which are completed in arrears and does not account for any subsequent transactions which have happened between the accounting period to year-end and the date the accounts are completed.
- Therefore the closing balance is always going to be out of date.
- We do advise clients to leave enough money in the company to meet liabilities including tax And other creditors.
- If the director current-account is consistently overdrawn and tax bills remain unpaid, HMRC is likely to investigate and we are also obliged to charge the company for the overdrawn loan which should be avoided. | <urn:uuid:6896f7d8-2588-430d-9172-4d2b9a7eb905> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://veganaccountants.co.uk/what-is-a-director-current-account/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.971749 | 389 | 2.15625 | 2 |
The Total Safety Cube Inter-school Quiz, hosted by Bakwena, was recently held at the Bapo Tribal Hall in Bapong. Of the eight schools that participated the runner up was Majkaneng and the winning school was Segwetlhane Primary.
The Road Safety Cube programme, an initiative of Total Worldwide, involves using practical demonstrations and interactive sessions to educate young learners about road safety and create awareness of road rules and signs.
Total South Africa, through Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire, donated the Road Safety Cubes to primary schools along its route, to teach children the importance of road safety. Bakwena sponsored all training sessions and implemented the activities. Both Bakwena and Total South Africa are members of the Global Road Safety Partnership South Africa (GRSP-ZA). This joint project between the two organisations was initiated from the GRSP platform.
“These educational aids are an innovative and practical means of enabling teachers to teach Grade 4 students the basics of road safety.” explains Bakwena’s commercial manager, Liam Clarke. “Each Cube contained workbooks for learners, as well as a workbook for the teacher. The Cube also contains pieces of artificial road which could be connected in different modes, together with miniature road signs to be placed alongside the road according to how it was assembled. This enables learners to practice their road safety using intersections, straight roads or situations they need to beware of. On completion of the course, each learner received a certificate, a reflective sticker for safe walking along roads, and a set of colour pencils.
“To ensure the materials are accurate and in context, they were assessed by the North West Departments of Road Safety and Education,” says Clarke. Sixteen teachers received training from eight primary schools, as well as road safety officers from the Bojanala and Ngaka Modiri Molema District Councils. Training was extended to the Department of Education Safe Schools representatives from Rustenburg and Mahikeng. The Bakwena Disaster Team also assisted with the implementation of this project.
Based on the success of this project, Bakwena is looking at rolling out further Road Safety Cubes to additional schools along their route from January 2017.
The following schools took part in the quiz: Seroophata Primary School; Majakaneng Primary School; Nkukime Primary School; St Catherine Primary School; Kgwanyape Primary School; Bapo Primary School; and Segwetlhane Primary School. | <urn:uuid:7b170eff-977a-4928-b1e3-f728476966d3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.bakwena.co.za/2016/11/30/segwetlhane-primary-wins-total-safety-cube-inter-school-quiz-hosted-by-bakwena/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.968781 | 516 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Two Republican members of Congress on Sunday expressed concern over President Donald Trump’s now-canceled plan to host Taliban leaders at Camp David for secret peace talks around the 18th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The comments from Reps. Michael Waltz of Florida and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois come one day after Trump tweeted that he invited Taliban leaders to Camp David for secret peace talks this weekend but canceled the meeting after the Taliban took credit for an attack in Kabul that killed a dozen people, including an American soldier. Trump has long sought to withdraw the US from its longest war, but his revelation on Saturday night that he was considering holding talks with the Taliban at Camp David – a storied retreat where presidents have famously secured peace accords – was striking, especially coming so close to the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“As we head into the anniversary of 9/11, I do not ever want to see these terrorists step foot on United States soil. Period,” Waltz, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on “Newsroom” Sunday afternoon.
Waltz said Sunday that among his top concerns over Trump’s invitation was the Taliban “declaring this a victory.”
“The Taliban have shown zero desire for peace. There’s no ceasefire that they’ve agreed to. In fact, they’ve ramped up their attacks. We talked about the American soldier that just came home this morning in a coffin,” he said.
“So I just have a lot of concerns. I’m urging the President to walk away from this deal as it stands,” he added.
Kinzinger, an Air Force veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, told CNN’s Ana Cabrera later Sunday that he was in “disbelief” that “Taliban leaders, in the week of 9/11 … were going to come to really the area in the United States, not too far from New York, Camp David, that has been a place of such wonderful things that have happened in the past.”
He added that “negotiations between nation states can happen there, but a terrorist organization that doesn’t recognize nation states, that kills innocent women and children, that denies women the right to really even be in the same room as their husbands … to have them at Camp David is totally unacceptable.”
Kinzinger said Trump was correct to walk away from the talks.
When pressed by CNN’s Jake Tapper earlier Sunday over criticism of the invitation to host Taliban leaders just days from the 9/11 anniversary, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo only offered that the US has “made real progress” toward peace talks.
“It’s not just about commitments. We have to see them be able to deliver it. We have to have proof that it’s delivered. When we get to that point, when American national security interests can be protected I am confident President Trump will continue the process of trying to get what he has talked about since his campaign – a reduction of our risk level and the cost to the American people both in terms of life and treasure there in Afghanistan.”
Pompeo added that the US is still interested in striking a peace deal with the Taliban but won’t move forward until there is proof that the Taliban can deliver on its commitments under a potential agreement.
This story has been updated. | <urn:uuid:4930e50a-a96f-49a1-be76-709cb7198855> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/08/politics/michael-waltz-taliban-9-11-pompeo-cnntv/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.971122 | 738 | 1.71875 | 2 |
7/29/22 WE HAVE A NEW ENTRANCE!!!
See directions below.
C.R.A.S.H. is launching at our Ft. Lupton site from 9 AM to 1 PM. Check the calendar on the right. The entrance gate is located at 40.10213N, -104.7515 on County Road 16.
From Ft. Lupton – Take Highway 85 north to County Rd. 16. Turn right (east) on County Rd. 16. In ~2 miles it will change to Barley Ave. Continue on Barley east for another 2 miles to the gate on the south. Proceed through the gate and fasten the chain after you pass through. Continue south along the telephone lines to the parking area on your left (east).
Google Map Directions to the gate.
We require that you keep the gate closed and secured with the chain, drive slowly, and stay on the road until you get to our site.
There are no restroom facilities on site. When you get to Ft Lupton, please make a pit stop before heading to the site.
C.R.A.S.H. is National Association of Rocketry Section #482.
C.R.A.S.H. conducts non-waivered launches. If you are unsure if a certain motor – or combination of motors – is permitted, ask the range officer before flying.
One of the biggest challenges we see beginners have is with igniters, please review our pdf about correct igniter installation to help ensure more successful rocket launches.
NOTE: Dry weather flight restrictions are currently in effect, please review them here.
C.R.A.S.H. holds sport launches twice each month year ’round. Launches are held on the first Sunday at 9 AM and the third Saturday at 9 AM.
Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no fee for launching with us, but contributions are welcome, and will help us maintain and improve our equipment.
STEM and Groups
C.R.A.S.H. members love to share STEM knowledge with anyone interested in model rockets. Did you know this simple toy teaches aerospace, aviation, engineering, chemistry, aerodynamics and mechanics? It appeals to anyone also interested in astronomy, 3D-printing and manufacturing. Kids love this hands-on learning method and putting principals into practice with safe, professional help.
Students who keep up with this activity, are top contenders for future jobs in the aerospace industry and other technical professions. The Colorado Front Range, known as “Aerospace Alley”, has one of the highest concentrations of aerospace companies in the nation. Colorado brings in students from all over the globe to meet job demands. Many of these companies have expressed interest in developing talent locally, so that the time spent achieving clearance levels could be shortened and their productivity would greatly increase. Your student could be earning these good-paying jobs, right here in Colorado, with skills learned from C.R.A.S.H.
Email us at crashonline(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com so we may assist you with letting your student or hobbyist fly. | <urn:uuid:146d9343-b4b1-4e7d-ba70-f3d3e0d9fa04> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://crashonline.org/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.942439 | 656 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Antacids are a common kind of treatment for acid reflux (indigestion). They perform their job by neutralizing the acid in the stomach that is responsible for heartburn. There is a wide selection of antacids that can be purchased over-the-counter. Although liquid forms are more effective, you might find that pill forms are easier to take because they are more convenient. Even though they all provide the same function, different antacids might have a variety of unintended consequences. If you take antacids on a regular basis and encounter side effects that are bothersome, you should discuss the situation with your primary care physician.
When to Use Antacids
Antacids are said to be an effective treatment for heartburn that occurs only on an ad hoc basis, as stated on WebMD. Antacids should be taken either when you feel the beginnings of heartburn or about an hour after you have eaten. If you are taking them in the evening to treat symptoms, you should not take them with any food. Antacids are not effective in treating more serious illnesses, such as appendicitis, stomach ulcers, gallstones, or bowel difficulties. Talk to your physician if any of the following situations sound familiar to you.
1. signs or discomfort that are not alleviated by the use of antacids
2. Nausea and abdominal cramping
3. Blood in the stools or bowel movements that are dark in color
4. Constipation or abdominal cramping
5. Discomfort in the lower abdomen, the back, or the sides
6. Diarrhea that lasts a long time or is severe
7. A high temperature and abdominal discomfort
8. pain in the chest or difficulty breathing
9. Difficulties in the Process of Swallowing
10. An unexplained drop in weight
Antacids can cause a variety of undesirable side effects.
It's possible that using these medications will have unintended consequences. Antacids are constructed using one each of these three primary components. Try switching to a different brand if you're having problems.
1. Magnesium-containing products pose a health risk to consumers.
2. Consuming calcium- or aluminum-containing products could lead to constipation. Antacids that contain aluminum can lead to a loss of calcium, which, if taken in excessive amounts, can cause the bones to become brittle (osteoporosis).
3. In very rare cases, products containing calcium can cause kidney stones or other health complications.
It is possible that taking antacids will cause your body to metabolize the other medications you are taking in a different way. It is best to take any additional drugs either one hour before using the antacid or four hours after using it. Visit a physician if you find that you need to take antacids on a consistent basis.
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Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform See More | <urn:uuid:d43d7680-6305-469f-bb5d-0e46464a6c85> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://za.opera.news/za/en/health/73ac655a4913f5aa98ce33e6590d81be | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.93291 | 1,131 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Health Editor’s Note: At this time of year, with the sun becoming closer to the earth (the earth tilts which puts us a bit closer to the sun) and giving, in the Northern Hemisphere, our wonderful springtime to make way for summer, May has become Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The sun is closer to the earth at this time of year, and the chances of too much exposure to the sun, in the Spring and continuing throughout the summer months, we must take precautions to avoid too much sunlight. There are over five million cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the U.S. each year. This makes skin cancer the most common form of cancer, but it is also the most preventable type of cancer…….Carol
Basal Cell Carcinoma versus Squamous Cell Carcinoma
By Carol Duff, MSN, BA, RN
Skin Cancer (Revised)
Skin cancer will affect one out of five Americans, making it the most common form of cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) states there are greater than two million cases of nonmelanoma (basal cell and squamous cell) skin cancer diagnosed every year. Most skin cancers occur after the age of 50, but skin damage from the sun will have been taking place long before the appearance of skin cancer. Australia has almost four times the rates of those skin cancer cases in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom which ranks that country as having the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
Skin cancers are grouped into melanoma and nonmelanoma groups. This will be a discussion for the nonmelanoma group. Within the nonmelanoma group, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) represents the most common skin cancer while squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) ranks second. Skin cancer is simply an uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells.
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer. According to the British Association of Dermatologists, children from the ages of birth to 14 years and teenagers from 15 to 19 have the highest rates of skin cancers of any European country.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
The skin is basically made of two layers, the epidermis (divided into several layers) which forms the outer protective layer and the dermis which is made of connective tissue which acts as a cushion for the body. In the dermis lie the sensory receptors, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and the blood and lymphatic vessels.
Basal cell carcinomas originate in the epidermal layers of the skin and are caused by exposure to the sun and ultraviolet radiation. The areas of the skin which develop basal cell carcinoma are those areas that receive the most exposure to the sun such as the top of the head in a person who lacks hair and the face, ears, shoulder, and hands. This form of skin cancer was most common in people over the age of 40 but is now seen in the younger population. The risk for basal cell carcinoma increases in persons with light-colored skin, blue or green eyes, blond or red haired, and those who have had overexposure to x-rays or other forms of radiation.
ABCDEs of melanoma
Some features to look for when checking for skin cancer are: One half of the suspect skin area may be different than the other half, the borders or edges may be irregularly shaped, color (brown, black, tan, white, red, blue) can vary from one area of the skin to another, any skin growth that does not heal or bleeds, or can be larger than the diameter of a pencil eraser. We look got for the ABCDEs of skin lesions. A =Asymmetry, Melanoma lesions are often irregular, or not symmetrical, in shape. Benign moles are usually symmetrical. B =Borders, Cancerous lesions have irregular borders, non-cancerous moles have smooth, even borders. Melanoma lesions usually have irregular borders that are difficult to define. C = more than one or uneven distribution of Color -The presence of more than one color (blue, black, brown, tan, etc.) or the uneven distribution of color can sometimes be a warning sign of melanoma. Benign moles are usually a single shade of brown or tan. D = Diameter or size of the lesion. Melanoma lesions are often greater than 6 millimeters in diameter (approximately the size of a pencil eraser). Finally, pay attention to the E= Evolution of your moles – know what’s normal for your skin and check it regularly for changes.
BCC can develop anywhere on the body, but mostly occur on the areas that are routinely exposed to the sun. Your healthcare provider will check your skin for any irregular or suspicious areas and will biopsy (there are many types) or take a small portion of the skin to check for cell changes that could represent cancer.
Treatment for BCC
Treatment will vary according to the size, depth, and location of the cancer. Some procedures to remove this form of cancer will be; excision of the entire tumor and stitches to bring the skin edges back together, scraping and drying of the tissues by the use of electrical impulses (electrodessication), Mohs surgery where single layers of skin are removed and checked under a microscope until the skin sample is free of cancer cells, freezing of the cancer cells (cryosurgery), radiation if the cancer has spread to adjacent lymph nodes or to organs, or a skin cream containing imiquimod or 5-fluorouracil to apply anticancer agents directly to the area. Mohs surgery is mostly used for treatment of skin cancers of the face, nose, ears, and mouth.
Basal cell carcinoma does not often spread to other parts of the body but follow up skin examinations and self- checking of the skin (using a mirror for those hard to see places) will be continued. The Mohs surgical treatment has only a one percent rate of return of the cancer while the other forms of treatment offer a 10 percent rate.
Symptoms of BCC
Symptoms of this form of skin cancer are white or light pink areas, waxy appearance; colors can range from flesh-colored to brown. The skin may have a slightly raised area but can also be flat and bleed easily, oozing or crusting spots, a sore which will not heal, irregular blood vessels in or around the spot, or the appearance of a scar-like sore without a previous injury to the area. The sore may have a sunken area in the middle.
How to Avoid Sunlight Exposure
Try to avoid exposure to sunlight during the middle of the day, protect your skin with clothing in the form of hats and long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Sun Protection factor compares the amount of time needed to produce sunburn on protected skin as opposed to unprotected skin. Wear a good quality sun screen which has a sun protection factor (SPF), which applies only to UVB wave length, rating of at least 15 which blocks both UVA and UVB light. Sunscreens with an SPF of 15 block 93 percent of UVB rays and those with an SPF of 30 block 97 percent of UVB rays. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapply during sun exposure which can be in all seasons. No amount of UV radiation is safe.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or artificial sources (tanning beds and sun lamps) is the main cause of all skin cancers. On the cellular level, UV radiation destroys DNA and suppresses the immune system which then cannot prevent cancer from forming in the cells. UVA radiation from sun lamps and tanning beds is compounded and is 10 to 15 times stronger than being in the direct midday sun. UVA is described as aging rays and UVB as burning rays. UVB rays are blocked by glass while UVA rays are not.
What to Watch For on Your Skin
Look for an area on your skin which has changed in color, size, appearance, and texture. Also note if the sore itches, bleeds, is painful or red and swollen. Squamous cell cancer occurs when cells in the skin start to change. The changes may begin in normal skin or in skin that has been injured or inflamed. Most skin cancers occur on skin that is regularly exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet radiation. Skin cancer is most often seen in people over age 50.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common cancer of the skin, but can also appear on the mouth, lips, esophagus, urinary bladder, prostate, lungs, vagina, or cervix of the uterus. This type of skin cancer represents a malignant tumor of the squamous (epithelium) layer of the skin. Ninety-five percent can be cured if removed promptly, but new lesions can appear.
There are seven types of squamous cancers with differences in appearances and prognosis. SCC carries a greater risk of spreading to adjacent tissues. When SCC is on the lower lip, mucous membranes, forming from scars, and in immunocompromised people (HIV, AIDS, patients taking immunosuppressant drugs for medical reasons) it tends to metastasize or spread to surrounding tissues. One third of SCC when found in the mouth area (usually related to tobacco or alcohol use) has already spread before diagnosis. SCC, although it spreads slowly, will spread more quickly than basal cell carcinoma.
SCC Can Be Found in Other Areas of the Body
SCC as it relates to the skin is the focus of this article but there are other forms of SCC that afflict other portions of the human body. Human papilloma virus (HPV) is associated with squamous cell cancer of the lung, anogenital (anus and genital) region, fingers, and oropharynx (mouth and throat). Ninety percent of head and neck cancers are caused by SCC. Symptoms specifically for head and neck cancers can be hoarseness and/or a mouth ulcer that will not heal and any other problems in the area of the head and neck. Esophageal cancer may be either caused by ESCC (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma) or adenocarcinoma (EAC) with ESCC occurring closer to the mouth and EAC occurring closer to the stomach. Difficulty swallowing, solids more than liquids, and painful swallowing can be symptoms of these forms of cancer. SCC of the prostate is often aggressive. SCC of the vagina and cervix develop more slowly but can spread to the lungs and liver and is the most common type of vaginal cancer. Bladder cancer be of other types, but is often SCC.
Symptoms of SCC
Symptoms are highly variable depending on the involved organs. SCC of the skin begins as a small nodule (bump) which can enlarge with the center becoming necrotic (dead tissue) and sloughs off and then turns into an ulcer. These tumors grow rather slowly and are often evidence of sun damage to the skin such as in multiple actinic keratoses (solar keratoses).
A sore that does not heal or any change in an existing mole, wart, or skin lesion can signal that this is SCC. There may be an ulcer or reddish skin plaque that grows very slowly, may bleed occasionally (especially if located on the lip), may have an ulcerated center with raised, hard edges, may have a pearly quality with tiny blood vessels, may lie below the level of the surrounding skin and ulcerates and spreads to underlying tissues, is commonly present on sun-exposed areas (back of hands, lip (usually a small ulcer which will not heal and bleeds sporadically, ears (mostly the upper portion), and the scalp.
SCC in situ (has not spread) is the earliest form of squamous cell carcinoma. This form of SCC appears as a large reddish patch, often larger than one inch, which is also scaly and crusted. Actinic keratosis is a precancerous skin lesion and in rare cases may develop into squamous cell cancer.
Risks of developing squamous cell skin cancer are the same as basal cell carcinoma with long term daily exposure to the sun (working outside), and many sunburns early in life, and older age, exposure to a large number of x-rays and arsenic and chemical exposure .
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, SCC makes up the majority of skin cancers which usually arise on areas of the skin where there has been a preexisting inflammation or burn injuries. Any disease, illness, or condition that weakens the body’s immune system can encourage the growth of skin cancers. The body has a natural ability to rid itself of some cancerous cells, but an immune system that is not functioning can allow for the growth of these cancers.
Treatment for SCC
Treatment is the same for SCC as it is for basal cell carcinoma with the addition of the use of photodynamic therapy, a special type of light treatment which may be used to treat Bowen’s disease (BD), which can occur anywhere on the skin as well as in the areas of the body which is composed of mucosal membranes (such as the mouth). BD is an early stage of skin cancer and has historically been caused by exposure to arsenic. Today, it is caused by exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. Some squamous cell cancers can be more difficult to treat than others depending on; size and shape of the cancer, what the cancer cells reveal under the microscope, where the skin is located, and any other health problems.
Remember that a change of the color, appearance, size, or texture of the skin lesion can signal the signs of squamous cell carcinoma. You may also have inflammation, bleeding, and or pain in an existing skin sore.
Prevention of SCC is the same as BCC and the aim is to reduce sun exposure. Avoid areas where sunlight is reflected, as on the water, snow, sand, concrete, and white-painted areas. The sun is more intense at higher elevations. Also, stay away from tanning beds, sun lamps, and tanning salons.
Contact your healthcare provider to check suspicious growths which have a change in color, appearance, size and/ or texture. Additionally, the development of pain, inflammation, itching, and/or bleeding should be brought to your healthcare provider’s attention.
Cancer Council Australia, 2010. http://www.cancer.org.au/cancersmartlifestyle/SunSmart/Skincancerfactsandfigures.htm. Accessed on May 26, 2011.
Fryhofer, Sandra. Staying Sun Safe: Confessions of a Former Tanner Sandra A. Fryhofer, MD http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/741507?src=mp&spon=17
MedicineNet.com. 2011. http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer/article.htm. Accessed on May 21, 2011.
Pub Med Health, 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001827/. Accessed on May 21, 2011.
Pub Med Health, 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001832/. Accessed on May 21, 2011.
Skin Cancer Foundation, 2011 http://www.skincancer.org/squamous-cell-carcinoma.html?gclid=CPyWh5TS-agCFcTd4Aod63VCUg. Accessed on May 21, 2011.
Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator.
She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues. | <urn:uuid:f928fbef-e5c9-4a2b-8f25-eee61de4366d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/05/16/skin-cancer-how-you-can-save-your-life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.941534 | 3,445 | 3.28125 | 3 |
How to Make a Boule
A French boule is a really old favorite bread recipe using a very long history which seems to only grow older with each passing day. It may vary in sizes from large loaves to small squares, but most often it is generally on the bigger side of ordinary bread. A normal boule is made up of flour, butter, yeast, yeast, and water. A traditional recipe calls for unsalted butter and a great deal of water to create a thick, spreadable paste.
As time went by, the idea of using yeast to make bread became popular, although not in all areas. The yeast was not only used to make bread, but to create cakes and pastries and other dessert items as well. As a result of this, the French developed what is known as baker's yeast, which was slightly less powerful and therefore easier to use. In addition, the baker's yeast was more costly than the normal yeast.
By the time the Industrial Revolution Came, the French Boule had fallen from favor. The main reason being that it was more expensive to process breads, in addition to the method of earning boules was becoming more expensive as well. At this time, the French started using their Levain bread recipes and, over time, the popularity of the traditional bread recipe only died off. This is unfortunate because, even though the French Boule has become a bit of a throw-away item in the past few years, it is one of the best bread recipes in existence, and far superior to the store bought variety.
The easy, basic bread which we know and love so much today started its rise in popularity in the Middle Ages. Known as"boule de noirs", or"dough of noir", the bread makers of those times were using an egg mixture, water, and yeast. No longer are we using the yeast that's in the dough. This easier procedure provides us with a fantastic flavor in our breads and makes for easy cleanup. We also have flaxseed oil, which has proven beneficial in keeping bread fresh.
As previously mentioned, initially the French used what was known as"baguettes" or"small loafers". These were very thin loafers, almost microscopic, made of soft dough that could be used for making both breads and baguettes. For example, rather than working with a traditional round loaf of bread, bakers would work with a much thinner French baguette. In actuality, one of the most beloved pastry cooks of all time could make French baguettes and use them for everything from bread to scones to pies! Yes, they still bake, even in this electronic age.
The difference between a baguette and a French bread is that a baguette is typically made from hard wheat flour, not a soft wheat like bread. A baguette is typically stored on a hot griddle until it is done baking, which gives it quite a light crunch. French bread is baked in the oven or place under the oven's broiler until the bottom is golden brown and the top is crispy. This is because the baguette is typically made from hard wheat flour rather than soft flour, thus allowing the dough to have a crunchier crust.
There are a few things to keep in mind if you would like to learn how to bake a French boule. First, it's important to remember that each type of French bread has very specific instructions for baking, so in case you don't follow these instructions exactly, you are going to 릴게임사이트 discover that your homemade polish will turn out level and less than spectacular. In addition, every kind of bread comprises different tastes, and while boule d'or can be used to substitute traditional flavors (such as lemon zest), you might not like the flavor profile of a fruit-flavored poolish unless it is strictly adhering to the particular flavor profile of the type of bread which you are baking. If you do follow the directions, however, you will come away with an exceptional bread that will have a wonderfully light crunch and a yummy crust.
As soon as you've your bread made, you will need to learn how to bake a French boule by combining the dough with a very simple cooking method. The trick to this cooking method is to not over-beat the egg white. Instead, you should beat the egg white to start with and then add the egg yolks into the mix to begin with the extending and rolling of the dough. | <urn:uuid:76270228-b0eb-4d16-85c7-025bede30a4b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://codyjzro313.wpsuo.com/don-t-buy-into-these-trends-about-lilgeimsaiteu | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.979162 | 935 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Even the promise of a 50% pay increase wouldn’t be enough for most Americans (71%) to spend less time with their children and families, according to the “Keep Good Going Report” by New York Life. Only 11% of 2,000 American adults surveyed said they’d trade time with their children for such a pay hike, and only one in five said they’d trade time with their spouse or partner.
A third would make the swap, however, for a “a significant amount of sleep each night, slightly more (35%) for “total vacation time,” 43% for “a favorite recreational activity/hobby,” 45% for time with friends and more than half (54%) would take the pay raise in exchange for evenings off from work.
Not surprisingly, the economy has negatively hit Americans, the survey adds. Large majorities state that living a good life would be easier if they didn’t have to worry about bills (90%), were able to be financially self-sufficient in retirement (89%) and could protect their family financially “against life’s uncertainties” (89%).
The study also gave Americans an opportunity to rate their performance in four areas: family, personal life, work and community. Respondents said they were doing better in terms of having a loving relationship with their children than in other areas of family life.
Other areas of the survey covered areas such as having integrity, being considerate of others, and being polite and kind, where Americans also scored high. Respondents said they were doing in worst in such areas as achieving financial success, being politically active and participating in community events.
“The results show that, for the most part, Americans are acting on their values. More specifically, Americans find family and personal relationships as key to living a good life, and they are doing things in their day to day lives to reinforce this,” said Brian Perlman, a partner at Mathew Greenwald & Associates, which conducted the online survey in August. | <urn:uuid:2dd796cd-3cb7-4fd4-88f2-f1d0c67900b5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.planadviser.com/money-still-takes-back-seat-to-family/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.980674 | 422 | 1.765625 | 2 |
The three types of negotiable instruments governed by legislation are: bills of exchange, promissory notes, and cheques (bill, notes, and cheques). The bill is an unconditional, written, signed order in which one party instructs another (the drawee) to pay a specific sum of money to a third party. A cheque is a variant of the bill in which the drawee is a bank. A note is an unconditional written promise to pay money. Hence, negotiable instruments could be characterised as an unconditional obligation embodied in the form of a physical document. “Negotiability” is a central common feature of the three types of these instruments according to which the instrument holder may transfer it (and the right to payment under it) by physical delivery (possibly with an indorsement) to another party, who may acquire a better title than the transferor.
The law of negotiable instruments is known for its sophistication and internal complexity. For centuries it has provided an effective legal solution for the pertinent needs of domestic and international commerce, facilitating predictability, protection of parties’ justified expectations, and the elimination of the risk involved in the physical carriage of money. The internal balance of its rules, doctrines, concepts, and principles has been achieved through a slow and ongoing evolution—a Sisyphean effort of adjudication tribunals to balance of the interests of commercial actors, fairness, legal predictability, and commercial utility.
Significant parts of commerce continue to use negotiable instruments. Payment mechanisms will not disappear in the advancing reality of digitalization. All essential elements of negotiable instruments law—the requirements of writing, possession, and signature—could be functionally adjusted to this reality (see the Electronic Communications Convention and MLETR). Once this happens, a digital negotiable instrument would become a powerful competitor to credit cards and online methods of payment. After all, this law has the advantage of the accumulated wisdom of centuries, internal sophistication, and a self-reflective process of learning from its own mistakes and deficiencies. Thus, it lacks the deficiency of the online mode of payment under which the transfer of funds from one account to another takes place immediately—which is disadvantageous to consumers. The negotiability feature of this instrument could meet the demands of sophisticated contemporary financial structures and commercialization.
With the growth of cross-border commerce, there is a critical question of the applicable law to govern the various aspects of the parties’ rights and obligations under the instrument in an international setting. In legal jargon, the area of “conflict of laws” deals with this question. Despite some harmonization efforts, the legal systems have not reached a consensus with respect to key substantive aspects of negotiable instruments law. This diversity amongst the systems signifies the centrality of the conflict of laws analysis that may determine the outcome of litigation.
Unfortunately, a review of the relevant rules reveals a great concern. The conflict of laws rules concerning negotiable instruments diverge amongst the systems. Worse, these rules fail to reflect the essentials of negotiable instruments law and accommodate the developments that have taken place within the modern conflict of laws doctrine over the recent decades. Thus, the present rules adhere to an unhelpful stringent dichotomy between “foreign” and “domestic” instruments; follow the condemned arbitrary rule of the place of contract formation; and deny the most important principle of the modern conflict of laws thought—a principle that enables the litigating parties to determine the identity of the applicable law.
The reason for this troubling situation lies in the complex nature of negotiable instruments. Well-known in the conflict of laws literature, the Giuliano & Lagarde Report has served as a basis for contemporary European Rome I Regulation, which characterised this area of law as “complex” and “unique.” The US Second Restatement uses similar language to justify the exclusion of negotiable instruments from ordinary conflict of laws analysis. This “uniqueness” thesis explains why the conflict of laws rules relating to negotiable instruments have been left behind in the development of the modern conflict of laws doctrine.
However, one can challenge the “uniqueness” thesis. A careful assessment of negotiable instruments law suggests that the precise demarcation of its special nature is a sophisticated reflection of the traditional contract law and property law categories. This argument rejects the alternative vision of the subject as a reflection of the mythical “law of merchant”. Negotiable instruments law epitomises the complicated rules of traditional contract law and property doctrines; its foundations remain very much based on these doctrines, with relevant modifications. Accordingly, one would call for a reconsideration of the current position which leaves negotiable instruments law outside of the modern developments within the conflict of laws rules applicable to contract and property.
Sadly, after thorough analysis under the principal global legal systems, we have concluded that the contemporary conflict of laws rules within negotiable instruments law have originated from flawed premises about the nature of the subject. Further, contemporary rules have left behind the modern development of conflict of laws doctrine. The call for a “radical overhaul” of the rules echoes those concerns. Relying on the foundation of negotiable instruments’ law within the traditional ordinary doctrines of contract and movable property and invoking developments within modern choice-of-law thought, legal scholarship must endeavour to comprehensively challenge the traditional orthodoxy and offer a complete re-examination of the conflict of laws rules concerning negotiable instruments.
Featured image by Free-Photos via Pixabay. | <urn:uuid:422099fc-30af-40b8-9176-27359deff86b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.oup.com/2021/07/which-law-applies-to-negotiable-instruments/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.93531 | 1,148 | 3.3125 | 3 |
There are lots of moving parts involved in a dry cleaning or laundry plant. And at the end of a long day, it’s easy to overlook something when everything is shutting down. Do you have a checklist that is handy to whoever is closing the plant for the day to be sure it’s all been done? If not, it’s time to make one, and use it.
Case in point
We ran into a situation that not everyone may be aware of. A customer left a steam-electric iron turned on overnight. No big deal … we have all done it before.
Except that the thermostat in this iron wasn’t working. Normally the thermostat will cycle the power to the heating element off and on. When it cools off, the power turns back on. When it reaches temperature, the power shuts off – as long as everything is working properly.
The thermostat in this iron never shut off. It kept heating all night long. Until it melted part of the iron sole. The photos show what the iron looked like when they arrived at the plant the next morning. Fortunately, the iron was sitting on an iron rest and didn’t cause any other damage.
It didn’t have to end so “well”
I have also seen the results of leaving a steam-electric iron on a press pad for too long. The foam in the pad will actually catch fire.
If that ever happens, don’t step on the steam and especially don’t step on the vacuum. The air blowing through the smouldering pad will cause it to flare up and fill the plant with smoke and the smell of burning rubber. The best thing is to spray the pad with your water bottle until it is saturated with water and the fire is out. It would also help to take the pad outside so the smell doesn’t permeate customers’ garments.
Steam-electric irons are great for shirts. They are a little heavier and a little hotter. But they are more likely to fail than an all-steam iron. Plus the heat in an all-steam iron shuts off when the boiler is shut off.
An all-steam iron will only be as hot as the steam coming from your boiler. A steam-electric iron has an electric heating element and can get hotter than is safe for most fabrics. Plus it only shuts off when you turn the switch off.
Know your equipment
There is definitely a place for steam-electric irons, but the temperature needs to be monitored and they must be turned off when not in use. It is easy to turn the temperature up on a steam-electric iron. It will heat up quickly. If you want to turn the temperature down, however, it may take quite a while to cool off to a safer temperature for more delicate fabrics.
Steam-electric irons also require a lot more maintenance. They have a heating element and thermostat. They require a low-boy or solenoid valve and the power cord will sometimes fail if you wave the iron around too much.
Make a list, check it twice
Imagine the sick feeling of getting a call in the middle of the night saying your plant is on fire. Or a boiler has blown. Or some other catastrophe has occurred. Rather than waking up in a cold sweat wondering if the equipment was all switched off, make that checklist and make it part of the mandatory routine at the end of every day.
Kevin Marois founded Calgary-based Integrity Mechanical in 2003 to serve plants in Western Canada. He writes on issues related to equipment, its purchase, maintenance and use.
You can reach Kevin at email@example.com, or via his website, www.imicanada.ca. | <urn:uuid:7e9a82e6-21c0-4c33-885c-35e74643bb20> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fabricarecanada.com/dodged-a-bullet/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.951717 | 778 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Second, Chinese students, on average, study 55 hours a week — also No. 1 among PISA-participating countries. This was about 20 hours more than students in Finland, the country that PISA declared to have the highest learning efficiency, or reading-test-score points per hour spent studying.
How many hours a day do Chinese students study?
Students in China’s primary and secondary schools spend an average of three hours poring over homework assignments every day, twice the global average, according to a report by a Chinese online education institution.
How many hours Chinese students sleep?
Primary-school pupils should get a minimum of 10 hours of sleep a day, while students at middle and high schools should sleep no less than nine and eight hours per day, respectively, said Lyu Yugang, an official with the ministry.
Which country students study most hours?
Homework is an important aspect of the education system and is often dreaded by the majority of students all over the world.
Countries Who Spend the Most Time Doing Homework.
|Rank||Country||Average Homework Time, Per Week|
Do Chinese kids go to school 7 days a week?
Chinese students attend classes five or six days a week from the early morning (about 7 am) to early evening (4 pm or later). On Saturdays, many schools hold required morning classes in science and math. Many students also attend 補習班 (buxiban), or cram school, in the evening and on weekends.
Which country has the longest school day?
Taiwan had both a relatively long school day and school year and, at 1,177 hours, had the highest number of average hours of instruction per year of all of the countries reported.
Which country has the longest school year?
Japan, however, had the most school days per year–220 days–compared with 180 days for France and the United States.
Do Chinese students have free time?
Modernization has resulted in new opportunities and a widening of interests. Doing homework, watching television, and playing with peers take up most of the free time.
How long does a school day in China last?
The school year in China typically runs from the beginning of September to mid-July. Summer vacation is generally spent in summer classes or studying for entrance exams. The average school day runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a two-hour lunch break. The school system in China requires nine years of education.
What countries banned homework?
There is no homework in Finland
- Most students would probably agree that having no homework is a great idea. …
- Even without doing homework 93% of Finnish students graduate from high school, compared to 75% in the US. …
- Finnish students have some other great perks, along with not having to do homework.
Which country has the hardest education system?
Following countries are well known for their toughest education system across the globe:
- South Korea.
- Hong Kong.
What country has the shortest school day?
In Finland, children get a 15-minute break every 45 minutes.
In Finland, school officials believe that less is more. According to the HuffPost, children attend school between 8 and 9 a.m. each day and finish around 1 to 2 p.m. For every 45 minutes of learning, the children get a 15-minute break.
How long is Korean school day?
The School Calendar and School Days
Classes run for 50 minutes each, with a morning break and a 50-minute lunch period. The afternoon session resumes at about 1:00 P.M., and classes continue until about 4:00 or 4:30, followed by the cleaning of the classroom.
Where does China rank in education?
While education levels vary from country to country, there is a clear correlation between the quality of a country’s educational system and its general economic status and overall well-being.
Education Rankings by Country 2021. | <urn:uuid:00a3263a-5803-4d1b-88f7-f5e91cb91dba> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://chinaplustour.com/china-landmarks/how-many-hours-do-chinese-study.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.952587 | 934 | 2.171875 | 2 |
10 Ways to Bring the Concrete Trend into Your Home Decor
Perfect in its imperfections, one of the world’s oldest materials brings elegance to today’s decor.
The earliest examples of concrete floors and structures date back to 6500 B.C. in regions of Syria and Jordan. Fast forward to 3000 B.C., when formulations of cement were employed in the both the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Wall of China. Over millennia, the basic recipe has become more refined, and concrete is still a vital component of home decor.
“Works in concrete are artisanal and the story of their creation is written into them,” says interior designer Leslie Campbell. “Even when new, they can have a refined, handcrafted, heirloom quality. Its physical and aesthetic properties make it particularly effective and long-lasting indoors or out, and it can add warmth, drama, luxury, grounding, uniqueness and humor to a space.”
Here, we showcase today’s take on this enduring building material.
TAKE YOUR SEAT
A reinterpretation of the classic Adirondack chair, the Modern Muskoka Chair and Ottoman’s angular aesthetic adds a soupçon of contemporary style indoors or out. Your choice of gray or limestone with a variety of base color options. Chair: 39.5″H by 34.5″W by 28.5″D. $2,650; ottoman: 11″H by 15″W by 20.5″D. $1,505 (shopboxhill.com)
Interior designer Leslie Campbell channeled a textural industrial vibe for a client’s kitchen with “Fortify” gray concrete block wallpaper mural, which also comes in pink. From $4.40/sq. ft. (hovia.com)
ON THE BENCH
Graced with the imprint of eucalyptus fossils, the Leaf Rush Bench combines precast concrete and brushed stainless steel with the softness of Mother Nature’s delicate touch. Available in nine color combinations. 17″H by 54″L by 18″W. $2,410 (kornegaydesign.com)
Rubber Duckie Optional
Handcrafted from a composite of concrete and jute fiber, Native Trail’s Avalon 62 bath tub’s thick walls ensure a hot, deep, relaxing soak. Available in Ash (shown), Slate, Pearl and Earth. 21″H by 62″L by 36″W. $8,290 (centralazsupply.com)
MAKE MINE MID-MOD
Create a multidimensional masterpiece with single-sided, individually cast breezeblocks against a bright background accent. Choose from a trio of midcentury-inspired designs, including “Eclipse” (shown). 12″ and 16″ square. Manufactured in Phoenix. $15-$35 each (ourblockco.com)
Embodying an elegantly simple design language, SPACES concrete homes by Material Immaterial Studio are a collection of nine exquisitely detailed diminutive dwellings for desk, coffee table or shelf. Approximately 2″H by 2.5″W by 2.5″D. $55 each (intoconcrete.com) | <urn:uuid:c6be20ac-4759-4b57-8333-35f1410c62b9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.phgmag.com/10-ways-to-bring-the-concrete-trend-into-your-home-decor/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.881963 | 690 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Reminder: To show your personal understanding, all assignment responses must be in your own words unless quoting a source.
More than two hundred years after the start of the Scientific Revolution, in the 1800s the German Leopold von Ranke moved to make the study of history more scientific rather than artistic, literary, or philosophical. He argued that history is strictly a matter of figuring out what actually happened, not why events matter or their meaning. Historians continue to debate Ranke’s perspective, but he established history as a major academic field.
Choose one Great Thinker and explain in one complete paragraph how they challenged the accepted views of the time period.
Unless Otherwise Noted All Content © 2022 Florida Virtual School. FlexPoint Education Cloud™ is a trademark of Florida Virtual School.
The Scientific Revolution changed the way people perceived the world around them. This shift in thought led to revolutions in pretty much every branch of science.
What kinds of sciences come to mind when thinking about the Scientific Revolution? Your assignment is to list three different areas of science that changed significantly in the Scientific Revolution. You are provided one example to get you started.
After you have come up with three areas of the sciences you will write three to four sentences on how these sciences contributed to the Scientific Revolution. Make sure you are going below the surface: who contributed and how they created change, what ideas were challenged, what questions did they want answered?
After you have completed your chart, you will need to choose one Great Thinker of The Scientific Revolution and explain in one complete paragraph how they challenged the norms of the time period. Be specific on what the accepted view was and how the person changed the way people thought about that norm. While this assignment can be completed without outside research, you will likely enjoy it more if you pick an area of science you are interested in and research it a bit to see how it came out of the Scientific Revolution.
As always, remember to use the template provided—either submit it after filling it out or reference it to make sure you don't miss any part of the assignment.
History / World history
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Discount code SAVE25 | <urn:uuid:fd48b94e-2951-419f-9a5b-be6e66cb10f7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://allwritingservice.org/2022/07/29/the-scientific-revolution-changed-the-way-people-perceived-the-world-around-them-this-shift-in-thought-led-to-revolutions-in-pretty-much-every-branch-of-science-what-k/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.929677 | 738 | 3.4375 | 3 |
As the years pass and I see my children become increasingly independent, I often marvel at how different their world is compared to when I was a child; from the tsunami to twitter, iPhones to IVF and GM foods to global warming. It is comforting though that some things remain the same. My children attend Cheder – Sunday school for young Jews. There they learn of Jewish history, culture and traditions; they are encouraged to interact with their peers and gain an understanding of the British Jewish community. While their learning methods may be computer-centric rather than under a cloud of chalk boards, the messages are the same. Each week, my children are encouraged to give a percentage of their pocket money to a worthy cause, via the Tzedakah (charity) box that circulates the classrooms. Traditionally, all Jews are obliged to give 10 per cent of their earnings to a charity or organisation that helps those more vulnerable than themselves.
Thus, the concept of charity is ingrained in the Jewish tradition from a very young age. Looking after our old, educating our children and providing for the vulnerable are all cornerstones of Judaism, the culture and the community. The fundamental value of being a “good Jew” lies in helping those less fortunate, along with the importance of family life and the continuation of Jewish traditions.
I am proud of my faith though honest enough to admit that my work for World Jewish Relief (WJR) is how I feel I can best express my Judaism. WJR‘s work is targeted at assisting the most vulnerable – saving lives and building livelihoods based on our own Jewish values. Our work seeks to provide sustenance and opportunity to those in desperate need who are unable to fend for themselves.
The vast majority of WJR’s work seeks to support the hidden Jewish communities of eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union that were ravaged first by the Holocaust and then under Soviet rule. There are over 1.2 million Jews in the region, including survivors of those who have faced decades of hardship in the Nazi and Communist eras. A huge percentage of these people also live far below the poverty line, struggling daily to feed their children and protect their elderly. In Ukraine alone, more than 100,000 Jewish people face the anguish of choosing between clothing their children, keeping their homes warm and buying medication. They are deprived of even the simple necessities of running water or appropriate footwear for the harsh winter months. As a son and a father, I cannot bear to imagine my family living in these conditions and I am therefore driven daily to better the lives of such families, in any small way that I can.
I travel to WJR’s recipient communities every few months and never cease to be at once saddened and inspired by what I see and those I speak to. Families who have to travel hundreds of miles to find work, who have been abandoned by relatives and live in what can only be described as hovels maintain a level of positivity and hope. Further, they are proud to be Jewish.
The Jewish faith promotes the Talmudic concept of ‘Tikkun Olam’ – healing the world. In this light, WJR looks beyond Jewish communities and the charity is proud of its global perspective, working both in the former Soviet Union and east and southern Africa to support non-Jewish communities. We recognise that particularity must lead to universality, not to inwardness and exclusion. Because as a community we recall our own historical pain, we become sensitised to other people’s pain. We cannot eat in comfort while others go hungry. We cannot celebrate our riches while so many live in poverty. This is why, historically, those who follow Judaism have been among the leaders in the fight against injustice, poverty, homelessness and oppression. To be a Jew involves being true to your faith while being a blessing to others regardless of their faith.
Paul Anticoni is the Chief Executive of World Jewish Relief | <urn:uuid:003a1852-0346-4fef-800e-aa47cb4cb346> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2009/04/world-jewish-charity-children | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.967011 | 802 | 1.71875 | 2 |
What is a public record which is open to inspection and copying?
1. What materials are public records?
Section 119.011(12), F.S., defines "public records" to include:
all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency.
The Florida Supreme Court has interpreted this definition to encompass all materials made or received by an agency in connection with official business which are used to perpetuate, communicate or formalize knowledge. Shevin v. Byron, Harless, Schaffer, Reid and Associates, Inc., 379 So. 2d 633, 640 (Fla. 1980). All such materials, regardless of whether they are in final form, are open for public inspection unless the Legislature has exempted them from disclosure. Wait v. Florida Power & Light Company, 372 So. 2d 420 (Fla. 1979). The complete text of Ch. 119, F.S., the Public Records Act, is found in Appendix C. Cf. Inf. Op. to Burke, April 14, 2010 (state licensing board, and not the Attorney General's Office, must determine whether letter, allegedly sent to the board by mistake, was received in connection with the transaction of board business).
The term "public record" is not limited to traditional written documents. As the statutory definition states, "tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission" can all constitute public records. Accordingly, "the form of the record is irrelevant; the material issue is whether the record is made or received by the public agency in connection with the transaction of official business." AGO 04-33. And see National Collegiate Athletic Association v. The Associated Press, 18 So. 3d 1201 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009), review denied, 37 So. 3d 848 (Fla. 2010) ("public records law is not limited to paper documents but applies, as well, to documents that exist only in digital form"). Compare Rogers v. Hood, 906 So. 2d 1220, 1223 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005), review denied, 919 So. 2d 436 (Fla. 2005) (unused or unvoted Florida punch card ballots from 2000 election do not constitute public records because they do not "perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge," but a ballot becomes a public record once it is voted because at that point "the voted ballot, as received by the supervisor of elections in a given county, has memorialized the act of voting").
Clearly, as technology changes the means by which agencies communicate, manage, and store information, public records will take on increasingly different forms. Yet, the comprehensive scope of the term "public records" will continue to make the information open to inspection, unless exempted by law. The broad definition of the term "public record" can be seen in numerous Attorney General Opinions and court decisions. The following are some examples of materials found by the Attorney General's Office to constitute public records: anonymous letters sent to city officials containing allegations of misconduct by city employees, AGO 04-22; guardianship files audit prepared by the clerk of court, AGO 04-33; list of subscribers to state publication, AGO 85-03; salary records of assistant state attorneys, AGO 73-30; tape recording of a staff meeting, AGO 04-15; travel itineraries and plane reservations for use of state aircraft, AGO 72-356; and videotaped training film, AGO 88-23.
Article I, s. 24, Fla. Const., establishes a constitutional right of access to any public record made or received in connection with the official business of any public body, officer, or employee of the state, or persons acting on their behalf, except those records exempted pursuant to Art. I, s. 24, Fla. Const., or specifically made confidential by the Constitution. See State ex rel. Clayton v. Board of Regents, 635 So. 2d 937 (Fla. 1994) ("[O]ur Constitution requires that public officials must conduct public business in the open and that public records must be made available to all members of the public."). The complete text of Art. I, s. 24, Fla. Const., the Public Records and Meetings Amendment, may be found in Appendix A.
2. When are notes or nonfinal drafts of agency proposals subject to Ch. 119, F.S.?
There is no "unfinished business" exception to the public inspection and copying requirements of Ch. 119, F.S. If the purpose of a document prepared in connection with the official business of a public agency is to perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge, then it is a public record regardless of whether it is in final form or the ultimate product of an agency. Shevin v. Byron, Harless, Schaffer, Reid and Associates, Inc., 379 So. 2d 633 (Fla. 1980). "Interoffice memoranda and intra-office memoranda communicating information from one public employee to another or merely prepared for filing, even though not a part of an agency's later, formal public product, would nonetheless constitute public records inasmuch as they supply the final evidence of knowledge obtained in connection with the transaction of official business." 379 So. 2d at 640. Cf. Gannett Corporation, Inc. v. Goldtrap, 302 So. 2d 174 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974) (county's concern that premature disclosure of a report could be harmful to the county does not make the document confidential).
Accordingly, any agency document, however prepared, if circulated for review, comment or information, is a public record regardless of whether it is an official expression of policy or marked "preliminary" or "working draft" or similar label. Examples of such materials would include interoffice memoranda, preliminary drafts of agency rules or proposals which have been submitted for review to anyone within or outside the agency, and working drafts of reports which have been furnished to a supervisor for review or approval.
In each of these cases, the fact that the records are part of a preliminary process does not detract from their essential character as public records. See Times Publishing Company v. City of St. Petersburg, 558 So. 2d 487 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990) (while the mere preparation of documents for submission to a public body does not create public records, the documents can become public records when exhibited to public officials and revised as part of a bargaining process); Booksmart Enterprises, Inc. v. Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, Inc., 718 So. 2d 227, 229 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998) (book selection forms completed by state university instructors and furnished to campus bookstore "are made in connection with official business, for memorialization and communication purposes" and are public records); Grapski v. City of Alachua, 31 So. 3d 193 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010), appeal pending, No. SC10-798 (Fla. April 20, 2010) (canvassing board's minutes, although not yet considered by city commission for its approval, constituted board's final work product and are subject to disclosure); and AGO 91-26 (minutes of city council meetings are public records once minutes have been prepared by clerk even though not yet sent to city council members or officially approved by the city council). Thus, such records are subject to disclosure unless the Legislature has specifically exempted the documents from inspection or has otherwise expressly acted to make the records confidential. See, e.g., s. 119.071(1)(d), F.S., providing a limited work product exemption for agency attorneys.
Similarly, "personal" notes can constitute public records if they are intended to communicate, perpetuate or formalize knowledge of some type. For example, the handwritten notes prepared by the assistant city labor attorney during her interviews with city personnel are public records when those notes are used to communicate information to the labor attorney regarding possible future personnel actions. AGO 05-23. See also City of Pinellas Park, Florida v. Times Publishing Company, No. 00-008234CI-19 (Fla. 6th Cir. Ct. January 3, 2001) (rejecting city's argument that employee responses to survey are "notes" which are not subject to disclosure because "as to each of the employees, their responses were prepared in connection with their official agency business and they were 'intended to perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge' that they had about their department"); and Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc. v. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, No. 91-4218 (Fla. 2d Cir. Ct. June 5, 1992) (handwritten notes of agency staff
, "utilized to communicate and formulate knowledge within [the agency] are public records subject to no exemption"); Miami Herald Media Co. v. Sarnoff, 971 So. 2d 915 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007) (memorandum prepared by a city commissioner after meeting with a former city official, summarizing details of what was said and containing alleged factual information about possible criminal activity, was a public record subject to disclosure as memorandum was not a draft or a note containing mental impressions that would later form a part of a government record, but rather formalized and perpetuated his final knowledge gained at the meeting).
However, "under chapter 119 public employees' notes to themselves which are designed for their own personal use in remembering certain things do not fall within the definition of 'public record.'" (e.s). The Justice Coalition v. The First District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission, 823 So. 2d 185, 192 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002). Accord Coleman v. Austin, 521 So. 2d 247 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988), holding that preliminary handwritten notes prepared by agency attorneys and intended only for the attorneys' own personal use are not public records; Inf. Op. to Trovato, June 2, 2009. (to the extent city commissioner has taken notes for his own personal use and such notes are not intended to perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge, personal notes taken at a workshop or during a commission meeting would not be considered public records). | <urn:uuid:b12a05d8-3bdd-4225-a94d-76a48178fbc5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.myflsunshine.com/sun.nsf/manual/81a9d4be9b3d71ff852566f300658372 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.940294 | 2,179 | 2.328125 | 2 |
From vehicles, food, clothing, and beyond, many care deeply about making eco-friendly choices now more than ever — and when it comes to countertops, engineered stone is among the most environmentally sensitive options you can opt for. An alternative to natural stone cut from marble or granite, this engineered composite features crushed stone (often quartz crystals) bound in slab form with an adhesive. In fact, due to the high percentage of quartz crystals found in these countertops, the material is often simply referred to as quartz.
This type of countertop offers a bevy of benefits, including durability and timeless beauty. However, a particularly wondrous advantage we’ll take a look at today is the fact that engineered stone countertops are astoundingly low maintenance. While that quality is undoubtedly a substantial selling point, it still pays to know exactly what to do — and what not to do — after having your quartz countertop installed. Can you clean it like you would a natural stone countertop? What should you do about spills? Does it scratch? Let’s take a closer look at maintenance tips for your quartz or other engineered stone countertop:
Quartz Routine Care and Cleaning
Quartz can be easily cleaned with a mild detergent, water, and a soft cloth. Make sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. Abrasive, harsh chemicals in cleansers (such as those that contain bleach) or scouring pads should not be used with quartz. While engineered stone surfaces do not require polishing to maintain their shine and smoothness, they should be cleaned gently to maintain their distinctive glow. Some quartz colors and finishes such as honed, matte, etc., are more sensitive to grease or fingerprints, and may need extra care during routine cleaning.
Quartz Stain Removal
While they are stain-resistant, quartz countertops aren’t entirely stain-proof, so it’s advisable to wipe up liquids as soon as possible. Quartz resists stains for a short period, but all colored liquids should be cleaned up as soon as possible. A glass cleaner, such as Windex, can be used along with a non-abrasive sponge for particularly dried-on or tough stains. For deep cleaning, spray a liberal amount on the countertop surface, leave on for about ten minutes, then wipe away. If a particularly stubborn stain — such as nail polish — holds its own against this wipe down, a mixture of acetone, Ajax, and water that’s applied and wiped away immediately may do the trick.
Gently scrape away hardened grease, gum, and paint with a plastic knife or razor blade. After its removal, apply a degreasing cleanser. Remove ink or permanent markers with an oil-based cleanser such as Goo Gone. Rinse with warm water promptly.
Do Different Types of Engineered Stone Countertops Need Different Maintenance?
Different brands of engineered countertops manufacture products largely comprised of quartz. Since the quartz makeup of these engineered stone countertops fall within a relatively modest range, the maintenance needs for each brand’s products will not differ considerably. Bonding agents and pigments that account for the remainder of the materials give manufacturers a great deal of control when it comes to color options and patterns, letting quartz countertops deliver on stain-resistance, resilience, and beauty.
Preventing Quartz Countertop Damage
- Avoid using metal knives or utensils directly on the quartz countertop, as metal can scratch it. When chopping vegetables, slicing bread, or preparing other kinds of food with sharp utensils, make sure to utilize a cutting board.
- Use hot pads or trivets for pans, crockpots, and electric skillets. Quartz countertops can resist temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, but can undergo thermal shock with quick changes in temperature and become damaged.
- Avoid pressure or force on your engineered stone countertops, such as dropping a heavy pot, as the stone can chip or crack.
Frequently Asked Questions About Quartz
Should I Use Quartz Inside or Outside?
While quartz is popular for interior spaces, there are several benefits to installing quartz in your outdoor kitchen or similar environment — however, it’s important to avoid direct sun exposure. Factor in the location of the sun and consider installing your quartz countertop in a shaded area. Excessive sun exposure can lead to issues such as discoloration, warping, or voiding of your warranty. Consider your outdoor kitchen design and place your countertop where it can be protected under an awning or at an angle that the sun cannot reach to keep your surface looking as gorgeous as the day it’s installed.
Can I Use Quartz in My Bathroom?
Unlike natural stone countertops, which are typically porous and need sealing, quartz countertops are waterproof. This makes for a mildew-free, clean surface that requires minimal maintenance and is ideal for bathrooms — including the countertops, shower walls, and shower benches. While quartz is not heat-proof, it can handle steam just fine. This engineered stone is an excellent choice for both bathrooms and kitchens, but quartz surfaces in bathrooms may differ in maintenance frequency to prevent water stains.
How Much Heat Can Quartz Withstand?
It’s important to remember that quartz is heat-resistant — not heat-proof. This means it can fare well in your typical kitchen environment or even a fireplace facade, but direct heat — such as placing a scorching pan right out of the oven — takes a toll on the resin makeup of the material, typically resulting in a brown or yellow scorch mark.
Learn More About Maintaining Your Quartz or Engineered Stone Countertop Today
With engineered stone at the helm, keeping your bathroom or kitchen countertops clean and beautiful has never been easier. For more information about our engineered stone products, including Cloudburst Concrete quartz and White Storm Silestone, contact our team today. | <urn:uuid:742174ba-24e4-4848-8c66-87f63b770501> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.colonialmarble.net/blog/maintenance-tips-for-quartz-and-other-engineered-stone-countertops/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.940937 | 1,210 | 1.601563 | 2 |
<p style='text-align: justify;'>William Cuningham (1531 ' post 1586) was a Norwich-born physician, educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His <i>magnum opus</i>, <i>The Cosmographical Glasse</i>, was published in 1559 by John Day (1522-1584). In it, Cuningham discussed many aspects of practical mathematics and surveying in particular. He promoted the use of instruments including the quadrant and Ptolemy's rulers. The text and images combined elements derived from the works of Peter Apian and Oronce Fine, as well as those of the English mathematician, Robert Recorde. The author gratefully recognised Day's skill and expense in producing the many images in the work. Cuningham also produced a series of almanacs and prognostications during his career, for which he was heavily criticised in William Fulke's <i>Antiprognosticon</i> (London, 1560). This image demonstrates the mathematical construction of a heart-shaped or 'cordiform' map. Representation of the spherical Earth in two-dimensions presents a particular mathematical challenge that cannot be achieved without some distortion or loss of proportion. In response to this challenge, cartographers proposed a range of different projections in order to translate the points of a sphere onto a plane. The cordiform projection was one such approach that was developed in the early sixteenth century and popularised particularly by Oronce Fine, whose cordiform map (<i>Recens et integra orbis descriptio</i>) of 1534 was reproduced extensively in sixteenth-century travel and cosmographical works. The cordiform projection was essentially a reworking and extension of a technique described by Ptolemy in his <i>Geography</i>. This system preserves distances along both the zero-degree meridian line (represented as a straight vertical line) and along the parallels representing latitude (mapped as arcs of concentric circles centred around the North Pole). Consequently, this system preserves distances across the map, permitting distances between two places to be accurately measured using a pair of compasses. As a consequence of the preservation of distance along the parallels, the meridian lines that intersect them become curved, demonstrating a change in curvature that becomes more and more obvious the further the projection extends. Once the projection extends to 360 degrees, representing the entire globe, the furthermost meridian describes a heart-shape. In the third book of <i>The Cosmographical Glasse</i>, Cuningham describes the process for constructing a cordiform map. This figure shows the net of gradations underlying this projection. Point K represents the pole of the Earth, with vertical line KRML representing the zero-meridian. The parallels and meridian lines divide the globe into 10 degree intervals. The equator is the parallel marked by a double line and passing through M; other significant circles including the tropics and Arctic and Antarctic circles are similarly marked by a double line, to distinguish them from other parallels. Having described the construction of this net, Cuningham then instructs the reader to add 'the face of the Earth', according to the latitude and longitude values presented in the fifth book of his treatise.</p>
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Pallet returns management and reverse logistics are for all operations related to the reuse of products and materials and returning them into your supply chain. It’s the process of moving goods from their typical final destination for the purpose of capturing value or achieving proper disposal.
Asset recovery or retrieval is a key factor in maintaining a competitive advantage for your company. Whether you have limited facility space or ship large volumes of pallets, you can depend on First Alliance’s closed loop management system.
We fix the pallet boards that are broken and return it to manufacturing
So you don’t have to buy a whole new pallet. It helps lower costs, and reduces your lead time because you do not have to source and ship new raw lumber to build pallets.
We offer prompt, reliable recovery and return of your pallets and other returnable packaging items. This allows your company to eliminate packaging waste, saving both time and money. Reusing packaging products improves the environment and increases profitability. Our program offers a well-received post-sales service benefit to your customers.
First Alliance specializes in recovering proprietary shipping platforms for customers all over the United States. The overall pallet returns management and reverse logistics process can be broken down into six steps that create a “virtuous cycle.”
The pallet recovery cycle maximizes value in the supply chain by facilitating the reuse of returnable packaging assets. The recovery cycle seeks to balance service and value for both you and your customers. Think of FALM asset recovery as an extension of your own logistics group; we manage the recovery of pallets for you!
Pallet Recovery can be broken down into two models that serve the same purpose but offer different costs and benefits.
The Centralized Network Model maximizes efficiency and quality at the repair centers, as the pallet repairs are done at a minimum number of CENTRALIZED facilities – think economies of scale. The trade-off with this type of model is the increased freight cost associated with hauling pallets further distances from the distributor to the recycler. The centralized locations are placed in close proximity to the manufacturer to offer them the best service.
The Decentralized Network Model maximizes customer service for the distributors and minimizes overall freight cost by placing repair centers close to the distributors they service. This model requires more recyclers and may give up operational efficiencies at the recyclers in favor of freight savings. | <urn:uuid:07311298-4b48-4c8d-a195-80e306ffb86d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.falm.com/pallet-logistics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.9318 | 496 | 1.570313 | 2 |
The images, spread over social media, were shocking: Two men caught a teenager whom they suspected of trying to steal a bicycle. As punishment, they tattooed the phrase “I am a thief and a moron” on his forehead. The act was recorded with the tattoo artist’s cell phone camera, and went viral.
This happened in São Bernardo do Campo, in the interior of São Paulo, on June 9, but it could be anywhere, at any time. Brazil suffers from violence, but also from fear of this violence and anger at the impunity that often follows. Every nine minutes someone dies violently. One out of every three Brazilians has a relative or friend who has been murdered – and three out of every four Brazilians is afraid of being killed. Few who commit these crimes are punished.
Perhaps it is not surprising that the culture of taking justice into your own hands is widespread, and widely supported on social media and everyday comments by much of society. More than half of Brazilians agree with the saying “a good criminal is a dead criminal.” The comment sections of news articles following the event showed how many readers agreed with that kind of thinking.
Vigilante justice is endemic in Brazil, where an average of one person is lynched per day, according to the sociologist José de Souza Martins. Violence is seen as a legitimate answer to crime. People who are afraid, angry, or who feel victimized look for enemies that can be eliminated, instead of searching for ways to fix a broken criminal justice system and a failed public security model. But torture is not justice, and should not be accepted in its place. It is up to all of us – especially those of us in the media, who can tell these stories, humanize the victims, and give readers another perspective – to work to change this.
In the case of the 17-year-old in São Bernardo do Campo, the men responsible – the tattoo artist Maycon Carvalho and the construction worker Ronildo de Araujo – were arrested after they shared the images of the attack. According to the police bulletin, the men justified their actions by saying they believed the teenager had tried to steal a bike. Later, Carvalho’s mother said her son regretted what he did, and may have been motivated by violence she had suffered. She was recently express-kidnapped in front of the family and held for four hours. She has also suffered an assault and had her car stolen at a stoplight. The family’s house has been broken into and robbed. None of these cases was solved by the police.
Many of the victims of vigilante attacks were accused of petty crimes – accusations that may or may not have any basis in fact. This teenager told the police he was drunk, and knocked over the bike; he didn’t try to steal it. He did, in the video, seem intoxicated. His family, who identified him from the horrific images, went to the police station to find him. They had been looking for him since May 31, when he had disappeared from home. They said he may not have been in full control of his mental faculties.
Whether or not he tried to steal anything, it doesn’t matter. The young man now has that mark on his forehead. It is already hard enough, with the country in a recession and few opportunities for work and study, to be young and poor and to build a future. This will make it that much harder. But many cases are even worse: In the state of Paraná, a truck driver named Juvenal Paulino de Souza was beaten to death on suspicion he molested a child. He was later found innocent. In the state of Maranhão, Cleidenilson da Silva was lynched after allegedly trying to rob a bar.
There is no justice in these actions. They only lead to more violence. Local media can be complicit in these kinds of unfounded accusations, or it can help fight them. We are all part of this culture. We can change it.
Silva is the founder and editor-in-chief of Voz das Comunidades, an online news and cultural resource for residents of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. Silva founded the service as an 11-year-old living in Rio’s Complexo do Alemão. In 2015, at 21, he was named by Forbes as one of Brazil’s most promising young people under 30. | <urn:uuid:6ddd2fd4-46a3-4a55-a5d9-6828daa165c8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/lets-stop-vigilante-attacks-in-brazil/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.985775 | 934 | 1.953125 | 2 |
India has one of the largest numbers of commuters in the world, putting enormous pressure on the public transport system.
It also puts pressure on the ability to allow different networks, technologies and systems to communicate seamlessly to ensure uninterrupted service and maximum safety. A key focus point in DAMM India’s rail solutions is therefore interoperability.
Different Interoperability Scenarios, Same Goal
The goal in any interoperability scenario is to maintain seamless communication without any limitations, including when operating different technologies or networks.
Interoperability can be relevant when:
Bridging: Network Migration or Extension In the rail industry, the need for interoperability would normally arise when you either need to integrate other technologies or when you need to upgrade and expand your network. From Analogue to Digital Integration of or moving from analogue to digital is the simplest operation. Both scenarios can be solved using a radio bridge such as DAMM TetraFlex Group Bridge, which enables voice communication, simple messaging and basic interoperability between an analogue network and a digital network like TETRA or DMR Tier III. This way an analogue network can be integrated or gradually downscaled and moved to digital with the network running continuously.
Bridging: Network Migration or Extension
In the rail industry, the need for interoperability would normally arise when you either need to integrate other technologies or when you need to upgrade and expand your network.
From Analogue to Digital
Integration of or moving from analogue to digital is the simplest operation. Both scenarios can be solved using a radio bridge such as DAMM TetraFlex Group Bridge, which enables voice communication, simple messaging and basic interoperability between an analogue network and a digital network like TETRA or DMR Tier III. This way an analogue network can be integrated or gradually downscaled and moved to digital with the network running continuously.
Railway-News magazine Issue 2, June 2022: DAMM Cellular Systems - How to Reduce Costs on Voice and Data Communications Networks.
At DAMM, we have specialized in developing future-proof, truly scalable professional radio communications solutions for over 30 years.
DAMM Cellular Systems invites you to visit them at Critical Communications World in Vienna, Austria from 21 to 23 June at stand F110.
It is with great pleasure that we can announce that Tommy Trip has accepted the position as CEO of DAMM Cellular Systems A/S.
DAMM Cellular Systems A/S (DAMM) is pleased to announce that Stuart Will is appointed as VP of Sales.
DAMM’s MultiTech Outdoor Base Station BS422 helps you build resilient, cost-effective and high-performance radio networks.
DAMM Cellular Systems have announced a joint venture, DAMM India, being established along with system partner in India, Consort Digital.
We are pleased to announce that we have hired Joseph Mehawej as our new Business Development Manager for MENA.
DAMM and System Partner Consort Digital have been selected for the new, prestigious state-of-the-art Pune Metro Rail Project.
We are pleased to announce that Jeffery Hunt has joined DAMM Cellular Systems Inc. as our new National Business Development Manager (BDM).
The more people use rail and metro systems, the greater the need for robust and reliable railway communications becomes.
The official launch of the frequency sharing functionality in the DAMM Outdoor Base Station BS422 is here!
DAMM has welcomed aboard Gilles de Dieuleveult as their new Solutions Manager to support sales activities in Europe and MENA.
On Saturday 25 April 2020, owner and founder of DAMM Cellular Systems A/S, Hans Damm, celebrated his 70th birthday.
DAMM is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Riesen as Senior Solutions Manager. Simon has worked with TETRA solutions for 20 years.
Zetron has partnered with DAMM for integration between its ACOM Command & Control system and DAMM base stations.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, attended the inauguration of phase 1 of the Mauritius Metro Express.
DAMM Cellular Systems Inc. has appointed John Gorrell as US Regional Sales Director based in its new Denver, Colorado headquarters.
DAMM is excited to be launching the world’s first VHF TETRA radio at CCW 2019. With the new VHF FT5 radio, it becomes possible to...
Maha Metro Rail Corporation has deployed a DAMM TetraFlex® radio solution for its flagship Nagpur Metro Rail project. The solution is...
DAMM is happy to announce that ErvoCom has chosen a DAMM TetraFlex infrastructure as part of their communication solution for the complete city tram...
DAMM Cellular Systems has appointed Hauke Holm as Vice President - R&D starting June 1 2019. Hauke is an experienced leader and has a strong industry...
SIEMENS and DAMM have together successfully implemented and tested an open and interoperable Tetra packet data solution which complies with the demands for ETCS...
DAMM has successfully been chosen to replace Aurizon’s aging analog rail system with a 70+ site DAMM TetraFlex® network. Operating in the...
...been awarded the contract to provide TETRA based mission-critical radio communication system for the second phase of Mumbai Monorail...
Siemens and DAMM, one of the leading providers of TETRA communication platform, announced an agreement to combine the international train control...
We are pleased to announce that the DAMM TetraFlex ® Outdoor System has obtained EN 50121-4 certification, and will be available on request.
Use the form opposite to get in touch with Damm Cellular Systems A/S directly to discuss any requirements you might have. | <urn:uuid:7d77bddd-df2e-405f-9eb5-dd8d38b2e2c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://railway-news.com/download/interoperability-a-key-focus-point-in-rail/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.931999 | 1,206 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Influence of slopes on barley productivity in the Tessala mountains, (Western Algeria)
Bachir Bouiadjra S, El Zerey W, Benabdelli K. 2011. Diachronic study of changes in vegetation cover in a mountainous ecosystem by remote sensing in space: Case of the Tessala mountains (western Algeria) Physio-Geo – Physical and Environmental Geography, 2011, volume V p211-225.
Benabdeli K. 1993. Agriculture, food and the environment: a trilogy in imbalance. Ecosystems, n ° 1, Ed Djillali University LiabesSBA 70-74.
Benseddik M, Benabdelli K. 2000. Impact of climatic risk on the yield of durum wheat (Triticum durum, Desf) in semi-arid zone: eco-physiological approach. Drought 1. Vol 11, 45-51.
Benyahia M, Benabdeli K, Moueddene K. 2001. Geology, Pedology and Ecosystem Ed University Djillali Liabes SBA & INRA SBA p 70-75.
BNEDER.1990. Development of mountain areas in the Wilaya of Sidi Bel Abbés: prospects for the development of agricultural holdings zone North. Report 63 p.
BNEDER. 1993. Study of development and development of the mountain areas of the wilaya of Sidi Bel Abbes phase III. Development Program. 103p.
Boli Z, Bep Aziem B, Roose E. 1994. Erosion impact on crop productivity on sandy soils of Northem Cameroon. Com ISCO 8, Delhi, 1, 80-89. Editors L. S.Bushan, LP: Abrol, M.S. Mohan Rao, Indian Assoc., S, W Cons., Dehra Dun, India, 1684 p.
Bouklikha M. 2001. Test of soil improvement in clay soils for optimal occupation (case of the southern slope of Tessala Sidi Bel Abbes) Memory of magister University Djillali Liabes department of environmental sciences 125 p
Bouzidi M, Latrèche A, Attaoui I, Mehdadi Z, Benyahia M. 2009. characterization of matorrals and garrigues in Urginea pancration (Steinh) Phil. In the djebel Tessala (Western Algeria) Physio-Geo -Geography Physics and Environment, volume 3, 133-149.
Charif K. 2001. Contribution to an agro-forestry development approach of the municipality of Tessala Sidi Bel Abbes memory of magister, Univ Djillali Liabes Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria .115p.
ENSID. 2003. The physical environment and constraints to agricultural development in Algeria. Part 1: the North West region. 126p ENSID: National Institute of Soils of Irrigation and Drainage and their effects on the soil-plant system. Al Awamia 80, 3-38.
Ferka Zazou N. 2006. Impact of spacio-temporal occupation of spaces on the conservation of the forest ecosystem. Case of the commune of Tessala, Wilaya of Sidi Bel Abbes. Memory of magister University Abou Bakr Belkaïd. Tlemcen 147p.
Giasson. 2000. Handbook of integrated soil management and conservation practices 8, of FAO Land and Water Bulletins, ISSN 1607-808X; Food and Agriculture Org., 49-52; 208p.
Megherbi-Benali A, Toumi-Benali F, Zouaoui S, Hamel L, Benyahia M. 2016 Impact of environmental conditions on the yield variability of durum wheat (Triticum durum. Desf) and its associated characters at Algerian semi-arid areas. International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research (IJAAR) 8(2), 64-74 P.
Mohammedi H. 1997. Ecological diagnosis of productive space in the face of food needs: case of the cereals sector in the Sidi Bel-Abbes region. Thesis of Magister, Djilali Liabès University, Sidi Bel-Abbes, 111 p.
Mourret JC, Conesa A, Bouchier A, Ould Sadd M, Gaîd M. 1990. Identification of the factors of variability of durum wheat under limiting water conditions in the Sidi Bel region -Abbes. Cereal farming, 23, 1-10.
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Seltzer P. 1946. Climate of Algeria Works of the Institute of meteorology and physics of the globe of Algeria, excluding ser, University of Algiers. Edit. The Typo-litho & J. Carbonel, 219P. | <urn:uuid:82bafde4-e1d1-4fed-ba06-7833acd04b12> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://innspub.info/influence-of-slopes-on-barley-productivity-in-the-tessala-mountains-western-algeria/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.690941 | 1,152 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Modern health trends come and go, but one piece of advice that doesn't ever seem to change is that we should all be drinking as much water as possible.
As it turns out, though, there are hidden dangers to this most innocuous of activities - the spectre of "water intoxication", hydration's potential sting in the tail.
Headaches, nausea, fatigue - all of these symptoms are associated with dehydration but can also rear their heads if you're over-hydrated, as it turns out.
The scientific word for the issue is hyponatremia but the condition is really rare, especially if you're not an endurance athlete.
What is over-hydration?
Essentially, over-hydration is when you take on more fluid than your kidneys can process and remove. It can be dangerous and even fatal in the most extreme cases. "Watering down your blood [makes] it harder to carry nutrients, send brain signals and control the muscles," says Harry Aitken, a qualified sports scientist at Auster.
Over-hydration can particularly crop up during exercise, as people try to gulp down the water they're losing through sweat. "People have a tendency to replace the water but forget the sodium losses," say Dr Ricardo Da Costa, a nutrition lecturer at Monash University.
"Da Costa says that rehydration is all well and good, but without sodium to balance the equation, the change to the composition of our plasma can be problematic.
The risk of over-hydration is still relatively slim for most people, though. As Johanna Hignett, an advisor to the Natural Hydration Council, explains: "You would need to drink extremely large quantities, in the order of five litres or more within an hour" to be at risk of hyponatremia. In normal life you're unlikely to be chugging as much as that.
What are the symptoms?
Hyponatremia causes the sodium in your body to become diluted, and when this happens, your body's water levels rise, causing your cells to begin to swell. This swelling can cause many signs and symptoms, from mild to life-threatening.
A person who is consistently drinking too much water may experience nausea and vomiting, headaches, confusion and loss of energy. In more extreme cases, it can cause muscle weakness, spasms or cramps, seizures and can even result in coma.
Experts advise that anyone who develops severe signs and symptoms of hyponatremia should seek immediate emergency care.
How can you avoid over-hydration?
The steps to avoid reaching the point of over-hydration involve some relatively obvious reversals of normal practice. If you're monitoring the colour of your urine, as some people do, you should be aiming for a light yellow colour, rather than shooting for as clear pee as possible - which many people assume means the peak of hydration.
Urine shouldn't be entirely clear and, if it is, you might be drinking more water than you need. Hignett says the ideal shade for most people is "a pale straw colour".
People who drink too much water while taking part in marathons, ultra marathons, triathlons and other long-distance, high-intensity activities are at an increased risk of hyponatremia, so if you're rehydrating after exercise, consider taking it slower than usual.
If you notice yourself taking time to return to normal service after working out, try drinking a sports drink, as the sodium content can help you to find your balance again.
The marathon problem
At the 2002 Boston Marathon, a study found that 13% of participants demonstrated the symptoms of hyponatremia, proving that, while serious results are extremely rare, the issue is still common - especially at sporting events.
There's a reason that daily water recommendations have both lower and upper limits, so you should try to stick to them in normal, day-to-day life. NHS guidance advises that we drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day, although food can also contribute to this total.
Finally, it may sound obvious, but the body already has a built-in system to help you know how much to drink - thirst. If you keep drinking and never stop feeling thirsty, talk to your doctor, as this could be a sign that something isn't quite right. But, for most people, drinking until you're no longer thirsty, then stopping, will keep your levels in check.
The risks of over-hydration may be low, but it's worth knowing that the condition is possible, especially if you're a budding athlete with a marathon to run in 2019. With these tips in mind though, you should be safe from the little-known problem of hyponatremia. | <urn:uuid:93a049d4-0dd9-4718-b186-ffb24abc67fb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/hidden-dangers-drinking-much-water-15687796 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.962208 | 988 | 2.703125 | 3 |
The Europeans who arrived in Port Phillip in 1835 brought with them established practices of labour that assumed times of rest. Foremost among the pastimes of the predominantly male settlement-at-ease was the consumption of alcoholic beverages. In 1836 when Captain William Lonsdale arrived, there were already a number of public houses serving the expansion of the pastoral industry and one of his first official acts was to issue three licences and control the smuggling of liquor.
Gold-rush Melbourne saw the licensing of numerous hotels, from Mac's Hotel in Franklin Street to Johnson's on the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets, the expansion of theatre and entertainment in Bourke Street (for example, the Theatre Royal, opened 1856), and the development of Stephen (later Exhibition) Street as a recognised brothel area. All expressed ideas of recreational pursuits for a largely male immigrant population with money to spend.
The gradual adoption of an eight-hour day from 1856 and a compulsory half-day holiday on Saturday demarcated the week firmly into work and leisure for the waged labour force. The development of leisure pursuits in 19th-century Melbourne owed much to these achievements. But Marvellous Melbourne was also at the forefront of other political change and commercial initiatives and Melburnians, through their access to novel ideas and technologies, now framed leisure in ways that expressed contemporary ideas of identity. The individual assumed greater importance. The Education Act 1872 enshrined literacy and numeracy as a basic right of the population, higher standards of living contributed to better health and manufacturing to employment for young women and men. Leisure practices in Melbourne, therefore, developed as a wide range of activities that expressed both social change and individual initiatives in the pursuit of pleasure and self-satisfaction.
Civic authorities, drawing on British precedent, fixed ideas of leisure and recreation in the physical environment through the allocation of space and resources. A green belt to the south, east and north of the city and land in the suburbs were set aside as parks and gardens, and important cultural institutions established for the use of the respectable families of the city. They offered a mix of physical and intellectual pleasure. At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ferdinand von Mueller, director from 1857, aroused the curiosity of visitors with his constant introduction of new species and the establishment of the National Herbarium, while William Guilfoyle, from 1873, developed a picturesque landscape of lawns, paths and lakes. The provision of a Public (State) Library, Art Gallery, a museum at the University of Melbourne in the 1850s and exhibitions in 1854, 1861 and 1866-67 recognised the self-educational potential of recreation.
A significant area in the suburban parks and gardens was given over to organised sport that took shape in the late 19th century, assisted by defined hours of work. In Fitzroy's Edinburgh Gardens, a cricket ground was laid out in 1863 and a lawn bowls rink in 1877 for gentlemen of various ages to play on a summer's afternoon. Australian football began to be played on the cricket ground in winter, and a club was formed in 1883 to formalise the arrangement. In 1885 a tennis club was added, bringing women into the sporting arena. As Melbourne expanded, each suburb replicated this pattern, producing a strong community sporting culture that was oriented to male-team sports.
If new forms of physical activity established sport as a social institution, there was also excitement for new products and services which brought both women and men into the public spaces of the city. Each afternoon and on Saturday mornings, 'doing the Block' in the city attracted a fashionable crowd as Charles Carter observed in 1869, 'hosts of ladies flitting about in the most airy and fascinating style', and on Saturday nights 'an endless concourse of people' packed the Eastern Market and the Coles Book Arcade, 'a crowd as dense and as motley as that of Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road combined'. In the suburbs, too, shoppers flocked to the major thoroughfares - Smith Street in Collingwood, Chapel Street in Prahran and Nicholson Street in Footscray. The theatrical entrepreneur, George Coppin, purchased the Cremorne Gardens in Richmond in 1856 to expand the range of amusements offered to the public. New technology was always of interest: in 1858 the first hot-air balloon flight in Melbourne was staged at the Cremorne Gardens, and in 1869 a 'velocopide' race at the Melbourne Cricket Ground provided another sensation.
The new consumer ethos was also expressed through the rise of the number of sports spectators. As early as 1838 a racetrack was laid out to the west of the town reserve and sport began to attract an interested audience. However, from the 1860s sport as a spectacle emerged as a new phenomenon. From its inception in 1861 the Melbourne Cup drew large crowds, and in 1861-62 the visit of an English cricket team attracted unprecedented attention. By the end of the 1870s the games of Australian football on a Saturday afternoon had created 'barrackers', spectators whose emotional commitment brought them out each weekend to support their team. The expressions of loyalty of followers to their teams, based in the suburbs, gave a distinctive style to Melbourne's winter public leisure patterns.
Leisure opportunities for the middle class proliferated. There were excursions by railway to the beach at St Kilda or Mentone or cruises further afield by steamer to Sorrento and Queenscliff. In 1894 the first walking clubs were formed, and the appearance of the bicycle allowed respectable women as well as men to explore the scenic Dandenongs as tourists, complete with camera to record the occasion. Improvements in communication encouraged a profusion of letters and postcards that announced holiday destinations safely reached and life milestones passed.
The development of suburban Melbourne also defined leisure in the 19th century. In the inner suburbs, the narrow streets and the presence of a corner pub invited residents out onto the streets, but the new suburbs enshrined private space. While the wealthy indulged in more formal exchanges of carte de visites and invitations to dances and balls, for the families living in the new suburbs from Essendon in the west to Camberwell in the east, front parlours and the verandah were sites for more informal conviviality. Afternoon tea after a stroll around the garden or a game of cards, music and talking followed by supper at night made the home a site of diverse interests where women's crafts were always on display. Although public lending libraries and Mechanics Institutes offered sites for reading material, the increase in the mass circulation of daily newspapers (the Argus, Australasian and Age, the latter's circulation increasing from 14 500 copies per day in 1860 to 120 000 in 1899) expanded reading into people's homes. Publishing houses began to produce books for the Australian market and printed music scores for the piano assumed pride of place on a Sunday evening when family members gathered round to sing of deeds of Empire and hearts torn asunder.
Yet the appearance of mass leisure and an ethos of consumption with its appeal to the individual sent shock waves through the middle class. The Australasian newspaper of 11 August 1883 reported with some anxiety on the novelty of the working man spending money in public places in his leisure: 'Melbourne is practically given over to him on Saturday night, and with his family ... he fills its bright and busy streets almost to the exclusion of every other class. He crowds the theatres, he throngs the shops, he and his are legion in the cheap restaurants.' Towards the end of the century and with the onset of the 1890s depression, fears such as these became major tensions. Part of the political struggles of the period were the successful crusades against drinking and betting and gambling, both seen as inappropriate forms of leisure. In 1910 gambling was limited to racecourses and during World War I, when patriotism was invoked to curb all commercial leisure activities, legislation in 1916 enforced the closing of hotels at 6 o'clock.
After World War I these prohibitions remained. In 1920 the residents of the City of Camberwell succeeded in banning pubs and wine-bars in the municipality altogether although drinking into the evening and gambling survived as underground activities. Melbourne's rigid observation of Sunday as a day of rest curtailed public leisure activities, elevating mowing the lawn and cooking the Sunday roast to major recreational pastimes. However, some public spaces survived as acceptable sites for leisure: the Melbourne Zoo, Luna Park (opened in 1912), the beaches and venues such as the Hawthorn Tea Gardens where a walk along the Yarra River after Sunday School might even take in some sedate boating. Golf and tennis continued to be played on a Sunday within the comfortable retreats of private clubs.
There was, however, much contentment with the rituals of leisure that were consolidated between the wars. From 1924 when 3AR broadcasts started, the radio appeared as a welcome addition to the home. Dad and Dave with its theme song 'Along the Road to Gundagai' was the most popular show but music, theatre, debate, quiz shows and sport could all be heard within one's lounge. The 1930s depression strengthened the proclivity for leisure activities that contributed to self-sufficiency. Gardening and tinkering for men directed from their tool shed, and sewing, embroidery and knitting for women gave satisfaction as well as providing utility items.
Saturday was the day out. Going to the 'footy' at Glenferrie Oval, Western Oval or Windy Hill sustained thousands of families. There was some variation: for the more active, there was organised sport; for children, the movie matinée; and for men, the pub with the radio on the horseraces in the bar and the SP bookie in the back lane taking bets. Then, dances at a local hall or for a big night out, Leggett's at Prahran or a couple might go into the city to the theatre, the Tivoli in Bourke Street for variety or a play at His Majesty's. Night spots like that at the Chevron Hotel opened in 1934 in St Kilda Road, offered a gleam of glamour.
It was also the epoch of the picture palace. In 1926 Hoyts new picture theatre at Bentleigh seated over 1000 people, while in the city the lavishly decorated Capitol opened in 1924. The Regent and the State in 1929 accommodated eight times that number. Although there was some Australian films, such as the popular On Our Selection released in 1932 and Cinesound and Movietone newsreels with their complement of sport and royalty, well over 90% of all films screened in Melbourne were American.
Increasingly, motoring along the bay to Frankston, up the hills to Healesville or down the coast to Lorne for leisure extended horizons. As well, women laid claim to public space. Eating out in the Mural Hall in Myer's or the cafeteria in Coles brought them into the city during the day but, even at night, women went off to the movies without inviting moral censure. Also, women increased their participation in sport and usually it was women who controlled the ubiquitous box brownie camera that now appeared to record, predominantly, the leisure activities of friends and family.
World War II, with its brownout, its trenches and thousands of American troops stationed in the city, disrupted the older rhythms. But people's leisure activities were part of longer-term changes. By the mid-20th century leisure was recognised as being of national concern, contributing to an individual's health and well-being. In the postwar period, this was interpreted for a modern society. As early as 1938 the establishment of the National Fitness Council addressed the concern that Australians were losing their physical edge. Now, new public swimming pools - from the Olympic Pool for the Games to the Springvale Pool opened in 1962 in time for the summer school holidays - combined engineering and architecture as symbols of contemporary, wholesome leisure. Music was also promoted. In 1938 Hector Crawford started Music for the People outdoor concerts, but in 1959 the opening of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl lent to this activity the sophistication of Hollywood. The Council for Adult Education, formed in 1947, with its drama and reading programs for small groups throughout the suburbs also recognised the enlarged horizons for Melburnians in the postwar period. In 1955 the Victorian branch of the National Trust was established, and in 1959 Como introduced the idea of heritage as a recreational pursuit for the present. By contrast, Moomba, from 1955, reinterpreted the older tradition of the Labour Day march as a procession with American pizzazz.
The direct and indirect influence of the United States in the expansion of the leisure industry in the postwar period was hotly debated. From 1956 television was appreciated as a means of maintaining the home as a leisure centre, but it was the American I Love Lucy, Wagon Train and 77 Sunset Strip that were, initially, the most popular programs. In 1958 when the first Top Forty, direct from America, hit Melbourne airwaves, the rock music industry was set for take-off. Glossy magazines with full-colour images of blonde, buxom American film stars pouting sex appeal appeared on the news stands. Leisure products like the record player, also emanating from American companies, supplanted the gramophone and transistor, and car radios extended sound in time and space. Old orthodoxies of restraint fell before increasing opportunities to recognise and gratify sensory pleasures.
In this period, though, much of people's time was absorbed by the suburban expansion that blended leisure with energy and creativity in a great surge of DIY building, painting, and path-laying. Again, the private space of home and garden absorbed the leisure interests of Melburnian families, the barbecue making an appearance. With immigration, backyards took on new meaning: celebrating the harvesting of the fruits of the garden or annual festivals that brought European traditions to Melbourne.
The 1954 city plan for metropolitan Melbourne that left the river valleys as corridors of green in a widening circle of brick and weatherboard from Broadmeadows to Box Hill to Moorabbin also challenged the city as the focus for leisure events. In 1961 Chadstone, based on the popular American model of the shopping mall, reinvigorated the pleasure of buying in suburban Melbourne. As well, new civic centres and the opening of Waverley Park as the centre for Australian football in Melbourne in 1970 recognised the demographic shift. The car assumed new possibilities. The Sunday afternoon drive in the new Holden or Falcon became a family ritual, while the appearance of drive-in theatres combined novelty and convenience.
But homes were changing. From the 1950s increasing numbers of married women joined the workforce, young adults began to be addressed as teenagers, and the end of the six o'clock swill in February 1966 assailed the old ascendancy on all sides. The expansion of public leisure continued to be shaped by government: in 1972 the Victorian Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation was formed to administer policies in the area. The provision of stadiums and gymnasiums challenged the old pre-eminence of outdoor and male team sports, and walking and bike tracks along Melbourne's beachfront, rivers and creeks recognised the individual, young or old, male or female, as defining their own patterns of use.
Since the 1970s the diversification of the marketplace to meet all or any of the demands for the individual to realise their full potential has many commercial permutations. The breaking of the Sunday curfew commenced in earnest in 1981 when regular Sunday matches began in the Victorian Football League. Restaurant strips developed in the inner suburbs, starting from the Italian enclave established in Lygon Street in the early 1950s and extending to Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria Street, Richmond, Chapel Street, Prahran, and Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, each offering a diversity of eating experiences. From the installation of one of the first espresso coffee machines at University Café in Carlton in 1954, coffee shops extended ideas of café society; and pub culture, centred on bands and entertainment, added to street life. At the same time, sites to promenade and to shop developed: Southbank returned the Yarra River to a site for public leisure from the 1980s and Docklands the old port area from 2003.
The State Government has recognised the economic potential of leisure and assists in the promotion of major sporting events, from the Australian Open Tennis Championships in January to the Spring Carnival in November, while the opening of the Crown Entertainment Complex in 1994 added a further diversion for local and international players. Meanwhile, homes with plasma televisions and internet access offer the most individually-tailored entertainment. At the same time, the organisation of clubs that bring together people interested in anything from roses to felt-making and singing to playing bridge have changed the relationships of leisure from the family, neighbourhood or church network to a general interest-based association.
Leisure remains problematic. Unemployment and early retirement, though expanding the numbers with free time, has not necessarily provided sufficient income to support leisure consumption, while those in work, face longer, unpredictable or more intense hours and do not necessarily have the free time to sustain regular leisure interests. The availability of recreational drugs continues to raise debates about the legality and morality of leisure pursuits. But, throughout all, Melburnians have expressed ideas of leisure that have cemented social relationships believed to be important. | <urn:uuid:fd1c1323-675f-4486-b58f-0e816aa59114> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00847b.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.962503 | 3,568 | 3.234375 | 3 |
There could be a few reasons why your golf shots are consistently pulling to the left. However, if you’re able to identify and correct the issue, you’ll see dramatic improvements in your game.
Here are three common causes of left-handed golfing: You’ve adopted an incorrect grip. Your clubface is too open or closed. You’re not using enough backspin on your ball.
Why Am I Pulling My Golf Shots To The Left
If you are consistently pulling your golf shots to the left, then it might be a good time to adjust your clubface, check for loose bushings or ball joints, replace your golf shoes, and/or check your stance.
Adjust Your Clubface
When you are playing golf, you want to aim your shots in a straight line to the target. To adjust your clubface, move your hands and arms in a circular motion. The more circles you make with your arms and hands, the more adjustments you will be able to make to your clubface.
When you can see where the ball is going before actually swinging, it will help improve your accuracy on the golf course. Practice adjusting your clubface until it feels comfortable so that you can swing without thinking about it. You don’t need expensive equipment or special instructions to adjust your clubface; just practice and you will get better results over time.
Playing golf is not only an enjoyable pastime; it can also be a way of keeping fit and improving your overall coordination skills. Every golfer has their own individual swing mechanics that must be taken into account when adjusting their clubface to achieve better results on the golf course.
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to adjust your clubface; what works for one person may not work for another, which is why experimentation is key when learning this skill-set.
.The most important thing is to have fun while playing golf by experimenting with different techniques and strategies until you find what works best for you on the green
Check For Loose Bushings Or Ball Joints
If you are noticing that your golf shots are consistently pulling to the left, it may be a good idea to check for loose bushings or ball joints. By addressing these issues, you can hopefully fix your golf swing and make more consistent shots.
Another common issue is over-tightening of screws in a golf club’s head–this can also lead to an off-center hit. By eliminating any of these causes, you will have a better chance of fixing your golf game and hitting the ball straight. It’s important to consult with a professional if you notice any unusual movement in your golf clubs or balls.
A professional can help diagnose the root of the problem and recommend a course of action. Oftentimes, minor repairs like these can prevent bigger problems down the road–so don’t wait! Following through with repairs can mean improved accuracy on your next round, so enjoy the game!
Be sure to keep all equipment properly maintained as part of your overall routine; this includes regular inspections for loose parts and proper tightening of screws and bolts.
Replace Your Golf Shoes
Golf shoes are the perfect footwear for your game of golf, but they may not be the best option for your feet. If you’re experiencing pain in your feet while playing golf, it may be time to replace your golf shoes.
Replacing old golf shoes with new ones can help reduce foot pain and improve your game. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to buy good golf shoes – even secondhand options can work well. Buying new golf shoes is a good investment because they will last longer and support your feet better than old ones do.
When you buy new golf shoes, make sure that the fit is comfortable so you can enjoy playing your game to its fullest potential. The right golf shoe style will depend on your individual foot type and shape – so take some time to try on different models before making a purchase. Finally, always clean and dry your golf shoes after each use – this will help prevent foot odor and fungus growth.
Follow these tips for replacing old golf shoes and you’ll be able to play better and longer without any pain or discomfort!
Check Your Stance
When you are playing golf, it is important to maintain a good stance. If you are pulling your shots to the left, there may be a reason for that. To correct the issue, try adjusting your club position and swing path.
Another reason may be that you are not hitting down on the ball enough. By fixing these two issues, you will start hitting shots in the direction that you want them to go.
How To Fix The Problem
You may be pulling your golf shots to the left because of an incorrect position of your body on the golf course. There are a few things you can do to correct the problem, starting with trying different club angles.
If that does not work, you may need to adjust your stance or swing. Another solution is to practice more at a range and get better at hitting the ball straight. If all else fails, you may want to consider seeing a professional golfer for help.
Effects Of Pulling Your Golf Shots To The Left
Pulling your golf shots to the left can cause a number of problems with your swing. These problems can include inconsistent ball striking, lower club head speed, and lost distance.
To correct these issues, you need to work on your mechanics and address any deficiencies in your swing. One way to improve your mechanics is by focusing on proper alignment during the backswing and follow-through.
If you’re struggling with consistent ball striking, then you may want to experiment with different grips and shafts until you find one that suits your game best. Improving club head speed takes time and practice so don’t get discouraged if results aren’t immediate.
Finally, be sure to track your progress and adjust your training as needed so that you achieve the desired results. There are many good Golf Tips available online which can help improve your game even further! Slowing down the tempo might help you.
When playing competitively, it is important to maintain consistency throughout the round or tournament so don’t give up too soon! Remember that practice makes perfect – keep working hard at improving your golf skills so that you can pull off some great shots to the left!
Fixes For Pulling Your Golf Shots To The Left
Pulling your golf shots to the left can be frustrating, but there are solutions that you can try. The first step is figuring out why you’re doing it. Once you know the reason, altering your swing will help you fix the problem.
There are many different drills and exercises that you can do to improve your aim and consistency. One way to fix pulling your shots to the left is by practicing more frequently with a coach or mentor. If hitting balls consistently isn’t an option for you, then using a training aid may be a better solution.
There are products available on the market that can help with your alignment and takeaway. Practice makes perfect, so don’t give up hope if fixing your pull shots to the left proves difficult at first glance. Take small steps in the right direction and eventually success will follow.
One possible explanation for your golf shots being to the left is that you’re not using a straight arm swing. A straight arm swing will result in more accurate shots to the center of the clubface.
Titleist Hybrid Adjustment Chart is a handy tool that can be used by golfers to fine-tune their game. It has a stroke index and an impact index which can help you gauge the severity of your shots.
The Taylormade MTour Issue Driver is a new driver that was released in It has been designed with an aim to provide more forgiveness and accuracy when it comes to shots off the tee. The design also features a larger face and an increased loft, which should help players hit their Shots High and Straight.
If you have a golf club shaft that’s too long, or if you want to shorten it, here are the steps: 1. Remove the club head.
Footjoy Flex Golf Shoes are designed to provide a comfortable and durable golfing experience. However, like any other piece of equipment, they can be dirty and need to be cleaned on a regular basis.
Golf Pride Grips are a well-known brand of golf club grips and they are often considered to be one of the best around. However, it’s important to be aware that not all Golf Pride Grips are legitimate.
Hanging a golf net is an easy way to improve your game by Practice hitting the ball into the net. Source: youtube How To Hang A Golf Net When it comes to golf, everyone loves getting a hole in one. | <urn:uuid:f8508eb2-93a5-4d66-92e0-650d6f56c2fa> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.metroleague.org/why-am-i-pulling-my-golf-shots-to-the-left/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.94192 | 1,834 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Youth & Education
The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme offers extraordinary students from developing nations the opportunity to study at th...
New College at the University of Oxford was established in 1379 by William Wykeham, then bishop of Winchester. Wykeham envisioned a College with one warden and 70 fellows, including both undergraduate and graduate level students, with all students participating in religious services and the school's choir. Many centuries of reform and expansion later, the now world-famous New College Choir remains central to the College's identity. New College is today one of the University of Oxford's largest and most diverse Colleges, with 430 undergraduates and 360 graduates. Its model seeks to nurture the development and curiosity of the whole student, encouraging academic learning and inquiry, interpersonal connection, and pursuit of one's individual passions and interests beyond the classroom.
General Operating Support | <urn:uuid:1e367bf0-4f18-48b4-9fb1-0610905b90b5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.growannenberg.org/grants/7303/new-college-oxford?category=33 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.934873 | 190 | 1.59375 | 2 |
CLP Hazard Signs – Do you know them all?
Learn about CLP hazards from our IOSH Managing Safely training course.
On 1st June 2017 all of the CHIP pictograms must be updated to CLP for all products. These pictograms are vital to help us understand what is present in a container, many of which hold hazardous chemicals. Not understanding these warning signs may put yourself and others in danger through improper use.
What is the CLP?
CLP stands for Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures Regulation and came into force on 20th January 2009 in the UK and all EU Member states. It has been adopted from the GHS (Globally Harmonised System) from the United Nations. The GHS however is a voluntary agreement and not a law, the CLP is a legal mechanism to ensure that it becomes legally binding.
How does this affect me?
All producers of hazardous chemicals were required to comply with CLP Regulation by June 1st 2015 and a two year transitional period was given for mixtures that had already been labelled packaged and classified under the DPD (Dangerous Preparations Directive) regulation. These are the bright orange and black hazard symbols you may already be familiar with.
The black cross on a yellow triangle warning sign was removed by regulation 3(4) of the CLP (Amendment) Regulations, if this is being used in your business the most relevant warning sign should be picked from the new pictograms available. These signs and labels must be clearly visible and must be durable. If these are damaged, there are a handful of solutions:
- If you have received the product from a supplier, then they should be contacted and a replacement can be sent out. The supplier should also check their stock to ensure other products are not damaged.
- If possible, you can replace the labels yourself with stickers that are available to purchase. If you are unsure of the correct pictograms to display you can check the requirements for each substance here:
Search for substances in the C&L Inventory database:
From CHIP to CLP
The CLP system was introduced as a way to provide a more striking label on dangerous goods in the workplace. A great rule of Health and Safety is to never assume that everyone knows what you do. Many people will ace the above quiz and score full marks however there are people which will not understand a handful of these. If you work with dangerous chemicals you should ensure that they are correctly labelled and clear and perhaps make accessible a guide to each of the pictograms. If a container has a damaged label, do not hesitate to contact the supplier and ask for a replacement. On the unfortunate occasion that an accident occurs, a lawsuit could arise from improperly or unclearly labelled goods.
What does each pictogram mean?
Explosive – Symbolised by an exploding bomb.
Hazardous to the environment – Symbolised by a dead tree and fish.
Compressed Gas – Symbolised by a gas cylinder.
Serious Health Hazard – Symbolised by a humanoid outline showing internal corrosion.
Hazardous to the Ozone Layer – Symbolised by an exclamation mark.
Acute Toxicity – Symb olised by a skull and crossbones.
Corrosive – Symbolised by test tubes corroding a black bar and a hand.
Oxidising – Symbolised by a flaming circle.
Flammable – Symbolised by a flame.
Now that you know the changes and understand the new pictograms you should ensure all of your friends and colleagues are in the same boat. Some of these are visible on everyday household products and simply knowing these could save a life.
Share and let us know what you scored in the comments below. | <urn:uuid:e4f97cee-2992-4d47-8ad2-d5536acea1d9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.sheilds.org/clp-hazard-signs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.951129 | 793 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Jan 14, 2010
Dec 18, 2019 · This wikiHow teaches you different ways to reset the Wi-Fi adapter and connections on a Windows PC. Wireless issues can often be fixed by disabling and re-enabling the adapter, but sometimes you'll need to take things a bit further by reinstalling the driver or resetting all network adapters and settings on the PC. Sep 08, 2011 · I tried my own network and the one of my company, and each time there is another IP adres in the DNS (the same for each network, at home for example 22.214.171.124 and at work always 126.96.36.199). I already tried to reset my TCP/IP settings, I also remove the manual ip adres before selecting "automatic adress" but it keeps comming back. May 09, 2013 · Windows 7 - Restore Windows firewall to default settings Latest update on May 9, 2013 at 07:18 AM by deri58 . After an extended period of use, modifications made to your system will leave your Windows Firewall with a lot of unnecessary rules. Jun 18, 2018 · We have one computer on a network that keeps losing it's DNS settings. This is a Windows 7 machine on a Domain. It is setup with a static IP and has been setup this way for years. Within the last week it started having this issue. The computer will not connect to the internet, and when we check the Network Settings, the DNS settings are blank. Next, click the Use the following DNS server addresses: radio button. Next, in the Preferred DNS server:, and Alternate DNS server: number fields, input the numbers that were assigned by OIT. Then click the OK button.
How to Set Up or Change DNS Settings in Windows 7
Jan 14, 2010 [8 Solutions] How To Fix DNS Issues On Windows 10? Flush DNS Cache and Reset Winsock. In order to fix the DNS errors, flushing DNS and resetting … Resetting your network adapter in Windows 7
Basically you need to copy the name of the network interface you want to change the DNS settings for as you will need that name in the next command that will actually change the DNS settings. 5. Let's say I want to change the DNS settings on my LAN interface to IP 192.168.1.10 this is the line that I need to enter in command prompt window (it's
How To Flush DNS and Reset TCP/IP with ipconfig /flushdns DNS is used to translate between a human-readable name like poftut.com and IP address like 45.79.1333.118.DNS can use both UDP and TCP protocols but generally, UDP protocol is preferred. In this tutorial, we will learn how to flush, clear the DNS cache with ipconfig /flushdns command. This tutorial can be applied to the All Windows Operating system versions like Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows | <urn:uuid:5b93e358-b84f-4c3d-a7c5-b8ea9c082a69> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://vpn2020alhf.netlify.app/sheng61870vu/reset-dns-settings-windows-7-zafo.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.903045 | 599 | 2.09375 | 2 |
School of Science and Technology San Antonio, SST Schools, is a tuition-free public charter school focused on STEM education and serves students 6-12 in San Antonio.
Since School of Science and Technology San Antonio opened its doors, we have reimagined traditional education to be more student-focused and STEM-based.
Every student will learn and grow into a successful and productive citizen.
We do whatever it takes to help our students reach their goals. Student success is extremely important to us, which is why we have a 100% college graduation rate and a 99% high school graduation rate. We provide resources for all students to help them along with their academic career throughout their K-12 journey.
Our students, parents, staff work together to create our SST Family, a community of strong success and dedication.
We guide our students to value integrity, show respect, and be responsible.
STEM for All
Every student will graduate with a strong understanding and appreciation of STEM and how it connects to the real world.
District Core Ethical Values
Accountability, Citizenship, Dedication, Honesty, Integrity, Kindness, Leadership, Respectfulness, and Responsible | <urn:uuid:d3a3a93e-cb2a-4fec-ba4d-70c070ae233b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sanantonio.sstschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1697924&type=d&pREC_ID=1859205 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.94028 | 257 | 1.726563 | 2 |
CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS When Diane Pawlak decided to switch careers from the banking industry to technology a few years ago, she wished she knew of organizations that could provide her with mentors or scholarships along the way. “I think it would have been a great outlet for me,” said Pawlak, who is now a service desk analyst with Minacs Worldwide in Farmington Hills. Pawlak is president of the Ann Arbor Association for Women in Computing, one of at least two organizations in the state that are working to support and boost the profile of women in the local technology industry.
Groups pick up push for women in tech world
The Ann Arbor chapter of the AWC was founded in 1993 and is part of the Washington-based Association for Women in Computing. The organization, which has about 100 members, works to provide opportunities for women in information technology through networking, scholarships, training, job fairs and other means. For instance, the association holds the annual Top Michigan Women in Computing Awards Gala, which raises money for the association's scholarship fund. The association also hosts twice monthly networking lunches and provides access to free or discounted computer training at local career centers. Pawlak did not have numbers for the percentage of women in the local technology industry, but she said the association is working to boost representation of women in an industry where they're typically underrepresented, particularly in executive positions. “We've caught up quite a bit but we still need to catch up more in the management level,” Pawlak said. It's a sentiment echoed by the Auburn Hills-based Michigan Council of Women in Technology, which also provides support for female tech professionals and hopes to boost the numbers of women in the industry.
According to statistics provided by the council, 56 percent of nation's professional workforce is female, but women only represent 29 percent of information-technology professionals. The council estimates women technology professionals also are a minority in Michigan, although it did not have data available to show the ratio of men to women in Michigan technology jobs.
About 500 members in various industries belong to the MCWT, which was founded in 2002 by women technology executives who wanted to network with other women in the industry, said Kathleen Norton-Schock, vice president of marketing for the council's educational foundation and director of business development for Farmington Hills-based Onset Marketing L.L.C. Norton-Schock said the council has played an important role in allowing local female technology professionals to share their ideas and experiences with one another. “It allows people to collaborate in a noncompetitive setting,” Norton-Schock said. “It's amazing the ideas that can spring up when you speak to someone outside of your own organization.” The council also is working on ways to boost the recruitment and retention of women in the technology industry. Based on results from a survey sent to about 250 members last year, the council created a list of recommendations for technology companies that want to be woman-friendly.
The list includes providing flexible benefits and scheduling policies, and reviewing company retention and advancement rates for men and women to create policies that can help even the playing field. The council's foundation also provides mentors and scholarships to female undergraduate and graduate students who declare technology-related majors. Teri Takai, director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology and the state's chief information officer, said there's value in making sure women are proportionately represented in the technology industry. About 40 percent of the department's 1,733 employees are women and women make up about 38 percent of the department's senior level positions. “Diversity overall does make a difference in the way business is conducted,” she said. Takai said organizations such as the Association for Women in Computing and the Michigan Council of Women in Technology are helpful because they allow women in technology to make important connections with industry insiders, no matter what their gender or age.
“It's important to have role models, and they don't always have to be female and they don't always have to be senior to you,” Takai said.
Pawlak said that's the reason the association often collaborates with other tech groups in the region, such as through shared mailing lists and networking events. “It's another access point, another place for people to hear us and to get to know us,” Pawlak said. Sheena Harrison: (313) 446-0325, [email protected] | <urn:uuid:403ec0e3-be56-4aee-92cc-0ced9cb9e867> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20061205/SUB/312050001/groups-pick-up-push-for-women-in-tech-world | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.965914 | 940 | 1.585938 | 2 |
October 31, 2011: Overcome Any Social Anxiety!
The one-sentence pitch for the just-released GURPS Social Engineering is straightforward: "More rules and guidelines for social interactions in GURPS!" What does that really mean?
Let's look at an analogy. You know how the GURPS Basic Set has rules for combat, right? Well, gamers who love combat options have helped make GURPS Martial Arts, GURPS Tactical Shooting, and GURPS Gun Fu some of our most popular releases. Each one of those supplements augments the core combat systems with expanded info and new possibilities.
GURPS Social Engineering works the same way, adding options and rule systems for various interpersonal interactions. Think of it as "Martial Arts for the social arts."
Just flipping through this tome sparks ideas. Are you looking for rules for seducing someone over the phone? Building trust in a potential ally? Finding investors for some grand scheme? Starting a propaganda campaign? It's all in here.
In an RPG, you don't need to know how to hold a sword in the real world to play a master swordsman -- and now it's easier than ever to have the fun of portraying a diplomat or Casanova without being one.
So next time you want to know your options as a smooth-tongued hero, you'd better check out the possibilities from GURPS Social Engineering or I'll kill this bunny.
Wait; I accidentally started using the rules for intimidation via text. I meant to keep relying on the options for commercial transactions. Ummm . . . How's this for a conclusion? "Don't be anti-social; get GURPS Social Engineering today!" [rolls dice]
-- Steven Marsh
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Copyright © 2022 by Steve Jackson Games. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:a706a3be-1b24-441a-b3b8-4ba089ee5036> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sjgames.com/ill/archive/October_31_2011/Overcome_Any_Social_Anxiety | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.92223 | 398 | 1.601563 | 2 |
With the arrival of cold, harsh weather and environment changes, skin tends to become dry and irritated. There are some easy tips that can improve clinets' skin care routines and help their skin this winter.
In an interview with Chicago Defender, licensed esthetician and founder of Poised Professional, LLC, Robyn Sutton, shares how to take care of skin during the cold winter months.
"Our skin is affected differently by the environment. That is why we likely experience some changes in our skin from season to season," said Sutton.
As the weather turns cold outside and the heat turns on inside, clients' skin will see and feel dryness on the skin and lips. Switching to a thicker moisturizer is key to help combat dryness. Making sure clients are using a non-comedogenic and SPF moisturizer is also important.
Exfoliation will remove the dead skin which allows products to penetrate the epidermis layer of the skin deeply. Sutton recommends using a gentle exfoliator one to two times per week. This will help to achieve glowing skin throughout the winter months.
Year round, skin should stay hydrated and protected. No matter the skin type, dry or oily, a hydrating skin mask will benefit client's skin. Hydrating serums that contain Vitamin C also contain great skin benefits. Finally, a year round application of SPF should be applied daily. | <urn:uuid:463f7d78-58cc-4160-abff-0d7d4524baf4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.skininc.com/treatment/facial/news/21886605/3-tips-to-keep-skin-hydrated-this-winter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.928813 | 297 | 1.554688 | 2 |
The Southern Yellow cattle are small but hardy animals. They have been used primarily for draft animals, but now are being selected for the production of quality meat. They are actually a breed of Zebu cattle which are derived from Bos taurus and B. indicus.
These animals are found in Southern China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Although they are derived from Bos taurus and B. indicus, but the Chinese do not distinguish between these two species.
They actually don’t distinguish for traditional reasons and just call the animals as “yellow cattle“. Read more information about this cattle breed below.
Southern Yellow Cattle Characteristics
The Southern Yellow cattle are smaller sized animals with small body. Their body color vary from usual yellow to white or to brownish orange. But most of the animals are almost always all one color.
They are one of three breeds of Chinese Yellow cattle. Other two Chinese Yellow cattle are Central Plains Yellow cattle and the Northern Yellow cattle breeds. The Northern Yellow breed is clearly taurine (Bos taurus taurus), the Southern Yellow breed is clearly Zebu (Bos taurus indicus).
But the Central Plains Yellow breed is intermediate. Which means at a glance that the Northern Yellow cattle have no humps, the Central Plains Yellow cattle have small humps, the Southern Yellow cattle have high, erect humps.
The Philippine Native cattle are usually very similar and are mainly derived from the Southern Yellow cattle brought from Fujian to the Philippines.
As a smaller sized animal, average body weight of the cows vary from 280 to 300 kg, and the bulls are heavier than the cows. Info from Wikipedia.
The breed has been used primarily for draft animal. But nowadays they are being selected and used for meat production.
The Southern Yellow cattle are smaller sized animals, but they are very hardy, strong and sturdy animals. They are adapted to almost any climates. And they have good heat tolerance and parasite resistance capabilities.
The animals are mainly used for draft animals and most recently used for meat. But they are being selected for milk production in Vietnam. Review full breed profile of this cattle breed in the following table.
|Breed Name||Southern Yellow|
|Breed Purpose||Meat, Milk, Draft|
|Special Notes||Hardy, strong, energetic, sturdy|
|Bulls||Slightly heavier than the cows in most cases|
|Cows||Usually vary from 280 to 300 kg|
|Climate Tolerance||All Climates|
|Coat Color||Vary from usual yellow to white or to a brownish orange|
|Country/Place of Origin||South Asia| | <urn:uuid:0a828631-cf9a-45dc-9dfd-74f075f51ab7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.roysfarm.com/southern-yellow-cattle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.921319 | 593 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Fact: A stainless steel mesh coated with oil repelling nano-particles allows for water to pass through but oil to be caught up.
For the past couple of decades, nano-particles have been getting a lot talk. This is mainly due to their size and variability of use. This has allowed science and technology to further explore information processing, medical fighting agents, and various other uses. More recently, Ohio State University came up with a stainless steel mesh that contains a rough surface and nano-particles that help repels oil particles but not water.
What does this exactly mean? With all the current problems with our ecosystem and nation wide coverage of deep sea drilling, oil spills have become front news. The problem is that we don’t have many useful solutions to clean up after such horrendous disasters. What this material does is allow water to traverse the stainless steel mesh while restricting oils passage by using oils chemical properties against it. How is this done? Well, scientists have used nano-particles with hydrophobic tendencies. This arose by examining mother nature. The lotus plant contains a bumpy surface that does the opposite of what the scientists actually wanted (repel water and allow oil through). Scientists just switched the process using surfactants. This agent reduces the surface tension across the mesh and produces a surface-active molecule that is partly more hydrophilic (water-soluble; allows water in or through) and lipophilic (soluble in lipids or oils).
So the team at Ohio State created a rough surface coating the surface with silica-based nano-particles, then spraying surfactant molecules. Why use these agents and materials? These materials and chemicals were used because of their cheap cost and their non-toxic properties. Whilst creating these materials, the chemicals used may be non-toxic but they have to be carefully cared for by using the proper PPE, as well as equipment like drip trays, that can be found here, so they can do everything safely with health in mind. The Ohio team says that the material could cost as low as $1-per-square foot. Lastly, the team found that by altering the stainless steel mesh with various layer combinations of nano-particles, the team can actually attract oil, which could help other industries trying to locate oil. | <urn:uuid:3f686326-f239-4630-b169-a354d4454d13> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://flipthemoviescript.com/oil-captured-by-inexpensive-material-but-allows-water-to-traverse/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.962673 | 474 | 3.71875 | 4 |
BSL Sign Language Dictionary
Search and compare thousands of words and phrases in British Sign Language (BSL). The largest collection online.
How to sign: shrub honeysuckle with drooping spikes of purplish flowers
Sorry, no video found for this word.
Similiar / Same: Leycesteria formosa
Categories: bush, shrub
Do you know the sign for this?
Upload your sign now. | <urn:uuid:eb14c959-21f7-4088-ae21-8ec2d1b250b2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.signbsl.com/sign/himalaya-honeysuckle | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.80975 | 99 | 2.03125 | 2 |
While the operation had a certain degree of complexity, Equifax itself made their job much easier than it should have. It should have patched that initial Apache Struts vulnerability, for starters. And an FTC complaint from last summer also found that the company stored administrative credentials in an unsecured file in plaintext. It kept 145 million Social Security numbers and other consumer data in plaintext as well, rather than encrypting them. It failed to segment the databases, which would have limited the fallout. It lacked appropriate file integrity monitoring and used long-expired security certificates. The list goes on. Equifax didn’t just let the alleged Chinese hackers into the vault; it left the skeleton key for every safe deposit box in plain sight.
This whole incident deeply offends me. I don’t like that our capitalistic society has given these credit-reporting companies so much control over our lives. I don’t like that they seem to be completely unaccountable for being so integral to so much of our economy. I don’t like that they hold all the information you would need to ruin someone’s life by impersonating them online. I don’t like that they are not being prosecuted for being so flippant with personally-identifying data.
I don’t like the fact that a sovereign foreign power committed industrial espionage on a critical part of our economy. I don’t like that they already did basically the same thing to a government personnel database the year before. I don’t like that China’s government exists to begin with, given their treatment of their own people, Hong Kong, and the Uighers. I also don’t like that China has been committing wholesale intellectual property theft for many decades. I don’t like the fact that we all know it, and nothing seems to be getting done to stop it.
The initial vulnerability the attackers leveraged was a problem in Apache Struts, which implies that Equifax’s web application uses Java. Using Java for a web application in 2017 is like driving a Model T in 1950. Sure, it was a reliable means of transportation, and revolutionary when it was introduced, but it’s 20 years out of date. It requires an inordinate amount of maintenance, spare parts are more difficult to find. Mechanics can be lazy, because they know they have the owner of the car over a barrel, and they can charge a premium for service, and take their time. There are many better options available, which start quicker, go faster, have safety features built in, and are far more comfortable.
Not all applications require encrypted this, and sharded that, and intrusion detection systems, and real-time monitoring, and everything else, but if any application needed these sorts of treatments, it would have been this one. Also, if any application needed its owners to stay on top of CVE disclosure reports, and fix affected layers of their stack, as appropriate, it would have been this one.
In sort, there’s literally no good news here. Nothing will happen to China, its government, or the actual individuals named in the indictment. The punishment to Equifax is a slap on the wrist. Everyone jumped on the settlement, and now no one will get anything. Everything about this is wrong, and nothing good will come of it. | <urn:uuid:fb1ddbbd-e44b-4da1-af2e-a339392546a8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://davidkrider.com/tag/equifax/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.963111 | 690 | 1.632813 | 2 |
By Cindy Jackson
July 9, 2020
“[COVID-19] is not about places, it is about people . . . About one in five cases don’t know where they may have contracted the virus.” Dr. Seidel
Dr. Ngo-Seidel, Director, Florida Department of Health of Nassau County, gave a very interesting and informative presentation to the Board of County Commissioners at its meeting of July 8, 2020. Here is a synopsis of that discussion presented in a question and answer format.
WHERE CAN I GET INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19?
The website of the Florida Department of Health is the best source of information.
It provides information on case status, the rate of hospitalizations, test positivity rates in addition to other important demographic data the median age, sex and ethnicity of those testing positive. Statewide statistics are provided as well as individual county profiles. It is updated daily at 11 am.
“It is available to everyone all the time,” is a comment Dr. Seidel reiterated several times during her presentation.
WHAT DO I DO IF I THINK I WAS EXPOSED TO CORONAVIRUS?
As explained on the website, people with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms — ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after contact with the virus.
Use the CDC’s self-checker (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html) to help make decisions and seek appropriate medical care regarding COVID-19.
You may have COVID-19 if you have these symptoms or combinations of symptoms:
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of these symptoms:
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
NOTE: Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.
WHAT IS CONTACT TRACING?
Contact Tracing is a tool used in public health and is an important part of a containment strategy. Contact tracing attempts to limit the spread of a disease by identifying who has been exposed, who is ill and who needs to be isolated. (For more information view chart at end of the article.)
The Department of Health relies on the individual who tested positive (the case) to provide the names of individuals who they have been in close contact with in the last 14 days. The Department of Health will NOT compromise confidentiality.
WILL MY CONTACTS KNOW IF I GOT THEM SICK?
All public health professionals who conduct contact tracing are highly trained in confidentiality. When they talk to individuals who have been in contact with a case, they do not share any information about that person under any circumstance.
WHO DOES CONTACT TRACING?
The Department of Health currently has 12 individuals performing contact tracing but recently received additional funding to hire more personnel. The goal is to have 25 qualified individuals in place.
Ideally, individual names provided to the Department of Health by the case would be contacted within 24-48 hours.
The exponential growth in positive cases has created a massive workload. The Department of Health encourages cases to contact the individuals they may have exposed to the virus if they feel comfortable doing so.
Said Seidel, “it is not about places, it is about people.” Siedel also noted that about one in five cases don’t know where they may have contracted the virus.
Education is a large part of the contact tracing effort as well.
WHAT IS CLOSE CONTACT?
Close contact is defined as being within six feet of an individual for a period of 15-20 minutes, usually in an enclosed space.
This explains why most infections result from the home or workplace.
Briefly standing in line at the grocery store, for instance, is NOT considered close contact.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE?
Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.
Isolation is a term used for individuals who have tested positive and is intended to separate them from individuals who are not sick.
Quarantine refers to restricting the movement of individuals who may have been exposed to a contagious disease — to see if they become sick. A quarantine, in the case of COVID-19, is for 14 days.
The time between exposure to the COVID-19 virus and the onset of symptoms is called the “incubation period.” The incubation period for COVID-19 is 2 to 14 days.
“If I go out and get immediately tested and it shows that and I am fine, it doesn’t mean anything,” explained Dr. Seidel. She went on to explain that, “someone exposed to the virus may not develop the virus on Day 2, Day 5, Day 7 or Day 9 . . .” Said Seidel, “COVID-19 can be spread up two days before symptoms are experienced.” In essence, someone exposed to the virus is like a ticking time bomb. Hence the importance of wearing masks and quarantining.
DO MASKS (really) SERVE A PURPOSE?
Masks do serve a purpose. Masks are a protection measure. Because so many individuals who carry COVID-19 do not present any outward symptoms, it’s important to ensure that you are not spreading the disease and that you protect yourself. Individuals can spread the disease even if they haven’t tested positive.
WHAT TESTS ARE USED TO DIAGNOSE COVID-19?
PCR tests, which stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction are the most common test and regarded as the most accurate. It requires a throat swab. Samples are sent to a testing lab and results usually take a few days.
An antigen test is known for providing “rapid results.” An antigen is a term for any foreign object – like a virus or bacteria. – found in the body. Like the PCR, it requires a nasal or throat swab with results available in several hours. Often described as something akin to a strep test.
An antibody test requires a blood sample but only shows if an individual has had a past infection. A person who tests positive for the antibodies is not considered a case. An antibody test is not a diagnostic tool but instead is used primarily to track the spread of the coronavirus through a population.
IF AN INDIVIDUAL TESTS POSITIVE AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS MADE AWARE, HOW IS THE SITUATION MONITORED?
While the Department of Health will call cases to follow up and to see if there are any additional needs, self-isolation and quarantine is a voluntary agreement. Self-governance is the rule.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF COVID-19 IN NASSAU COUNTY?
As presented on the Nassau County dashboard Wednesday, July 8, 2020, there have been 359 cases, 27 hospitalizations and two deaths here in Nassau County.
The most up to date information can be accessed at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/96dd742462124fa0b38ddedb9b25e429,
Reported Seidel, “We’ve had an increase in cases, an increase in percent positivity. You all [speaking to the commissioners] took the lead and take action to prevent the further spread in our community . . . not only by reinforcing the strategies with regard to Phase II of re-opening [but also by encouraging] limited capacity, social distancing, staying apart, avoiding crowds and then the mask order that took effect last week.”
Dr. Seidel went on to say, “Hopefully, we will see a decrease or a flattening in our cases but we might still see an increase because there is a lag between when we take action and when we see results.”
WHERE CAN I GET TESTED?
The Nassau County Department publishes a flyer that lists places and times. However, as Siedel noted, supplies are often limited and that continues to be a challenge.
Residents of Nassau County can also go to any one of the free Duval County testing sites – a list of which is available at https://floridadisaster.org/covid19/testing-sites/#duval .
In addition, many local urgent care centers and health care providers now offer testing.
While the news that Dr. Seidel delivered with regard to the increase in cases and in positivity rates was discouraging, she ended her presentation by saying,
“I don’t want [residents of Nassau County] to be fearful, I want them to be cautious.”
For the latest news and information and County statistics, go to https://floridahealthcovid19.gov
and to view a very comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions, (FAQs) you can visit this page https://floridahealthcovid19.gov | <urn:uuid:4ec7985c-8a06-40be-b9ed-a438ac8cc139> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fernandinaobserver.com/2020/07/09/dr-seidel-briefs-board-of-nassau-county-commissioners-on-covid-19/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.944092 | 1,981 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
c1900 Photograph of Seth Bradstreet, by a Belfast, Maine studio
Photograph of a young man identified on reverse as Seth Bradstreet. Taken by the W. L. Hall studio of Belfast, Maine.
Note: See a newer post, dated 19 June 2012, which features photographs of Seth's father Fred and sister Gertie.
From online research, hopefully correct:
I believe the young man is the Seth Henry Bradstreet, born 20 April 1885 at Freedom, Maine, son of Frederick K. and Clara A. (Harvey) Bradstreet, both Freedom natives.
Seth Henry Bradstreet graduated from Freedom Academy in 1903. Perhaps this was his graduation photograph.
Seth's paternal grandparents were Simon and Eunice (Fuller) Bradstreet. His maternal grandparents were Asa and Margaret (Bradstreet) Harvey.
On 29 August 1908 at Palermo, Maine, Seth Henry Bradstreet married Ethel Gladys Nelson. She was born 19 August 1887 at Palermo, Maine, daughter of Horatio M. Hussey Nelson and Sarah Frances "Sadie" (Shorey) Nelson, who were born in Palermo and Albion, Maine, respectively.
Ethel's paternal grandparents were Jacob Washington Nelson and Keziah Howe (Gould). Her maternal grandparents were Francis and Jane P. Shorey.
After their marriage, Seth and Ethel moved to Albion to take care of a farm owned by a recently deceased relative. They had ten children there and were still living in Albion at the time of the 1930 Census. One of their grandsons served as Maine's Commissioner of Agriculture.
Read an interview with Seth's son Seth Henry Bradstreet Jr. about the family and their farming activities here.
If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding any of the information here, or if you think the Seth pictured is a different Seth, please leave a comment or contact me directly.
Freedom, Maine, in Waldo County: zoom out once to see Albion, close by to the west
View Larger Map
Albion, Maine, in Kennebec County:
View Larger Map | <urn:uuid:117b2d69-4d66-4fa1-9a56-d732ca9257d8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.heirloomsreunited.com/2012/05/c1900-photograph-of-seth-bradstreet-by.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.962035 | 450 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Q: If the Imaam of a musjid writes taweezes and gives people taweezes , then is his salaah valid and is the salaah of those who perform salaah behind him valid?
A: If the Imaam’s actions and conduct conforms to Shari’ah and the taweez he writes out does not contain anything impermissible in Shari’ah, then it is permissible that he be appointed as an Imaam. As a precaution, he should write the taweezes and give it to people outside the musjid.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach) | <urn:uuid:48ffc9ae-2ab1-4391-a013-ecbebd13f46e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://islamqa.org/hanafi/muftionline/111425/writing-taweez-outside-the-musjid/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.910074 | 182 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Who is Web.com
Web.com market themselves as a one stop store where services can build attractive sites that will certainly give an outstanding first impression to their clients, and also keep them returning repeatedly. They give you with every little thing you require to develop your own custom-made web site, or a complimentary web site structure solution for those who desire it all done for them.
Whichever alternative you choose, you’ll have accessibility to a full collection of devices and also attributes that will certainly assist guarantee your website looks as well as works specifically the means you want it to. Web.com has actually been aiding individuals as well as services to develop, host, promote and also handle their websites for many years, giving them the experience to meet your every requirement.
Rates, Plans, and Options
Numerous site home builders supply complimentary alternatives, however numerous others do not. Among our Editors’ Selection choices, just Wix has a cost-free alternative. Web.com also lacks a free alternative, so you must spend for the solution no matter which tier you select. The costs are reasonable. Your very first month’s fee is heavily discounted, going as reduced as $1.95 each month, and also also typical prices are in line with what we’ve seen somewhere else.
The $10-per-month Beginner plan provides you the website home builder, plus more than 150 layouts and hundreds of stock images. For $15 per month, the advertising strategy sends your website into company directory sites and also search engines, such as Bing, Google, and also Yahoo. To open all the online store choices, you should subscribe to the $20-per-month Ecommerce strategy. Every website building contractor plan provides you 5 e-mail addresses for your domain name with 2GB of storage each. For more, take into consideration Web.com’s shared hosting plans outlined later on in this review.
Those are the common strategies, however Web.com uses various other attachments functions, too. Starting at $7.99 monthly, the WordPress website building plans allow you incorporate Web.com tools with the popular content management system. Opt for a more costly plan to gain more storage, more email boxes, as well as extra WordPress websites to manage. Employ web design as well as search engine optimization specialists to construct your website for you.
To safeguard your website, Web.com offers spam protection via CatchGuard, in addition to e-mail infection defense as well as removal. You can get a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate starting at $24 per year, which must be taken into consideration a crucial acquisition if you intend to sell items. Keep in mind, nevertheless, that Gator (HostGator’s site building contractor) uses a cost-free SSL certificate with a few of its strategies. For $50 per year, the Cyber Safety and security Remedy package consists of more advantages, such as 24/7 assistance, tool as well as identification monitoring, and a mobile VPN customer.
+ Stylish interface
+ Easy to use
+ Excellent customisability
+ Advanced inventory administration capacities
– No complimentary trial
– Bare bones blogging devices
Help and Technical Assistance
If you need assistance designing your site, you can obtain unlimited help from Web.com’s Site Coaches using online chat or telephone.
Just How to Get To Web.com Technology Assistance
You can get technological support by calling them toll-free. You can additionally open a ticket via their client portal (which is accessible utilizing qualifications sent to you in the Welcome email you obtain when purchasing a service).
We were not able to identify from the information on Web.com’s website what their support hrs are, or what their guarantees are with concerns to their consumers obtaining help.
No Live Chat for Technology Assistance
While you can get to consumer support by phone, there’s no online conversation. Online some clients report negative experiences, including delays in responding to questions and also slow business email hosting.
Web.com keeps accounts on the following social media sites systems: Facebook, Google+, as well as Twitter. The firm is most energetic on Facebook and twitter, so if you choose to reach out to them, these would be the systems to use.
Web.com testimonial conclusion: Is Web.com the appropriate device for you?
The Web.com do it yourself site home builder is a great device for developing a straightforward site with some interesting functions, like the capability to toggle between desktop computer, mobile, and also tablet computer view. I also appreciated that it used blocks rather than areas, as this gives the individual extra control over where material goes on their web page.
This makes the Web.com site building contractor suitable in a couple of situations:
You intend to create a one-page portfolio or business portal
You’re building a site for your ecommerce company and you do not wish to utilize plugins
You’re creating a service web site where the blog will only be made use of for service updates
Nevertheless, the screening I provided for this Web.com review made it clear that the platform has its restrictions, specifically in regards to blog arrangement. If your main concern is to create a fantastic blog, I advise using something like the Bluehost site home builder or developing a self-hosted WordPress site instead. | <urn:uuid:d043c560-c6e6-4361-a2ea-e59899500e51> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cafealpha.org/squarespace-going-public/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.94554 | 1,107 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Individual Therapy in Drug Rehab
Do I really need expensive individual therapy? Why is it better than group therapy anyways?
The therapist working in the drug rehab facility should be either a psychologist, psychiatrist or trained addictions therapist, and they should have experience working with recovering addicts.
Although the inclusion of regular sessions with a therapist does increases the costs of a rehab stay, they are an essential part of any comprehensive addictions treatment.
Private therapy can heal on many levels, and working with a therapist to increase self awareness benefits recovering addicts beyond simply recovery from addiction; but the three main goals of private therapy in drug rehab are:
- To uncover the basal causes to abuse, and to understand why substance abuse behaviors occur, and how best to eliminate these basal causes to abuse.
- To work with the recovering addict to develop a tailored and reasonable plan of action for the continuing sobriety once released into the community.
- To continue to work with the recovering addict through aftercare, to assist the recovering addict through the challenges of abstinence, and to modify the relapse prevention plan as needed.
Therapists can also help the recovering addict deal with any co-occurring mental issues, and may advise appropriate pharmacological symptoms management when appropriate.
All Benefit From Individual Therapy
While no one approach to recovery works best for everyone, and some may benefit more from 12 steps programs, and others find cognitive behavioral avoidance strategies most helpful; all in recovery benefit from one on one contact with an addictions professional, and without this core aspect of a recovery program, it can be difficult for those in recovery to truly consolidate and ultimately apply the teachings of rehab.
Learning What Compels You to Use
Without private therapy with a trained professional, some of the root causes of abuse remain undiagnosed, and without appropriate awareness of these triggers to abuse, there is little hope for long term sobriety once re exposed to these situations or people that prompt substance use.
Without continuing private therapy in drug rehab aftercare, the needed use avoidance techniques of rehab can become seemingly less applicable to the changing realities of newfound sobriety. Continuing therapy in drug rehab aftercare helps recovering addicts to better understand how the use avoidance techniques of rehab apply to their current reality, and helps to develop changing strategies to deal with emerging stresses and temptations.
Aftercare therapy does not need to occur with the same frequency as in rehab, but occasional sessions with a private therapist are enormously beneficial.
When selecting a rehab program, be sure to evaluate the level of private therapy in the drug rehab, and consider the expertise of the professionals providing this therapy and the relative commitment of the drug rehab to continue providing therapy during the aftercare period.
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We welcome republishing of our content on condition that you credit Choose Help and the respective authors. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons License. | <urn:uuid:4bb61dea-b0f5-48fa-abd8-fcf8d12c1b0a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://m.choosehelp.co.uk/topics/drug-rehab/individual-therapy-in-drug-rehab | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.925689 | 593 | 1.835938 | 2 |
- Banks, credit-card companies and other financial firms can continue requiring customers to settle disputes via arbitration.
- Mortgage contracts are already prohibited from including mandatory arbitration clauses.
Senate Republicans voted late Tuesday night to kill a new rule which would have made it easier for consumers to band together and sue financial companies.
The measure overturns the so-called arbitration rule, which would have banned banks, credit-card companies and other financial firms from requiring customers to settle disagreements through arbitration rather than in the courts. The mandate often appears as a fine-print clause in customer agreements.
The repeal comes despite the recent uproar over the inclusion of a mandatory arbitration clause by Equifax in its free-monitoring service agreement. In that case, the credit-reporting firm — which offered the service after revealing a massive data breach in early September — ended up removing the clause.
"When people are cheated, they believe they have the right to go to court," said Paul Bland, executive director of Public Justice. "The next time something like Equifax happens, those Senators are going to have to own this."
If the rule had been fully in effect when Equifax offered the service, it would have been banned from including the clause.
Mandatory-arbitration clauses already are prohibited in mortgage contracts, by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform act.
Congressional Republicans, along with the banking industry and some other business groups, have had a bull's eye on the arbitration rule since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued it July 10. The Republican-dominated House approved the resolution on July 25.
Since then, it idled in the Senate Banking Committee while Republican leaders sought to shore up support for the measure. Tuesday night's vote was 51-50, with Vice President Pence casting the tie-breaking vote. Just two Republicans voted against the repeal: Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Kennedy of Louisiana.
The repeal effort was in play due to the Congressional Review Act, which gives lawmakers 60 legislative days to overturn any new federal rule by resolution.
A Treasury Department report released Monday might have provided ammunition for opponents by saying it will impose more than $500 million in additional legal defense fees and transferring $300 million to plaintiff's lawyers. The report also says the consumer bureau failed to consider "less onerous" alternatives.
"We passed this resolution to protect consumers from wrongdoing, while avoiding frivolous lawsuits that will drive up costs for the millions of Americans who carry a credit card," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, in a statement.
Meanwhile, although consumers should read agreements with banks carefully for a possible opt-out option from mandatory arbitration, there's a good chance they won't find it.
"There are a lot of products where people don't have any choice," Bland said. | <urn:uuid:f2282cca-6b03-445a-9bf7-edd12f77e3af> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/25/senate-kills-rule-that-let-customers-sue-their-bank.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.967781 | 570 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Table of Contents Copyright Dedication Contents Introduction Part One: The Essentials Chapter 1: Add Heart to Your Writing One Message at a Time Chapter 2: Protect Your Relationships by Avoiding Bad Email Behaviors Part Two: The Opportunities — Powerful Messages That Often Get Overlooked Chapter 3: Write Mighty Thank-Yous Chapter 4: Give Positive, Powerful Feedback Chapter 5: Send Congratulations to Warm Hearts and Build Relationships Chapter 6: Convey Condolences to Connect With Others Chapter 7: Personal Introductions: Pave the Way to New Relationships Chapter 8: In Your Job Search: Write Messages That Build Relationships and Create Opportunities Chapter 9: Send Meaningful Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year’s Greetings Part Three: The Challenges — Messages That Can Make (or Break) Relationships Chapter 10: Write Apologies to Mend Fences and Support Relationships Chapter 11: Share Bad News Without Fostering Bad Feelings Chapter 12: Say No Clearly and Courageously Chapter 13: Disagree With Discretion, Not Destruction Chapter 14: Remind People Without Nagging or Whining Chapter 15: Deal With Anger (Yours and Theirs) to Preserve Relationships — or End Them Well Chapter 16: Share Constructive Feedback to Improve Performance — and Relationships Chapter 17: Communicate Around the Globe With Courtesy and Wisdom Part Four: Take Action Chapter 18: Create Your Action Plan for Building Relationships One Message at a Time For Your Reference Recommended Resources: Learn More About Building Relationships Ways to Render Names and Titles in Greetings and on Envelopes Greetings (Salutations) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Text Messages Complimentary Closes (Sign-Offs) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Texts Acknowledgments About the Author
Copyrighted Material Business Writing With Heart: How to Build Great Work Relationships One Message at a Time Copyright © 2014 by Lynn Gaertner-Johnston. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without prior written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. For information about this title or to order other books and/or electronic media, contact the publisher: Syntax Training LLC 7332 16th Avenue NW, Seattle, Washington 98117-5415 www.syntaxtraining.com [email protected]
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013952284 ISBNs: 978-0-9778679-0-5 (print) 978-0-9778679-1-2 (eBooks) Printed in the United States of America
To my parents, Ed and Louise Gaertner, who live on in my heart
Contents Introduction PART ONE: The Essentials CHAPTER 1: Add Heart to Your Writing One Message at a Time CHAPTER 2: Protect Your Relationships by Avoiding Bad Email Behaviors
PART TWO: The Opportunities — Powerful Messages That Often Get Overlooked CHAPTER 3: Write Mighty Thank-Yous CHAPTER 4: Give Positive, Powerful Feedback CHAPTER 5: Send Congratulations to Warm Hearts and Build Relationships CHAPTER 6: Convey Condolences to Connect With Others CHAPTER 7: Personal Introductions: Pave the Way to New Relationships CHAPTER 8: In Your Job Search: Write Messages That Build Relationships and Create Opportunities CHAPTER 9: Send Meaningful Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year’s Greetings
PART THREE: The Challenges — Messages That Can Make (or Break) Relationships CHAPTER 10: Write Apologies to Mend Fences and Support Relationships CHAPTER 11: Share Bad News Without Fostering Bad Feelings CHAPTER 12: Say No Clearly and Courageously CHAPTER 13: Disagree With Discretion, Not Destruction CHAPTER 14: Remind People Without Nagging or Whining CHAPTER 15: Deal With Anger (Yours and Theirs) to Preserve Relationships — or End Them Well CHAPTER 16: Share Constructive Feedback to Improve Performance — and Relationships CHAPTER 17: Communicate Around the Globe With Courtesy and Wisdom
PART FOUR: Take Action CHAPTER 18: Create Your Action Plan for Building Relationships One Message at a Time
For Your Reference Recommended Resources: Learn More About Building Relationships Ways to Render Names and Titles in Greetings and on Envelopes Greetings (Salutations) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Text Messages 7
Complimentary Closes (Sign-Offs) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Texts Acknowledgments About the Author
Introduction When you think of establishing business relationships, what comes to mind? Perhaps you imagine schmoozing at trade shows and conferences or listening attentively to new clients. Maybe you see yourself shaking hands with new employees during their first-day tour or smiling at them in videoconferences. If your business is strictly online, perhaps you envision uploading new-customer offers on your home page. Those are a few easy steps in initiating relationships.
But once begun, the challenge is building and maintaining those bonds. How do you maintain individual relationships with coworkers, employees, customers, industry peers, donors, board members, citizens, and others? How do you protect professional relationships from fading due to lack of attention or cracking under fast-paced, highpressured communication? How can you cultivate relationships to support your success and gain a competitive advantage? The answer to those questions is the promise of this book: You can build and maintain great work relationships one message at a time, by writing with heart — that is, with respect and positive intent, using language that makes those feelings clear. More than ever before, writing is the lifeblood of business relationships. If you are like most professionals, you email or text more than you talk on the phone or meet in person. You may have long-distance relationships with people you never meet and rarely speak to, although you write to one another regularly. You may email or IM (instant message) people who work in the next building (or even the next cubicle), rather than walk over to talk with them. Even if you do meet with colleagues, customers, and clients, written messages are likely to keep you connected between meetings. With this focus on writing comes much risk to relationships. It’s very easy to derail work relationships by what we say and how we say it. Hastily written messages, cryptic brevity, clumsy wording, boilerplate language — even punctuation — can unintentionally send the wrong message. After all, readers can’t see your sincerity and good intentions on the page or screen. And as a writer, you unfortunately can’t see their puzzled or frowning 9
faces to instantly fix the situation. Applying the lessons of this book, you will be able to minimize writing risks and protect your professional relationships. You will not come across like a soulless suit, a beleaguered or bullying bureaucrat, a self-effacing shadow, a saccharine adolescent, or a [fill in the blank with your fear about undermining your relationships]. Instead, you will be able to communicate authentically and considerately with people in writing, even in awkward and challenging situations. Business Writing With Heart is for you if you want to build and sustain your business relationships while meeting the challenges of high-speed, high-demand communication. It shows you how to write relationship-building messages rather than relationship-neutral ones. It gives you concrete tips and examples to help you in your work in any industry, from high tech to nonprofits, from manufacturing to government, from finance to consulting to education. No matter what your job is, if your work involves relationships and the communication challenges that flow naturally from them, this book helps you meet those challenges. Whether you are a corporate communications specialist, an administrative assistant, a vice president, a human resources manager, a sales or customer-service rep, a team leader, a teacher, a contractor, a consultant, an entrepreneur, or another type of professional, you will find the right words and messages in this book to create win-win communications. If you don’t have a job because you are self-employed or between positions, Business Writing With Heart helps you connect with people in positive, natural ways that lead to sales, contracts, interviews, and job opportunities. With clear sample messages, before-and-after examples, easy-to-apply dos, emphatic don’ts, and memorable stories, Business Writing With Heart helps you: Add heart to your messages so they intentionally nurture rather than unintentionally ruin your relationships. Send brief messages that come across as efficient yet friendly — not brusque and thoughtless. Cultivate relationships with thank-yous, congratulations, positive feedback, and condolences that sound sincere instead of smarmy. Avoid unconscious email habits that injure and end relationships. Choose the perfect words and tone to communicate bad news without fostering bad feelings. Disagree without destroying initiative and damaging relationships. Give constructive feedback to improve performance and reinforce relationships rather than make everyone feel embarrassed and defensive. Stay connected during your job search without feeling like a bother. Say no clearly, courageously, and courteously, without guilt or foot-dragging. Apologize in a way that redeems a situation and makes everyone feel better. Deal diplomatically with angry messages and transform your own anger rather than enlist in a verbal war. 10
Choose warm yet professional ways to begin and end your letters and emails. (Hint: You don’t need to use !!!! and xxoo.) Send holiday messages that strengthen your business relationships rather than spam your contacts. Write quick, thoughtful messages that introduce others, enhancing your network and expanding theirs. Build productive, respectful partnerships — not strained, unsettling relationships — with associates around the globe. People around the world inspired me to write this book. They asked thorny questions on my blog, such as “How do I deal with a peer who criticizes me in an email and copies other people?” They brought their people issues to my business writing classes, things like “Should I refer to my female coworkers as ladies, women, or girls?” They emailed me in search of solutions to relationship challenges and opportunities at work, for instance, “What can I do to develop real relationships with people I meet at professional conferences?” Business Writing With Heart offers something for all of them — and for you. Follow this roadmap for ways to build your business relationships and solve communication problems that threaten them: 1. Read Part One, The Essentials. It gives you immediate writing tools and tips that reinforce relationships and reduce misunderstandings. It also cautions you about the huge relationship dangers that lurk in email for unsuspecting users. 2. Dive into one or more chapters in Part Two, The Opportunities. The often overlooked messages covered in these chapters can jump-start and supercharge your relationships. Just follow the expert guidelines. Your personal introductions, thankyous, congratulations, condolences, positive feedback, and holiday greetings will immediately take your relationships to the next level. In a job search, your updates and other networking messages will open doors you had not anticipated. 3. Review Part Three, The Challenges, when you face a communication problem. Whether you are challenged with offering an apology, sharing bad news, saying no to a request, disagreeing, reminding someone, dealing with anger (perhaps your own), giving constructive feedback, or communicating with people from other cultures, these chapters give you specific examples and advice to meet the challenge and preserve your relationships. 4. Create an action plan and deepen your understanding in Part Four, Take Action. This section helps you develop an action plan to make relationship-building messages part of your routine, no matter what your profession is. 5. Use For Your Reference when you need more information. Review Recommended Resources when you want to learn more about building and nurturing your work relationships and dealing with relationship difficulties. Use the other 11
reference sections for answers to your questions about rendering names and titles in greetings and on envelopes. You can also find suitable greetings and closes for all your messages, even for complicated situations. The content of Business Writing With Heart helps you with spoken communication too. Although its focus is written messages, the book also provides you with the right words to use in many challenging interpersonal situations such as saying no, disagreeing, dealing with anger and insults, and sharing constructive feedback. It compares effective and ineffective wording, and it gives you neutral I statements to replace you statements that can layer a message with blame and attack. It helps you recognize that words like sweetie and hon can change a communication from friendly to hostile, even when you have good intentions. It includes practical lessons you can apply in all aspects of your life. Business Writing With Heart does not cover the topics of writing clearly, concisely, and correctly. It doesn’t cover grammar, usage, or punctuation. Although those topics are essential to your success as a writer, this guide focuses on writing with a respectful, positive intent and using tools to communicate that intent unerringly. Many of the communication principles and methods I advocate in Business Writing With Heart apply around the globe. However, most of my experience has been in building business relationships with people in the United States and Canada by writing with heart. How I Learned About Writing With Heart Over 20 years ago, I began working as a career counselor with a large outplacement firm. My job was to help people bounce back from a job layoff, hone their job-search skills, and find a new career or position. It included helping them to improve their cover letters and resumes. Maybe because I was new to this work and was coaching people at a higher job level than mine — managers, directors, and vice presidents — I was trying hard to prove myself. To show that I knew what I was doing, I made extensive written comments on what needed to change in clients’ resumes and letters, from punctuation to sentence length to content. Then somewhere on the page, I would jot a positive but general remark like “Good job.” My barrage of constructive comments was not intentionally heartless. But as I wrote suggestions and corrections, I was oblivious to the damage they could do to newly out-ofwork executives. I soon recognized that something was wrong with my approach. I noticed that clients would blanch when they saw the annotated pages I pulled out of their folders. I observed that they would appear resigned and deflated. And it was obvious that I was doing something wrong when executives would argue with seemingly every point I made. I quickly tried new strategies, many of which appear in this book. Sometimes I balanced my positive and constructive comments, making sure that both were specific. At other times, I wrote only positive comments on resumes and talked through those points one by one. Then I would use supportive language, such as, “Let’s make sure every entry here presents you as positively as possible,” to talk the client through the areas to improve. Sometimes I wrote no comments at all (although I had made private notes to myself), and the client and I would review the resume or letter line by line together, citing both what 12
was strong and what needed additional oomph. When I added or changed punctuation, I described it as “helping the reader get the point quickly” rather than as “correcting a punctuation error.” My new ways of communicating led to much better results and excellent relationships with clients, whose responses to my feedback were markedly more positive. They sat up straight, and they were animated, engaged in the process, and receptive to feedback. They sought my opinion on a letter rather than bracing to learn my reaction to it. When they incorporated my suggestions in a revision, they admired their handiwork rather than begrudgingly admitting it might be better than the original. They began to seek my input on thank-you letters and ways to handle difficult interview questions, and they talked with me about their interview hits and misses. They saw me as a trusted partner in their job search rather than as a know-it-all taskmaster. I learned a valuable lesson about writing and oral communication at the outplacement firm: If you communicate with care and attention to the feelings of the other person — not just to your own short-term goal or the task at hand — your relationships will be more successful, productive, and satisfying. Since then, I have applied, refined, and expanded the lesson I learned in my work with outplacement clients. I have continued to be sure that what I write (or choose to talk about rather than put in writing) communicates with respect, warmth, and tact. I have learned to write in a way that creates partnerships with others so that I achieve results with people who feel supported rather than in spite of people who feel undermined. Being in business as a consultant has required those communication skills, and I am happy to say that the lessons I have learned have helped my business thrive. This book shares those lessons. My experience suggests that writing with heart yields a positive return on investment (ROI). I believe that communicating with heart leads to new clients, repeat customers, referrals, partnerships, jobs, contracts, and other satisfying business dealings. However, if you would prefer evidence of ROI that is more tangible, consider these hypothetical situations. They deal solely with the investment of time, but you can imagine the investment of other resources.
Writing with heart does require investing time, normally just a few moments or minutes per message. However, that investment saves huge amounts of time, effort, and money that are otherwise required to salvage situations that have suffered because of insensitive communication or no communication at all. But regardless of the savings and other 14
quantifiable benefits, perhaps you, like me, will simply feel great connecting with others in ways that are positive, respectful, and diplomatic. Even with the ROI scenarios, you may feel doubtful about the “heart” and relationship focus of this book. Let’s look at some of your possible reservations. “I am here to work — not to develop relationships.” Effective work relationships help you get your work done, whether you work in a corner office, a cubicle, your car, or your basement. According to social network theorist Karen Stephenson, our informal work relationships are just as important as our dotted-lined reporting relationships at work. In her essay “Trafficking in Trust: The Art and Science of Human Knowledge Networks,” Stephenson wrote, “Knowledge ebbs and flows down hallways, in meetings, and in private conversations inside and outside the office. The key to the way that knowledge travels lies in the relationships that can bypass the standard organization chart. … Relationships are the true medium of knowledge exchange, and trust is the glue that holds them together.” I believe Stephenson’s theory applies not only to employees, but also to consultants, contractors, and others who work on the fringes of companies, and those who work outside organizations. Relationships help. Applying the writing tips and principles in this book helps you build trust and develop valuable work relationships. “I don’t want to be a Pollyanna.” Writing with heart does not require that you be unreasonably or foolishly optimistic, if that’s what “Pollyanna” means to you. It just requires that you communicate with respect and positive intent. When I adjusted my critiques of client resumes and letters at the outplacement firm, I was not a Pollyanna. I simply got better results and developed much better relationships using a balanced approach than a negative one. Is it possible that your results and work relationships would improve if you communicated differently? “This is just a part-time, temporary job, so positive relationships don’t matter to me. I’m just passing through.” All of us are just passing through in one way or another. I worked part-time at the outplacement firm for five years while I developed my business as a trainer and writing consultant, and I worked with most of the clients there for just a few days, weeks, or months. Yet a client with whom I worked briefly on his job-search documents recently referred me to the training manager at the energy company where he now works, and I am teaching writing classes there — 20 years after he and I worked together. If I had regarded myself or my outplacement clients as just passing through and had not taken the time to communicate supportively with them, I would not be enjoying the benefits of long-lasting relationships. “I work alone. I don’t think I need to be concerned about relationships.” You work alone, but do you ever need to rely on other people? Do you ever need a job reference, some quick advice, an introduction to someone, or a bit of information that just one person has? If your answer is yes, work relationships matter to you. 15
“I don’t want to coddle people. They’re adults. Why can’t I just tell it like it is?” Here’s the problem with telling it like it is: If it only includes the negative stuff, people will not listen, as I learned. They will resist, argue, and produce less. If you were giving an employee written feedback on a sales call, for example, even if the employee handled the call badly, she would need to know what she did right as well as what she did wrong. If you focused on only the negative, you would come across as biased and condescending. Why would anyone pay attention to a biased, condescending boss or coworker? As Rick Maurer wrote in Feedback Toolkit: 16 Tools for Better Communication in the Workplace, “Don’t inflict feedback. … Once you exceed what others can handle … you risk never meeting your goals.” “Communicating with heart seems phony.” What is phony about communicating respectfully and positively? If you don’t feel respectful and positive toward people with whom you work, why not act as though you do? That is not phoniness — it is a sincere effort to succeed on the job. Otherwise, your feelings will function as barricades to your success. “Our company culture is to win at all costs. Relationships? We take no prisoners.” Your company may fight to win contracts, cases, clients, and talented employees. But we live in a small world — tomorrow your competitors may be your clients, and your adversaries may be your partners. Winning those clients and partners requires that you have communicated — and continue to communicate — with professionalism, courtesy, and a positive attitude. “I am not a good writer. How can I possibly worry about another thing?” Not to worry! You will find dozens of effective relationship-building messages throughout this book. You can easily adapt those models to your situations. You will also find lists of helpful and harmful expressions to help you choose the right approach to solve many communication problems. And you will have at your fingertips plenty of phrases that transform unintentionally harsh comments into remarks that build goodwill. “We always razz each other. We wouldn’t recognize one another if we were nice!” Communicating with heart is not about being nice. It’s about being strategic. It involves intentionally supporting work relationships rather than weakening them. Give it a chance. Spend a week communicating respectfully and positively with one another in writing and in your spoken interactions. Then look for differences in people’s performance and attitudes. Especially notice people who are new to your group, on the fringes rather than part of the in-crowd, typically the target of the razzing, or in a minority of one kind or another among the group members (gender, race, age, etc.). You may recognize new confidence, participation, and enthusiasm when you limit the teasing and instead focus on supporting and building up your coworkers. “This takes too much time. I am maxed out as it is.” Consider the alternatives. Would you rather invest the minutes upfront to communicate 16
with care and courtesy? Or would you prefer to take hours, days, and weeks later on to resolve conflicts, repair relationships, win back clients, replace staff, and so on? “I need to communicate efficiently. This approach seems complicated.” I show you how to make communicating with heart very efficient, with simple language and small, specific shifts in your writing. Once you get the hang of it, it will take little effort for you to communicate with balance rather than harshness, and sensitivity rather than indifference. This book helps you make relationship-building choices that solve problems rather than create them. “Won’t I be walked on if I come across as nice?” Communicating with heart does not involve being a doormat. It does not mean you will let people walk on you to get where they are going. Writing with heart involves treating others — and yourself — with respect and positive intent to build relationships and get results. It means being smarter about the power of your words. Adding heart to your writing is an advantage, not a risk or a weakness. It helps you communicate politely and powerfully. The positive results of writing with heart increase over time. Since beginning my blog, Business Writing, in 2005, I have earned thousands of fans around the globe who have come to value my thoughtful, relationship-building commentary on business communication. In many years of self-employment, I have developed a long list of repeat clients who think immediately of me when they need to develop better business writers on the job. Why? Because through the emails, letters, referrals, reminders, thank-yous, condolences, congratulations, and holiday greetings they have received from me, they have come to know me well as a reliable, caring business partner. About the Details Throughout the book, you will find examples of relationship-building messages, many that I wrote and some that others contributed. For messages that I wrote as examples, I made up names for the recipients and the senders. If the made-up names match those of real people, the match is coincidental. For messages that others wrote and contributed, I identified the writers by name with their permission. Rather than identify certain companies and organizations, I have used fictional names such as ABC Association, LMNOP Inc., and XYZ Company. These names do not refer to any real alphabet-named organizations. The examples show a variety of ways to format, begin, and end your messages. For guidelines on greetings and closes and rendering people’s names, consult the sections on those topics under For Your Reference. The survey on business writing and relationships, cited throughout the book, included the input of 686 adults working in the United States, most of whom subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter, Better Writing at Work, or read my blog, Business Writing (www.businesswritingblog.com). Each chapter ends with a brief Personal Reflection and Next Step suggestion. They are intended to be painless, practical applications of the chapter content. Use these to move 17
forward, solving communication problems and enhancing your work relationships, one quick step at a time. Keep in Touch! I look forward to hearing your stories about how writing with heart has helped you solve problems and nurture rewarding business relationships. Write to me at [email protected]
Add Heart to Your Writing One Message at a Time I teach business writing to people at all levels in organizations, from vice presidents to mechanics, from auditors to security officers. When security managers and officers attend classes, they stand out — not just for their calm, commanding presence but also for the way they communicate. They write and say things like: Request denied. Negative. Cut the fluff. I want the facts. They don’t have to like it. They just have to do it. When I suggest a more positive approach, they often announce, “I’m ex-military. This is the way we communicate.” If another ex-military individual is in the room, that person nods agreement. When ex-military individuals communicate with others like them, pronouncements like “Request denied” are likely to be clear, effective, and familiar. But when these individuals communicate beyond their group — for instance, to the assistant in accounting or the intern in public relations — “Request denied” comes across as brusque and machinelike — not a communication that builds relationships. Like the military veterans who attend my writing classes, you may say at one time or another, “This is the way I communicate.” But is your way effective? Does it build relationships? Bring in business? Develop new employees? Inspire commitment? Does it have heart? My guess is that if you are reading this chapter, you have acknowledged a need to improve the way you communicate. Maybe you have been told you need to change your tone, or you want to help others make changes. You have already moved from “This is the way I communicate” to “How can I communicate better to build business relationships?” Luckily, for those who want to be better at building relationships through writing, the process of adding heart to your writing is not difficult, as this chapter reveals. The process involves using positive, relationship-building language; having positive intent; and warming up messages so they don’t sound abrupt or bureaucratic. Use Positive, Relationship-Building Language A first step is to use words that make others feel acknowledged, understood, respected, and valued. Once you start thinking about positive language, it is easy to recognize it. In each of these pairs, which sentence builds relationships?
You can’t use the conference room until my meeting ends. As soon as we wrap up the meeting, the room is yours. What could make this decision more workable for you? I don’t care if you like it. Make it work. You are a day late for the special promotional pricing. Sorry. I will review our pricing to make sure you are getting the best price possible. The relationship-damaging sentences are obvious when you pay attention to them. “You can’t use the conference room” focuses on what you can’t do — until my meeting ends. (It’s all about me, right?) “I don’t care if you like it” says “I don’t care about you.” “You are a day late” says “Loser!” Each of the other sentences in the pairs supports the business relationship by communicating positively and indicating that the reader is important. The sentences say or imply “The room is yours,” “This decision can be more workable for you,” and “You are getting the best price possible.” The table of Relationship-Busting Statements vs. Relationship-Building Statements provides more comparisons. The relationship-busting statements use negative words and phrases: no, cut, crap, complaining, wait, cannot, problems, confusion, misunderstood, and a lot to be desired. The relationship-building sentences focus on the positive with these words: yes, wish, possible, let’s, thank you, sharing, be glad to, first thing, your concerns, just, like to, opportunity, let you know, clarify, creative, fresh, ways to strengthen, and support. An easy first step to creating a relationship-building message is to eliminate words with negative connotations. Whenever possible, cut negative words and phrases such as these:
Use positive words to create a positive feeling, even when conveying bad news. This approach is akin to the “sandwich method,” which involves communicating the bad-news meat of the message between two positive layers. When used sincerely (not sarcastically), positive language expresses your positive intent like a handshake and a smile. Maintain strong business relationships by adding these positive words to your messages:
Have a Positive Intent Positive words make a big difference in the tone of a message. But they aren’t everything. As a writer, you also have to have positive intent, the desire to communicate positively with your customer, vendor, employee, manager, member, client, patient, or other reader. I received this brief message from someone I will call Amelia, who unsubscribed from my free e-newsletter: “I teach a professional writing class at work, and I thought this newsletter would give me additional tips or writing skills we were not already teaching. It didn’t.” Do you think Amelia had positive intent? Was her desire to communicate positively with me, a stranger and fellow writing teacher? Consider these situations: Imagine you were out shopping in a boutique. If you did not find anything you wanted to purchase, would you say to the shop owner as you left, “I thought I could find something unique to buy here, but I could not”? If you decided not to eat at a restaurant after reviewing the menu in the entrance, would you say, “Sorry. Nothing sounds good on your menu” before you walked away? Of course not! We can’t know what Amelia’s intent was. She may not have realized that her comment would come to me, the writer of the newsletter. Nevertheless, I experienced the comment as a putdown. In the small world of business writing teachers, my potential relationship with Amelia ended before it could develop. Compare Amelia’s comment to one from a reader named Beverly, who also unsubscribed from the newsletter: “I’m just trying to reduce the amount of email I get. I can read Lynn’s excellent material on her blog. Thanks.” Beverly’s positive intent came through in the words excellent and thanks. Think about your intent, your purpose in writing, before you write. Be sure to consider your overall, big-picture purpose. For example, imagine you received a request for information from a customer within your organization or outside it. Your purpose in replying would be to supply the information requested. But your larger purpose would probably be to maintain or enhance the relationship and pave the way for future business. The way you think of your purpose affects the way you write your message. A message whose purpose is merely to respond to a request has a different approach and feeling from 23
one that is to maintain or enhance the relationship. Let’s say you are responding to an unreasonable complaint. Although your purpose in writing may be simply to manage the situation, your larger goal is probably to maintain a good long-term business relationship or at least to protect your company’s reputation and your own. At all times, strive to focus on the big picture, the higher goal, and the long term when you write. While it might feel good to put down or get the best of another person in writing, resist that temptation. You cannot know when having a good relationship with that person would benefit a current project, your company, or your career. Let me tell you about a time that I considered my purpose — and then wrote a different message. I was teaching Business Communications for Leaders in the MBA program at University of Washington–Bothell. The first assignment, a one-minute self-introduction, was due on Thursday night. On Thursday morning I started my day with this message in my email inbox, from Steve Teixeira, a student in the class and a talented communicator: Hi Lynn, If it’s okay with you, I’m planning to deviate slightly from the “one-minute introduction” assignment tomorrow. I plan to briefly introduce myself and then deliver a mini-speech on communication. I’m trying to challenge myself to engage and motivate but to also be extremely brief. I’ve rehearsed it down to under a minute as long as I don’t flub it. Steve I was checking my email while drinking my first cup of tea. Because I was not completely awake yet, I drafted a response that sounded something like this: Hi, Steve. The assignment is a one-minute self-introduction so that the class and I can get to know you. Please do not deviate from that assignment. You can use the topic of communication for one of the later assignments. Lynn Before I clicked Send, I had the good sense to think about my intent. Was I hoping to prove a point? No, I didn’t think so. Did I want to be sure the class assignments were done my way, the way I had planned? I wasn’t sure. Did I want to frustrate one of the class’s informal leaders by denying his first request? No, that would be disastrous during the first week of classes. Did I want to stifle creativity? No, definitely not. Here is the email I sent to Steve after I realized my purpose was to get off to a good start with the class and to encourage creativity and initiative: Steve, thanks for asking about your plan. In response, I believe I have an idea that meets your needs and the expectations of the class. Do the required 1-minute introduction. Then when everyone is finished, do 24
the introduction you already prepared that challenges you to engage and motivate. Doing both will satisfy the requirements of the class and your desire to stretch. Giving only your hybrid introduction wouldn’t meet the expectations or needs of your audience. The reason is that we want to learn more about you. And we are expecting and prepared to give you feedback, with specific criteria, on a one-minute personal introduction. So I invite you to do both tonight. However, if you want to give a motivating speech on communication, that would be a perfect topic for next week’s presentation to inform or explain. I look forward to being in your audience. Lynn Steve gave both presentations in class. When I asked him later how he had felt about my response to his email, he said that it was fine and made perfect sense to him. Although the first message I drafted was not a disaster, it wasn’t a relationship builder. It contained no positive, supportive language, and it did not communicate a positive intent. In contrast, the message I did send communicated appreciation, a solution, an invitation, and anticipation with words such as thanks, meets your needs, engage and motivate, satisfy, invite, perfect, and look forward. I am so happy I woke up enough to recognize my real purpose in writing! I hope you too will recognize your larger purpose in each message and communicate positively with your readers. If your experience is like mine, your efforts will lead to near-term positive outcomes and long-term solid relationships. Warm Up Your Messages People who attend business writing classes often tell me they have been accused of being abrupt in their messages, specifically in their emails. They say their style is to get to the point, but other people view them as abrupt. If you have a job or your own business, you work against deadlines. You have to write quickly, even when the documents and messages are complex and somewhat delicate. It would not be surprising if you, like the people who attend my writing classes, were to come across as abrupt at times when you thought you were simply being efficient. This situation is especially common in email. Coming across as brusque is a liability when it comes to building relationships. Perceived gruffness can stretch out the time it takes people to realize that you are a fine person, just abrupt. When a sensitive message comes across as brusque, it can take hours, days, or weeks to resolve misunderstandings, heal hurt feelings, and rebuild relationships. Apply these simple ways to warm up your writing and reduce the risk of seeming abrupt: In an email, text message, or note, include a greeting. According to my survey on 25
business writing and relationships, 45 percent of people prefer that the emails they receive (individual messages, not group emails) include a greeting and their name; 49 percent don’t care. Many respondents commented that an initial email should include a greeting, but when email becomes a back-and-forth discussion, the greeting can be dropped. I agree with that view. Which of these greetings suit you and your messages? Hello, Tonya. Hi David. Good morning, Dr. Bryne. Greetings, Fran! Greetings, team. Dear Brigitte, Use the person’s name in your message. It may seem sufficient to write “See you next week.” But when you include the person’s name in the sentence (“See you next week, Sidney”), you acknowledge him or her as an individual. It’s a simple gesture that can change the feeling from curt to considerate. Use your own first name. In email, people often use automatic signatures with their full name. Others use no name at all — they just end the message. Whether you use a full signature or not, type your first name at the end of your message. Using your first name warms up the message, creating a connection between you and the reader. Note: Another way to include your first name is through a screenshot of your handwritten first name, which you can add to your automatic signature block. Expand on fragments and very short sentences to avoid sounding cold or sarcastic. Even “Thanks” or “Thanks a lot” can sound sarcastic, especially in delicate messages. Instead, write “Thanks for handling this. I really appreciate it.” Rather than “See me” or “We need to talk,” write “Let’s talk soon. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this question.” Include words and phrases that communicate warmth and connection. Any message without positive language can seem cold and abrupt. Use the words and phrases listed earlier in this chapter for a warmer tone. Avoid cold, canned language. Some phrases, such as “I look forward to meeting you,” may be canned, but they aren’t cold. Others are canned and cold, for example, “Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.” To warm up your messages, write as though the reader is a friend or valued colleague, with statements like these: “I appreciate your help, Jonas” and “Thanks so much for considering this request.” Be explicit when you are agreeing with the person. In a quick exchange of messages, you may be tempted to write a simple sentence repeating what the other person has already written. But this action may lead your reader to think That’s exactly what I said! To avoid such a response, write, for example, “I agree that Auda is great for the job” (rather than just “Auda is great for the job”). That way, you avert this response: “Did you read what I 26
wrote? I was the one who recommended her!” Read your message aloud — exactly as it is on the screen or page — without adding warmth in your voice. Reading aloud helps you recognize how your writing may sound to others. You may have crisply stated a fact when you wrote “Handling the Gordon account is your responsibility.” Reading it aloud, though, you may notice a hint of criticism or doom that you did not intend. Adding a phrase such as “I’m very glad,” if appropriate, at the beginning of the sentence may eliminate that hint. Avoid the words immediately and now when you are writing with a request or assigning a task. Your reader may have several other immediate jobs, and your request may seem pushy and unthinking, even if you are the boss or owner. If a task must be done immediately, phone, text, or email to ask whether the other person is available. Assume that the other person is as busy as you — even busier. Think of your reader as a friend. Often gruffness is accidental. But sometimes it comes across because of the writer’s underlying feeling of resentment or irritation. So make the reader your friend, at least while you are writing. In business writing classes, participants sometimes write their case study assignments to imaginary readers. They creatively write “Dear Pain in the Neck” and “Dear Constant Complainer.” I advise them to try the opposite: “Dear Favorite Coworker” and “Dear Person Who Pays My Generous Salary.” Making that positive shift, changing your reader to your dear friend or respected associate, helps you glow rather than glower. It helps you choose language that comes across as warm rather than chilly. Use exclamation points — sparingly. Exclamation points can do a wonderful job of expressing warmth and enthusiasm. They communicate the voice inflections you would likely use if you were talking on the phone or meeting in person. Compare these examples: I appreciate your hard work. I appreciate your hard work! Wonderful. Wonderful! See you in Vegas. See you in Vegas! Thanks, Yvette. Thanks, Yvette! Welcome, Sales Team. Welcome, Sales Team! The secret to using exclamation points is restraint. If you pile on several exclamation points in a row (!!!), or use them in every other sentence, you run the risk of coming across like an adolescent girl, or as Chicago Tribune writer Rex Huppke remarked, “an overcaffeinated glee club.” 27
Exclamation points help to build relationships when they express positive emotions, not rude commands. If you catch yourself typing “I need it now!” you might want to breathe slowly and deeply and think again about communicating with positive intent. Start and end with a smile. Before you click Send or Print, make sure your message starts and ends positively. Do Smiley Faces Communicate Heart? Speaking of smiles, you may have noticed that smiley faces (such as ) did not appear in my list of ways to warm up a message. I encourage choosing the right words to bring a smile to a communication. Nevertheless, I recognize that smiley faces do warm up emails and other online messages. That’s their whole reason for being. The question is: Do readers use and approve of them? Below is part of a discussion that took place on my Business Writing blog. Margaret Elwood, a technical training supervisor, uses smiley faces purposefully, as she explained: I use smiley faces occasionally in internal email messages to clarify and add warmth to the tone. In our company we have typically great longevity of employment, and the strength of my relationships with other employees simply helps me get my job done efficiently and well. While I don’t rely on emoticons, I use them now and then when writing a coworker, because I think they confirm my friendly tone in case there is any question of it. I also use them — sparingly — in response to a message that has used them liberally, so that my response does not appear unfriendly by contrast. A reader named Tony voiced a similar view: “In a business environment, when discussing a difficult issue via email, the emoticon conveys that while you may be looking for resolution to the issue, you are not seriously upset about it.” Tony used the example of reminding an employee who has forgotten to do something: “You send them the reminder to get resolution. You include the smiley face. Without the smiley face or some additional wording that may be awkward, they might think that you are upset about their forgetfulness.” John, another reader, disagreed: “I believe that the smiley face can mean too many things. A smiley could mean the writer wants resolution on a point but is not upset, a phrase was meant to be humorous, an expression of warmth and candor, a clue that something is meant to be a sarcastic or ironic remark, a magnification of an emotion expressed in the sentence, or a mark to indicate that a phrase is something for one to ponder or think about. To me, this is becoming too much for one poor smiley face to do.” I agree with John that the smiley face has been stretched thin with the many expectations placed upon it. Except in rare, informal situations, I prefer words to the smiley face and other emoticons. These words express a range of sentiments:
Were all of those clear? Yes. Would the smiley face, frowning face, or another emoticon have been as clear? Probably not. Regarding the decision to introduce a smiley face or another emoticon in an email, I offer the suggestion of a woman who attended one of my business writing classes: “Don’t use a smiley face in a message to a client or customer until the person uses one in a message to you. That way you will know the person likes smiley faces too.” I recommend applying that good advice to anyone you need to impress as a professional — hiring managers, CEOs, donors, citizens, patrons, and others. If you do use smiley faces, use them frugally, never more than one per message. And do not use a smiley face as a regular sign-off. Heather, who posted to the Business Writing blog, provided a reason for this guideline: “I have a team leader who uses :o) all of the time, in every single email I have received from her. It loses its meaning if you overuse it and can often come off as condescending when used during an email discussion or disagreement.” Does XOXO Communicate Warmth? XOXO radiates huggy-kissy warmth, which makes its use too intimate for nearly all business messages. Because the x stands for kisses, the o for hugs, you should use them only rarely and only with people you kiss and hug when you see them in person — or you would kiss and hug if you had the opportunity to see them. (Talk to your human resources department before taking such a step!) As I was finishing this book, x’s and o’s in various combinations were juicily appearing, mostly in women’s messages. Citing researchers at 29
Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford, authors Jessica Bennett and Rachel Simmons wrote in The Atlantic, “Among Twitter users, 11 percent of women xo in tweets, compared with only 2.5 percent of men.” For their article “Kisses and Hugs in the Office,” Bennett and Simmons asked me to speculate why people added x’s and o’s to their business messages. They captured me saying, “It’s much faster to type the four-stroke xxoo than ‘With warm wishes’ followed by a comma.” True, but don’t do it for that reason! Only use x’s and o’s in your messages to business associates who are very dear friends or becoming dear friends. If your messages are likely to be forwarded, uploaded, or subpoenaed, stick with “Warm wishes.” Do not make xoxo part of your automatic signature, or everyone will be talking about you — not in the way you want. Is It Possible to Change Your Writing Style? This chapter began with a reference to military veterans whose style is brusque, probably through their training and experience, perhaps through natural inclination. Is it possible for them to change their writing to create and nurture business relationships? Is it possible for you, whatever your communication style, to build success by communicating your respect and positive intent in every business message? The answer to both questions is yes! Just remember these points from the chapter, and incorporate them into your daily business messages: Use positive, relationship-building language — words and phrases such as pleased, opportunity, happy to, thank you, and looking forward. Have a positive intent in each message. Think not only of the message’s practical purpose, such as to respond to a request. Think also of your overall purpose, for example, to establish and sustain a relationship with the reader. Warm up your messages simply, by using a greeting, your reader’s name, and your own first name. Avoid canned language that comes across as cold. Think of your reader as a friend. You can change your writing style and enhance your work relationships — one message at a time.
Personal Reflection Do you have business relationships you might strengthen by considering your true, larger purpose when you write? Can you afford taking time to add positive language to your messages before you click Print or Send? Can you afford not to? Next Step 30
Choose a message you sent recently. It may be a letter, an email, or a memo. Look for opportunities in it where you might have added positive language and warmed up the message.
Protect Your Relationships by Avoiding Bad Email Behaviors When I first planned this book, I did not intend to include a chapter on email. It seemed to me to be a medium rather than a message. But when I shared the outline with my friend Melissa Thirloway, she questioned the absence of a chapter devoted to email. She said, “Think of all the serious damage done to relationships in email, especially with ccs and bccs.” Melissa was onto something. In my survey on business writing and relationships, I learned that 55 percent of respondents had received an email that seriously damaged their work relationship with the person who wrote it; 14 percent said it had happened a few times. Melissa’s comment and the survey data made me recognize I had to single out email — with its extraordinary, swift power to create animosity, foster mistrust, and kill relationships — for its own chapter. This chapter will help you protect your relationships by controlling the destructive power of email and avoiding email behaviors that threaten relationships. Let’s start with a true story whose details have been changed. Rochelle, who worked in a technical support position at a large software company, had gathered a lot of valuable data in her work on a project. She learned that the data might be useful to another project, so she offered it to Dennis, the project supervisor. Her email to him included a statement something like this: “Let me know what type of format you would like the data in.” When she did not get a response, she decided to be helpful. She created a sample format for the data, filled it with some “garbage data,” and emailed Dennis again with a message like this: “Here is a format for the data. Will this work?” She went home for the night, pleased with having taken initiative in offering the data and creating a sample format. Dennis’s reply the next morning stunned Rochelle. In it, he berated her for proliferating incorrect data and implied that she was incompetent. He copied his manager on the email, along with everyone on his project team. Dennis had mistaken Rochelle’s garbage data for the real thing. Mistakes happen. What killed Dennis’s relationship with Rochelle was his behavior after his mistake. Instead of taking the time to ask Rochelle about the data by email, by phone, or in person, he hid behind a swift, careless email attack. He sent copies to other people, making them witnesses to the attack. Eventually everyone understood what had happened, and Dennis emailed a stumbling apology to Rochelle, noting that he had acted too hastily. Nevertheless, his relationship with her was ruined. And people on his project team may have become wary of Dennis because of his rash judgment and rude action. Here is another true story illustrating the destructive force of email. I have changed its 32
identifying details. Henry sang in a volunteer choir. He had joined the choir for many reasons, among them that it would give him and his partner, Jon, an opportunity to sing solos and get exposure for their singing and leadership skills. But when the choir director, Rory, went outside the choir and hired someone to sing a solo, Henry was disappointed for two reasons: (1) he had thought the choir policy was not to bring in and pay soloists, and (2) he had thought Jon would be perfect for the part that had been offered to the paid outsider. Henry sent an email to Rory requesting clarification of the choir policy and asking what he and Jon could do to be considered for future solos. He received an email reply and a clarification, with advice for him and Jon. However, Rory copied the entire choir on the reply and included Henry’s original email. Henry and Jon took a leave of absence from the choir. Why? By copying all the choir members on his reply, the choir director embarrassed the couple. What should have been a private reply to a private inquiry became a public humiliation. When broadcast to all the other choir members, Henry’s email looked like a whining complaint rather than a straightforward request for information. Rory’s advice for the pair exposed their limitations to everyone. As a result, the choir lost two excellent singers. What did Rory do that severely damaged relationships? He copied the choir on an email that should have been a private message. Rory’s simple decision to send a group email rather than an individual one destroyed trust — not only for Henry and Jon. Every choir member who read the email could imagine himself or herself being publicly exposed in a similar email. Let’s give Rory the benefit of the doubt. He probably thought it would be beneficial for all choir members to read his clarification of the policy on solo parts. If that was his goal, he should have sent a private message to Henry, then followed up with an email to the choir. That group email might have started like this: I would like to review the policy on auditioning for and getting solo parts. Because I have hired a soloist for the Bach cantata, I thought it would be helpful to clarify the policy and answer any questions you may have. An effective message would leave out lines such as “Some of you might be upset” or “It has come to my attention that some of you are disappointed …” Rather than suggesting a negative, his message should simply clarify. In the story below, which may be familiar to you, the email writer did not copy others on his emails. Nevertheless, countless people read his messages and mocked them. A college journalism student phoned and emailed Apple’s media relations department with a question about the use of an Apple product in higher education. She received no reply. Because she needed the information for a journalism assignment, she emailed Apple’s then CEO, the late Steve Jobs. According to news reports, Mr. Jobs’s three emails to the student in an email exchange with her comprised the statements below. Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry. 33
We have over 300 million users, and we can’t respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry. Please leave us alone. How do I know what Mr. Jobs’s emails said? Because they were all over the business news, with the third email drawing ridicule. When I blogged about Mr. Jobs’s unfortunate relationship-busting emails, a training coordinator named Claudia Amaya commented: “This is certainly a wake-up call to all dealing with customers. A thoughtless line in a single email can ruin the image a company has built. … This annoying student could be the CEO of their best customer later on. Who knows?” I agree with Claudia. One email — never mind three! — can ruin a customer relationship. And who knows how important that customer is or may become? Environmental engineer Matt Charles, another blog commenter, took up the issue of the student’s email: “I found that the student’s email was lengthy and focused on the benefits that Apple’s reply would provide to her (a good grade), rather than identifying any compelling reason for Apple to provide the requested quote.” I have read the student’s emails, and I agree with Matt. The student’s emails may have lessened her chances of getting the response she wanted. But as in the late Mr. Jobs’s situation, we are not accountable for the effectiveness of the email we receive. We are accountable for the email we send. My guess is that none of the men wanted to destroy business relationships. No sane person would. Yet Dennis’s, Rory’s, and Steve Jobs’s mistakes show how easy it is to trash relationships with email: Just compose, click Send without thinking, and relationships disintegrate. Risky Email Behaviors You can rein in the destructive power of email by avoiding these specific dangerous behaviors: Do not put anything in an email that you would be embarrassed to see on the TV program Good Morning, America (where I learned about Steve Jobs’s email), in your city’s newspaper, or on everyone’s computer. Always recognize that your emails may be forwarded and might even be subpoenaed. Any negative comments or innuendos about others revealed in your emails can kill relationships instantly. A writing class attendee recounted an email thread in which she found a reference to herself as the “accounting Nazi.” The reference damaged her relationship with the writer and the person who forwarded the message. Email evidence of improper behavior can kill or maim careers and marriages. Just think of Harry C. Stonecipher, former CEO of Boeing, and General David Petraeus, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who are both “former” in the wake of indiscreet emails. Do not send a confidential email to a printer unless you are within 5 feet of the 34
printer and can grab the page as the machine rolls it out. Otherwise, that confidential message can become distressingly common knowledge. Never cc others or use Reply All on an email in which you criticize someone. Dennis’s and Rory’s messages illustrate the dangers of this approach. Even though Rory, the choir director, was giving constructive feedback — not harsh criticism — to Henry and his partner, his feedback embarrassed the pair, as did the public airing of Henry’s original request. Avoid copying someone’s boss on a negative message. Do not cc someone’s manager to get action. A woman in an email class told a story of an external consultant who harangued her for not responding to his earlier messages — and copied her boss on the message. He had to apologize shamefacedly to both of them when it was discovered that he had mistyped her email address on all the earlier messages, so the woman had never received them. Even if the woman had not responded to messages she had received, the consultant did not have any information about why she was not responding. A phone call to her would have been the right choice to clarify the situation. Don’t scold (or flame) anyone for any reason in email. Because email is not two-way communication, you can’t get instant information from the other person or gauge his or her reaction. A training manager told me about the time she scolded an employee in email for not showing up at a training session. Only later did she learn the employee had had a motorcycle accident on his way to the training. Although she had not copied anyone on the email, she had presented herself to the employee as someone who is quick to judge without checking facts. That behavior does not build relationships. Do not communicate when you don’t have the time or inclination to do it well, especially with a customer or potential customer. Think again of Steve Jobs’s situation. Not answering the journalism student’s emails would have been wiser than complaining “Please leave us alone.” Many people look back in embarrassment on their hastily written and sent messages. I once received an email reply from a potential client, a reply that was obviously not intended for me. The email said, “I thought you might want to take a look at this before I just summarily blow her off.” (I was the her in the sentence.) The writer soon emailed me a brief apology explaining that he had meant to forward the email to his colleague to ask her if she had any interest in meeting with me. To the detriment of our potential business relationship, he had unfortunately clicked Reply instead of Forward and made himself look foolish. The lesson: Never shoot back a thoughtless reply. Don’t be stingy with your replies, especially if you are a manager. When an employee spends an hour or more doing research and writing it up for you in an email, don’t respond cryptically in five words or less, if you value the employee and your relationship. Here is an example of what a manager should not do, shared in a writing class: 35
An employee researched venues for an important offsite retreat. She narrowed the possibilities to two venues. She sent her manager an email, briefly describing the benefits of both venues and asking whether the manager had any preference: Would the manager prefer the South Street Retreat Center or McMillan House? The manager replied simply, “Sounds good to me.” Ouch! The 4-word email diminished the employee’s work and made the manager look silly. Taking just another moment to notice what type of response the employee needed would have made all the difference. Here is a reasonable 12-word reply: “I have no preference. Both sound fine. Thanks for your thorough research.” Even a 7-word “Both sound fine. Thanks for your research!” would provide the polite response the employee needed and maintain the work relationship. If you are thinking that the original email may be to blame — perhaps it was too wordy or disorganized — you may be right. But remember: We are normally not responsible for others’ emails, only our own. If you are a manager who receives long, unorganized emails from your employees, coach them or send them to a writing class. Don’t be thoughtless or downright rude. A writing class attendee told me about her supervisor: “My boss never says ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘hello,’ or anything nice in email. He just tells me to do things. For instance, he’ll send an email that says ‘Don’t forget to include these figures in the proposal’ or ‘Be sure this goes out in today’s mail.’” When I asked her whether she thought it was simply a style difference between her and her supervisor, she said, “Maybe, but it’s very rude.” This employee is not alone. A full 70 percent of individuals prefer that a written request include the word please or similar polite language; an additional 10 percent feel disappointed, irritated, or angry if such language is missing, according to my survey on business writing and relationships. Coming across as a rude boss does nothing for your work relationships or your reputation. To guard against that perception, you can take a few seconds to spread a little kindness. I timed myself typing the words below on my laptop. Notice how little time it takes to communicate kindness and consideration. Even if you are typing on your smartphone, please and thanks should not take more than a few seconds each, especially if your phone offers typing-completion suggestions.
Even if you type slowly, I believe it is worth it to invest the time to raise an employee’s morale and build a good work relationship. Don’t you?
Avoid accidentally sending a message before you have reviewed it for tone and accuracy. It is too easy to have a thumb or finger slip, accidentally sending a message in an unedited, raw form whose tone can wound recipients. To avoid this mistake, in Outlook type a bit of gobbledygook (for example, adadf) on the To, Cc, or Bcc line. It will stop the message from going out. With other email programs, leave the To line blank until you are satisfied that the message is ready. Avoid demanding (or seeming to demand) that others jump to action. Emails with the red exclamation point indicating high importance, or with the words urgent, immediately, a nd now, can irritate people and weaken relationships, especially with repeat occurrences. Rather than jeopardize your bonds with colleagues, call them when a deadline is urgent and explain the reason for the urgency. In a discussion of email at an investment firm, a new employee complained that people did not respond promptly to his emails. I asked him what promptly meant to him. When he said, “Within a few minutes,” the other people in the class roared with laughter. The new employee had few meetings to attend and did not yet have many assignments. To him, a few minutes was a reasonable time frame. For others in the class, promptly meant within 24 hours. To preserve your good relationships, place as much value on others’ time as you do on your own. Ask, “Do you think you can track down this information today?” rather than stating, “I need this by the end of the day.” Ask, “Does a Friday deadline give you enough time to finish this?” rather than stating, “I want to get this to the client by Friday.” Avoid using the bcc (blind courtesy copy) function to communicate secretively. Think twice, then think again about sending a blind copy to someone who should not receive the information. An attendee in a writing class, a man I will call Joel, reported that a friend used to copy him regularly on information he should not be reading. Then one day the friend forgot it was a blind copy and wrote, “Mary, please handle this action item. Kaj, please take care of this. Joel, this is FYI, as usual.” Seeing Joel’s name, everyone found out he was receiving the information. According to Joel, both he and his friend learned an alarming, embarrassing lesson. Another class participant I will call Mark told a story of a colleague who contacted him to express her sympathy about a difficulty Mark was having. The only problem was that the colleague should not have known about Mark’s situation. How did she know? She had received a blind copy of an email Mark’s manager had sent to him. Mark felt his manager had betrayed him. Follow this guideline: If you feel even a hint of guilt or doubt about sending a bcc, do not send it. Anytime a little voice tells you that you may regret sending blind copies, don’t do it! And never use blind copies to damage another person’s reputation. Here is the relationship-building approach when you need to include others: When you need other people to know about a situation but you know that the primary recipient would be distressed about those people receiving a cc or bcc, instead email a summary of the information to others. If the primary recipient asks, “Did you copy anyone on this 37
message?” you can honestly say no. And you can add something like this: “However, I did need to summarize what happened for Patrick and Rayleen, so they would be aware of the situation.” Of course, you can always bcc yourself. Unless your smartphone saves sent email, you will want to send yourself a bcc of any important messages you send by phone. Avoid displaying various individuals’ email addresses because of not using the bcc function. Cyndy McCollough, director of marketing technology at a law firm, explained when and why the bcc makes sense: When sending an email to multiple recipients from different companies, put addresses in the Bcc field. Your audience will appreciate the fact that you are cognizant of protecting their privacy. I recently received an email from a conference organizer that was sent to the 12 speakers lined up for the next day’s agenda. I blanched when I saw all recipient email addresses in the To field. In listing our addresses in this manner, the sender put our information at risk of being scooped up by anyone desiring to grow their contact database. Although Cyndy came across calmly, some people explode when they see their email address, along with many others, displayed for everyone to see and for opportunistic people to add to their email contacts. Avoid using the Read Receipt function. The Read Receipt function on email programs asks recipients of your email to click a link to indicate they have received your message. It irritates many people. They dislike it because it reveals when they have read the message, which they feel is not the sender’s business. It makes them feel as though Big Brother (of George Orwell’s novel 1984) is watching them. If you truly must know that employees have opened an email, use the Read Receipt, but know that it can hurt relationships. A better choice may be to include at the top of the email “Please reply with the message ‘Got it’ to let me know you have received this important message.” Avoid sarcasm — and avoid or be very cautious with jokes. We have all had the experience of someone misinterpreting our email. Perhaps we were sarcastic, and our reader viewed the message as serious. Maybe we thought we were being funny, and the other person read us as angry. I often need to ask my own husband, who is my business partner, what he meant by a particular quip in an email that he thought I would understand. This type of miscommunication happens often in email — perhaps more often than we realize. Frequently we wonder how other people can possibly have gotten our message so wrong. Were they reading too fast? Not paying attention? Having a bad day? Researchers Justin Kruger, Nicholas Epley, Jason Parker, and Zhi-Wen Ng looked at the role of our egos in miscommunication. They published their study findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in an article titled “Egocentrism Over E38
Mail: Can We Communicate as Well as We Think?” Here are some of the findings: Email writers consistently overestimate their readers’ ability to distinguish sarcasm from seriousness. In one test, writers estimated that their readers would recognize sarcasm 78 percent of the time. In fact, their readers were correct only 56 percent of the time — no better than chance. Email readers consistently overestimate their own ability to recognize sarcasm. In the test just mentioned, although they were correct only 56 percent of the time, they estimated their accuracy at 90 percent! When it comes to identifying emotion in email, there is no difference, statistically speaking, between the accuracy of strangers and friends. Writers overestimate the degree to which their readers will find their humor funny — especially when the writers have had a rich experience with the humor (seeing it performed on TV, for example). Emoticons do not improve understanding. For the trait that causes both readers and writers to overestimate their ability to handle the subtleties of email, the researchers use the term overconfidence. Here are the lessons to take from the research: Do not be overconfident. Even if you are an extremely upbeat, confident person, assume that the worst may go wrong with your message. Know that your reader will assume he or she is correct — just as you do. Avoid sarcasm. Label your emotions. Pick up your phone or meet in person when the situation is awkward. Do not reply with that zinger you think is so clever and amusing. Know that when you email a joke, your reader may not find it as funny as you did. Avoid “letting them sweat.” Cynthia Clay, who runs a training company, told me about a negotiating technique I was not aware of. Perhaps you have experienced it. Cynthia had prepared a proposal at the request of a prospective client. Shortly after Cynthia emailed the proposal to the client, all communication from the client stopped. Emails from Cynthia’s staff received no reply. Phone calls were not returned. Cynthia was worried that something had gone wrong — until another client told her she was simply on the receiving end of a negotiating technique being touted these days. The technique is to let the other person sweat. For instance, let her sweat when her email gets no reply. If she worries enough about what might have gone wrong with the proposal, that worry will make her less confident and more eager to negotiate. Letting them sweat is a perfect way to weaken relationships. When prospective clients do not reply to my emails or phone calls, my concern is not what I might have done better in the proposal but whether I really want to work with someone who is noncommunicative and perhaps stressed out and disorganized. Rather than making me feel more eager to negotiate, I cool off, wondering where I might tighten my proposal to make working with a potentially difficult client more rewarding. Cynthia waited it out without sweating. Eventually the prospective client contacted her. Then everything became a rush to meet the client’s goals, which had been put on hold 39
during the sweating time. The win-lose mentality of letting them sweat is a sure relationship weakener. Wouldn’t you rather work with efficient, communicative people than with manipulators? Avoid terms of endearment. A woman in one of my business writing classes said she hated terms of endearment. She explained: “It’s words like dear, hon, and sweetie. I don’t like them in email and other business communication. I would like to respond to people who use them, ‘I’m not your dear. I’m not your hon.’” I asked the woman to speculate why individuals used words like dear and hon (short for honey) at work. We decided that people, especially older workers, may simply want to be friendly. But using a person’s name is much friendlier than using a generic term. I remember visiting my then-96-year-old cousin in a New Jersey hospital. When I arrived, she had been in the hospital an entire week, yet every worker except her doctor called her hon and dear i e instead of her name, Mrs. Wallace. The terms sounded impersonal and condescending rather than friendly and nurturing. Save hon, sweetie, and dear for your spouse or sweetheart, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Use it with people who would not even think of responding, “I’m not your hon.” If you want to come across as friendly in your email, say hi, hello, good morning, please, and thank you. Use people’s names and sometimes say, “Have a great day!” This recommendation applies not only to coworkers, but also to patients, customers, clients, members, visitors, citizens, and others. Three Golden Rules With all the bad email behaviors to avoid, you may be hungry for rules to follow to nurture your business relationships. Here are three: Always give others the benefit of the doubt. Recognize that there is a good possibility that you are wrong or are simply misinterpreting a message. (Think of Dennis’s incorrect assumption about Rochelle’s data.) Then, before you can damage yourself or others in an email, ask tactful questions to understand a situation. Copy people on a message only when doing so will lead to something positive for everyone involved: understanding, teamwork, inclusion, enjoyment, shared credit, etc. When a cc’d email will have a negative outcome for someone, find another way to communicate. (Learn from Rory’s message that wounded two choir members.) Present your best self in email, the one you would be pleased to see on the evening news. (Learn from Steve Jobs’s brief, unfortunate messages.) Think beyond the purpose of the email you are writing. Ask yourself, “Why am I in business?” and “Why am I on the planet?” Asking such big-picture questions will help you make the right choice as a writer and a human being in every message you send. It will help you preserve your valuable work relationships.
Personal Reflection Would adjusting your email behavior help you improve certain business relationships? Next Step Review the email behaviors to avoid and the three golden rules. Choose one or two as guidelines to make changes in your email.
Write Mighty Thank-Yous If you were to do a cost-benefit analysis of writing thank-you notes, I am betting they would come out as the best business writing investment possible for building and sustaining relationships. These short, happy messages are typically easy to write, and they reap benefits for both sender and receiver long after the receiver smiles at the grateful words. This chapter helps you recognize opportunities to write thank-yous, and it shows you how to take them from polite to powerful. In my survey on business writing and relationships, 81 percent of people said that a thank-you note they received had a definite positive influence on their decision to do business with a company or an individual again. These comments capture respondents’ views: I appreciate companies that recognize the value of a personal connection and relationship. It adds a personal touch to the business relationship. I can’t tell you how much of a difference this makes! On Business Writing blog, inspirational speaker and author Josh Hinds illustrated the power of the thank-you this way: “Just the other day I received a card from someone whose project I had participated in. It was a simple thank-you card (along with a little gift card) — nothing too fancy. But the next time I find myself looking for the type of service this person offers (for myself or a referral for someone else), you better believe they’re going to be at the top of the list for that business.” Thank-yous encourage people to continue to work with the sender, whether they include a small thank-you gift or not. For that reason alone, you should invest in writing thank-yous to business associates of all kinds. Thank-yous are one of the easiest tasks in business writing, and the payoff can be huge. There is no excuse for not tapping the relationshipbuilding power of the mighty thank-you. You have a chance to say thank you anytime someone has: Delivered particularly good service. Gone beyond the job requirements for you. Been especially thoughtful, prompt, or efficient. Given you an opportunity (an assignment, an interview, a referral, etc.). Given you a gift or treated you to a meal. Been a special pleasure to work with. 43
Been helpful to you in a stressful moment. Bought your product or service. Consistently met or exceeded expectations. Made your day in one way or another. Tips for Writing Powerful Thank-Yous Very little can go wrong in a thank-you when it is sincere and specific. Just follow these tips to help you write from the heart easily and effectively: Write promptly. Although a sincere thank-you is welcome anytime, writing promptly makes the writing easier because the details are fresh in your mind. In this sample email to a coworker, Jamie refers to specific details he might have forgotten in a few days: Dear Suneetha, Thank you for all your work on today’s web conference. It could not have happened without you. Your attention to detail was evident throughout the program. Your transition between the segments was very smooth. Also, I appreciated the tactful way you handled my problem with the microphone. Because of your efforts, we presented a professional image to potential clients. Thanks again for your work on this event. Best, Jamie Sending a thank-you note promptly shows enthusiasm and appreciation. In Keith Ferrazzi’s book Never Eat Alone, he mentions people who write to thank him the same day, telling him how much they appreciated meeting him at a conference or after a speech. Ferrazzi says he remembers most the people who write first, before many others write. That’s one big vote for being speedy when writing to a prestigious person — the message gets noticed. Say thank you sincerely and specifically. In the previous example, Jamie named specific things he is grateful for. That kind of thank-you has much more power than an empty “Good job. Thanks.” When he noted that Suneetha’s efforts helped to convey a professional image to potential clients, he pointed out the importance of what she did. Whenever you can, mention the positive effect of the person’s contribution, as Mary Bennett, a manager in a public utility, has done in the message to her colleague Margaret Elwood. The personal details of Mary’s message make it a gem of a thank-you. Subject: ITSM Contribution Margaret, Thank you so much for your contribution to the training success for the Incident management project. I was entirely overwhelmed with the action item of Training when it was assigned to me. Being able to work with you 44
for the development of the course was wonderful! The course outline creation, combined with walking us through how to engage the participants and encourage the hands-on learning, was fantastic. It was a huge benefit to the project to have someone with your expertise guiding us. On a more personal note, I appreciate your support and encouragement for my presentations. Being the trainer definitely put me out of my comfort zone! I found it super helpful to have you in my corner making me feel better about it. Thanks again, Mary Mary Bennett Manager, ITS Infrastructure Support Being sincere means saying thank you in your own personal style and voice, as Mary Bennett did. You want your thank-you to sound like you — not like something canned you took from an etiquette book. Tell your own story. Use your own language. Say thank you warmly. Always use the other person’s name and the personal pronouns I and we. For instance, write “Olga, we appreciate your artistry” — not “Your artistry is appreciated.” I sent the following enthusiastic message to our original web designer, Diane Varner, when she completed our site. The eight we-our-us pronouns and eight youyour pronouns help create the feeling of warmth and connection. Dear Diane, Thank you for the creativity, patience, and hard work you brought to completing our website. The site is exactly what we wanted — in fact, it is much more. We especially appreciated your feedback on our content, and the way your design complemented it. We also are very grateful for the marketing and search engine insights you shared. We had not realized that a web designer could offer so much solid advice, and we know your efforts will pay off in a site that brings us business. Thank you for your beautiful work. Warm wishes, Lynn and Michael Say thank you without saying please. When you say thanks, do not ask for anything. Asking detracts from your thank-you and suggests that gratitude is not the real reason for your message. Imagine how out of place a request for changes in our website would have sounded in the previous message to our web designer. The following generic letter to “Dear Business Owner” illustrates what not to do. It is a request partly disguised as a thank-you. It starts off badly with a nonspecific greeting. Writers should use the reader’s name whenever possible. 45
Dear Business Owner: Thank you for your past contributions to our annual auction. We are very grateful for your generosity. This year’s auction takes place on Friday, October 19. Can we count on you again? As a past supporter, you know that all our auction proceeds go to underserved children and families in our community. One of our procurement specialists will phone or stop by your business in the next few weeks. We thank you in advance for your generosity. Sincerely, Nonprofit Organization In contrast, the personal, specific thank-you to Mr. Austin includes upbeat information on the success of the auction. What’s more, it asks for nothing! The recipient will be delighted to receive it. Dear Mr. Austin: Thank you for contributing the one-year corporate club membership to our auction. It was a generous gift and a popular item, and we are very grateful for it. We are happy to inform you that our auction brought in $95,300. Since our goal was $75,000, we are very pleased with the results. It is because of generous donors like you that we exceeded our goal. Since ticket purchases covered auction expenses, the full $95,300 will be used to meet the needs of underserved children and families in our community. Your contribution has made a difference. Thank you for your generosity. Sincerely, Janice Green Executive Director Notice that in the thank-you to Mr. Austin, only the greeting and first paragraph are personalized. That level of personalization makes the letter successful, and it makes the job of sending out the many thank-yous doable. Match your effort to the reason for the thank-you. An offhand thank-you that does not match the situation will come across as insensitive. For instance, a two-word thankyou is heartless in response to a 10-page report. A two-sentence thank-you might seem stingy to a person who spent hours helping you finish a proposal. This simple thank-you to a presenter is appropriate from a member of the audience: Dear Jonathan, 46
Thank you for your excellent, inspiring presentation today at the breakfast. I had to leave promptly at your conclusion, so I wanted to let you know by note that I appreciated your moving content and high-quality presentation. I learned a lot! I wish you much success with your new book. Warm regards, Deborah This more elaborate thanks is appropriate from the meeting organizer: Dear Jonathan, THANK YOU for the fabulous presentation you made this morning. To be riveting at 7:30 a.m. is a huge challenge, and you rose to it. You were outstanding! Thank you for making our association look good. Feedback from attendees was extremely positive, with comments such as “Bring this man back for a longer session!” and “Jonathan’s information was practical AND powerful!” People raved about your slides and your story. Please accept my thanks and high praise on behalf of the association. If you would like a testimonial or a letter of reference, just let me know. Best, Natalie Let gratitude multiply and spread. When you thank someone for excellent work on the job, send a copy to his or her supervisor and to the human resources department, if appropriate. (You can even tweet your thanks to the world!) When you thank a supervisor directly, mention the group, like this: “I appreciate the commitment your entire team showed in getting this order out on time.” The supervisor can post your note or forward it to the group and may add his or her own thanks to yours. Some businesses save and post thank-you notes on their bulletin boards, gather them in scrapbooks, or post them online. The good feelings engendered live on indefinitely. Email, Electronic Message, Letter, Note, or Card? You have so many ways to send thank-yous that it can be tough to choose one. Do not let worrying about the medium get in the way. Use these guidelines to help you decide how to express your thanks: Email or an electronic message through Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., is right for someone who is regularly on a computer. And the speed with which you can write, send, and forward electronic thank-yous makes them an easy choice. They may be any length, from one or two sentences to several paragraphs. An electronic thank-you may not stand out as special, though, and it may be perceived as informal. When I sent out my monthly e-newsletter with the featured article “12 Ways to Build 47
Work Relationships Through Writing,” I received this thoughtful thank-you by email from a subscriber: Hi Lynn, I’ve been benefiting from your knowledge-sharing articles and tips for quite a long time now. I can’t afford to take your paid classes but the kind of information you share in your free articles has been very helpful in sharpening my skills. I’d not have thought about thanking you, had I not read this article today. I thought of you while reading the first two lines of the first point of the article. So thank you very much for sharing this enormous and invaluable information. God bless you. Kind regards, Rahul Because few subscribers send thank-yous, Rahul’s message stood out. That is the power of the mighty thank-you: It helps the writer stand out, and it opens the door to new work relationships. A typed letter or memo is suitable for acknowledging a donation or contribution (like the thank-you to Mr. Austin for his donation). It also fits well to thank someone for significant help or great customer service, and it is the right choice when the thank-you may end up in a personnel file. Because of the way it looks on the page, it must be at least two paragraphs. A handwritten card or note communicates a personal touch. It is the perfect response to a meal, flowers, gift, or personal help. It’s short, typically from two sentences to two paragraphs. Many people swear by the personal note, as does Jeannette Paladino, a social media writer and blogger. She explained on my blog: “A simple thank-you note will do more for you and your business than a lengthy presentation. It shows you care about the other person. It’s also good manners. Dashing off a perfunctory email doesn’t begin to measure up.” In this thank-you message I received from my marketing mentor, Marcia Yudkin, you will notice the indented paragraphs, which are standard in handwritten notes. Lynn — In this season of Thanksgiving, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate having you as a member in Marketing for More. Thank you especially for the empathy and caring that you show to other members. Looking forward to seeing you again in Maui! Yours, 48
Marcia Marcia’s lovely card stood out because she was specific in her thanks, noting and appreciating my efforts to empathize with others. I renew my membership in Marketing for More each year, and Marcia’s thank-you reminded me of the relationship we have that makes membership worthwhile. Because I want our webmaster, Margery Squier, to know how much I value her work, I regularly send thank-you cards to her. I pay her invoices by check, and I enclose the check in a beautiful or amusing card. This is a typical brief message: Margery, thank you once again for your creative, careful work on our website. We appreciate your promptness, good humor, and excellent customer service! Lynn and Michael If you send handwritten notes and cards to customers, consider brief messages like these: For restaurant customers: Thank you for dining at our restaurant. It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to see you again soon! Dante Osorio, Executive Chef You can easily personalize the message to make it specific and more memorable: Dear Spiro, Thank you for dining at our restaurant. We hope your Kobe steak made your birthday celebration even more memorable. It was a pleasure serving you on your special day. We hope to see you again soon! Dante Osorio, Executive Chef For real estate customers who have sold their home: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gardner, Thank you for your patience and flexibility during the process of selling your home. I hope you will be very happy in your new community. Warm regards, Angie Tamrind For jewelry store customers: Dear Nicole, Thank you for the opportunity to help you choose the gold locket for your mother’s 75th birthday. I hope she enjoys it as much as you enjoyed purchasing it for her. 49
I look forward to serving you again the next time you are looking for jewelry for an important person — including yourself! Abby Loos, Wright Jewelers For customers of a clothing store: Dear Louisa, Thanks for shopping with us. It was fun helping you choose new pieces for your spring wardrobe. I hope you feel wonderful every time you wear them! If I can help you in any way, just call me at [phone number]. I hope to see you when you need something new. Jesse Ward After we purchased a violin for our teenaged daughter, we received a small box of delicious, locally produced organic chocolates. It was accompanied by a small piece of card stock that said, “A special thanks from Olsen Violins.” The small box and brief message made a huge positive impression on us. Consider how you want to communicate, whether it be by letter, note, card, card and gift, email, text, or even Twitter. But do not let the options get in the way of sending a message. Send the thank-you! Thank-You Messages for Job Interviews In my survey on business writing and relationships, 78 percent of people who have hired or recommended hiring indicated that a thank-you note has had a definite positive influence on a hiring decision; 20 percent said this has happened many times. One respondent described the thank-you as a relationship-starting communication: Many of the people I’ve hired throughout my career were the ones who sent a follow-up or thank-you note after an interview. Similarly, I’ve been told that a follow-up that I sent made the difference in a hiring decision when all other qualifications were considered equal. It all comes down to relationships, and this type of note is often the first step in the relationship you’ll have with a new employer. Even if you’re not hired, you did the right thing by sending something positive forward. Another respondent commented this way: I’ve been in human resources for many years and am amazed at how few job applicants think enough to send a thank-you note after their interview. It is so rare — it really stands out in a positive way. To an employer, a thank-you for a job interview indicates an applicant’s enthusiasm for and understanding of the position, ability to observe social norms, and writing aptitude (proofread carefully!). Unlike other thank-yous, the job-interview thank-you often includes details to remind the potential employer of the applicant’s strengths and fit for the 50
position. Note those details in this example, sent by email: Subject: Thank You for the Interview Dear Felix, Thank you for the chance to interview for the position of administrative assistant. It was a pleasure to learn about your business, and I would welcome the opportunity to work for you. As a detailed-oriented “bean counter,” I would relish keeping track of your accounts, managing the shopping cart, updating the websites, and coordinating your calendar. The 8–3 schedule would be ideal for me, and walking to work would be a dream come true. Again, thank you for the opportunity to meet. Please let me know if you need any other information to make your decision. Sincerely, Galen Howard Several respondents to my survey expressed a strong preference for a handwritten interview thank-you. This brief thank-you could be sent in a classy thank-you card: Dear Ms. Joseph, Thank you for interviewing me today and letting me observe your class. In that short time, I learned a lot just watching you relate to the students. Each one got your respect and your full attention. Your caring and high standards were obvious. It would be a privilege to assist in your class. I hope you will consider me for the position. Best wishes, Fiona Greenman One challenge after a day of interviewing is to say something different and sincere to each of the people you have met. The secret to successful thank-yous in this situation is to key in on the interviewers and the conversations you have had with them. These four emailed thank-yous — all for meetings at the same organization — show the variety you can bring to your thank-yous. Subject: Interview Thank-You From Lassie Elbert Dear Dr. Mitchell, Thank you for interviewing me for the position of career counselor. It was a pleasure to talk with you and learn about your goals for the center. I also enjoyed meeting the other team members and learning about their expertise. I would love to have the opportunity to work at the center. I believe my experience in several industries, my graduate work in counseling, and my love of working one-to-one would help me be successful as a member of 51
your team. I also feel very much in tune with your vision for the center. Thank you again for talking with me. Whatever your hiring decision, I wish you and the center continued success. Sincerely, Lassie Elbert Subject: Thank You for Meeting With Me Dear Dr. Weiss, Thank you for talking with me today about your work at the center. I appreciate your sharing so much helpful information about the client population, the testing you do, and the many aspects of supporting the clients throughout their search for meaningful work. You gave me a very good sense of what working at the center is like. I appreciated the articles too! I would love to have the opportunity to work with you. I believe my desire to help people find their path in life, along with my work experience and graduate studies in counseling, is a good fit for the center, and I hope you think so too. Again, I appreciate your talking with me today, and I hope to have the chance to be a part of the center. Best wishes, Lassie Elbert Subject: Thanks for Our Talk Today Dear Tina, Thanks so much for talking with me today. I loved learning about your background and all the twists and turns that brought you to the center. Your life is a fine example of how career paths are no longer straight. I would jump at the chance to work at the center. It feels like a place where I could contribute my skills and experience well, learn a lot, and be a member of a productive team that understands work-life balance. It is terrific that the center has corporate season tickets to the Storm. That’s my kind of place! Thank you again for the great conversation. Lassie Subject: Thank You for Welcoming Me Dear Justin, Thank you for welcoming me today at the center. I really appreciate your taking the time to show me around, introduce me to the staff, and make me 52
feel comfortable on interview day. You are very adept at reducing an applicant’s anxiety! I enjoyed meeting you and your colleagues at the center. I hope to have the opportunity to work with you. Again, thank you! Lassie That last message serves as an example of an important rule: Don’t forget the receptionist! You may be wondering whether it is necessary to send a separate thank-you to each person at a company who interviews you, whether you have individual meetings or a panel interview. Use this response as a guideline: The more you want the job, the more effort you should put into your thank-yous and every other aspect of the interview process. If You Do Not Want the Job, Say Thank You Anyway You present yourself as a polite professional when you send a thank-you, even when you don’t want the job. Sending a message like this one can make a positive impression that leads to other opportunities: Dear Helen, Thank you for interviewing me for the position of event coordinator. It was fascinating to learn about the wide range of events your company manages. I admire the way you juggle so many plates at once (literally and figuratively!). Based on the amount of travel we discussed, I do not feel this position would work for me. However, if a position with minimal travel opens up, please consider me for it. I would enjoy applying my skills as an event coordinator at [Company name]. Best wishes, Lee Chin Remember: A thank-you for an interview is a professional message. Do not be casual. A senior human resources (HR) professional told me she did not invite a job candidate back for a second interview because of the person’s emailed thank-you note. Why? Because it included an animated smiley face. That blinking emoticon moved the HR director to decide the candidate did not have the good professional judgment the job required. That is the only time I have heard of a thank-you going wrong. And yet the HR director’s decision was probably perfect; she and that candidate would not work well together. Thank-You Messages at Thanksgiving In the United States, Thanksgiving Day takes place on the last Thursday in November. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. Because Thanksgiving 53
is a national holiday not allied with a particular group or religion, it is a perfect occasion to remember customers, clients, and others. Your message will stand out much more at Thanksgiving than at Christmastime, when your contacts are likely to be buried in holiday messages. Since most people take a holiday from work on Thanksgiving, be sure to send your messages several days early. Here are samples of brief thank-yous to customers. Those with indented paragraphs would be handwritten messages or typed notes — not emails. Dear Friends at LMNOP, In this time of gratitude, we give thanks for you. We value your patronage and appreciate your confidence in us. Counting you among our customers is something for which we are especially grateful. On behalf of all of us at XYZ Company, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Sincerely, Jack and Victoria Jepson Dear Dan and Reese, Thank you for being our valued customers. We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you and meeting your printing needs. We wish you a beautiful Thanksgiving and a joyous year’s end. Warm wishes, Karl and the team Dear Carlos, In this time of Thanksgiving, I must express my thanks to you. Working with you over the past two years has been an amazing opportunity for me. I appreciate your high standards, consistent focus, and fine sense of humor. Thank you, Carlos, for the pleasure of continuing to work with you. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with all good things. With thanks, Linda Dear Mr. Emmanuel, When we think about the things we appreciate, we think of you and our work with you on the Maple Heights project. The project was a challenge and a phenomenal success for us — thanks to your vision and commitment. We will always treasure that experience. We saw the enclosed new book on landscaping by [Author], and we immediately thought of you. Please enjoy it with our thanks. Happy Thanksgiving! Carl and Vincent 54
These two messages thank employees for their work. Both are suitable to send to all employees from a manager or management team, with the greeting personalized to individuals. Dear Qasid, During this month of Thanksgiving, I have been reflecting on the things I am most grateful for. Primary among them is our talented group of employees. Thank you for the work you do to make our agency great. You help us provide award-winning services to our clients. Without your commitment, creativity, and high standards, we would not be the thriving company we are. I am very grateful for your efforts. I wish you a Thanksgiving filled with abundance and bright moments. Warm wishes, Rhonda Dear Raimondo, This year has been challenging for us, but we turned challenges into successes — thanks to you and your fellow employees. You have focused on the future rather than getting stuck in day-to-day difficulties. You have worked hard to help our business thrive. On behalf of the management team, I thank you for your accomplishments this year. We are all grateful. Please enjoy the enclosed gift certificate as a token of our thanks. Happy Thanksgiving! David Thank-You Notes for Condolences One type of thank-you note can be upsetting to write: the thank-you you send in response to condolences and acts of kindness you receive when a friend or family member has died. This message is difficult because in such situations, feelings of deep sadness and loss can sap your energy and spoil your concentration. Your words can seem feeble compared to the huge support and kindness you have received from coworkers and associates. You may be unable to remember the many kindnesses extended to you, and you may worry that you have forgotten something of major importance. All those feelings are maddening when you want so much to express your gratitude! The people in your personal and professional lives will not expect you to write detailed messages. Just knowing that you received their note, flowers, or other gift is enough. Use the short templates that follow to craft your own thank-you messages. Each one can begin with “Dear” and the individual’s name. They may be expressed in thank-you notes, cards, emails, or other electronic messages. The examples with indented paragraphs would be handwritten or typed notes — not emails. Dear Keith, 55
Thank you for your kindness and sympathy during our time of loss. It gives us much comfort to know that you are thinking of us. Warm regards, Nate and Judy It was very nice of you to think of me in this time of sadness. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Barbara Thank you for your touching letter. I really enjoyed hearing from you. The story you shared about my mother made me smile. My mother lived a long, full life. Although her passing is a sad milestone for me, I am grateful for having her with me for so many years. With many thanks, Carli Please accept my sincere thanks for the beautiful flowers you sent for my sister’s memorial service. She would have loved them. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and caring more than I can say. Sachin I can hardly express how grateful I am for your attendance at my brother’s funeral. It was so good of you to take the time to be with me and my family. Your kindness and compassion mean a great deal to us. Sincerely, Dermott Dear Friends and Colleagues, It is difficult to find the words to express our gratitude for the many kindnesses you have shown us during this sad time. We are so grateful for all you have done for us. The cards, letters, phone and email messages, prayers, and visits meant the world to us as we struggled with our heartbreaking loss. Along with the emotional support you gave us, the meals, chores, and other gifts of your time and energy helped sustain us day to day. We are unable to write individual thank-yous to each one of you, given the great outpouring of support. Please know that your generosity and thoughtfulness have touched us deeply. Knowing that we were not alone helped us bear our grief and sadness. Thank you for being there for us. With sincere thanks, Sharon and Lynette 56
If you have experienced a loss and received condolences and kindnesses from others, be assured that no one will judge you on your ability to write a thank-you. They will be pleased to hear from you, but they will not expect more than a few sentences of acknowledgment. A blog reader asked, “Do I have to write thank-yous for sympathy cards?” No, you do not have to write thank-yous for sympathy cards. But write them if doing so will help you feel better and more connected with others. Thanking People for Thank-Yous When you are in the happy position of receiving thank-yous, you may find yourself wondering: Do I need to thank people for their thank-yous? The answer: It depends. For any thank-you that makes you feel good, why not take a moment to return the favor and enhance the relationship? When I received this brief but enthusiastic thank-you by email from Jeff Chamberlain, a reader of my e-newsletter Better Writing at Work, I wrote to acknowledge his message. Lynn: Thank you for sending out these newsletters. I’ve enjoyed getting them for the past few months. They are a great reminder/reinforcer of positive behaviors, and I like the interactive proofreading challenge at the end (I got the missing hyphen correct this time). Jeff Chamberlain My brief response: Jeff, thank you for your kind note. I am very pleased that you enjoy the newsletter and the Error Quests. Thanks for letting me know! Best wishes, Lynn Although a thank-you message does not require a thank-you in response, a thank-you gift does. This inquiry I received from Nancy Doerhoff, manager of the Machacek Branch of the St. Louis Public Library, illustrates the question thank-you gifts may raise: Hello, Lynn, We are a public library. Some of our regular patrons (customers) brought us candy, cookies, popcorn, etc., during the days leading up to Christmas. Some of us think we should send thank-you notes to them for their kindness. Others think it is unnecessary or even overkill since they believe the gifts were thank-yous to us for the service we have given over the past year. What is the correct etiquette? I recommended that the library staff thank their patrons for the gifts, and Nancy and her staff did write thank-yous. Because of their hard work and graciousness, I bet they 57
received more gifts from patrons the following year! Brief Does Not Mean Brusque This chapter includes many references to brief thanks. But brief does not mean offhand one-word thanks or abbreviations. Marketing consultant Cornelia Luethi left this blog comment, which captures the issue: “I once had a manager who would often reply with just ‘Thx’ or ‘Thks’ … now that is stingy! It was hard to believe he really was thankful, seeing as he couldn’t be bothered to type the whole word!” Don’t be miserly when it comes to thanking people. Typing just “Thanks” or “Thx” does not come across as genuine appreciation, especially if it appears at the end of every message. If you do need to type a quick email or text as thanks, take a few extra seconds to make it specific, as these examples do: Thanks so much for the information. You rock! Thanks for responding so fast. Thanks! I appreciate your flexibility. Thank you for keeping me in the loop. Thanks for understanding. Often people use “Thanks” in response to an email when they really mean only to acknowledge something. If acknowledgment is your real reason for writing, try these: Thanks. Got it. Thanks. Consider it done. Thanks. I’ll pass it on. When you choose any of the brief remarks above, don’t Reply All or cc the company. The recipients will not thank you! Do It Now It’s time to reflect and take action. Put down this book and pick up a pen to write a thankyou. Or launch your email and send a thoughtful thank-you instantaneously. No excuses: 31 sample messages in this chapter were 100 words or less. You have time to write 50, 75, or 100 sincere words of thanks. Those words may be the best investment in great work relationships you make this year. Your thank-you will tell someone that she or he is valued and appreciated. Those positive feelings will reflect back to you, strengthening your relationships. Who knows? They may reverberate around the globe.
Personal Reflection Do you take time to thank people who help you be successful? How would your work relationships be different if you added “Write thank-yous” to your weekly tasks — and wrote them? 58
Next Step Think of one person who has done something special for you lately or who has consistently supported your work. Nurture that relationship by sending a thank-you email, card, or handwritten note acknowledging the special effort or support. Repeat.
Give Positive, Powerful Feedback When I was in graduate school at Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana, I worked as an editorial assistant at a law center. I was new to journalism, and I struggled to get the lead right in stories and to compose clear, useful articles. My editor, whom I will call Ruth, usually applied a red pen heavily to my writing, or at least it seemed that way to me. Often I wondered whether I caused her more work than I contributed. For various reasons, I decided to move to New York City to take writing classes at City College. When I told Ruth I would be leaving my job at the center, she responded, “Oh, but you were doing so well!” She went on to say that she would really miss me and the good work I was doing on the newsletter. Miss me? I was stunned. I had no idea I was doing well. Ruth had never indicated that my work was good. She had never said or written anything to balance the strikes of her red pen. Had I known I was doing well, I might have blossomed on the job rather than worrying about whether I was worth keeping. I might have found a way to stay in South Bend to work happily with Ruth at the center rather than moving to New York City. But I had not received positive feedback, and I did not know Ruth valued me and my work. It was easy to leave. I learned many lessons on the job with Ruth. The one that stayed with me is this: Give positive feedback — lots of it. Here’s how giving positive feedback leads to great work relationships: When you give positive feedback, you help people recognize what they are doing well. They feel good about their performance, and they are likely to appreciate you for pointing it out. Your positive feedback shows that you value your coworkers and associates enough to pay attention to their work and take time to comment on it. It is proof to them that their good work is recognized and valued. Positive feedback motivates people to continue doing what they are doing well. In turn, you get to enjoy working with high-performing people, who are likely to seek you out as a project partner. Giving positive feedback builds others’ trust in your positive intent and judgment. When a sticky issue comes up in the future, that trust helps you work through the problem together. Positive feedback can be wildly powerful in building relationships and strengthening performance. This chapter shows you how to share positive feedback in writing so it does both. 60
Do You Give Positive Feedback? I taught a class called The Art of Giving Feedback several times at a well-known hightech company. After the class participants and I agreed on the importance of positive feedback, I would ask how many of them gave positive feedback to others on the job. Nearly everyone would raise a hand. Then I would ask how many received positive feedback from their supervisors. Almost no hands went up. The two sets of raised hands were strikingly different: At least 90 percent gave positive feedback, but only 10 percent received it. My experience at that company corresponds with what I found in my survey on business writing and relationships. In it, 60 percent of respondents said they give positive feedback to others frequently; 19 percent said they give it daily or nearly every day. Yet 80 percent said they have wanted to leave a job or an assignment because they were not receiving the positive feedback they felt they deserved. Clearly, lots of people think they are giving positive feedback, but just as many feel they are not getting it. My conclusion: There is a huge opportunity to build relationships and improve performance by giving positive feedback more often and more effectively — so people know it. Unmistakable Positive Feedback Consider this straightforward example of positive feedback in an email: Subject: I liked “Vacationing at Home” Tye, nice job on this month’s newsletter! I liked your tips on staycations, which covered both simple and elaborate things to do. You gave me several ideas I am going to suggest to Ellen and the kids. I always enjoy reading the newsletter. I am sure our clients appreciate it too. Thanks for all you do! Dana After reading the email, would Tye recognize he had received positive feedback? Yes! Dana’s comments convey positive regard with the phrases “I liked,” “nice job,” “always enjoy,” and “appreciate it,” among others. The message gives a specific example of something Tye did well (the tips on staycations). It mentions that Dana will pass on the information, giving Tye’s work a wider audience. It expresses enthusiastic appreciation. When Tye reads Dana’s feedback, he is likely to smile, then perhaps write a quick thank-you to Dana for taking the time to compliment the newsletter. He may imagine Dana, Ellen, and their kids out on one of the local adventures he suggested. And the next time he writes the newsletter, Dana is likely to be in his mind as one of his attentive, thoughtful readers. The following emails also convey positive feedback, but they do so much less effectively. Message 1: Re: Vacationing at Home 61
Tye, nice job on this month’s newsletter. Thanks. Rob Message 2: Re: Vacationing at Home Tye, I liked this issue and your tips, but don’t you think we need more balance between urban and rural activities? The special offer was catchy, but I thought we were going to extend the deadline to the 30th, no? Nice job. Ricardo Message 3: Re: Vacationing at Home Tye, when I received this, I realized I had forgotten to tell you I enjoyed the January issue on how to fight germs while traveling. It was good advice. Krissy Could you feel the difference between Dana’s example and Messages 1, 2, and 3? Dana’s message, while brief, includes the essential elements of motivating, positive feedback: Specifics — not just generalities like the “Nice job” of Message 1. Complete focus on positives — no buts or back-pedaling like the buts in Message 2, which wipe out the positive feeling. Promptness — not untimely feedback like the reference to an earlier issue in Message 3. Significance — a reason why the positive outcome or behavior matters; for example, Dana’s “You gave me several ideas” and “I am sure our clients appreciate it too.” Significance was missing from Messages 1, 2, and 3. Notice how the detailed feedback below includes the essential elements. Subject: Your fine work with Ed Stern Hi, Aamani. I wanted to share some positive feedback on our sales call this morning. You were brilliant. First off, you briefly introduced yourself, focusing on the aspects of your background that would interest the client. Ed lit up when you mentioned your supply-chain experience. Then you segued to his situation and asked relevant though not pointed questions, which would have put him on the spot. Your “Tell me about …” approach was perfect. It let him focus on the issues important to him without any awkwardness. 62
The way you wove in our company’s capabilities when you responded to questions was very subtle and effective, not to mention completely natural. You came across as a trusted advisor. I am certain Ed’s request for a proposal was prompted by your warm engagement with him. Just wanted to share that I admired your work today. Richard If you were Aamani, how would that positive feedback make you feel? Appreciated? Pleasantly surprised? Confident? Delighted? Grateful? All of the above? Whether Richard was your manager or your peer, his message would almost certainly have a positive impact on you and your relationship with him. The Best Feedback Is Specific It is quick and very easy to say “Great job.” But the phrase “Great job” packs much less power than it would with specific details. The phrase could come across as insincere or even sarcastic. To recognize and write about what made something a “great job!” or a “good job,” think about the difference between what the individual did and what a bad performance would be like. For example, if a new student intern did a good job on his first day, how was his first day different from a bad first day? Is it that he arrived on time rather than late? That you never saw him on a cell phone, whereas other interns have spent most of the day texting? Was he curious rather than uninterested? Did he offer to help rather than surf the Internet when work slowed down? In this example, a supervisor conveys positive feedback to an intern: Subject: Feedback on a Good First Day Luke, I wanted to give you some feedback on your first day in Engineering. I appreciate how you conducted yourself, and I wanted to let you know. It was great you were willing to come in early for the safety meeting. I know coming in early on a Monday morning can be a drag. People were impressed you took the initiative to introduce yourself. John told me you asked very good questions as you shadowed him, and your interest made it a pleasure to work with you. He also mentioned that when he was busy talking with Derek, you read industry magazines rather than just texting or doing nothing. You are off to a good start, Luke. We look forward to working with you. Linwood How would Luke feel if he received a message like that one? If the first day had been stressful for him, he would probably feel terrific that his efforts to keep it together had been successful. If he had had a pleasant first day, he would probably be happy to know that others shared his positive feelings. The feedback would tell him that people noticed him and were pleased with his first day’s performance. Luke might also feel lucky to have 63
a supervisor who cared enough to pay attention to him and let him know how he did. That feedback could be the start of a great relationship. Even though positive feedback can be a powerful relationship and performance builder, some perceptions about it can get in the way of sharing it. Here are three views to consider changing: “I don’t do mushy.” Some people — men more often than women — find it uncomfortable to pay compliments. They say positive feedback isn’t their thing. In many cases, they worry that they will come across as mushy, inauthentic, or both if they share positive words. But positive feedback that is specific is not likely to come across as mushy or insincere. The details make it work. Consider these brief examples: Hey, Larry. You coming in early last night meant we could get the trucks loaded and out before the weather got too bad. As usual, your flexibility helped a lot. Much appreciated. Kyle, I observed your interactions with members today, and I wanted to give you positive feedback on your upselling. You mentioned our mortgages, investment services, and business lines of credit, in each case choosing the right product for the member. I can see that you are applying your training and are well on your way to meeting expectations. Bobby — Tom showed me the hoist you invented. Sweet! Using that, we won’t be straining our backs to move each job. Can’t wait to try it. Mind over muscle! Hi, Chrissy. I observed you assisting the customer who is sight impaired. You made helpful suggestions without rushing her. She might have been the only customer in the store, with the focus and patience you showed her. Thanks for representing us so well! Delia, I read your response to Dr. Wells. Great job! You were firm while polite, and you made it clear to him that he had several options. It was a very effective message, which presented us professionally. Hi, Pam. My trip went perfectly with the travel arrangements you made. The hotel was comfortable and right across the street from the center, as you said. It was lucky for me that you gave me the client’s cell number — she was waiting for me in a conference room, but no one knew where. So I just phoned her cell and located her. 64
Thanks for your attention to detail! It made the long trip easier. Alex, I just saw the Tanakas’ side yard. It’s breathtaking! When Mrs. Tanaka said she wanted a rock wall, I could not imagine how it would work in that space, but you pulled it off. Your design made the most of the limited light, and your plant choices should keep maintenance low for a long time. Just wanted to compliment you on a job well done. Jackie, I just read your email. Your concise notes captured my understanding exactly. Thanks for taking the initiative to write up what we agreed on. It saved me a lot of time. Reviewing that feedback, you will find these positive expressions:
The list includes no mush, no obvious insincerity, and only one “Great job!” “We don’t do positive feedback.” If your workplace culture resists positive feedback, your efforts at building relationships one message at a time may seem out of place. But you are reading this book, so you have the desire or a reason to communicate differently on the job. Start small, putting your positive feedback in writing so that no one feels embarrassed by a public display of admiration. Then keep at it, and watch for results in the form of budding relationships and consistent positive performances. Remember: Every important movement starts with a single action. “I have no time for this!” 65
The secret to having time for positive feedback is to write it (or to make a note to yourself to write it) as soon as you notice the excellent work. You don’t have to go into great detail. For example: Walking through the lunchroom, you speak to a new employee, who praises several aspects of the day’s orientation program. On your smartphone, you send a text to the training designer: “Marty, I got a huge compliment on your onboarding program from a new employee. He loved the map challenge and pop quizzes. Nice work creating new evangelists!” Finishing with one patient, you notice that the receptionist is engaged in conversation with the elderly patient you have kept waiting. You scribble a note to remind yourself. Then when you have a moment, you write a quick text, note, or email: “Kathryn — I was so relieved that you kept Mr. McGowan occupied. Very thoughtful! He was smiling, even though I kept him waiting so long. Thanks!” Reviewing the month’s sales figures, you notice that one rep has moved from number 25 to number 16 among your reps. You grab your iPad and text her: “Kayla, your ranking increased to 16 last month. Great numbers! Your preparation is getting results!” Learning that your grant has been renewed, you send a quick text, update, or email to the grant writer: “Edgar — good news! They extended the grant. Your attention to the details paid off, literally. Many, many thanks!” Of course, you may not have even a moment to scribble a note to yourself or type a short feedback message. If that is the nature of your day or week, do your best to share your positive words in writing, by phone, or in person when you can. Moving Feedback From Positive to Positive and Powerful To take your feedback to the next level, from positive to positive and powerful, apply these suggestions: Be specific. It is perfectly acceptable to write a general comment such as “Great work!” but add why the work was great. The details make the message stick. Avoid using the word but after a compliment. But is guaranteed to erase any positive feeling in the reader’s mind. Compare these statements: I liked your rapid turnaround, but the mistakes were disappointing. I liked your rapid turnaround. It was wonderful to get the document back so fast. When you do need to communicate both positive and constructive feedback, include the constructive part in a separate paragraph, or at least in a separate sentence. The previous two-sentence “rapid turnaround” compliment might be followed with this statement: “A 66
few mistakes need to be corrected.” Use the pronouns you and your when making positive comments. The pronouns give credit clearly to your reader. Compare these examples: The event-planning ideas were very creative and expertly carried out. Your event-planning ideas were very creative, and you carried them out expertly. This is the best proposal for cleanup services I have read. You wrote the best proposal for cleanup services I have read. When appropriate, share positive feedback with others beyond the recipient. If you communicate positive feedback in an email, for example, copy the person’s supervisor on the message. If you write positive feedback for a peer on your team, copy the team on the message. Normally copying others makes everyone feel good. However, in a potentially sensitive situation, ask yourself whether the copies could cause hard feelings. Imagine, for instance, that Joseph was named project leader, a role that Amy was disappointed not to get. Copying Amy on positive feedback to Joseph might make her feel worse. Include why the person’s performance or traits are valuable. Perhaps the individual’s contribution: Made your life easier. Made the department look good. Enhanced the company’s reputation. Taught you a helpful lesson. Built goodwill. Increased efficiency. Created positive buzz. Saved time and money. Created beauty for everyone to share. Reduced accidents. Made everyone feel good. Ensured customer satisfaction. Whether you are a CEO, supervisor, manager, individual contributor, entrepreneur, consultant, or student, share positive feedback every day. Look for opportunities to recognize people’s contributions to your success and contentment. Tell the chef your blackened shrimp was cooked just the way you like it. Send a personal note to the choir director commenting on his fine musical selections. Send a memo to the office manager commending her successful efforts to hire competent staff. Post a notice on the break room bulletin board praising the entire lab for their contributions to an incident-free site visit. 67
Give positive, powerful feedback — lots of it! It will strengthen your business relationships, making them more supportive, rewarding, and enjoyable. And it will strengthen performance.
Personal Reflection One survey respondent said, “In my current position, I have never once been told ‘Good job’ or ‘You did a great job’ or even ‘Thank you.’ Yet I am a diligent, honest hard worker.” Could the writer of that comment work with you? Think of evidence for your answer. Next Step Add “Give positive, powerful feedback” to your planner or calendar as a daily activity.
Send Congratulations to Warm Hearts and Build Relationships It was January 1 when I made a happy announcement to my marketing support group in a program called Marketing for More. I wrote on the discussion board that I had broken a new record for daily page views on my blog — 23,543 on the last day of the year — and I shared some ideas about blogging. Then I enjoyed the congratulatory messages that appeared on the discussion board from my marketing mentor, Marcia Yudkin, and from Marketing for More members Doris Jeanette, Lesley Peters, Alice Risemberg, and others. Lynn, That is stupendous. If just a small portion of those people “stick,” then it can’t help but get your business growing fast. Congratulations for a great start to the new year. Marcia Lynn, You have done an outstanding job on your blog and your niche. Wow! Great. Enjoy, celebrate, and feel good. Doris Lynn, Thanks for sharing, and for your great ideas about coming up with blog post topics! Awesome statistics for you! Congratulations!!! Lesley Lynn, big congratulations! And a heartfelt thank-you for posting your thoughts on what works for your blog. Even though they seem specific, I can see ways to draw out the general ideas. Yay for you! Alice Congratulations warm my heart. I glow when people say, “You have done an outstanding job” in response to one of my successes. I enjoy congratulations even more when friends and associates add complimentary details about how I reached my goal — 69
about how hard I worked or how creative I was. I feel as though they have seen me at my best — and have really noticed. I am not alone. According to my survey on business writing and relationships, 91 percent of people appreciate receiving written congratulations when they achieve a goal or they experience success. A simple, positive way to connect with people and strengthen your business relationships is to congratulate people on their achievements. The four messages I cited from my marketing support group members average just 28 words each, including my name and the writer’s. What could be simpler for you than to write a congratulatory sentence or two to a business associate, customer, or coworker? Yet that small investment brings you and the other person together for that moment, as the sender and receiver of good wishes and a smile. This chapter gives you inspiration, tips, and examples to help you write notes of congratulations. Many Ways and Many Reasons to Congratulate Congratulatory messages can take many forms: printed cards, e-cards, emails, LinkedIn inmail, Facebook postings and private messages, tweets, handwritten notes, and brief, typed business letters. Send congratulations to your colleagues and contacts for many reasons. For example, when they: Get accepted to the college of their choice. Graduate. Pass a demanding professional exam. Get a new job or start a new career, especially after looking for a job for a long time. Earn a job promotion. Start or expand a business. Buy a business. Sell a business. Complete a challenging project. Make significant progress on a challenging project. Land a new client or contract. Reach or surpass a goal. Are featured as a presenter at a prestigious conference. Finish a work of art (visual, musical, etc.). Write a book. Publish a book. Win a prize. Win an award or receive an award nomination. Publish an article in a prestigious publication. Are recognized as an expert by a respected news outlet. Receive recognition for an achievement or a series of achievements. 70
Become a citizen. Are ordained. Get engaged. Get married. Have or adopt a baby. Have or adopt another baby. Become an aunt, an uncle, or a grandparent. Celebrate a milestone (an anniversary, a number of years of sobriety, etc.). Buy a boat, a horse, or another exciting leisure purchase. Buy a home. Buy a vacation home. Buy a retirement home. Retire. Begin a new career after retirement. When they start a new job, venture, or phase in life, people appreciate notes of congratulations. These notes can remind them of their own qualifications and their own excitement — reminders that are especially helpful as they face the intimidating aspects of starting something new. Joanne Masterson, a web designer and Marketing for More member, sent the following affirming congratulatory note to Leslie Guria, who was making great progress on starting a personal chef business, Fresh From Your Kitchen. Notice how Joanne mentions Leslie’s specific strengths. Leslie, Congratulations. I think you are off to such a strong start because of a lot of things you bring to the business: strong web copy, great design, your love of the work, and your knowledge of how to use local media. Congratulations, and keep up the inspiring work! Joanne Write Your Best Congratulatory Notes Like the success for which you are congratulating someone, you want your messages to be positive and motivating. Apply these suggestions to make your notes their best: Be specific. Use the individual’s name, and mention the specific achievement. If possible, share a compliment that ties to the achievement. In the congratulatory email below, I wanted to remind Bill of his strengths, since an extended search can demoralize job seekers and shake their confidence. Subject: Congratulations, Copy Editor! Dear Bill, Congratulations on your new job as a copy editor! I am so glad you have landed a job that is a good fit for your editorial strengths. Having benefited 71
from your editing skills and excellent proofreading eye, I know you have much to offer. I wish you a rewarding, enjoyable experience in your new position. Again, congratulations! Best regards, Lynn Respect individual preferences if you are aware of them. One person responding to my survey wrote, “I am super private and don’t like to be the center of attention. A private congratulations, email, or note is appreciated.” For such an individual, avoid notes in public places such as their Facebook wall or the lunchroom bulletin board. Avoid sarcasm, teasing, and anything that might detract from the positive feeling. A comment such as “It is about time you got a real job” may be intended as playful, but it can come across as judgmental, especially for someone who has endured a long job search. Similarly, “Congratulations on passing the bar; I guess three times was the charm” can wound someone who is embarrassed about the early failures. It is difficult for people — even those you know well — to distinguish sarcasm from seriousness. Personal humor can also hurt unless you make a dig at yourself rather than the person you are congratulating. Do one job in the message: Congratulate. As with all relationship-building messages, congratulations are most powerful when they have one purpose. A sales letter that begins with congratulations is a sales letter — not a sincere congratulatory note. Its congratulations feel hollow, as illustrated in this letter opening: Congratulations on your award as PR [public relations] Executive of the Year! As a sponsor of the celebratory luncheon, we are excited to have an individual like you honored for the contribution you make to the business community in our region. XYZ Printing is also committed to the success of local businesses. As you may remember from the work we did with you, XYZ’s printing services … The following message to Pete, which is a note solely of congratulations, does a better job of strengthening a relationship and therefore paving the way for future business opportunities. Dear Pete, Congratulations on your award as PR Executive of the Year! It is proper that you be honored for your creativity, leadership, and contribution to our community. Working with you on your Save the Zoo campaign, I appreciated your leadership and clarity, and I was struck by your far-reaching vision for our community. It is a delight to see you being widely appreciated and 72
recognized with this honor. With best wishes, Jerry Klein Owner, XYZ Printing Remember Your Online Communities With online communities, you can easily read about people’s life changes and congratulate them. Communications consultant Deb Arnold regularly sends brief congratulatory messages like these to people in her network: Subject: Congrats on your new position Hey Kojo, Saw your new position on my handy LinkedIn update. Congrats! Also read about your volunteer deployment, and greatly admire your courage and commitment. Hope you’re enjoying SF and your new role. Keep in touch. Best, Deb Ed, congrats! Fantastic news! And a nice bit of press as well. Life is falling into place for you, my friend. Couldn’t be happier for you. Wishing you much continued success! Hugs, D I sent this brief message to a contact I did not know well, although we had exchanged emails over the years: Subject: Congratulations on Your New Position Hi, Kathleen, I just saw on LinkedIn that you have a new job. Congratulations! I hope it is everything you want it to be. Best wishes, Lynn Here is Kathleen’s response to my message: Many thanks. It’s an amazing opportunity with an amazing company! I’ll be in touch if we need your wonderful services! In fact, Kathleen did need my services and contacted me about doing workshops for her 73
new employer. She may have thought of me to teach writing classes without the congratulations, but I am certain my message jogged her memory of me and my work. It is not required that you have a close relationship with someone in order to congratulate them. All you need is the desire to maintain a connection. Technical writer Randy Averill described the reason he sent congratulations to someone on LinkedIn: I saw that a former peer was promoted. We used to be in the same industry (home building) and, as such, we would cross paths often. We’ve both moved on in our careers, and we live about 1,000 miles apart, but we remain connected on LinkedIn. I thought a brief recognition of his promotion was in order. We’re not close enough that I would send him anything personal, so I sent him a message through LinkedIn.” Below is Randy’s message. Notice how it rebuilds the relationship with Kevin by recalling specific details. Subject: Congratulations! Kevin, I saw on LinkedIn that you’ve been promoted. I’m glad to see that [Company name] has been able to appreciate your work in the relatively short time you’ve been with them. It’s especially comforting to see you move ahead in these difficult economic conditions. I hope all is well, and I miss the regular get-togethers we used to have in the home building industry. I trust you’re still enjoying your cars. Congratulations again, Randy Should You Congratulate People You Don’t Like? The reason for congratulating others is to build and maintain relationships. So if you don’t want a business relationship with someone, you may choose to skip the congratulatory note. But think twice about that decision. If you do not like an individual but respect him or her, having a polite though not friendly relationship may still benefit both of you. You may share contacts, referrals, and opportunities. These two congratulatory messages are professional without being overly friendly. Dear Tabitha, Congratulations on winning the Rogers case. Your work on the case was brilliant. I am delighted for you and for the entire defense team. Congratulations on a job very well done. Everett Dear Conrad, I am pleased to congratulate you on your new position. You have worked 74
diligently, and it is fitting that your hard work has paid off with this new career opportunity. I wish you continued success. David Congratulations for Many Situations It is easy to spread joy and maintain relationships by recognizing people’s successes. These sample messages may get you thinking about people and situations in your work life. Note: As emails, each might have the subject line “Congratulations!” or something a bit more specific. For an intern who is graduating: Hi, Erika. Congratulations on finishing at U of C! What an achievement! That you finished school while working so hard for our team is something to be commended. I heard about your travel plans to Europe. It is just like you to set a goal and then set things in motion to achieve that goal. I hope that you travel safely and joyfully. Please stay in touch. Warm congratulations, Katie For an older college graduate: Chris, congratulations on your graduation! We know how many years you have been waiting for this day and how hard you have worked to get here. We all admire your perseverance and unwavering focus on your goal. Congratulations, college graduate! Your friends in Accounting, Jessica, Albert, Sumonta, and Nicolas For someone with a new business: Hi, Cara. I received the SHRM [Society for Human Resource Management] notice about your presentation this week and realized you have a new business. Well done! I hope it’s a great triumph for you. Your presentation sounds brilliant. If I were in Seattle, I would definitely attend. Much success to you! Jake For someone who has reached a level of prestige: Dear Donna, 75
I just did a Google search with an etiquette question, and your site was number 1 in the list of sites. Wow! I was delighted to see that your reputation as an expert has spread. I poked around on your site and learned a lot. The high quality of your content and your willingness to share your knowledge are very impressive. Congratulations on building such a positive business and level of success. Roger Smith For someone who has published a book: Hi Cindy, Congratulations on your new book, Great Webinars . I just ordered it online. Can’t wait to read your advice and wise words. I have heard how much blood, sweat, and tears go into birthing a book and just wanted to congratulate you on having done it. Warm regards, Carol Morgan For someone who has been promoted: Hey, Tina. I just had lunch with some of the women in Sales, and they told me about your promotion. Great news! Congratulations! You are so deserving of it. Your hard work and smarts have always stood out. You are an asset to the company, and it is terrific that you have been recognized this way — the way it counts. Just wanted to join those who are cheering for you! Hip hip hurray! William For someone you do not know who has been promoted: Dear Joyce, I just read RoAnn’s announcement about your promotion. Congratulations! Gizelle Olson is a friend of mine, and she often tells me about the creative work you have been doing in Design. Obviously, other people have noticed your great work too. Congratulations on moving ahead! Best, Deanna Jones For someone who has bought a new home: Hi, Cormac. Congratulations on your new home! Uptown is a wonderful neighborhood. I hope you and Debra have many years of happiness in your new place. 76
Warm wishes, Suzan For someone who has announced retirement: Dear Mr. Han, Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. I hope you and Mrs. Han will be very happy in this new phase of your lives. You have been a generous mentor and guide for me as I learned the trade. I am very grateful for the lessons you shared. Best wishes for a fulfilling retirement, Adam McLaughlin The best congratulatory notes communicate in a tone and style that match the relationship. When she graduated from high school and was moving away to attend college, my daughter received this exuberant message from our hair stylist, Lisa DodgeJohnson: Congratulations, Eva! Celebrate a job well done! This is such an EXCITING TIME. Remember all those “butterflies” you may feel are colored by your thoughts, so when you can, choose to think “I AM SO EXCITED!” (instead of “I’m so scared,” etc.). New Orleans is so lucky to get to meet you. Your innate Goodness, Talents, Beauty, and Wisdom, along with your passionate efforts, will be a Gift to the world, especially to all of us who get to share moments with you. May You Be Blessed by God’s Grace Forever! Love and hugs, Lisa P.S. Keep the music flowing! Like Lisa, you can let loose with all-capital letters and exclamations if you choose to. After all, notes of congratulations are to celebrate something special. Let your writing reflect joy and excitement. This chapter contains 43 exclamation marks!
Personal Reflection Do you take the time to congratulate others? If so, congratulations! If not, what gets in the way of sending congratulatory messages? Do you want to start a new habit? Next Step
Review the long list of reasons to send a note of congratulations. Then write one. Enjoy celebrating someone’s success and sharing in his or her happiness. Then congratulate yourself for taking action to maintain that business relationship.
Convey Condolences to Connect With Others When Hurricane Katrina struck the southeastern United States in September 2005, I wanted to do something that would make a difference. Watching the images on TV, the people waiting desperately on the roofs for rescue, the drowning of entire neighborhoods, I wanted to help. Beyond making financial contributions, I ended up writing a blog post to help people write condolences to those who had suffered devastating losses. To my surprise, that small gesture made a big difference. From that day on, the visits to my blog skyrocketed from just dozens of daily page views to over a thousand views each day, and they continued to rise rapidly. Blog visitors used search strings such as “writing condolences” and “how to write a sympathy message.” With the huge increase in blog traffic, I recognized two facts: (1) Everyone needs to write condolence messages at one time or another, and (2) Most people find the task difficult, nearly impossible. Do those facts fit you? In the face of sorrow, tragedy, and loss, do you feel you can’t find the right words and the ways to put them together? This chapter will help you with the important task of writing to someone whose life has been changed by loss or suffering. The task is important because for those who have experienced a profound loss, hearing from you is a lifeline. Receiving notes, letters, cards, emails, and calls reduces isolation, loneliness, and helplessness. People who have lost someone or something important need to hear from you. Should You Send Sympathy Messages in Business Relationships? If you are wondering whether to send this kind of personal message in a business relationship, the answer is yes! Take the risk. Sending a note or card gives you the opportunity to connect with another human being who is suffering. At the very least, it shows that you care enough to communicate in a difficult time. Your reaching out may establish a memorable bond between you and the person in crisis. In what better way can you nurture a business relationship? When my business contact Margaret Elwood’s father died, I sent her a sympathy card with a handwritten message. Margaret is someone I like very much, but I have met her only twice outside work situations. Here is how she responded to my card: Dear Lynn and Michael, Your sympathy card was timely and very, very helpful to me during difficult days last week. And though I received several notes of condolence through email, I found in my distress that a tangible card I could see on my desk was really much more comforting. Thank you so much. This week is much better, and though I know that grief takes its own time 79
outside of my control, I am feeling grateful for the years I had with my father and for the time I have with friends like you right now. Margaret Although our relationship focuses on work, our personal connection deepened through our exchange of messages about Margaret’s father’s death. You write condolence messages because of the pain the other person is feeling. But just thinking about that pain can make you feel awkward and stumbling as a writer. In my survey on business writing and relationships, 28 percent of people said they did not know how to write a condolence message or were not sure they knew how. A larger number of men (37 percent) than women (25 percent) put themselves in this category. Two respondents shared these comments: I always have a terrible time with this. Anything I write doesn’t sound genuine. I’ve often just given up and sent nothing. It has recently happened [the death of a coworker’s family member], and I had no clue how to express sympathy. Helpful Tips for Writing Condolence Messages If you feel unsure about how to write this important message, consider these tips to handle the task with confidence and care: Do not be embarrassed if you can’t think of the “right” words. Your goal is not to be perfect but to make a sincere connection with another human being. Write what you feel. Express your care, concern, or understanding. Acknowledge the other person’s loss. Even the brief sentence “Words do not suffice” expresses empathy and caring. Remember that the purpose of this message is to connect with the bereaved. Comfort and support are the reasons for the message — not preaching or gaining converts to your beliefs. If you feel it is appropriate in your situation, you may write, “You are in my prayers.” But do not express your beliefs on fate, death, dying, or related spiritual matters (for example, “She is undoubtedly with the Lord now”) unless you are certain they will comfort the reader. Avoid any comments that may cause discomfort, embarrassment, or defensiveness. If it will slow you down to send a note or card through the post, send an email or another kind of online message expressing sympathy. If possible, send a note or card through regular mail in addition to the online greeting. Remember Margaret’s comment, “Though I received several notes of condolence through email, I found in my distress that a tangible card I could see on my desk was really much more comforting.” It is easy for people to reread cards and notes as they sit quietly and reflect on their loss. Also, sending a card can be easier for you. Printed cards typically include words of comfort, to which you can add your own. But do not wait to find the “perfect” card — you 80
may never find it or get around to mailing it. Avoid bringing up work-related topics. For example, do not write, “We cannot wait to have you back on the project,” which may suggest that you are rushing the individual’s period of grieving. Do not include your business card, which suggests you are promoting yourself. If you are worried that the recipient of the card will not recognize your name, include your company name under it. Sign off with a standard close. People sometimes fret about the way to close a sympathy message, especially if they do not know the recipient well. Below are acceptable closes. If a close doesn’t feel appropriate, you may simply sign your name.
When you send a message of condolence, add the date to your calendar. That way you can remember the anniversary with your colleague who lost the family member or friend, if you choose to. You might send a brief note like one of these: Dear Keina, At this time of year I remember Sam’s passing and think of you. I have been thinking about what a generous, funny man he was and how much you must miss him. Know that I am thinking of you during this time of remembering. With warm wishes, April Dear Mr. Robson, With the holidays upon us, I remember that Jeff died over Christmas break last year. I just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you as you remember and grieve the loss of your loving son. Sincerely, Julianne If you are thinking that it is untruthful to add a date to your calendar and then imply that you remembered it, think again. You remembered to add it to your calendar. Then when your calendar reminded you of the anniversary, you remembered the individuals involved. Some people prefer to remember happy times rather than sad anniversaries. If you happen to know the birthday or wedding anniversary of someone who has died, you can acknowledge that date with the grieving family member or friend. For example, my father died at age 90. On what would have been his 91st birthday, I received a beautiful card 81
from Hiers-Baxley, the funeral home in Ocala, Florida, that handled all the details of his memorial services. The card prominently showed my father’s date of birth and included the message, “On your loved one’s birthday, may the happy memories of yesterday be a comfort to you.” It was signed by three members of the Hiers-Baxley team. The card acknowledged my father’s special day, which I had been thinking about, and it reminded me of the caring way the Hiers-Baxley staff had treated us. When you have a close business relationship with someone who has experienced a serious loss, take time to check in with the individual and remember the loss. One of my friends lost her husband suddenly to a massive heart attack. Because of my friend’s shock and grief, she suspended the violin lessons she had been taking. Two years later she told me, “My violin teacher never checked in to see how I was doing or whether I wanted to start lessons again. It made me feel she did not care, so I decided not to go back to her.” Perhaps the teacher had felt awkward about following up, but a brief message — for example, “Just checking in to see how you are doing” — would have indicated that she remembered her student’s pain and would have maintained their relationship. Sample Condolence Messages Don’t avoid sending a sympathy message because you don’t know what to say. You will have missed an important opportunity to connect with another human being in a moment of sorrow and loss. Use these examples to adapt to your situations. When you can share a warm story about the individual who has died, share it. You will notice that in some messages the paragraphs are indented. It is standard to indent paragraphs in handwritten notes. In emailed messages, do not indent paragraphs. Upon the death of a spouse: Dear Matthew, We are so sorry about Ellen’s death. She was a lovely woman who touched so many lives with her joy and generosity. We miss her deeply already, and we can only imagine the heartbreak you feel. One of our fondest memories of your dear wife is of the kindness she showed to the refugee family from Rwanda. She treated them like her own family. She involved many of us in that kindness, and we were all better people because of it. Ellen lived her life as a model of grace and goodness. We are very lucky to have known her. Please accept our deepest sympathy. Kent and Mary Upon the death of a parent: Dear Martha, Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of your father. I am so sorry about your loss. Although I never met your father, I know how much he meant to you. Through your stories of his frugality, his love of nature, and his loving support of you, I feel as though I knew him. I know he was a fine man and 82
that his absence will be felt by many people. When my father died, it gave me a good feeling to talk with people about him. I would enjoy hearing more about your father and his life if you would like to share memories when we get together. In the meantime, I will be thinking of you and your family. With deep sympathy, Joanna My colleague the late Steve Holtzer sent the email below to his business associate Russ Taylor upon the death of Russ’s mother. Russ and Margaret, Like you, let me begin by apologizing for the use of email at this time. I am so sad to hear the news of the passing of Russ’s mom on Friday. Although I never met her, I did have the privilege of hearing Russ speak fondly of her whenever he and I met or talked on the phone. And even without meeting her, I could tell that she had a very kind heart, for it lives on in Russ. No doubt she was very proud of the son she produced, and rightly so. If there is anything I can do for you during this time of grief, please let me know. Steve Holtzer A year later Steve himself died. That is when Russ shared with me the condolence message Steve had sent him. Clearly, it had made a significant impression on Russ. Upon a death after a long illness: Dear Erik, Please accept my sincere sympathy on the passing of your brother. Although he suffered for a long time and this moment may seem like a blessing, it is still a grave loss for you. Life is never quite the same when a sibling is no longer present, and I am sorry for the hardship you are experiencing. I will hold you and your family in my thoughts and prayers as you experience grief and sadness. There are many like me who are thinking of you. With warm regards, Linda Upon the death of a difficult person: Dear Su, Please accept my sympathy on the death of your mother. I know she was 83
difficult at times, and no doubt you are experiencing a range of emotions. Nevertheless, the death of someone who has been important in your life always creates an absence. I am very sorry for your loss. I am keeping you in my thoughts as you move through your bereavement. With sincere condolences, Scott Upon the death of a child: Dear Dr. and Mrs. Clarke, All of us in the lab are so sorry about the death of your beautiful daughter. We wish we could find words that would relieve your pain, but we cannot. Losing a child is one of the saddest experiences, and words of true comfort are difficult to find. Please know that we are thinking of you in your sorrow. You have our sincere condolences. In sympathy, Devon, Matt, Yuri, Alex, Jasmine, Ray, and Terry In rare instances when you have been informed by an individual of her miscarriage, you may wish to communicate your sympathy in writing: Dear Deborah, I am so very sorry about your miscarriage. From our conversations, I know how excited you and Gary were about conceiving this child. I can only imagine your feelings of loss and disappointment. If there is anything I can do during this painful time, please tell me. Nan Upon a death when you know very little about the situation: Dear Monique, All of us are very sorry to learn that you have experienced a death in your family. Although we do not know the details, we want you to know that we are thinking about you in your bereavement. Please accept our condolences. Sincerely, The Marketing Team Upon a death by suicide: Dear Neal, Please accept our sincere sympathy on the tragic death of your brother. We are very sorry that he is no longer with you. No doubt this awful event has been very disturbing for you, your family, and your friends who knew and loved David. We are thinking of you and 84
them in this time of loss and bereavement. If we can help in any way, please let us know. With sympathy, Jennifer and Lionel Upon the death of a beloved pet: If you have experienced the death of a pet, you know that it can be just as sad as the loss of a human being, sometimes more so. The deep sadness comes from the loss of companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love that a pet gives so enthusiastically. When an employee, coworker, client, or friend loses a beloved pet, send a note of condolence — just as you do when a loved one dies. Our beautiful English cocker spaniel, Chica, died on her 14th birthday. We were surprised and touched by a sympathy card we received a few days after Chica’s death, from the veterinarian, Dr. Hanna Ekström of At Home Vet, who had come to our house to put Chica to sleep (that is, to euthanize her). We were surprised because we had not known the vet until she came to our home that sad day. Yet she took the time to express her condolences in the card: You have my deepest sympathy over your recent loss of Chica. I could tell how well loved she was and what a wonderful life she had led. May you find comfort in your many memories of days shared and of her floating away so peacefully with you all by her side. Hugs, Dr. Hanna We cried just reading the thoughtful words. Yet we deeply appreciated Dr. Hanna’s message. I wrote the email below to friends whose elderly dog had died, then followed it with a sympathy card. Dear Tim and Patrick, I just read your message about Victor’s passing. I am so sorry for your loss. In my experience, there is no creature like a dog for unconditional love, enthusiasm, zest for playing, and unending expectation of life’s next treat. I imagine that his place in your home, your daily routines, and — of course — your hearts will long seem empty. I will remember Victor’s beautiful bows and his wandering sniffs at picnics. I will also remember how dear he was to you. Please accept my deep sympathy. I will be thinking of you in your sorrow. Lynn Because I had met Victor many times, I was able to write something about my 85
experience of him. But even if you have never met a customer’s, boss’s, or vendor’s pet, you can write notes like these: Dear Mandi, Please accept my sympathy on the death of your dear companion, Isis. I know the big role she played in your life, and I am very sorry that she is no longer with you. I will be thinking of you as you grieve the loss of your beloved cat. Sincerely, Robin Dear Julie, We were so sorry to hear that Sunny died in an accident. From the many photos that have decorated your desktop, we know she was a light in your life, and we realize that you will miss her deeply. Please accept our condolences on your sad and sudden loss. We are thinking of you. In sympathy, Shelly and Annie Dear James, I was saddened to hear the news that Ernie’s life ended last week. Although I didn’t know your pooch, I know how much you cared about him, and I know you will miss him deeply after your many years together. Please accept my sincere sympathy on the passing of your dear friend. Dan Upon an illness or injury: A condolence message is a fitting, thoughtful gesture anytime someone experiences a serious blow or setback. Dear Mr. Graham, Joan told me today about your hospital stay and that you are now at home recuperating. I was very sorry to learn of your accident and the injury to your back. Please accept my condolences and warm wishes for your healing. I hope that as each day passes you will continue to feel better. Know that I am thinking of you as you rest and heal. Sincerely, Kay Brooks Dear Nelly, Thank you for including me in the email you sent in which you let us know 86
about your treatment for cancer. I am sorry to learn of your illness. Please forget all about work and focus completely on your healing. All of us will be sending you positive, healthy energy and lots of smiles and virtual hugs. Get well soon! Tiffany Upon an illness or impending death of a colleague’s relative: A woman whom I will call Diana works as a consultant. Diana told me about the time in which her mother was dying. Because of all that was involved in her mother’s illness and care, Diana had to postpone several meetings with clients. She explained to each client the reason for the postponement, and all of them replied with appropriate expressions of sympathy and understanding — all except one. He wrote back something like this: “Okay, just let me know when you are back in business. We need to finish the project this quarter.” Stunned by the man’s insensitivity, Diana decided she would never work with him again. Don’t come across like Diana’s inconsiderate client. If an associate is dealing with the challenges of ailing relatives, send a message like one of these emails: Hi Diana, Thank you for letting me know about your situation. I am so sorry your mother is seriously ill. I hope the next days and weeks go as well as possible for you, your mother, and your entire family. I understand your need to put our project on hold. Please take the time you need, and let me know when you can resume our work together. Edward Hello, Emmett. So sorry to hear about your daughter! I will keep all of you in my thoughts as you deal with this very difficult situation. Please stay in touch and let me know if I can be of any assistance. Best regards, Amanda If the project simply cannot wait, express sympathy and understanding before jumping into work details: Dear Ahmad, I am very sorry to learn that your father has entered hospice care. I can imagine what a strain this situation puts on you and your family. Please accept my sympathy. Because we are under a short deadline, I hope it is acceptable to you if I speak with Evan about getting someone to jump in to assist in your role. I 87
trust that knowing the project is moving forward will help you focus on your father’s needs and your own. I will be thinking of you and your father. Best wishes, Leo Upon unexpected job loss: Re: Bad News About Your Job Nadia, I just learned from Aruna what happened at XYZ. I am so sorry about your job! The news is a shock to me. I can’t even imagine how you feel. As soon as you are ready to, please call me and let me know what I can do to help you. I will contact you again soon to see when you want to meet for coffee or a walk. Yours, Fabiana Re: News About Your Leaving XYZ Hello, Wayne Thanks for letting me know what happened. From what you described, I am guessing you were not surprised by the news. Still, losing a job is a colossal change. You have my sympathy. If I can help in any way — introductions, resume review, whatever — just let me know. Stay in touch — and I’ll do the same. Faazaz When Natural Disasters Upset or Ruin Lives Natural disasters touch many people, some more deeply than others. People may lose or be separated from loved ones. Their homes or businesses may be destroyed. Their future may be turned upside down in one way or another. In early 2009 Australians experienced destructive, tragic bushfires. A blog reader named Fionna wrote to me asking for help to write a condolence message to friends: I want to send a card to friends who lost their home in the recent bushfires in Victoria. Luckily they were away when the fires hit, but with the loss of their home and its contents and the damage to the community, I would like to commiserate with them. Any ideas on what to write? I had many ideas for Fionna because of the condolence messages I had started writing when Hurricane Katrina hit the southeastern United States. I created the examples below 88
for victims of the bushfires, of Hurricane Katrina, of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in 2011, and of Superstorm Sandy, which crippled New York-New Jersey and other coastal areas in 2012. You can adapt them for similar natural disasters. For Fionna to send to friends who lost their home and community: Dear Simon and Samantha, I am so terribly sorry about the loss of your home and the devastation of your lovely community. You have been in my thoughts since the blaze struck. I was relieved knowing you were away from home, but I share your sorrow in all that you have lost. Please know that I am thinking of you in your time of sadness and loss. Fionna For someone whose family member died in the bushfires: Dear Stephen, Please accept my condolences on the death of your brother Nigel. His sudden death in the bushfires is tragic and heartbreaking. We all wish we could undo what happened and bring him back as his funny, wisecracking self. The world is a lesser place without Nigel in it. I wish I had words that could make your pain less. At least you know my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you grieve. In sympathy, Carl For someone who suffered because of a hurricane; easily adaptable to other situations: Dear Betty, I am so sorry about the heartbreaking losses you have experienced through the hurricane. Please accept my deepest sympathy. As you move through the difficult days and weeks ahead, you will be present in my thoughts. If there is anything I can do to ease your loss, please let me know. I would be grateful for the opportunity to help you. With sincere sympathy, Rene For someone whose business and coworkers have suffered: Dear Mansour, We are deeply sorry to learn about your losses caused by the hurricane and its terrible aftermath. Please know that we are all thinking about you and your coworkers as you piece together your lives and your work. You have our sincere condolences. 89
Adam and Vincent For someone whose plans have been crushed: Dear Mitch, Talking with Estrella, I learned about how the hurricane has upset your plans for retirement. I am very sorry this happened! I know it must be extremely difficult for you. I simply want you to know I am thinking of you. I wish you the best possible outcome. Sincerely, Jim Downs For victims of a huge storm: Hello, Warren. I just learned from Brittany that your cottage on the Jersey Shore was wiped out in last week’s storm. Please accept my sympathy on your loss. As someone who was lucky enough to have been your guest, I know how much fun you and your family shared in that bungalow and how many good memories you must have. I am very sad that the cottage is gone. You are in my thoughts. Linda Kathleen, How sad I am to learn that your lovely Twinkles was lost in the storm! I know how you treasure that dog, and I can imagine that the lack of knowing what happened to her is extremely painful. I am sincerely sorry for both you and Twinkles. Warmest wishes, Lisa Dear Rhonda, Please accept my sympathy on the death of your wonderful husband. I am so very sorry about the terrible accident that took his life. The fact that Frank died in an attempt to save others illustrates the courage and love that filled him. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers as you grieve this deep loss. With sympathy, Marie For anyone who has experienced serious loss: 90
Dear Quinn, Words cannot express how sorry we are about the recent tragic events that have touched you so deeply. Your loss is huge. We can only imagine the hurt you feel. We want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Please accept our condolences and our hopes for your healing and renewal. With sympathy, Thomas and Ashley For people in Japan who suffered the earthquake and tsunami: If you need to write across cultures, the examples that follow may be helpful. They primarily use short sentences and literal language to communicate effectively across the language barrier. To match the Japanese focus on the group rather than the individual, the notes mention the community and the country. I intended the messages to be restrained and dignified rather than flamboyant and familiar. Dear Shinichi, As I watch my TV and see the snow falling in northern Japan, I think deeply of you and the struggles your country is facing. I am touched by the bravery, collaboration, and patience of the Japanese people of all ages. It is very sad that the earthquake destroyed your school. I understand how important your school is to the members of your community. I hope that you and the people in your community will be able to obtain food, water, and all necessities. I also hope that your spirits will remain positive as you work to reconstruct your society. With all good wishes, Barbara Allen Dear Mr. Suzuki, Thank you for writing to us. We are thinking of you, your coworkers, your families, and your community as you work to recover from the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami. We are grateful that your office building in Tokyo was not affected. Yet we recognize that everyone in Japan has been affected profoundly by the recent events. You are in our thoughts as you strive to recover and rebuild your beautiful country. We wish you strength, peace, and safety in the days and months ahead. Sincerely, Carl and Suzanne Gray Build Relationships in Difficult Times When you are wondering what you can do to help a business associate who is 91
experiencing a sad loss, stop wondering: Send a sympathy message. For those who receive them, cards and messages of sympathy and condolence provide an essential link with other people in a time of loss and need. Provide that link. Be that lifeline. Establish a strong, possibly lasting bond between a client, customer, or coworker and yourself.
Personal Reflection A respondent in my survey wrote, “It is very touching when someone (anyone) takes the time to acknowledge your pain.” Do you feel comfortable acknowledging loss and pain in a condolence message to a business associate? What might you do to reduce any discomfort? Next Step Prepare yourself for occasions that require a message of condolence by purchasing several sympathy cards and keeping them with your letterhead or notepaper. A card with a brief, tasteful message makes your task easier. You can write a sincere sentence or two, then sign and send the card.
Personal Introductions: Pave the Way to New Relationships Ron Scott estimates that he has introduced more than 14,000 people in the past 20 years. That’s a conservative number, he says. Ron, who works as an independent leadership and organizational development consultant in the Seattle area, calculates that he introduces more than 700 business people each year, virtually all through email. Having known Ron and benefited from his business matchmaking for more than 20 years, I find his figures credible. You can see Ron’s process at work in the following email, which he sent to Deb Arnold and me. Subject: Introduction Lynn and Deb, I am pleased to introduce you two. Lynn, Deb Arnold is a Seattle-based communication consultant. Deb guides organizations to create and deliver internal communications that help achieve enterprise and department goals more effectively and efficiently. Thinking there is high potential for mutual benefit in you two meeting, I suggested that she call you to schedule an appointment. Thanks in advance for meeting with Deb. Deb, Lynn Gaertner-Johnston is Founder, Syntax Training, a business writing training firm. Her office phone number is [number]. Best regards, Ron Ronald G. Scott Scott Associates Shortly after we received Ron’s message, Deb and I exchanged emails to set up a meeting. Since our first meeting, she and I have had lunch many times. We have called and emailed each other for business advice. She has been a guest speaker in my communications classes in the MBA program at University of Washington–Bothell, and I have attended her choir concerts. Although our relationship focuses more on our businesses than our personal lives, we consider each other good, trusted friends. We have Ron Scott to thank for our rewarding relationship. Why Take the Time to Introduce Others? With his 14,000-plus introductions, Ron Scott is a master of paving the way for others to create business relationships. Why does he do it? Ron views introducing people almost as 93
a way of tithing, a way of giving back to the business community. “I like giving back to a business world that has been so good to me,” he says, “by introducing people whose lives I believe will be enriched in their meeting.” Although Ron emphasizes giving back and experiencing personal fulfillment, the benefits go beyond good feelings. Twenty-five years after making an introduction that led a woman named Jennifer to a productive career move, Ron got a call from Jennifer. She was planning to retire, and one of her last acts before retiring was to recommend a consultant for an important project at her firm. That consultant was Ron. In the project, he earned $175,000. Ron emphasizes that only occasionally is there such a direct return to him for connecting people. But I’m betting the less direct returns are huge. Ron has no website, blog, or Facebook page, and he doesn’t tweet. He gets all of his consulting and coaching assignments through personal referrals, and his work plate is as full as he wants it to be. Referrals come not only from doing excellent work, but also from the high regard of one’s associates. Ron has earned high regard over the years, in part because of his willingness to help others. He acknowledges that link: “Connecting people demonstrates that I am not just living this life for myself. I am of service to my community. Obviously, I get benefit from that.” Ron’s planting the seeds of relationships for others is part of building and maintaining his professional network. The subtitle of this book is “How to Build Great Work Relationships One Message at a Time.” As a first step in building relationships, introductions spark interest, enthusiasm, and often generosity. This chapter shows you how to add introductions to your writing repertoire. Choosing People to Introduce It is difficult to imagine introducing 14,000 people, so why not start with just two people you know who do not know each other? Think about ones who have, as Ron says, “matching or complementary values, beliefs, and behaviors.” Do they have common interests and goals? Are they at a similar place in their personal lives or careers? Think about how a business relationship might benefit the two people. Could one offer the other advice on starting a business or restarting a career? Is one of them in a place to mentor the other or to make further introductions? Could one of them share insights on how to thrive in a new city or industry? Is one looking to hire an employee or contractor, and the other seems like a possible match? Ron Scott looks for a match in which both people will leave the meeting thinking, “Wow! I am glad I met that person.” As he explains, “They may be saying wow for both personal and professional reasons, or one of the two.” Incidentally, Ron has made three networking introductions that led to marriage. Making the Connection You can bring people together by email, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other online services that help you share messages and contact information. Jerry Schlagenhauf, a career consultant in the Seattle area, used the email below to introduce two of his career transition clients. Because he has a coaching role with them and knows them both well, he made very 94
specific suggestions about how they could benefit from meeting. (Details have been disguised.) Subject: You two need to meet each other! Greetings, Angela and Ben. There are numerous reasons that you should connect, and soon: 1. You probably will want to explore your experiences in Chicago and at the U of C. 2. You have a passion for serving and contributing to community justice and understanding. 3. You have professional skills and professional connections that will be mutually beneficial. Angela has exceptional credentials and experience, with 11 years in broadbased anti-bias curriculum models and multiculturalism. She fervently desires to assist decision makers to achieve cultural competencies that translate into improvements in education, training and access to resources for all. She is the Program Manager for the XYZ Association. Ben has a professional background in senior public affairs & government affairs, public policy, and as an attorney. He is currently the public policy director at ABC Medical Center. Ben has a formidable networking capacity in the state of Washington. Contact information: Angela — [phone & email] Ben — [phone & email] Angela, ask Ben about the LMNOP School (and the organizations to which you have already applied). Ben, discuss LinkedIn with Angela. Have a great meeting! Jerry The Schlagenhauf Group That detailed message was an introduction of two people in career transition. This email introduces two people who work at the same company: Subject: Susan, Meet Ralph; Ralph, Meet Susan I am introducing you two because I think you would enjoy meeting and sharing your know-how. Susan, Ralph is an archivist in our SF office. He moved there from Seattle four years ago and can share lots of insights about the SF team and the city. He is a foodie and a baseball junkie. Ralph, Susan moves from Portland to SF next month. She has been with us 95
seven years as a database expert. I bet she can share wisdom to help with your new project. Susan is excited about her move into the big leagues of the company and baseball. Go Giants! You now have each other’s addresses. You can take it from here. David Tips for Making Introductions Apply these tips to make flawless introductions that your contacts will welcome: Have one or more reasons for making each introduction. Mention the reasons in your email. That information will inspire the individuals to communicate. Your reasons may be as a simple as Ron’s “thinking there is high potential for mutual benefit in you two meeting.” Share a few details that will jump-start the connection. Jerry’s email included lots of suggestions to get Angela and Ben talking. David’s email includes information about hobbies, which can help start a conversation between Susan and Ralph. Ask permission from each party before making the introduction unless you know that the individuals are open to introductions. Asking shows respect and an awareness of people’s privacy needs. Include phone numbers if you are certain that sharing them is acceptable to the people involved. Otherwise, just use email, which reveals both people’s email addresses. Avoid making introductions to the same person continually unless he or she encourages you to do so. For example, it would not be wise for David to introduce Ralph repeatedly to San Francisco newbies. Do not introduce someone you are not proud to present. In other words, avoid introducing a jerk. If you find a person arrogant and pushy, assume others will agree. Forego making the introduction, even if the individual requests one. Responding to Introductions If you have been introduced by email, you may take the next step by email or phone. When Ron Scott introduced me to Pete Busacca, an expert in sales and sales strategy, Pete promptly sent this email: Dear Ron and Lynn, Ron, thank you for the introduction and for the kind words. Lynn, I look forward to meeting you. You and Michael have an intriguing website, and I am so curious how you went from “beautiful” Peoria, Illinois, through South Bend, to find yourself here in the drizzly Northwest. I wonder if we might get together over a cup of coffee in the next week or 96
two. Would you be available to meet this Friday around midmorning? If not, please suggest some other dates and times that might work for you. Of course, Michael is welcome to join us. Thanks, and I so look forward to meeting you. Best regards, Pete Busacca Pete’s email is first-rate. In it, he showed that he had done his homework: He had visited our company website and read our bios. He expressed curiosity about me. Also, he took the initiative to suggest a date and time to meet. After reading his email, I was eager to meet Pete, and we scheduled on the Friday morning he suggested. Success! We both widened our professional circles, thanks to Ron Scott. Introducing an Individual to a Group Just as 1-to-1 introductions benefit both people, introducing someone to a group or to the entire company has great benefits for everyone. Consider this email example: Subject: Welcome Pat Nielsen to Sales I am pleased to announce that Pat Nielsen will join the Sales group as Sales Assistant on Monday, April 11. Her role is to help us produce outstanding proposals, presentations, web demos, and related materials and events. She reports to Stephanie Brown. Pat’s experience is a terrific fit for the job. She comes to us from XYZ Company, where she worked first in retail sales and then as a store event coordinator. Before working full time, she earned her bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Washington. She loves to kayak, hike, and take nature photographs. She did all three on a recent trip to Maui. If you are at headquarters, stop by Pat’s desk on the 4th floor and introduce yourself to her. You can also reach her at Ext. 2003 and [email protected]
Bill Richards Director of Sales Benefit to the Sales group: Everyone who reads the message will learn a lot — who Pat is, what her role in Sales will be, when she starts, whom she reports to, why she was hired, who she is outside work, how she can be reached, and how to welcome her. People will feel they already know her. Benefit to Pat: When she reads the email from the Director of Sales introducing her to the group, she is likely to learn how important she is to the team and to feel terrific, especially when people stop by to say hello. Benefit to everyone: The email will probably inspire Pat to feel that she made the correct choice when she accepted the job. In turn, that feeling will inspire her performance. 97
Introducing new employees is a step that often gets overlooked, except at the highest job levels. But overlooking introductions can leave new employees feeling alone and anonymous, and it can stifle their ability to contribute and grow. Tips for Making Introductions to a Group Follow these tips to write introductions that ignite excellent work relationships: Include basic information: the new person’s name, role, reporting relationship, relevant background and education, and contact information. Adding a personal detail, such as Pat’s specific interests in the outdoors, will enrich the introduction and help employees relate to the new hire. Be consistent about introductions. If you introduce the senior manager, introduce the receptionist. You may use fewer details for the receptionist because his or her career may be shorter and responsibilities narrower. Nevertheless, introduce everyone. Even in economic downturns when people are being laid off, new employees should be welcomed with an introduction. Decide on the appropriate audience for the introduction. You may choose to introduce the new employee to your department, your division, or the people in your building. If your company is small (100 people or fewer), you may write to everyone. Think about who is likely to interact with the new employee. Those people will need and want the introduction. Choose a communication medium that makes sense for your company. It may be email, a newsletter article, or a posting on your intranet. Let the individual know that you will publish the introduction, and give him or her a chance to approve the content. For example, in the message introducing Pat to Sales, the writer or his assistant might have asked Pat’s permission to mention her hobbies and her recent trip to Maui. Do not use sarcasm in your introduction, and be very cautious with humor. Avoid any content that could detract from the positive tone. Introducing Yourself: Reintroductions You cannot always have an intermediary make introductions for you, and you don’t always need one. Often you can introduce or reintroduce yourself. You can take your own steps to launch business relationships. You may want to reintroduce yourself after meeting at a networking or professional event or after not seeing someone for a long time. Reintroductions are easier than introducing yourself for the first time. The person has already met you in one way or another, and you can build on that meeting. Alexandra, a reader of my Business Writing blog, asked me what to write in a followup email to people she meets at important meetings. She explained that at the meetings, she 98
often talks to potential clients or partners for only a few minutes, and she would like to take those brief contacts to the next level. She asked what she can say to potential clients or partners in a follow-up email that will make a good impression. Alexandra had a specific business purpose for her desire to make follow-up contact. Even without a specific purpose, though, it is valuable for most business people to nurture the brief professional contacts that seem to have potential. With nurturing, those contacts may develop into business relationships, not just names in a contact list. Here are things Alexandra and you can do in a follow-up email: Mention the meeting and the conversation. Refer to something specific that came up in the conversation, especially a mutual interest. Suggest a way to continue the conversation. If possible, attach an article or include a useful link that will please the other person (not a hard-selling piece). Mention a next step you will take, or ask the other person to respond. The following examples, whose details are all fictional, show how to follow up in an email after making a good in-person connection with someone. Subject: Oyster Accompaniments and Meeting in DC Hi Mary, What fun it was to meet you last week at the conference! Inspired by our indulging our love of oysters, I have attached my special recipe for oyster accompaniments. My secret ingredient may surprise you. I would enjoy having lunch or coffee with you when I’m in Washington the first week in October. If you will be available, I would like to learn more about your export business and share information about our company. When my schedule is firm, I will write to invite you. Best, Katia Strauss Subject: Pleasure to Meet You and Discuss Global Health Dear Professor Schamb, It was a pleasure talking with you at the Health Initiatives meeting. I enjoyed learning about your work investigating global health programs. Since we talked, I read the research paper you recommended. I found the data disturbing, just as you had predicted. You expressed an interest in learning more about my work with refugees on the Thai-Burmese border, and it would be my pleasure to tell you about it. I will let you know when I will be in Cambridge again, and perhaps we 99
can schedule a meeting. You may also be interested in my blog, in which I wrote about daily life in the camps. Here is the link: [link]. I will write or call you to request a meeting. Sincerely, Mona Lane Subject: Eating Well and Working in Vancouver Nicolai, it was great to meet you at the networking social yesterday. Thank you for sharing information about the best Chinese restaurants in the area. I intend to try the Shanghai Restaurant this weekend. I would appreciate learning more about how you established your business in Vancouver. Would you be willing to meet for lunch or coffee? I will call you next week to invite you. It was a pleasure meeting you. Jeffrey Holmes Subject: Customer Evangelism — Our Favorite Subject Hi, Waleed. I appreciated talking with you about customer evangelism at the gathering last night. Based on our conversation, I would say we have a lot of the same concerns, and I’d like to stay in touch. Despite our different industries, we face the same challenges. Maybe we can share solutions. Attached is an article I wrote about the topic. Let me know if you agree with my premise. If you are going to be in New York, please tell me and we can schedule a meal. I will let you know when I will be in Atlanta. Best, Muhammad Subject: Scheduling Time to Discuss Business in Romania Hi Renee! It was terrific to meet you last week at the symposium. Thanks for recommending Quiet. I bought it yesterday and can’t wait to learn about my introverted colleagues! You said you would like to find out more about investment opportunities in Romania. I would love to talk with you about the possibilities. Since you will be traveling for the rest of this month, would you like to schedule a conversation early next month? I look forward to talking with you again. Just let me know a day and time that suit your schedule. Donna 100
When You Do Not Get a Response At times your efforts to reach out won’t get a response. When you do not receive a reply, you can take another step. For example, let’s say Donna did not receive a reply from Renee to her email about scheduling time to discuss investment opportunities in Romania. Donna might take one of these two steps: 1. Write a brief follow-up email in which she forwards or attaches her original message. That email might simply say: “Hi, Renee. I am betting your heavy travel schedule is winding down now. Do you want to schedule a meeting to discuss investment opportunities in Romania? Please let me know a good day and time.” (Better yet, Donna could suggest several dates and times and ask Renee to let her know which is best.) 2. Call Renee and leave a message similar to the one above. If Donna still does not hear from Renee, she may wait a month and then make a final try. She cannot know whether Renee is uninterested, extremely busy, or not responding for another reason. On September 14, 2011, I received an email from Ron Scott introducing me to a Seattle-based coach named Rachel Salzberg. On that same day, Rachel emailed me. I scheduled a coffee date with her but had to cancel because of a family situation that required travel. I let Rachel know that I would get in touch with her when my schedule lightened. It was not until the following summer that I contacted her again! Rachel and I met over coffee, exchanged many helpful ideas, and made an excellent connection. Moral of the story: Do not assume that someone’s delay in responding or scheduling means a lack of interest in meeting you. Timing can be everything. Not every effort leads to a blossoming business relationship. I received an email from a young man I will call Thomas, who was disappointed by a lack of response to his request for a meeting. Thomas wrote to me, in part: I am about to kick-start my career after graduating in finance, and I’ve always realized that contacts are very, very important. Hence, I would like to seek a few words of advice on following up on new contacts. Recently, I met a person who would serve me well as a business mentor, and I wish to get to know him to share ideas and learn from him. After a quick handshake meeting for the first time at a conference, I took the initiative to text him to establish a relationship the next day. However, he did not reply to my offer to meet and have a more serious conversation. May I know what I did wrong and what I should have done in this case? What should I do now to proceed? I would appreciate your insights as to what made him not respond to my approach. Many busy professionals guard their time carefully. They weigh each request to determine whether the prospective relationship will be rewarding for them and whether 101
they have time for it. Thomas’s request may have been unsuccessful for several reasons: When he met his potential mentor, they did not make a meaningful connection. Thomas said it was only a “quick handshake meeting,” which is too quick an encounter on which to build. It is possible the mentor could not even remember meeting Thomas. Thomas texted the mentor to make a connection. His message was probably short and unremarkable. If Thomas put little effort into his message, it would be unusual for it to spark a reply. Thomas’s wanting the individual to “serve me well as a business mentor” shows the two men at different places in their careers. Only if Thomas clearly communicated a reason for the other man to want to get to know him and mentor him would the other man respond positively. Most successful relationships are complementary, not with one person “serving” the other. Thomas asked me what he should do now to proceed. One possibility is to find a mutual business contact — someone like Ron Scott — to pave the way with an introduction. The other is to take time himself to write a more complete, polished introduction than a text message. Introducing Yourself to Strangers When you introduce yourself to people with whom you have no previous connection, you need to establish one. That happens by sharing information about yourself and making a logical connection to the other person. I received the following email of introduction (disguised) from a stranger. What was missing from the message? Subject: Networking Introduction Hi. I’m a former Sun reporter who was laid off in May when the paper went online-only. I’m looking for the best fit in the occupational arena for my skills and experience. Lizzie Blake of XYZ Company suggested I talk to you. I’d like to meet with you for 20–30 minutes, at a time and place of your convenience — coffee, drinks, just talk, whatever. No specific agenda — I just want your perspective. Thanks. John Black [phone number] John’s clear, concise message included a bit of information about himself and a referral from someone I knew. The piece that was missing was any tie to me. The message was so generic that it could have been sent to anyone — at least anyone who knew our mutual contact. If the email had not mentioned someone I knew, I would have deleted it. Instead, I replied with two words: “Why me?” John wrote back and explained why: 102
To draw on my experience as a writer and editor to teach writing, maybe targeting business people who want to learn to write more effectively in a time when they may be called on to write more (emails, blogs, internal websites, etc.). From a look at your website, it seems like that’s your field — so I would hope to learn more about it, and the opportunities it presents, from you. Once I understood why John wanted to meet me — and not just anyone with a job — I was happy to schedule time and share ideas with him. When you introduce yourself to strangers, especially when writing to request a professional favor, as John was, be sure to include specific information that helps readers understand why the connection makes sense. This step does not have to slow you down. If John had simply greeted me by name and included a complimentary sentence about my work, blog, or website, I would have replied, “Sure!” instead of “Why me?” Consider this sample email introduction and request: Subject: Request Regarding Music Business Internships Dear Mr. Wilson, My neighbor Debra Young suggested I write to you. She thought you might be willing to share your advice on finding an internship in the music business. I am graduating from Ballard High School, and I am starting the music business program at California State University in Northridge (CSUN) in the fall. Until then, I am available for a few weeks this summer and would like to get some industry experience. I have good computer skills, and I am open to lots of experiences. I would prefer a paid internship, but I am open to some volunteering too. I live in Seattle. Would you be willing to talk with me on the phone or meet with me? My cell number is [number], and you can text or email me. Thank you! Dwight Bell Dwight’s polite introduction includes these parts: A referral from someone Mr. Wilson presumably knows A reason for the message A self-introduction, including what Dwight is looking for A specific request Contact information If Dwight did not know someone who could introduce or refer him to Mr. Wilson, he might have opened this way:
Dear Mr. Wilson, In research on the Internet, I learned that you are a local expert in the music business. You have worked on Folklife, Bumbershoot, and other music festivals. I am writing to you as someone who might be willing to share your advice on finding an internship in the music business. … When you email a stranger to introduce yourself, be clear about your reason for writing. Do you want advice from the other person? Would you like an answer to a question? Would you like to have coffee to discuss a business challenge? Know what you want so you can make your request clear. Too often people introducing themselves to strangers put very little effort into the message. For example, they send this low-effort standard request for a connection on LinkedIn: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” The recipient of this invitation from a stranger has little or no idea why the stranger wants to make a connection or why the recipient might want one. Currently, the recipient’s only choice on the free version of LinkedIn is to accept or ignore the request. Rather than connecting with strangers about whom they know nothing, many people do nothing. Yes, the stranger’s first and last names are included with the request. The recipient could do an Internet search or even a LinkedIn search to try to find out something about him or her. But why do that work without a good reason to connect with someone? If you want to connect with a stranger professionally, write your request so that the other person will feel positive about connecting with you. Your introduction need not be elaborate. Consider this example, which fits within LinkedIn’s length restrictions: Hello Leslie. I need to institute 360 feedback at our hospital. According to your profile, you have plenty of experience with 360 in health care. May I connect with you about best practices? In return, I’d be happy to share info on our innovative onboarding program. Jeni Smith [Title, Hospital name] The request makes it clear what the individuals have in common (their human resources roles in health care) and how the individuals may mutually benefit from the connection. Such a specific request usually wins acceptance. Introducing Yourself in Business Support Groups and Forums If you participate in online or in-person groups designed to help you professionally, your introduction to the other members can help you kindle valuable business relationships. Typically an effective introduction lets people know who you are, what you seek, and what you have to offer. In the following message, Caroline Grimm introduced herself online to the Book Authors Circle, a support group to help authors write and publish successfully, run by Susan Daffron. 104
My name is Caroline Grimm. I live in the Great State of Maine, where I spend a lot of time shoveling snow. It’s a hobby I’m looking forward to giving up soon. Since I was a kid, I’ve been writing. I made up stories for my younger brother and sisters to entertain them or comfort them. When I was in junior high school, I spent my summers researching various topics (composers, poets, etc.) and then wrote research papers on my findings. Did I mention it was summer vacation? Clearly, I needed to get outside more. I’m the author of two business books: Stop the Cash Flow Roller Coaster, I Want to Get Off! and Strength in Numbers: The Entrepreneur’s Field Guide to Small Business Finances. I’ve written a number of businessrelated articles. I’m working on my third book: The Small Church Survival Guide, based on a campaign I spearheaded to keep my childhood church from closing. The goal is to have that done by November of 2009 (how’s that going?). [Caroline was writing this introduction in 2011.] I have an unusual relationship with a church mouse named Perley. He writes stories, and I help him compile them into books. He has two books published: Dear Church Folks … Letters from Perley and God’s Own Mouse … More Letters from Perley . He is working on his third book, which I think will be published by the end of this year. Susan was kind enough to let Perley join the Book Authors Circle for free. I’m also working on a novel based on the real-life diary of a young woman who lived in my town. It takes place between the years 1857 and 1862. I call her a cross between Jane Austen and Scarlett O’Hara. Fascinating story of a very difficult time in our history. Looking forward to meeting everyone and supporting each other’s goals and progress! Caroline Caroline Grimm, MBA Author of Stop the Cash Flow Roller Coaster, I Want to Get Off! www.CashFlowRollerCoaster.com Like every good introduction, Caroline’s is tailored to her audience — in her case, other authors. Her introduction would be very different if she were writing to a group of Maine entrepreneurs or to church members wanting to keep their church doors open. She included enough content to give new group members a good sense of who she is and what she has to offer the group. Her introduction sparkles with evidence of her wit and her comical self-deprecation. Compare the introduction below of Deb Arnold, whom I mentioned earlier in this chapter. Deb posted her introduction on the online discussion forum of Marcia Yudkin’s Marketing for More program. 105
Hello to all, I’m an entrepreneur for the second time around (taking a break to go to business school and work in corporate America). With 20+ years of experience in marketing communications, I specialize in internal communications for large companies and have niche specialization in helping companies apply for and win industry awards. It’s with this expertise that I hope to build my “information empire,” or at least a modest jurisdiction. Born in the Midwest and raised in upstate New York, I have also lived in New York City, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Madrid. Now in Seattle, I enjoy travel, art, music, and nurturing my inner outdoors person. Thanks in advance for your insights and wisdom. Deb Like Caroline, Deb offers specific information that makes her unique in the reader’s mind, for example, her niche specialization. Her 20 years of experience show that she has something to offer the group, yet she welcomes the insights of the other participants in the forum. It’s a strong, yet modest introduction. Tips for Introducing Yourself to a Group in Writing When you have the opportunity to build relationships in an online support group or forum, apply these tips to your introduction: Share information about your professional experience. In a professional introduction, that is what people expect from you. Leave out irrelevant information, or people may focus on it instead of what you really want them to know. For example, if you were introducing yourself as a new member of a professional chefs’ group, you would leave out your master’s degree in religious studies — unless it tied to your cooking expertise. Share at least one detail about your personal life that others can relate to, for example, Caroline’s shoveling snow in Maine, and Deb’s living in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Make it specific enough to be memorable or meaningful. For example, rather than “I love sports,” say, “You can find me on the tennis court or the golf course every week.” Instead of, “My hobby is spending time with my family,” say, “My hobby is keeping up with my 5-year-old twin boys.” Don’t share too much. Even if you have had a 30-year career, people will normally take just a minute to read your introduction. Limit it to one double-spaced page or a large screen. Much less than that can do the job and be appealing. Remember: If you want to build relationships, you need to come across as a person — not as a resume recitation. Avoid bragging. To share accomplishments without coming across as haughty, use 106
language such as “I was gratified to” or “I had the good fortune to.” Or use Caroline Grimm’s approach, interjecting one or two self-effacing comments among your successes. Responding to the Introductions of Others To help launch business relationships, take time to respond to other people’s introductions. Kathy Goughenour, another entrepreneur participating in the Marketing for More (MfM) program, responded to Deb Arnold’s introduction this way: Deb, You are a world traveler! It sounds like you’ve had an exciting life. As a fellow escapee from the corporate world, I applaud you for taking the plunge and jumping back into the entrepreneurial pool. I look forward to getting to know you better. Welcome to MfM! Kathy Goughenour Become a VA or Hire a VA www.expertVAtraining.com Even though Kathy’s reply is short, it does exactly what it needs to do: acknowledge Deb’s introduction and create a connection between them. Kathy makes that connection by mentioning something they have in common, being “escapees from the corporate world.” “I Am Pleased to Introduce …” Whose introduction will you write? Do you want to introduce two individuals who have much in common? Will you announce a new employee to your organization? Perhaps you will introduce yourself to a professional group or to an individual in your community or across the globe. Whether you introduce yourself or other people, you are quite likely to benefit from the good will you create. Why not write an introduction today?
Personal Reflection Have you ever introduced people or yourself in a written message? If so, how did you benefit from the introduction? If not, how might you benefit intangibly or materially from making an introduction? Next Step Read the final paragraph of this chapter. Decide on one introduction to make, and add the task to your calendar to complete within the next week.
In Your Job Search: Write Messages That Build Relationships and Create Opportunities If you needed to cross a wide, rushing river on a blustery day, would you cross by one of many available bridges — or would you swim, gasping and flailing, to the other side? You would use a bridge, right? Unless you were training for a triathlon or testing yourself in extreme sports, it would be crazy to try to swim across when you could cross by bridge. Using your relationships to help you find a job or a client is the same as using a bridge to cross a swirling river. Rather than struggling on your own, exhausting yourself in the process, you can use your personal and professional networks as bridges to your goal. Getting the job or client may still be a huge challenge, but it will be easier and faster to achieve your goal with your contacts helping you. Many people do use their relationships as such bridges. In my survey on business writing and relationships, 86 percent of respondents indicated that they had used networking at least once or twice to find a job, client, or customer; 34 percent said they had used it many times. One commented, “The last four positions I’ve been in have come about purely due to relationships/networking.” In this chapter, you will learn to write messages that help you maintain relationships and use them as bridges during the challenging period of looking for a job. By using such bridges rather than floundering on your own, you can more easily reach your career goals. Although the chapter focuses on using networking to get a job rather than to acquire clients, you can use similar messages to get clients and customers. My longtime business associate Lynn Takaki was celebrating a new job as I worked on this chapter. Lynn agreed to share her relationship-building messages, from leaving her job, through the process of looking for a new position, and finally to landing one. Her messages, along with other models, will help you recognize effective ways to reach out to your network during your job search, at a time when many people feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. The chapter covers Lynn’s and other people’s messages, including announcements that you are leaving a job, requests for help in your job search, thank-yous for support, updates on your search, and announcements of your new job. When Your Job Ends: Announcements That You Are Leaving Maintaining and using your relationships in a job search begins as soon as you realize you will be looking for a new job. Your friends and contacts must be aware that you are in the job market, readying yourself to cross that raging river, to help you negotiate it. The first message you are likely to send is an announcement that you are leaving your job. I learned from Lynn Takaki that she would be looking for a new job when I received this first-rate email from her:
Subject: A Message From Lynn Takaki Dear Valued Business Partners and Friends, After 14 wonderful years at ABC Company, I will be leaving at the end of this year. This is due to the elimination of the VP, Human Resources role and consolidation with the parent company’s regional structure. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served ABC employees, the company, and the community. This would not have been possible without you — my many valued business partners and friends. I am proud of the work we have done to create a culture where ABC has the highest employee engagement levels globally, even exceeding external benchmarks. Your support and friendship throughout the years have sustained and inspired me. THANK YOU many times over. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please call upon me. My contact information is below. With gratitude, Lynn Lynn Takaki [Cell phone number] [Personal email address] Vice President, Human Resources ABC Incorporated [Work phone number, work fax number] [Work email] In this next excellent message, I learned from a client I had worked with for several years that she was leaving her job: Subject: Update Lynn, Just a quick email to let you know that Friday, July 10, will be my last day at XYZ. I’m heading off to new adventures (not even sure what they are yet, but trust me, they will be wonderful). It has been a joy to work with you during my time here. You are such a warm and engaging individual, and I sincerely hope that we can stay in touch and find future opportunities to work together. Going forward, Debbie [Last name] ([email protected]
) and Liz [Last name] ([email protected]
) will be coordinating the logistics for Learning & Development courses. Feel free to contact them with any questions regarding offering “Business Writing Tune-up” courses in the future. I’ll be providing them with your contact information as well. I wish great success for you in your own adventures! Please let me know if 109
I can ever be of service to you. See you on Facebook and/or LinkedIn. All the best! Marie R. Kelly | Human Resources XYZ Company Lynn’s and Marie’s messages do a beautiful job of announcing their departure, Lynn’s to a group and Marie’s just to me. Notice these strengths in their messages: A positive tone. Although both women’s jobs had been eliminated, they used positive language to communicate. Lynn’s message sparkles with words such as wonderful, grateful, opportunity, valued, a n d proud. Marie’s message glows with wonderful adventures, joy, and opportunities. People are naturally drawn to positive energy, and these messages draw their readers to Lynn and Marie. Absence of negativity. Not one negative word appears in either message. Neither woman blames the company for her situation. Although readers may have wondered how optimistic the women felt, both chose to come across positively rather than focusing on the negative aspects of job loss. Connection with readers. Both women solidified their relationships with their readers. Lynn focused much of her message on her “business partners and friends,” liberally thanking them for their support and friendship and the good work they have done. In Marie’s message to me, she honored me with her warm words, including, “It has been a joy to work with you during my time here.” As I read them, I smiled, thinking, “How nice of Marie!” and remembering our interactions. Offer of help. Interestingly, even though both women were losing their jobs, they offered their help. Lynn wrote, “If I can ever be of assistance to you, please call upon me.” Marie told me, “Please let me know if I can ever be of service to you.” Beyond that, Marie gave me the names and email addresses of people to contact to continue working at her company. Communicating their interest in others at a time when their work world was radically changing came across as confident and generous. Contact information. Both Lynn and Marie indicated their desire to stay in touch. Lynn shared her personal contact information; Marie invited me to connect on social media. Thoughtfulness. Rather than leaving their associates in the dark, both women took the time to let people know they were leaving the company. In Marie’s case, I felt honored that she had singled me out for a personal message, especially during a time that must have been stressful for her. Here is another fine example of an announcement of job loss. It is by Charlie Gadzik, a communications manager, who was saying goodbye to his colleagues and a few people outside the firm. The difference in Charlie’s message is that he was already negotiating a 110
job at another firm, although he was not ready to name the company. Subject: Farewell Friends: After 13 years during which I dodged multiple downsizings, my luck has run out. My last day at ABC Company is Friday, Aug. 1. It’s been a great ride. There hasn’t been a day when I haven’t looked forward to coming to work. ABC has a wonderful story to tell, and I’ve enjoyed telling it. ABC also has terrific people. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to work alongside you and become friends. The good news is that after a bit of vacation, I expect to transition directly to a job with another company in the Seattle area. That should make it easier for our paths to cross again. I hope they do. Charlie My company email box will be active until Sept. 30. I’ll check it periodically. You can also reach me at: • [Home email] • [Home phone] • LinkedIn.com Lynn, Marie, and Charlie were all leaving their jobs because of company restructuring or downsizing. But what if the reason you are leaving is more complicated than that? Perhaps you have not been able to meet performance goals or you and your new boss have not gotten along. Does that information belong in your departure announcement? No! Such negative information should not appear in writing. As in Marie’s message, you can simply omit the reason for your leaving. Or you can touch gently on the reason for leaving, as this opening does: Subject: In Career Transition Dear Friends and Associates, Friday was my last day as public relations manager at XYZ Company. During my five years there, I had many great experiences overseeing strategic media opportunities, managing crisis communications, and publicizing the company’s environmental stewardship and community involvement. However, with the new direction Communications is moving in at XYZ, it is a good time for me to make a career move. The words “the new direction Communications is moving in” communicate neutrality. In contrast, the statements “My new boss and I do not agree on the vision for PR” and “I can’t get along with my new boss” would communicate negativity and conflict. The following negative model shows what NOT to do in a message announcing the end of a job:
Subject: Gone but Not Forgotten? Dear Associates and Friends (you know which you are), Well, (sh)it happened. My new boss decided he wants to bring in a programmer from his former company, someone who understands him. (Good luck with that, Bill!) Therefore, Friday is my last day — I mean my last day at work. (I hope it’s not my VERY LAST DAY.) Expect me to call you so I can mooch meals and lattes off you until I snag my next position. Speaking of which — if you come across any jobs that suit my abundant talents, let me know please … PLEASE! Until we meet again (as Dale and Roy used to sing), Bruce Bruce’s message simmers with negativity in words such as gone, forgotten, (sh)it, mooch, and snag. Although some of his associates and friends might enjoy his snarky message, for others the message may be proof of why Bruce is out of a job. If you are feeling awkward or timid about letting people know you have lost your job, consider Lynn Takaki’s suggestion about seeing yourself as a product. As a vice president of human resources and someone who had hired thousands of people, Lynn told me: “I was not shy about letting people know that I was looking for a new job. An important aspect of any job search is to let people know. Basically, you are marketing yourself. How do you market a product without some form of advertising or communication?” Step One is to let people know that you, the product, are available. Tips for Job-Departure Announcements Apply these tips when you write messages to business associates and friends to let them know you are leaving your job: Include the basic information that you are leaving or have left your job. Do not go into detail about the reason for your leaving, unless it is for a promotion or an exciting opportunity. Don’t share the reason if it presents you or others in a negative light. Stay positive. Use the positive language included in this chapter to avoid sinking into job-loss negativity. Even if you feel horrible, keep your message upbeat to attract positive things into your life. Thank your readers for the ways in which they have helped you, if appropriate. Your graciousness is likely to make your readers feel honored and happy to know you. Offer ways for people to stay in contact with you. Include contact information they can use once you have left your job. Mention your next steps, if appropriate, and let people know how they can help. For instance, if you are seeking a job in a specific geographical region, make your contacts 112
aware of your goal so they can consider who or what they know that could help you. Avoid sarcasm unless you know it suits every one of your readers. Sarcasm typically comes across as negative. Remember that email out-of-office messages are another type of job-departure announcement. Although they are typically short, think of them as a way to connect with others too, as long as that purpose is acceptable to your employer. Here is an example: With the sale of the company, my position has been eliminated effective July 25. All questions about property taxes are being handled by Randy Rose at [email address]. I am looking for a position in another corporate real estate department. If you would like to contact me with leads or ideas, please use my cell phone: [number]. Best regards, Jesus Morales Involving Friends and Associates: Requests for Help in Your Job Search When you are between jobs, you may feel awkward asking for help. You may feel insignificant and powerless without the symbols of your success — things like your office or other work place, company car and phone, state-of-the-art tools, business cards, an expense account or a steady income, and people reporting to you and asking your advice. Such feelings are often the natural consequence of being unemployed when you have not chosen the circumstances. It’s important to recognize that most people find it satisfying to help others in their job search. Rather than watching a friend or an associate struggle across the roiling river, they want to serve as a bridge to a new job or career. And although they would be delighted to help, they may not always know how and may not want to seem intrusive. By reaching out and involving them, you can help them help you and simultaneously nurture your relationships. These emails will give you the idea of how to reach out. Requests to Meet for Advice Lynn Takaki reached out to many people for guidance. Below is her email to a vice president of human resources, a friend of one of her former team members. Subject: Networking referral through Peter [Last name] Hi Michael, I am contacting you at the suggestion of Peter [Last name]. Pete and I worked together at ABC, before the VP, HR position was eliminated and consolidated into the parent company’s HR structure. Pete thought you might give me some insights on the job market and resources that may be 113
useful as I begin my job search. Would it be possible to meet at your convenience? I am fairly open next week, other than Monday and Tuesday lunch hours and Friday morning through lunch. The following week of April 16–20 is wide open. Thanks much and best regards, Lynn Takaki [Cell number] [LinkedIn profile address] Michael agreed to meet with Lynn. Throughout her job search, he referred many job leads to her, along with referrals to key contacts who had been helpful to him in his job search. All that support began with Lynn’s email to him. In the two messages below, job seekers ask professional contacts to meet with them. Of course, the writers could get information and advice from their contacts by phone or email. But in-person meetings, which provide opportunities to connect on a social level, can strengthen relationships. Subject: Working on My Job-Search Strategy Dear Professor Davis, I am writing to request your advice on my job-search strategy. As you know, I left the Army in June, after several tours in the Middle East as a medic. I could really use help in figuring out how to present my work experience in a way that stateside civilians will understand. Because you have made that transition, I thought of you. Would you meet with me to talk about ways to package my experience and determine possible jobs to target? My schedule is open next week on Wednesday through Friday if you are free then. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Rita Oakes [Cell phone number] Subject: Lunch and your ideas Hi Laura. Having left XYZ last month, I am starting to think about what I want in my next position. Do you have time for lunch sometime soon to help me sharpen my focus? I am interested in so many things — it would help to hear your candid responses to some of my ideas. Please let me know a couple of dates that work for you, and we can schedule. Best, Dan
Requests for Feedback on a Resume It’s always a good idea to test-run your resume before submitting it for a position. These examples effectively ask for feedback. Subject: Requesting Feedback on My Resume Hi, Rick. I hope all is well with you. I am getting ready to send out my resume for some sales and service jobs in our industry, and I would appreciate your feedback. Of anyone I know, you are most aware of my skills and strengths in sales and service. Would you be willing to review my resume to be sure I have done a good job describing my experience? Also, if there is anything in the resume that could come across stronger, I would appreciate knowing about it. My resume is attached. If you have feedback to share, I will appreciate it. Chad Subject: A Quick Review of My Resume Dear Karen, You are the most experienced HR person I know, and I value your opinion. Would you be willing to give my resume a quick look and let me know your first impression? Is there anything that comes across as less than professional? I want to be sure to make the best impression I can. Feel free to email or call me, whatever is convenient for you. I welcome your honest opinion. With thanks and best regards, Dorette Both of the previous messages are specific about the kind of feedback the writer wants; neither asks too much of its reader. “Please review my resume and give me detailed feedback” might be too broad a request, suggesting the reader needs to commit significant time and effort. Both messages also come across positively, with words such as ready, appreciate, skills, strengths, value, and convenient. Requests for Help to Approach a Specific Company If you are interested in working at a specific company, you can ask contacts to make introductions to people or to provide information that will make you a more knowledgeable applicant. The emails below make such requests. Notice that they include brief personal content, which acknowledges and helps to maintain the relationship. Subject: Contacts at XYZ Company Hi Gary. How is everything? I hope you are enjoying your new lakeside cottage this summer. 115
I have applied for a job in Consumer Service at XYZ. Knowing that you worked there for many years, I was wondering whether you could suggest someone who could give me background on the customer-service issues people face there. Or is there anyone in Consumer Service you might contact to put in a good word for me? If you have any suggestions or contacts for me, please let me know. I will call you next week if we haven’t connected before then. Best, Christopher Subject: Ways to approach XYZ Company (& blueberry cheesecake) Hi, Carolyn. I created a list of the top 10 companies I would like to work for in our region. One of them is XYZ. Since they are a client of yours, I wondered whether you could suggest people I might network with there. Is there anyone at XYZ you could introduce me to? Also, attached is the recipe you requested, just in time for blueberry season. Enjoy! Elizabeth Lynn Takaki responded to an email of mine in which I had sent her some job listings I was not sure she routinely received. In her response, she mentioned a company she was seeking information about: Hi Lynn, Yes, I do receive these. Thank you for thinking of me and asking. I need lots of help so I really appreciate hearing from you! I recently applied for the VP, HR job at ABC. I know you used to do training for them. Do you happen to know anyone there now? Best to you and thanks again, Lynn If you live in a new area and have few local contacts, be sure to ask your contacts from other areas about people they know in your new locale. Career consultant Jerry Schlagenhauf loves to tell this story: A woman from Maryland — let’s call her Kari — had moved to Seattle and felt she had no contacts to introduce her to Seattle-area companies. With Jerry’s wise prompting, Kari asked her contacts in other places to help her. A friend living in southeast Africa, in Mozambique, ended up introducing Kari by email to several Seattle-area contacts. One of those introductions led to a job. The lesson is this: No limits! Let your mind think boundlessly about the people who might connect you with others. Requests to People You Do Not Know Yet 116
One way to expand your network is to reach out to people you don’t know yet, which these two messages do effectively: Subject: Advice on Launching My Career Dear Ms. Blake, Last month I graduated with a degree in communications and English from XYZ University. Researching on the web, I learned that you have established a successful writing business in the area. Would you be willing to share your advice with me on how I might focus my job search? I have heard there are many highly experienced writers and editors searching for jobs, and I would like advice on how a recent graduate can get started. I will call your office next week to request a meeting. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about me, I have attached my resume. Best regards, Jason Crane, [cell phone number] Subject: Networking Request Hello, Pierre. I read your article in Philanthropy Today on using social media as development tools. I was very impressed with your combination of traditional approaches and cutting-edge communications. I noticed that you are based in Austin, where I am moving next month. I am leaving Chicago, where I have worked for three years as development officer for the XYZ Theater Company. Would you have time by phone or in person to talk about how to get connected in Austin? I would appreciate suggestions or referrals to help me become established in the development community. I have attached my resume to give you a sense of my background. I look forward to hearing from you. Beth Hall, [cell phone number] Tips for Job Seekers’ Requests Apply these tips, which the previous examples illustrate, to write requests that get positive responses: Include normal courtesies such as please, thank you, and appreciate. Courtesy shows that you value the individual and your relationship. Make reasonable requests. For instance, ask for a review of one resume, not several versions. Ask for a contact at one or two companies, not ten. Limiting your request makes it doable and satisfying rather than burdensome. 117
Be flexible about timing. Keep in mind that you probably have more unstructured time than the other person does. Indicate why you are asking the specific individual for help. That way, he or she will recognize how to be helpful. Also, such information establishes or solidifies your relationship. Avoid generic requests, ones that could be sent to anyone. Use positive language to communicate positively and professionally. Keep your message free of negative thoughts and feelings unless your contact is one who would relate to those feelings. Although you may feel discouraged, disgruntled, or fearful, you don’t want such feelings to make someone wary of engaging with you. Take initiative. If an individual offers to meet you at XYZ Bakery and Coffee Spot, do not automatically reply, asking for the address of XYZ. Take steps to find it yourself rather than create work for the other person. The Messages That Make Others Feel Good: Thank-Yous for Support After you have received the advice, feedback, suggestions, referrals, and encouragement from your contacts, thank-yous will sustain your relationships. Thanks-yous remind the people in your network how useful they have been and how much they enjoyed helping you. Your gratefulness may also inspire individuals to do more. Lynn Takaki shared several thank-yous with me; I chose two to include here. This first example is to an executive search firm recruiter Lynn met through networking. Her last comment refers to the fact that Randy was moving his office. Subject: Sincere thanks, Randy! Randy, I truly enjoyed meeting you today and appreciate you taking the time to discuss my work history and experience. I hope we can talk again so that I may learn more about you and your practice. From what I experienced of you this morning, it is evident that you take a very personal approach and care about your candidates as much as you care about your client companies. I like that! As I move forward in this process, I hope we can continue to be in touch. Please let me know if you have any ideas for me to be effective in my search, and if there is anything I can do to assist you, I hope you will call upon me (except I’m not a heavy lifter of moving boxes — good luck with that!). Best regards, Lynn In Lynn’s message below, she follows up on a lunch in which a network contact arranged a meeting with one of his executive contacts. She thanked them both.
Subject: Sincere thanks Dave and Greg, You both made my day yesterday. A lovely lunch “in town” and your great company and conversation gave me a lift. Dave, thanks for the gracious introduction to Greg and the opportunity to connect and collaborate. Greg, thanks for your ideas around my transition and search. I highly value your perspective, and I hope that going forward, we will cross paths again. Please also give my best to Jennifer. As follow-up, I am attaching my resume. I appreciate any leads, contacts, or information that may come to you. I hope that you, too, will contact me if there is any way I may assist you. I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people on this journey, and having you both in my network of contacts means a lot to me. I am out of town next week for a family visit with my sisters in Chicago. You helped to close out a good week and start my vacation on a celebratory note. Sincere thanks again to each of you. Best, Lynn Did you notice how specific each thank-you was? Lynn told me about her intentions for the messages: “I tried to be very sincere and authentic and to not do the perfunctory communications that don’t show a sincere attitude. Messages like ‘Thank you very much. I appreciate your time. Best regards’ would never work for me on the receiving end, and I certainly didn’t want to be one who delivers messages in that way.” She added, “My follow-up messages were very prompt and personalized and reinforced the relationship that I was trying to build with each individual.” Your thank-yous can be specific and sincere without being as detailed as Lynn’s admirable messages. Consider the thank-yous that follow. The first two are emails; the last two are handwritten notes. Subject: Thanks for Your Help! Dear Shaaz, Thank you for meeting with me to talk about my job search. Your ideas about working as a virtual assistant have me intrigued and excited. I will sit down this afternoon to review the websites you recommended. I appreciate your kind offer to stay in touch and continue to share ideas. You will hear from me! With thanks and best regards, Jenn Subject: Thank You, Sydney! 119
It was super of you to give me resume feedback. I have made every change you suggested, and the new version looks and sounds very professional, thanks to your sharp eye and good ideas. Thank you for investing your time in me and my job search. It is much appreciated! Go Sounders! Maryam [LinkedIn page] [Cell phone] Dear Mr. Miller, Thank you for introducing me to Dee Dee Larson and Annie Tram. Dee Dee and I met yesterday, and she was very helpful with advice about how to stand out as an applicant. She even offered to meet me again to practice interviewing. Annie Tram and I have an appointment to talk on the phone next week. I look forward to getting her perspective on opportunities in advertising. I really appreciate that you shared your contacts with me. Sincerely, Krystal Hammond Dear Carrie, Thank you so much for treating me to a delicious lunch and sharing your wonderful, supportive thoughts on my search. Both were very nourishing! I will take to heart all you shared, and I promise to stay positive and focused. I know an excellent job is out there with my name on it, and I will find it. Thanks for lending me the latest Sandra Brown thriller. I cannot wait to read it! Yours, Carmen Tips for Thank-Yous Apply these tips to write gracious, professional thank-yous that nurture your relationships: Write your thank-you promptly, within a few days. Don’t feel you need to take action on the individual’s advice or information before expressing your thanks. That might take too long and might lead to a combined thank-you/apology. Be specific. Mention the particular advice, critique, information, or other support you received, along with how it is beneficial to you.
Let “thank you” take center stage in the message. Do not just add a perfunctory thanks to a message in which you have asked for something. Use email or another electronic means of communication, or send a note by post. A thank-you note or card that comes by mail often gets more attention than a note on a screen, but thank-yous are welcome in any form. Don’t miss the opportunity to say thanks. Your contacts may notice that you have not followed the normal courtesies, and the lapse may reduce their enthusiasm for helping you again. Avoid trying to sell yourself hard. This message is a thank-you, not a sales pitch. If you find yourself listing your accomplishments or asking for a job interview, you are going too far. Keeping Your Network Informed: Updates on Your Search If you want your network to continue to help you cross the swirling river of your job search, you need to keep them informed. It is not enough to let people know you are looking and then talk or meet with them once or twice. After those first contacts, people want to know what is happening: Have you found a job? Are you still looking? Have you changed your goals or priorities? This message, which Lynn Takaki emailed to about 300 contacts, shows how to update people on your search: Dear Valued Colleagues and Friends: I hope this note finds each of you well — and now that fall is finally upon us, I thought it was time for an update. I wanted to let you know I’m continuing to seek an HR leadership or consulting opportunity where I can assist an organization in leveraging their human resources activities for maximum competitive advantage. Over the past few months of my journey through the career transition process, I’ve been greatly energized and inspired by your assistance and support, and would appreciate it if you’d continue to think of me for any appropriate networking opportunities or job leads you may come across relative to my expertise. While I hope it goes without saying, if there is anything I can do to assist you in return or any introductions I can make on your behalf, through my network, please let me know. All the best and again, my deepest thanks for your ongoing friendship and support! Lynn [Cell phone number] 121
[LinkedIn profile] Of the approximately 300 people to whom Lynn sent her update, about 100 responded. Of those 100, about 50 offered suggestions or a referral. Two of the referrals led directly to Lynn getting a job offer less than one month later. She explained what happened: I sent out the update, and I heard back from a number of people in my network about different opportunities, different leads, people I might want to call. And I happened to get an email from a former colleague who was aware of an opportunity, and he let me know about it. He also knew people in the company who were hiring and he gave them my resume. … Had I not sent that email out, I don’t know whether he would have thought of me. Lynn believes that being introduced through a professional contact made her a strong applicant for the position. She said, “I think that my candidacy carried much more weight because of that personal relationship and the familiarity with me, my work, and my history.” Interestingly, a second person in Lynn’s network, a recruiter, also let Lynn know about the job opening she eventually filled. The recruiter was able to share a lot of information about the company, its leadership, and the position. Having two people give her information about the company (her original contact and the recruiter) helped Lynn decide that the company was right for her. She explained, “These individuals were able to speak very highly of the hiring manager, the CEO, and the company, so there was immediate credibility from my perspective. The personal introduction actually worked both ways.” These positive connections — inspired by Lynn’s email update to her network — all led to Lynn’s getting the offer and accepting the position. (Note: Lynn thanks her career consultant Matt Youngquist, Career Horizons LLC, for his input on the update.) Despite Lynn’s success story, you may be thinking about the possible embarrassment of writing to people after months of looking for a job, with no tangible success. I asked Lynn whether she had felt awkward or embarrassed writing to people, given that many months had passed since she had begun her search. She explained that her problem was not embarrassment, but rather a worry about bothering people: I was not concerned about being embarrassed. I knew when I started the endeavor that it was going to take awhile for me. However, I had thought about sending an update to my network earlier than when I actually did send it. I felt a little bit of reluctance and hesitation because I didn’t want to be a bother. Then I thought back to my own personal experience, and I realized that it’s not a bother. People wonder: Whatever happened to Lynn? Where is she? I remembered that, in fact, a lot of people had asked to be kept apprised of my progress. I also realized that my agenda was not always going to be top of mind for everyone else, so it is natural to do reminders and updates. Even though I hesitated and worked through that, I was actually thanked for the update many times. 122
Lynn and I share a pet peeve. Like me, she becomes annoyed when she spends time offering advice, referrals, or information to new acquaintances who are in a job search — and then never hears from them again. Although such relationships begin with a lot of promise, they end because individuals do not sustain them with occasional contact by email or phone. Don’t let embarrassment or reluctance get in your way of continuing to build relationships as you look for a job. Send updates to keep people involved in your search. Depending on the length (or projected length) of your job search, you may comfortably update your network monthly, every other month, or quarterly — whenever you feel that it is time to check in with people again. Here is another great email update, written by a recent college graduate named Cameron Deuel to the people in his professional network. Cameron sent it just before Halloween, as you can tell from the message. Subject: The Great American Job Search Happy Halloweekend, I want to thank you again for meeting with me during my job search and for your advantageous guidance. Since we have not spoken for a few weeks, I want to update you on how my job search is going. Since we last talked, I have continued to meet with four to six professionals per week to gain insight on how to remain a visible job candidate and to learn more about different career paths I might take. I have also put together a digital portfolio of my strongest writing samples, which can be found here [link]. After learning about different possible routes, I have decided to search primarily for an entry-level content writing or editing position because I am capable of producing quality content at a significant pace. I have been in touch with a few staffing agencies, one of which focuses primarily on hiring contractual workers for ABC Inc. Though I am comforted by the thought of my information in the hands of recruiters, I find informational interviews to be immensely valuable. Every meeting leaves me feeling optimistic about what’s to come, and I am constantly learning about new, crucial skills. Additionally, I have applied to volunteer with 826 Seattle [link], a nonprofit writing and tutoring center that focuses on many aspects of education, including creative writing. I am looking forward to attending their volunteer orientation next weekend to learn more about how I can donate my time. I hope you are having a relaxing weekend before the holiday season starts up and I thank you again for your generosity. I hope this message finds you well and I look forward to speaking soon. Sincerely, Cameron Deuel 123
[Phone number] [LinkedIn profile] As you can see, Cameron’s message is different from Lynn’s in its level of detail. Lynn’s quick update stated that she was still in the job market and would welcome continued referrals for a leadership-level position. In contrast, the young job seeker built the credibility he needed by informing people of the creative things he was doing in his job search and by providing work samples. Both updates suited their audience and purpose well. Here is another sample update, which shows how to keep people engaged in your jobsearch process. This email illustrates how to inform your network of a major change in your plan. Subject: Starting a Design Business Dear Friend, After getting excellent advice from you and the many others who are receiving this email, I have decided to start my own business rather than work for a company. I will still work as a graphic designer, but I will work independently. I feel very excited and pleased about this decision. As you can imagine, I have many steps ahead: choosing a business name, deciding on a niche or niches, creating a website, and pulling together my portfolio — to name just a few. As I go through these steps, I will almost certainly contact you for suggestions and feedback, but feel free to share ideas now. Eventually, I will ask you to help me spread the word and to consider hiring me for graphic design projects you may choose not to handle yourself. I wanted to let you know my decision promptly, and the easiest way was a group message. I hope to follow up with you personally as things evolve. My best wishes, Thalia [Cell phone number] You can also send updates to individuals in your network. In these examples, notice that each one shares upbeat information of interest to the reader. Subject: Checking in Hey Dan. Just wanted to check in and tell you I have been applying your good advice. I am focusing on my activity and output, which I CAN control, rather than results, which I can’t. As you suggested, I have been setting weekly goals. I’m keeping track of networking contacts, professional meetings, resumes sent out, etc., and I feel very good about reaching my goals each week. I am certain these 124
efforts will lead to interviews and eventually the right opportunity. Thanks for such a great suggestion. Keep ’em coming! Best, Hank Subject: A Helpful Read Hi Caroline. I have read a terrific book I wanted to tell you about. It’s called Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It. Because you and I have talked about the challenges of “bragging” in interviews and meetings, I thought of you while reading it. The author, Peggy Klaus, has very practical suggestions. You can get an idea of her style at her website: www.bragbetter.com. I have now begun “bragging” in interviews, and it almost feels natural. I will be sure to do some bragging with you the next time we meet! Warm regards, Pia The next update ties to the Thanksgiving holiday and is written on a greeting card. Think of holidays and special occasions as additional opportunities to update your network. Around Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, you can send a greeting to every person you talked with who offered help in your career search during the year, whether that talk was in person, by phone, or by email. Even though sending printed cards is an expense, think of it as an investment in your professional network. In your message, let people know you are still looking for a job. John, thank you for your advice on my job-search this year. I am grateful for your creative suggestions, and I feel confident that I will find the right opportunity as a substance abuse or grief counselor in the coming months. I will keep you posted. Happy Thanksgiving to you, your colleagues, and your family! Stacey Brown Tips for Job-Search Updates Your job-search updates will be welcome to people in your professional and personal networks. Just apply these tips: Do keep in touch with your network by sending regular updates. Your updates and checkins will nurture both your budding relationships and your longstanding professional friendships. Stay positive. The previous examples use many positive words such as valuable, energized, inspired, friendship, advantageous, comforted, optimistic, honored, 125
generosity, excellent, excited, pleased, opportunity, great, a nd terrific. These words create positive feelings in readers. Don’t express frustration, discomfort, or self-pity, and certainly don’t say anything to make your reader feel guilty (for instance, “I thought you were going to send me some leads”). Leave any negative thoughts for your personal journal. Provide either a specific update or a general one, depending on your readers and your situation. Cameron Deuel provided specific details about his progress. Lynn Takaki gave a general update that she was still looking for a position in human resources. Feel free to mention any continued help you would appreciate. For example, Lynn used the words “continue to think of me for any appropriate networking opportunities or job leads.” Avoid selling yourself hard. Remember that your goal is to keep in touch with your contacts, your bridges to a new job or opportunity. Spreading the Good News: Announcements of Your New Job The happiest message of your job-search adventure is the one in which you announce your new job. This announcement creates the opportunity for you to share your joy and thank the people in your professional and personal networks. Lynn Takaki’s message (slightly disguised for privacy’s sake) does both. Subject: Good News from Lynn Dear Valued Colleagues and Friends, I am so excited to share that I will join the XYZ Exteriors team as VP, Human Resources. This is an opportunity to join a booming industry and develop the HR strategic direction, build culture, and develop the workforce to drive company growth — all things I love to do! Affiliation with a strong engineering / manufacturing workforce and a tangible product aligns with my experience and is a great fit. Initially, I’ll be doing a weekly commute to the beautiful north coast area. Eventually, my family and I are looking forward to relocation and a new adventure, exploring the natural beauty of this fabulous region. For a city fix, I think we may have a difficult time choosing between Vancouver, BC, and Seattle! While it is fun to share my good news, it is more important that I express my gratitude to each of you for your support during my career transition process. You provided encouragement, information, job leads, network contacts, and friendship along the way. You gave me the reason to get up and go; motivating, inspiring, and coaching me on the journey to this new beginning. Managing change in job, company, coworkers, location, etc., is part of living a dynamic life. Throughout all these changes, it is my good 126
fortune to have you in my corner. Please know I highly value your presence in my life. Some things never change. With gratitude, Lynn As a recipient of Lynn’s message, I learned about her new job, recognized its excellent fit with her experience, and shared her excitement. I enjoyed receiving her eloquent thanks, and I felt inspired by her perceptive comments on change. For me, and probably for the many individuals in her network, Lynn’s message served as a solid reminder of why I enjoy having her in my life. Lynn mentioned “a weekly commute to the beautiful north coast area” and “exploring the natural beauty of this fabulous region.” Readers may have wondered how Lynn felt about taking a job far from her home. Regardless of her possible feelings, Lynn remained positive and professional, which is always the correct choice in a group message. Here is the announcement young job seeker Cameron Deuel sent out: Subject: The End of the Great American Job Search Good afternoon, You may be pleased to know that I’ve officially landed my first job as a college graduate. Several months ago, I applied to a position within ABC Inc. that specializes in Customer Service for Product X and, though I was not selected for that particular position, I was contacted by the Project Manager in hopes that I might be open to an alternate plan. I’ve been hired for a contract position that will seamlessly lead into a fulltime Content Developer role with Product X Customer Service later this year. During my contract period, I will be trained on how to utilize ABC’s programming software, which will be one of my primary duties once I’m brought on full time. I start on Monday. Again, I want to thank you for your generosity during my job search. I have grown significantly from this experience and I will continue to stay in touch with you in the future. I hope this message finds you well and that you are experiencing a fantastic new year. Sincerely, Cameron Deuel [Phone number] Cameron was not kidding about staying in touch. A few weeks after his announcement, I was delighted to receive this message from him: Good morning, Since we haven’t spoken in a little over a month, I want to let you know how things are going with my new job. ABC is a wonderful starting point. 127
I’ve learned a lot in the past six weeks. The project I’m working on reminds me of publications I’ve worked on in the past, but with much more coding involved. Though the project seems immense, I am encouraged by the drive of my coworkers and the overall attitude of the company. Again, thank you for your help during my job search. I’ve actually started networking with people who are graduating this spring and your feedback will allow me to help them even more. I can’t wait to see where they land. I hope you’re doing well and I look forward to staying in touch. Sincerely, Cameron Deuel [Phone number] In his early 20s, Cameron already exhibits the qualities of a great networker: the desire and ability to communicate, a positive attitude, and a generous spirit. Here is another example announcing a new job that has already begun: Subject: Announcing My New Position Greetings, friends. I have looked forward to the day when I could share this good news: On October 1, I became a group home manager for XYZ Homecare. My responsibilities include hiring, training, and supervising group home staff to ensure that residents get the best care possible. This position fits well with my training and goals, and I am very happy about it. The company has a solid reputation for integrity and high-quality care, and I see a good future for me here. I appreciate your support and guidance as I searched for a job. Thank you for everything. My best regards, Dale Smith [New company phone] [New company website] Of course, you can write to individuals rather than groups, as this sample note sent by post illustrates: Dear Ross, Your good advice and high expectations for me have paid off! I am pleased to let you know that I have accepted the position of business analyst at XYZ Pharmaceutical Company. I start next Monday right here in the city. My job involves the things I love: business analytics, project management, meticulous quality control, and training internal customers. I am excited about how my work will directly support product sales. 128
You have been a tireless coach and teacher for me as I searched for a new job, and I am extremely grateful for all you have done. With many, many thanks, Ellen This next message, which was sent by email, combines a group message with an individual note. The sender added an individual note to the email to people who had been especially helpful in his job search. Subject: I landed a great role! Hi everyone, I want you all to know that I will be starting my new job this week, as IT Director for the XYZ Association. The organization is a perfect size, the staff and management are good people, and their mission is very compelling. If not for networking with friends and associates, my search would have been much longer and far less productive. Thank you for your support, efforts, and good thoughts during this transition time. Sincerely, Michael Black [Personalized addition] Hi Julia, This may not have happened without you, you know. Searching on LinkedIn, I noticed you were connected with Louise Smith at XYZ, and I made contact with her after your intro. I can’t thank you enough for your support and efforts. If ever I can reciprocate the support, please let me know. My best always, Michael Tips for Job Announcements Apply these tips to write successful, relationship-sustaining job announcements: Present your new position enthusiastically. If you were to describe it as a compromise or as settling for less, people would perhaps feel sorry for you, which is not a feeling you want to elicit. Stay positive. Provide some details about your new job so people understand what you will be doing. Sharing this information solidifies your relationships going forward. Thank the people in your network for the help and encouragement they have given you. Sometimes saying thanks in a group message is sufficient, especially if people have 129
given you a similar degree of help. For people whose support contributed significantly to your success, an individual thank-you allows you to express your gratitude explicitly and more deeply. Include your new contact information if it is available. Do not let your contacts lose track of you now. Help your relationships endure. Don’t overlook this message! Use email, Facebook, or another electronic means, or mail it to your contacts by post. People in your network will wonder what happened to you. They deserve to receive your happy news. Rely on Your Relationships Being out of a job disturbs everything: your identity, your emotions, your schedule, your habits, your budget. Your relationships are the bridges across that churning, challenging time. Despite any feelings of fear, awkwardness, or instability that your job search may cause you, rely on the people in your personal and professional lives. Share your job-loss news. Ask for help. Express your thanks. Stay in touch. Then spread the good news of the job you accept. Although you may worry that you will risk your relationships if you use them during this difficult time, the opposite is true. If you engage people in your search, your relationships with them will grow stronger. And new relationships will develop. As you look for a job, use the examples in this chapter to write messages that will build and sustain your relationships. Doing so might just help you find the perfect job too!
Personal Assessment for Job Seekers Which people in your personal and professional networks would be happy to help you in your job search? Have you kept them engaged in your search with messages like those covered in this chapter? Next Step Depending on where you are in your career transition, compose and send one of these messages this week: An announcement that you are leaving your job A request for help in your job search A thank-you for support An update on your search An announcement of your new job
Send Meaningful Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year’s Greetings The Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year’s holidays provide great opportunities to connect with business associates and reestablish relationships. But with the opportunities comes the challenge of getting things done and making the gesture meaningful. If you are anything like me, your holidays may burst with traveling, entertaining, shopping, visiting, attending religious services, and other activities. So sending business greetings, which are optional rather than required, may fall into the category of your regretfully missed opportunities or stressfully completed tasks. This chapter gives you plenty of tips, examples, and ideas to help you seize the chance to connect with business associates by sending sincere Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year’s greetings. It uses the Christmas date of December 25, celebrated in much of the Western world, and the New Year’s date of January 1. If your business associates around the world celebrate these special days on other dates, make the appropriate adjustments. Which Are Better: Printed or Electronic Cards? Both printed (tangible) and electronic cards have their supporters, with printed cards more widely accepted. Some people love one and not the other; some appreciate both. When I asked the question “How do you like your holiday cards?” on my blog, responders shared these preferences: Printed card preference: 57% E-card preference: 17% Both/either: 26% Those who prefer printed cards mention their warmth and personal touch, their uniqueness and special meaning, the ease of displaying them around the office, the ability to touch and savor them, the effort they show, and their eco-friendliness when printed on recycled paper. People who spend much of their day at computers tend to appreciate tangible cards as a welcome change. Those who like to receive e-cards value their eco-friendliness, immediacy, interactivity, creativity, possible use as screensavers, and the ability to respond to them quickly and easily. Those who send e-cards lament that sometimes their recipients do not even open them. Of course, if your only communication with your customers, employees, and others is electronic — or if printed greetings mailed through the post are too expensive or difficult to send — then e-greetings will be your choice. How to Make Your Greetings Meaningful 131
From the comments I received about holiday greetings on my blog, I can emphatically say this: Everyone appreciates a personalized message. No one likes holiday spam, in printed or electronic form. But any greeting can come across as mass produced and meaningless unless you take certain steps to make it special. Follow these suggestions to add the little details that help you come across as a sincere communicator rather than a spammer: Send greetings only to people you know: your current or recent customers, clients, coworkers, employees, and business associates; subscribers to your newsletters; and individuals who have asked to be on your mailing list. If someone has not indicated an interest in you, your greeting is spam. Send only one card — not several — or you may be perceived as obsessed, wasteful, or scatter-brained. Even well-personalized e-cards are spam when people receive more than one from you per holiday. Choose cards and messages for the recipients — not for yourself. If you believe “Jesus is the reason for the season,” express that view in church — not in your cards to business contacts. If you are not sure whether a specific individual celebrates Christmas, use “Happy holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” as your message. Consider your readers’ tastes. For instance, to outdoorsy contacts, send a photo card of a magnificent mountain or a giant redwood. To dog lovers, send a card featuring an irresistible Christmas puppy. You do not need to purchase these cards individually. You can typically buy boxed cards that match the tastes of many of your business associates. Personalize your tangible greeting cards in one or more of these ways: Handwrite the recipient’s name and sign your own — this is the least you can do. Never send a card with no recipient’s name and only a “factory-printed” signature. Even if the card has gold-embossed lettering, it will not make a meaningful connection. Do not have your assistant fake your signature — it’s bad karma, and it will make your assistant cynical. Handwrite a personal message that uses the recipient’s name. Just one sentence of greeting will personalize your message and show your thoughtfulness. Several sentences can make your message memorable. If your associate is from another country, consider adding a greeting in his or her native language. For example, use “¡Feliz Año Nuevo!” for a Spanish-speaking colleague or “Joyeux Noël et bonne année” for someone who speaks French. You can find translated greetings on the Internet. It’s wise to double-check translations on an additional website to make sure they are accurate. Handwrite each envelope. Although it takes a lot of work (and is therefore the exception rather than the norm), this gesture shows serious personal commitment. It virtually guarantees that your card will be opened and read. For a card from you and your team, include a photo of the team captioned with everyone’s name. This gesture is meaningful if the recipient has dealings with at least 132
several team members. Have team members sign the card if they know the recipient. When I led classes for a prominent high-tech company, each Christmas I received a holiday card hand-signed by everyone in the human resources department who knew me. It was fun to read each signature and think of the individuals signing. Personalize your e-cards in these ways so people open, read, and appreciate them: Use a specific rather than a generic subject line for the email. “Happy Holidays 20XX” comes across as anonymous. Instead choose something like “Happy Holidays From Ivona at XYZ!” or “Karl Schneider Wishes You a Joyful New Year” to make an instant connection with your reader. Add an individualized message. Use the recipient’s name and your own. A greeting to your reader as “Dear Customer” or “Dear Employee” might as well say “Dear Stranger.” Add a photo of team members, signed or labeled with everyone’s name, with each signature or label near the appropriate person’s photo. It’s easy to write on photos using Microsoft Office’s Paint feature. Many tips and software programs for adding words to photos are also available on the Internet. Contribute to a worthwhile nonprofit organization the money you save by not mailing tangible cards, and let your recipients know about your contribution if it matches their mission. Or contribute in the recipient’s name and share the information in your holiday message. Show extra effort by uploading the card and providing the link to your recipients, rather than sending them an attachment. Your contacts can click the link to open the card in an instant. If you create a holiday video (whose play button appears in your message or whose link you send by email), you can personalize the email or even the video. In the video, you can tell a story that engages your recipients or includes mention of them. Or you can list individual recipients’ names in the video. For several years running, communications consultant Deb Arnold has created a very funny yet professional and even instructional holiday video. Often she lists the names of people she especially wants to thank at the end of the video, like movie credits. She sends it to those people, of course. Sample Christmas and Chanukah Greetings Whether you send a printed card, an electronic greeting, a photo card, a video, or something else, the following messages can help you think of what to write. Mix and match the sentiments to create a message that works for you and your recipients. You may choose to indent paragraphs or not. The samples use both formats. Dear Friends at XYZ Company, At this joyous time of year, we are grateful for our work with you. We 133
wish you abundance, happiness, and peace in a new year filled with hope. Happy holidays! Your friends at ABC Catering: Daniel, Lisa, Natasha, Marjorie, Satya, and Joe Karen, I hope you and all your coworkers, family, and friends have a lovely holiday season brimming with joy and kindness. Warm wishes, Steven Daly To all our friends at Marcia’s Bridals: As the year ends, we think about all we are grateful for. Our relationship with you is one thing we treasure. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. We wish you a merry Christmas and much success in the new year! Donna and Dale Burke Dear Professor Reiss, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you this year. It has been an honor and a valuable experience for me. I wish you a happy Chanukah and a 20XX filled with light and meaning. Marcia Schur My dear wonderful Jake, As a person who warms my heart, you come quickly to mind this holiday season. I wish you a happy Chanukah and a new year abundant with miracles of every kind. Kitty Dear Naomi, Each night of Chanukah may you be blessed with warmth and peace. Happy Chanukah! Jodi Dear Odaiah, As gifts are given and received this holiday season, I think of the gift of knowing you. Thank you for the pleasure of working with you this year on the implementation. Happy holidays! Chad
Dear Carolyn, Merry Christmas to you and your lovely little girls! I hope you have a holiday brimming with joy and happy surprises! Traci Sample New Year’s Greetings Here are generic and audience-specific messages to build on for your New Year’s greetings. Generic: We wish you a new year in which peace, joy, and meaning abound. Happy 20XX! May your new year be filled with prosperity, hope, and wonder. Happy 20XX! I wish you a blissful, magical new year! On New Year’s Day and every day, we wish you joy and fulfillment. Happy new year! I hope you are blessed with delight, serenity, and grace in the coming year. To a customer or client: Thank you for your business this year. It has been a pleasure helping you reach your goals. We wish you a prosperous and happy new year and look forward to serving you in 20XX. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you in 20XX. It has been an honor to serve you. We wish you a fulfilling, abundant new year. Happy 20XX! I wish you a wonderful new year rich in laughter, pure joy, and treasured moments. May 20XX be your best year yet! It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with you this year. We wish you the best of holidays and a prosperous 20XX! I hope 20XX is a year of great happiness and success for you. Have a marvelous new year! Thank you for being a customer at our [event or business]. We look forward to meeting your needs again in 20XX. We wish you peace, contentment, and abundant good health in the new year.
Thank you for shopping with us. We wish you a beautiful new year filled with comfort and gladness. We look forward to seeing you again in 20XX. Happy new year! We are so pleased to have you as a customer, and we look forward to serving you in the new year. Have a terrific 20XX! To a patron or volunteer: Happy new year! Thanks to supporters like you, 20XX was a very successful year for us. We were able to exceed our goals and expand our services to the needy because of the generosity and commitment of people like you. Thank you so much! Thank you for your contribution to our important work. With your help, we had a very successful 20XX. We wish you a blessed, happy new year. To employees: Whoo hoo! We survived 20XX! In fact, we thrived because of your amazing hard work, creativity, and dedication. I am personally grateful to you for your tremendous efforts, and I wish you a fabulous new year. I am grateful to each one of you for your incredible skills and creative thinking, and I wish everyone a rewarding, joyous new year. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in 20XX! I appreciate your contribution to our success this year. I wish you joy, fun, and fulfillment in 20XX. Happy new year! After reading those examples, you may be wondering about how to render references to the new year. New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve have apostrophes and are capitalized. But if you are simply referring to next year, you do not need to capitalize it: “I hope you have a joyful new year.” That said, “Happy New Year!” with capital letters has become a standard greeting. I typically use the lower case version: “I wish you a happy new year!” Ways to Make Your Holidays Easier Consider these tips to help you ease the pressure of getting things done while keeping the season special: Send Thanksgiving cards instead of dealing with the Chanukah-Christmas-New Year’s rush. Your cards of thanks will stand out because they will not be part of a mail or email onslaught. See the chapter “Write Mighty Thank-Yous” for examples of Thanksgiving messages. Send New Year’s greetings rather than stressing to get your Christmas cards out by December 20. You can work on New Year’s cards during the relaxing days after 136
Christmas, when little work may be required of you (unless you work in retail). Then send them out after January 1. Sending the cards anytime during the first week or so of January makes them on time. Also, with New Year’s cards, you can avoid worries about whether and how your associates celebrate Christmas and how to choose the right card. But when you select them, avoid cards that emphasize drinking unless you know your specific readers appreciate wine and spirits. Many of your associates may prefer a safe, sober new year and may not relate to an alcohol-themed greeting. Celebrate your own Christmas in July by ordering your Christmas cards in the summer, then taking the time to write personal notes on them whenever you have time before the busy holiday season. If you will send group cards, give your coworkers plenty of time to sign them. Or have signing parties to get in the holiday spirit. If you choose to hand-address cards, begin in the summer or early fall. That way, you and your staff will not have hand cramps just before Christmas. Leadership and organizational development consultant Ron Scott starts early and meditates briefly on each person as he addresses and signs individual cards. If you choose to print envelopes, do so using a merge-mailing list or a sheet of mailing labels rather than individually printing each one. Update your mailing list whenever you have time during the year. When you make a new business friend, add the individual’s contact information to your list. That way, you will not have to scramble for a business card or contact information when you are ready to send cards. Decide on your preferred spelling of Chanukah (that spelling is my preference) and stick to it. That way, you will not eat up time changing your mind. Other common versions are Hanukkah and Hannukah. Try sending email greetings or e-cards to eliminate the need to address and sign dozens or hundreds of printed cards. Make sure to individualize your greetings so they come across as special messages rather than spam. Responding to Holiday Greetings You may be wondering whether you need to thank people for holiday greetings or respond in kind. Although neither response is required, acknowledging the other person’s effort can strengthen your relationship. Thank-yous and reciprocated best wishes can spread smiles and a sense of connection. Why not send them? Remember: This time of year is a special, once-a-year chance to connect with people. Think widely when you compose your list of people to remember. Even if you are an employee without clients and external customers, think of the people who contribute to your success: your manager, coworkers, colleagues in other departments, peers in other companies and professional organizations, consultants, and allies in human resources. 137
Remember them! Reconnect! Nurture your work relationships.
Personal Reflection Connecting with your business associates is a gift to yourself and to them — not an obligation. How can you make the process feel joyous to you? What can you do to reduce stress and enjoy reaching out? Next Step Whenever you are reading this sentence — whether it is February, June, or November — what is one thing you can do this week to make progress on sending holiday cards? Do that thing.
Write Apologies to Mend Fences and Support Relationships Through many years of practice, our teenaged daughter had outgrown her violin, so we went to Olsen Violins, a violin shop in our Seattle neighborhood, to look at new ones. When we walked into the shop, I told the woman who greeted us that we were looking for a violin in the $4,000 range. Soon we were placed in the shop’s soundproof room with a variety of violins to try out. They ranged from $3,800 to $8,000, with nearly all of them higher than $4,000. After we had been in the room awhile, Sten Olsen came into the room, apologizing with words like these: “I am so sorry. I just learned from Nete that you wanted violins in the $4,000 range. I thought she had said $4,000 to $8,000.” I told Sten that although I was shocked at first at the higher price tags, when we heard the beautiful sound of the more expensive violins, we realized we might need to spend more than we had intended. The next day I received this email from Olsen Violins: Subject: An Apology Hi Lynn, I want to apologize for the price confusion yesterday. I hear stories regularly from people who have gone to other violin shops and get nudged/pushed into a higher price range than they are requesting. I really hate that! I have utmost respect for what people are willing to spend and I never push people higher. I take this seriously. I feel terrible! I have a lot of really, really nice violins around 3–4K. I hope you give these instruments another look. I also have a couple violins out on trial with someone else that are right in the price category too. Have a nice weekend and Thanksgiving! Regards, Sten Olsen Olsen Violins, Inc. Sten Olsen’s apology was not necessary because he had apologized the previous day. But his written apology told me that he meant what he had said. It also provided a remedy in the mention of several violins in our price range. It came across as sincere, with the statements “I want to apologize,” “I have the utmost respect,” and “I feel terrible.” Sten’s apology was a relationship builder. It showed me that he valued us as customers. We ended up buying both a violin and a bow from Olsen Violins, spending much more 140
than our original budget. Now we refer other people to the shop. Although it was only one of the factors that encouraged our relationship, Sten Olsen’s apology made a big positive difference. This chapter helps you recognize why and how to write sincere, productive apologies. The Power of Saying “I’m Sorry” I don’t know about parents around the globe, but where I live parents regularly break up spats between small children, instructing them, “I want you two to both say you’re sorry!” After both children complain that it’s not their fault, they reluctantly say they are sorry. With the words “I’m sorry” ending the argument, the children move on to their next activity, often playing happily side by side within minutes. To us as adults at work, saying we are sorry seems more complicated. When we say it (and write it), we worry that we may be accepting blame, admitting liability in our litigious society, and apologizing ourselves into a corner. But apologies can free us in many ways. As with the sorries of children, our apologies let us move on to the next activity. They also free the people to whom we apologize by helping them let go of their bad feelings about the wrong done to them. They help everyone acknowledge that business decisions can negatively affect people’s lives, sometimes deeply and lastingly. Apologies communicate the messages “I respect you” and “I recognize that you are a human being with feelings” without actually using those words. An engineer named Keith Chapman told this story and shared his example of an apology: John was the lead engineer assigned to a project, and I was his counterpart at my company. Of necessity, I took a very active role in steering the design, which imposed a level of scrutiny that John was not used to receiving from customers. Because of this, midway through the job the relationship started to sour. Through phone calls, and some intervention from both our superiors, I managed to settle things down and brought us back into a working relationship. As the design work was wrapping up, John asked me how things looked on the job from a budget standpoint. I used the opportunity to try to smooth things over: John, I do think we will make budget on the job. [Keith followed with details about the project.] I would like to say that I think this job has gone really well. We did have a few disagreements early on, but those things happen, especially between people who are both passionate about their work. Despite the disagreements, we worked together well, came to a good design, and were on time to boot. I would also like to apologize for something that I did earlier in the job. In one of my review remarks I pointed out an error in your calculations. I believe it was a real error, but it was an advance set of calcs from you, not 141
your stamped final submittal. It was wrong of me to point it out in an email that I copied to both of our bosses. I should have brought it to you personally and given you the chance to defend it or correct it. It’s a courtesy that should be extended to fellow engineers. When we work together in the future, I will make a point of it. Keith In his desire to “smooth things over,” Keith apologized sincerely for his unfortunate email choice. His apology validated John in any negative feelings John might have been harboring about the incident, and it allowed John to move on from them. The message also allowed Keith to move on. It helped banish the pangs of guilt Keith may have felt about his behavior. Dr. Dennis Dennis, an organizational psychologist, shares this important comment on the benefits of apologizing: An apology benefits the person giving it as much (or often more) than the person receiving it. This thought sometimes helps people get past the difficulty of apologizing sincerely when they really believe the other party contributed in some way to the problem. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the “apologizer” to maintain their boundary and a sense of personal power because they are in control of the decision to apologize. It is entirely up to the other person whether they will accept the apology. One can sincerely apologize and move on even if the apology is not accepted. Although our apology may not save a relationship, Dr. Dennis’s comment reminds us that our apology can benefit our relationship with ourselves. The Parts of an Apology In his excellent book On Apology, Dr. Aaron Lazare, retired dean of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, identified four parts of an effective apology: 1. Acknowledging the offense 2. Explaining what happened 3. Communicating feelings such as remorse, shame, humility, and sincerity 4. Making or offering reparations Dr. Lazare wrote, “The importance of each part — even the necessity of each part — varies from apology to apology depending on the situation.” This sincere apology contains all four parts: Subject: Apology for My Remark 142
Dear Sharon, I am very sorry about referring to you as the “accounting Nazi” in my email to Eduardo. It was a stupid remark, and I am embarrassed that I made it. There is no excuse for that kind of attack, and I appreciate your calling me on it. I understand that it was especially hurtful to you because of your Jewish heritage. I am very sorry and ashamed. I promise to avoid using that kind of language again in my dealings with you and your colleagues (or anyone else for that matter). Please let me know if there is something else I can do to make up for my ignorant behavior. Please accept my apology. David Goode When she reads that detailed apology, Sharon may be able to forgive David and forget his bad behavior, depending on the history of their relationship. The message seems to communicate everything she needs to hear. In contrast, this version of the “apology” would do little to mend the relationship: Subject: Sorry Sharon, I am sorry you were upset that I called you a Nazi. I was just frustrated about all the bureaucratic hoops you and your coworkers make us go through. You never told me you were Jewish, so I didn’t know it would push your buttons so much. Again, sorry. David Baad The Baad version of the message includes a quick “sorry,” but it does not come across as sincere. The writer did not acknowledge responsibility. Rather, he hinted that Sharon is at fault for being upset, resorting to bureaucratic hoops, not telling David she is Jewish, and allowing the comment to push her buttons. This apology, written to a coworker, contains all four of Dr. Lazare’s parts: Subject: Sorry for missing your presentation Dear Kim, I am sorry I missed your presentation this morning. I know it was my job to be there to provide the latest financial data, and I am very sorry that I let you down. As I mentioned in my phone message, an accident on the floating bridge caused traffic to back up for nearly an hour. Although I left for work in plenty of time to be there for your presentation, the accident caused me to arrive after your time on the agenda. I emailed the data to you when I arrived. If you would like me to do 143
anything else to make up for my absence, please let me know. Please accept my apology. Renee In Renee’s situation, it might be tempting simply to leave Kim a quick phone message of apology. However, the written note makes it clear that Renee regrets what happened and does not take it lightly. She values her relationship with Kim. The next apology covers a more sensitive situation. Subject: Apology Dear Robert, I wanted to write to you regarding our conversation the other day about the new team member. I apologize for making inappropriate assumptions about your hiring decision. That was very wrong of me. Please accept my sincere apology. I realize since we talked that I simply liked the candidate from Ghana and was disappointed that I won’t have the chance to work with him. I understand now why you chose Santosh and how she will complement our skills and experience. I regret the comment I made, and I promise to support Santosh 100 percent. If there is anything else you would like me to do, please let me know. Sincerely, Roy Roy’s apology communicates several important things to Robert: that Roy regrets the remark he made, understands that his assumptions were inappropriate, and intends to support the new employee completely. Although Roy might have hesitated to “document” his mistake by mentioning it in writing, he has successfully documented his realization and his apology. Beyond that, he has shored up his relationship with Robert and committed to building a relationship with Santosh. I received the following good apology when I informed a newsletter of misspellings of my name. (I have changed the identifying details.) It acknowledges the error, apologizes for it, and indicates what the magazine will do to reduce confusion for readers of the newsletter. Lynn, Our sincere apologies for the misspellings. Our newsletter goes through a rigorous editing cycle with numerous editors, copy editors, and proofers looking at each issue. Unfortunately, the misspellings somehow slipped through. I have corrected the file, and fortunately, the article was slated to go up on our website on August 15, so it hasn’t appeared online yet. 144
Our subscribers can download a PDF version of the newsletter on our website, which I assume is where your client saw the article. The print version goes in the mail this week. We will also run a correction in the next issue of the print version of the newsletter. Again, our apologies for the error. Sincerely, Gayle Franson Senior Editor Tips for Apologies Because written apologies last beyond the moment and do not provide an opportunity for immediate two-way communication, you need to follow certain guidelines when writing them. Consider these tips and adapt them to your situations: Use the words “I apologize,” “I regret,” and “I am sorry.” Use “we” or “on behalf of” when you apologize as a representative of your company or organization. By using the language of apology, you make it completely clear that you are apologizing. Explain what happened. Your explanation helps the other person understand why the incident took place. Do not rely on your explanation, however, to imply your apology. Use the words in the previous tip. Name what you will do or hope to do to remedy the situation. For example, in some of the previous examples, Sten Olsen offered lower-priced violins, Keith promised to observe professional courtesies in the future, and the newsletter editor promised me a correction. Ask the reader to accept your apology. Your request engages the reader and asks for reconciliation. Avoid bringing up other topics. They will dilute the apology and may make it seem like an afterthought. Don’t criticize the reader or blame others. For example, don’t say, “If only you had let me know sooner” or “It was my manager’s idea that I …” Such remarks reduce the sincerity and power of the apology. They turn it into scapegoating. Don’t offer a “sorry but.” For instance, don’t say, “I am sorry, but you must also accept responsibility.” Such a statement ignites a potential blame war. A perfect example of criticizing the reader in a “sorry but” appeared in the NetSpeed Learning Solutions blog in a post written by Tim Jones. He described this as an excuse, not an apology, and I agree: 145
I am really sorry about missing the budget planning conference call this morning. I would have been on the call, but you never confirmed what I was supposed to present so I figured that the call must not be that important. Why didn’t you tell me what I needed to present? I like Tim Jones’s advice: “If you really don’t feel you are the cause, then it’s okay to push back and defend your position. But if you ultimately know in your heart that an apology is in order, make it a full apology. Make it sincere. And make it count.” If You Cannot Think of What to Write When you are not sure what to write, think about what the other person needs to know. What would he or she ask you if you were talking? Of course, you won’t actually be talking when the other person reads your words, but think of the apology as a conversation. Let’s imagine that you are writing to apologize for missing a business meeting. Your reader might have these questions: 1. What is this note about? 2. Why did you miss the meeting? 3. What will you do to make up for missing the meeting? 4. Can we count on you to attend future meetings? 5. Are you sorry for the oversight? After the introductory Question 1, Questions 2 through 5 are ones the other person is probably wondering about. To write the apology, just answer the questions, as this example does: Dear Dr. Young, [What is this note about?] Please accept my apology for missing the planning meeting on Friday afternoon. I am very sorry about my absence. [Why did you miss the meeting?] On Friday I had an enjoyable lunch with an old, dear friend, and in the pleasure of the reunion I simply forgot about the planning meeting. I incorrectly thought my calendar was clear. [What will you do to make up for missing the meeting?] I have already spoken with Lorraine Clarke about what happened at the meeting. She informed me of the two tasks that have been assigned to me.
[Can we count on you to attend future meetings?] I assure you that this will not happen again. I have added all the meetings to my phone, with a reminder alarm. I look forward to actively participating in our future sessions. [Are you sorry for the oversight?] Once again, I am sorry for missing the meeting. Please accept my apology. Sincerely, Samantha Apologizing for Little Things Little things can erode good relationships one little thing at a time. In business, take time to apologize in writing for any small mistakes, slights, or oversights. Even though they are brief, such apologies reduce the likelihood that missteps will grow into resentments. I found these brief apologies in my email inbox. Each was included in a longer message. My apologies for the delay. My password reset and locked me out of my system all weekend! I hope this is not too late. Thank you! Please accept my apology for dragging my feet on this decision. I was hoping to have more time with you. I apologize! I apologize for the late request. I have been working from home for the past two months due to my daughter’s slow recovery from surgery. Time found a way of slipping by me quickly. I apologize that the invoice wasn’t paid on time. I am sorry it got lost in the pipeline. We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused and appreciate your patience while we work on this. I apologize about the phone number confusion. We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced in downloading your order. I just realized as I was reading your email again that I completely missed your deadline. My apologies! Sorry, I just saw your response below. Never mind! The brief apologies do the important work of acknowledging the delay, the foot dragging, the lack of time, the missed deadline, the late payment, and so on. Of course, repeated missed deadlines and late payments will require much more than a sentence of apology. They will beg for changes in behavior. Apologizing Does Not Always Mean Accepting Blame In my survey on business writing and relationships, 69 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they hate to apologize when they have not done anything wrong. Yet many respondents explained that they apologize despite any aversion to it. Here are sample comments from four individuals: 147
I really truly HATE apologizing when I haven’t done anything wrong, but I also know that it’s my personal perception that I haven’t done anything wrong — the person “wronged” obviously feels differently. So I will do it … usually something like, I’m sorry that my [action] made you feel [feeling]. Admitting you were wrong even in just having favored your own perspective without considering another person’s goes a long way toward mending fences and finding common ground. Lately I have accepted the fact that it is the right thing to do for harmony. I hate doing it but it often works. So I do it fairly often. I work in IT [information technology] though. Like those individuals, you will sometimes find it helpful to apologize even though you have done nothing wrong. Clearly something happened that led to the need for an apology. It’s much better to apologize and move on than refuse to do so. Such a refusal saps energy and erects a wall between people. In awkward situations that seem to require an apology, even when you can’t see that you have done anything wrong, tell yourself that you will apologize respectfully because the other person needs it. Then apologize. Do not point a finger at the other person with a sentiment like this: “I am sorry you took it the wrong way.” Instead, use statements like these: I am sorry for the part I played in this situation. I regret that I was not able to respond in a way that was helpful. I am sorry that what I said hurt your feelings. If you are a supervisor or manager, you will find it helpful to apologize when a situation has caused problems or hard feelings — even when you are not responsible for the situation. In these cases, “I am sorry” does not mean “I am responsible.” It means “I care about you and your feelings.” Examples: I am very sorry that the new date for the product launch has affected your vacation plans. I am sorry that the construction will require you to park so far from the plant. Making Official Apologies HR Magazine featured an excellent article, “A ‘Sorry’ Strategy,” by attorney Jathan Janove. The piece focused on the effectiveness of apologies in avoiding or settling legal claims. These are two important points from the article:
Although employer apologies have at times contributed to employer liability, those situations nearly always involved apologies that were mishandled. Anger plays an important part in employee lawsuits, and anger is often fueled by an employer’s failure to apologize. In many situations, lawsuits can be avoided or settled quickly if an employer apologizes and accepts responsibility for its actions. Tips for Official Apologies If you must apologize on behalf of your company, apply these tips: Check company guidelines or get advice from your human resources department before taking action. Although apologies often reduce an individual’s desire to take legal action, as Jathan Janove indicated, the apology must be effective to achieve a positive outcome. Get advice to do it right in highly charged situations. Communicate empathy with an employee’s feelings and circumstances. “I am sorry about the frustration this delay has caused you” acknowledges the situation simply and well. Do not try to justify or excuse the employer’s actions if the employer is at fault. Such attempts weaken the apology. If your company’s process was faulty even though the outcome was justified, apologize for the process. For example, if an employee was informed of a layoff in a public, embarrassing way, apologize for the way the information was delivered. The apology does not change the layoff, but it can be very helpful in reducing the employee’s anger and indignation. It may prevent the situation from going viral on the Internet and damaging countless relationships. This example apologizes for the hurt and disappointment an employee feels when she does not receive a promotion and for the way the decision was communicated. However, it does not undercut the promotion decision. To: Clare Belmont From: Andrew Ross Date: July 2, 20XX Subject: Following Up on Our Conversation Today Clare, I would like to recap what we talked about today. I want you to know that I understand you feel I made the wrong decision when I promoted Jessica rather than you into the new Level II position. You feel you are the most qualified person for the position and that the decision is unfair. When making a promotion to Level II, I need to consider a variety of factors. Foremost among them is what is best for the department and our customer-service commitments. Looking at all information, I believe my decision is the right one. I value your work very much, and I am sorry about the hurt and disappointment this decision has caused. Please accept my apology for the 149
blunders I committed while communicating the decision. Andrew Don’t Be Sorry About Apologizing Do you remember the story about Sten Olsen’s apology for misunderstanding my violin budget? In the end, I bought a much more expensive violin, along with a bow, and I continue to recommend Sten to others in Seattle who are in the market for an instrument. Here’s the moral of the story: Do not be sorry about apologizing. It is one of the best steps you can take to build and maintain good relationships, overcome hard feelings, nurture loyalty, and show respect for other human beings. Beyond that, as Sten’s story demonstrates, it can even help you sell products and services.
Personal Reflection Do you apologize when you have done something that hurts or inconveniences another person at work? Do you see apologizing as a helpful step for both parties, as a necessary annoyance, or as something else? Next Step In this chapter, an engineer named Keith apologized to another engineer for something Keith had done awhile back. Think about your work relationships and whether there is something you would like to apologize for. Then write and send the apology.
Share Bad News Without Fostering Bad Feelings For several years I worked as a consultant at an outplacement firm, a company that is hired to help people who have been laid off. We would start by helping them make peace with the circumstances of losing their job. Over time we would coach them to find their next opportunity, whether it be a job, their own business, or retirement. Perhaps the most challenging assignment at the outplacement firm was to go to a company on the day of layoffs and meet with the employees and managers who had lost their jobs. It was like the role of Ryan Bingham in the book and movie Up in the Air, only we didn’t actually give the bad news; we cleaned up after it. Some of us dreaded the assignment because we never knew how the employees and managers would react. Would they weep? Yell? Swear? Sit numbly and not say a word? Run out of the room, calling us names? Or would they thank us for being there and giving them information? Any and all those reactions were possible. The challenge was being able to handle whatever came at us without making the bad news worse. Like us outplacement consultants, many people dread giving bad news because they do not know how it will go down, and they fear the worst reactions. They also question their own competence. Will they be able to communicate the bad news compassionately and clearly so people will understand and accept it? Will their relationships survive the bad news? Or will the bad news cause bad feelings that end their relationships? How about you? Which of these words would you choose to describe the act of communicating bad news?
If you picked more words from Column 2 than Column 1, here’s the good news: You are human! The bad news is that … well, this chapter is all about bad news. It shares valuable tips, examples, and encouragement that will make it easier for you to protect your relationships while sharing bad news. Sharing bad news is no fun. The thought of having to communicate bad news to valued employees, managers, colleagues, applicants, clients, and vendors causes people to lose sleep, eat and drink more than they intend, and try to think of ways to disappear until the bad news blows over. 151
If just the idea of communicating bad news makes you feel bad, consider using these new words to describe it:
Yes, communicating bad news thoughtfully and promptly is kind, considerate, generous, courageous, thoughtful, and mature. It is a precious gift you can give to others. Doing it well makes the other person feel respected and can strengthen your relationship. Adopt that positive mindset, and you will instantly feel at least a little better about having to share bad news. Sharing Bad News in Person and in Writing Whenever possible, share bad news in person, not in writing. That way, your communication will be two-way. You will see firsthand whether people cry, yell, or take the news in stride, as we outplacement consultants did. You will be able to deal with people’s responses appropriately in real time. Although communicating bad news in person is a first choice, putting bad news in writing makes sense at times: When informing a hundred job applicants that they were not chosen for a job When informing dozens of customers about the departure of a popular employee When letting hundreds or thousands of clients know about an increase in fees When informing thousands of students and their parents that tuition is increasing When telling all employees about a personnel or policy change that will be unpopular When communicating bad news to employees on the other side of the globe Informing Applicants That They Were Not Chosen One uncomfortable bad-news message is the letter to applicants who did not get the job. Especially in difficult economic times, the vision of qualified, eager, sometimes desperate job applicants opening your bad-news message can cripple your efforts to write it. Yet the applicants need to hear the outcome. Of course, you don’t want your “rejection” letter to hurt people. You want to avoid alienating potential customers, members, and future applicants. The looming risk is to say too little and seem brusque or say too much and inadvertently wound them. It is possible to write a clear, thoughtful “rejection” message that leaves no one feeling rejected. It has five components: 152
1. A warm opening 2. A brief description of the decision-making process that presents it as rigorous rather than haphazard 3. The bad news, sometimes implied rather than directly stated 4. Acknowledgment and appreciation of the effort the individual put into the application 5. Good wishes for the future Notice in the above list the absence of judgment on the applicant’s credentials or fit for the position. To avoid making bad news worse, the message does not include any negative comments about the applicant’s suitability. Nor does it include positive comments. Positive statements about qualifications could make the applicant more disheartened about not getting a job for which he or she was apparently well qualified. This advice also applies to other situations such as rejecting a manuscript submitted for publication. Although it may be tempting to encourage the writer, encouragement can backfire into an argument about why the piece will not be published or a time-consuming written exchange about how to revise the writing. If your goal is to share bad news without fostering bad feelings in yourself or others, limiting your message to the five components works best. If your goal is to mentor young writers or others, you may find another way to achieve it, outside the bad-news message. Below is a model bad-news message, sent from University Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington, to the many people who had applied for the position of pastor. Thank you for expressing interest in the position of pastor at University Baptist Church. We have carefully studied the profiles we received, and we have decided to interview four candidates. The skills and experience of the four individuals are a unique match for the needs of our congregation. We appreciate the time you spent preparing materials for us, and we ask for God’s blessing on you as you seek another position. Cordially, The message is brief, yet it communicates good will and caring. The mention of God’s blessing is perfect in a letter from a church. A similar message from a business could close this way: We appreciate the time you spent preparing materials for us, and we wish you success obtaining a position. The church representative who shared the letter with me made sure I understood this point: The three people who eventually interviewed for the job but did not get it received a phone call, not a letter. A phone call made sense because of the small number of people involved and because those who interviewed now had a personal connection with the church. They deserved a more personal, individual message. 153
The bad handling of such a message leads to bad feelings, as this true story illustrates: A job candidate who had been searching for a position for quite a while had four interviews on four different days with a prestigious firm. Naturally, he was getting excited. And he should have been — his fourth interview was with a senior executive. Then he got a message from the company, a letter saying he did not get the job. You might wonder — what’s wrong with that? We cannot each be the chosen one when it comes to a position. But the letter he received was canned — an impersonal rejection letter, the kind that is sent to any faceless applicant who was not even interviewed. Here’s why that letter damaged a budding, positive relationship: A job applicant who endured four interviews with the same firm, dressed meticulously on four different days, prepared carefully for several conversation/cross-examinations, graciously met a variety of strangers — such an applicant deserved a thoughtful personal letter or phone call. A friend of the dejected applicant related this story to me with anger. It would be no surprise if word spread about how the prestigious firm treated the candidate. People who heard the story might retell it at business meetings and lunches, and those in job searches might avoid that company’s recruiters if they could. The original job candidate would be slow to consider a job with that company or to do business with it again — all because someone did not take the time to write a personal letter or make a phone call to treat him with care and dignity. Never underestimate the power of your communication to create or destroy relationships! Informing Customers of the Departure of a Popular Employee Customers want to know when changes take place with the people who serve them. These messages can be delicate because we don’t want to lose the customer along with the employee. What follows is an example of how n o t to tell customers about an employee’s departure. The paragraph is excerpted from a landscaping company’s letter to all customers, updating them on spring landscaping services. All names are fictitious. David, Gloria, and Juan will all be back. You are very familiar with these three since they have been at your house for many years now. Michael, who was an invaluable employee for 21 years, forced me to make a very difficult decision last fall. When the evidence of his transgressions became so great and so blatant, I had no choice but to dismiss him. His work was exemplary, as was the value he offered all our customers; however, his actions were eroding the morale of his coworkers and affecting my ability to conduct a sustainable business. I mention this because so many people came to expect Michael every week, and he was so well liked. Also during the lifetime of our company we have had very low turnover, and events like this are rare. Replacing Michael this season is Simon. I have known Simon for over 10 years. He has worked with two other local landscapers. He knows this business, and I am confident that his demeanor and work ethic will be a nice fit for our team. 154
“The evidence of Michael’s transgressions” — yikes! The phrase creates nothing but trouble: anxious curiosity in customers; relief (or doubt) that they were not injured by Michael’s behavior, whatever it was; and potential legal repercussions if a customer talks to Michael about the letter. The paragraph contains all the right information. It just needs editing so the bad news is brief and neutral rather than detailed and destructive. Here is a suitable version that shares brief news of the well-liked employee’s departure and lets customers know they will be in good hands with Michael’s replacement: David, Gloria, and Juan will all be back, as they have been for many years. Michael, who was an invaluable employee for 21 years, has moved on. Replacing Michael this season is Simon, whom I have known for over 10 years. Simon has worked with two other landscapers and knows this business. I am confident that his demeanor and work ethic will be a nice fit for our team. For a communication that goes to all customers, the short version is just right to keep relationships intact. If individual customers ask for more information, it may be shared discreetly in person. Tips for Communicating Bad News These valuable tips will help you do a good job of sharing bad news without damaging relationships: Reveal it — don’t conceal it. Don’t try to protect others from bad news or yourself from sharing it. If bad news leaks out, individuals may be hurt and angry that they did not learn it from you or through other appropriate channels. Remember: Sharing bad news well is kind, considerate, generous, courageous, thoughtful, and mature. Communicate bad news promptly. A typical response to bad news is “How long have you known?” If you have known for a long time but have not shared the news, people may feel that they have been cheated or that you do not trust them. Recognize that there is no perfect time for bad news. Share it as soon as you can share it clearly and completely. Apologize. Saying you are sorry about a situation does not mean you are guilty or liable for it. It means you care. Tell employees, customers, clients, and patrons when you are sorry that the news is not better. And if the bad news is your fault — for example, if you missed a proposal submission deadline because of your own mistake or delay — accept responsibility and apologize so that you and everyone else can move on. In this announcement, the writer uses “Please accept my apology” to avert negative reactions to a change in a longstanding employee perk: Subject: Change in Policy on Refreshments Dear Staff, 155
Due to serious budget constraints facing our organization, as of September 1, food will no longer be provided at meetings and workshops. However, you may bring your own food to meetings and workshops if you would like to do so. Please accept my apology for the change. Management will reevaluate this decision during the next budgeting session. Please contact me if you have any questions about the policy change. Thank you for your patience and understanding. As a rule, be serious when delivering bad news, or your audience will be confused about the seriousness of the message. In the example about the change in the refreshment policy, it would be clumsy — and for certain readers insensitive — to include a quip such as “Good time to go on a diet!” Empathize. Recognize that your readers will have feelings about the bad news. Netflix experienced a huge backlash when it sent out a matter-of-fact email from “The Netflix Team” informing customers that their monthly rental fee for unlimited streaming and DVDs would increase from $9.99 to $15.98 (a 59 percent jump!). After two months of customer complaints and cancellations, an email to customers from Netflix Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings began this way: I messed up. I owe you an explanation. It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. There is always the risk that a price increase and other changes will anger and turn away customers. But a more thoughtful bad-news message than Netflix’s original regrettable communication would likely have reduced customer dissatisfaction and animosity toward the company. Be compassionate with yourself and others. When you deliver bad news, both you and the recipients will probably feel bad. Do not be surprised or offended if individuals shoot back sarcastic, critical emails. After all, your readers will have just learned the information you have known for a while. Do your best to remain professional, and know that the bad feelings will pass. If you can legitimately do so, include the good-news aspects of the bad news. (But see the next tip.) For example, downsizing offices may seem like bad news, but it is a good idea if it saves people’s jobs. Do not sugarcoat, minimize, or disguise the message with cheerful, positive language. Bad news is not more palatable with a sweet coating, and a deceptive sweet 156
coating threatens trust and loyalty. For example, companies come across as deceitful when they centralize operations and try to promote the idea that customers will be better served without their local representative. Reducing service while applauding the reduction does not fool anyone. Avoid making bad news worse by focusing on the negative aspects. Instead of “We have no idea how we will handle the situation,” say, “We are working on a procedure for handling the situation.” Replace “I can’t discuss that with you” with “I will share as much information as I can.” When appropriate, replace “I apologize for the inconvenience” with “I appreciate your flexibility.” Use a variety of media, not just email. Often the most effective communication choice is email combined with other methods, but email alone may come across as unfeeling and distant. When RadioShack laid off 403 employees by email, The Dallas Morning News ran an online poll asking, “Is it OK to lay off workers via e-mail?” Over 90 percent of poll respondents answered “No, it should be done face to face,” and many criticized the company and pledged to boycott it. Less than 10 percent voted “Yes, it doesn’t really matter how you get the news.” When you can, supplement written communication with telephone calls, in-person meetings, live online meetings, videoconferences, and other choices. Consider expanding written communication to include memos, letters to clients’ offices or employees’ homes, and intranet and blog posts. Communicate first with the people who are most affected by the bad news. For example, if some employees will be transferred, tell them directly before you tell others about the situation. If some customers may suffer because of a policy change, tell them about it before announcing the change broadly. Never blog or tweet about bad news before sharing it completely, clearly, and compassionately with those involved. Communicate more than once, providing additional details and updates in follow-up communications. Especially if the news is serious, people take in bad news only gradually. After they have grasped the main message, they will want details. The following example is the first announcement of a company’s move to another location, which will be bad news for some employees. The email does not contain every detail about the move. Rather, it indicates that further information will follow. Note that the news is fresh — negotiations were just completed today. Subject: Announcing Our Company Move to Beaverton Scheduled for February I am pleased to announce that negotiations were completed today for our corporate offices to move to [street address] in Beaverton. The attached sheet shows a map of the location and a photo of the building. Our current plan is that the move will be complete by February 20. 157
Benefits of the move: We have all felt the squeeze of our overcrowded space. Our new offices will provide us with the benefits below, all at a cost similar to that of our current downtown space: • An additional 7,000 square feet of office space • Several additional conference rooms • A conference room large enough to accommodate all-company meetings • Free parking • Other amenities now in the planning stages Adjustments required: This move will require adjustments from all of us, some more than others. For staff who live in or near Beaverton, the commute will be easier; however, for staff who live near our current office, commuting to Beaverton is likely to be an undesirable change. We will make every reasonable effort to ensure that the move is smooth and workable for everyone in the company. Tasks of the Move Committee: Our HR manager, Kamala King, will head our Move Committee. The committee will work on the timing of the move, green commuting strategies, office space allocation, and a variety of other concerns. If you are interested in being part of the committee, please talk with Kamala [phone, email] about your interest and any expertise. Opportunities to give input into the design and amenities: We will work with The Design Company on office amenities, décor, and related issues. Design Company president David Washington and his staff will hold meetings to get your input on the features you want to see in the new space. You can learn more about The Design Company and the awards they have won on their website [link]. Answers to your questions and concerns: As details become available, I will share them with you by email. Kamala will hold meetings soon to listen to your concerns and suggestions. If you have pressing questions now, send them to Kamala or me, and we will answer them or forward them to someone who can. Although change is always challenging, I hope you will join me in looking forward to our new, larger offices and imagining the opportunities the space will offer all of us. Jacob Answer essential questions. Your audience is likely to want to learn what, why, who, when, where, how, how much, and what if. Include all the information that is important to them. If you don’t have all the details, be honest but have a plan to get the information. (Note the “As details become available” wording in the previous example.) A lack of information often creates a lack of confidence and commitment. Individualize the message. Your clients need different information from your 158
coworkers; employees have different questions from managers. Invest the time to write a tailored message for each audience, and it will pay off in communication that is more successful. Use accurate titles or subject lines for bad-news communications. Avoid titles like “An Exciting Change in Benefits” if the change is unwelcome to any of your readers. Instead use the neutral “Change in Benefits Effective September 1.” If a title seems misleading, readers will be skeptical about your entire message. Avoid blaming other individuals. It may be tempting to blame others for the bad news you must share, but blaming individuals or groups can be seen as unseemly and cowardly. However, vague blame — for example, blaming the economy, government regulations, or natural disasters — is acceptable and understandable to your audience, if it is truthful. Mention anything you are doing to reduce the impact of the bad news. For example, if a well-liked assistant is being laid off because of budget cuts, tell how you will help the employee find a new job. Or if a delay means you cannot ship an order in time for holiday delivery, state what you can ship as a replacement, what type of gift card you can provide until the product is available, etc. Write your bad-news messages even when you will speak them. Without a script, it is too easy to state incorrect information and make unrealistic commitments — both of which eventually lead to bad feelings and damaged trust. If you will speak at a meeting, be prepared with answers to questions people are likely to ask. Keep your promises to communicate. If you say you will provide more information on Monday, do it. If the information is not available, say so. Broken promises make bad news worse. Communicating Tragic News This email communicating tragic news at a university displays many features of an excellent bad-news communication. It delivers the news promptly. The message is clear and complete without revealing confidential information. It expresses condolences and empathy, and it shares abundant information about resources for all involved. Note: All specific details in the email have been disguised. Subject: Sad News on Our Campus Dear Members of the University Community, I have very sad news to report. Last evening one of our students living in Baker Apartments died. The Lincoln County Medical Examiner has determined that his death was suicide. This is a heart-rending experience for all of us, and our sincere sympathy goes out to his family and friends. There is little comfort to be had at a difficult time like this. It is a terrible loss, and we know members of our university community have come 159
together to support each other. We hope you will all continue to do so. Last night, staff from the Student Life Office were on the scene late into the night, providing support to students. These psychologists and counselors will continue to provide assistance for as long as is necessary. During this trying period, we want to remind you of the array of resources available to the university community, including professional counseling services for students, faculty, and staff. These services include: The Counseling Center, staffed by psychologists and counselors who provide counseling, assessment, and crisis intervention services to currently enrolled students. For more information call [phone] or visit [website]. The Craig Mental Health Center offers a variety of services to students, faculty, staff, and alumni, providing high-quality mental health services. For more information call [phone] or visit [website]. Wellness and Health provides consultation, assessment, and intervention services to students in times of need. Wellness and Health works with students, faculty, and staff to provide a safe and supportive response when coordinated services are necessary. For more information call [phone] or visit [website]. Please take advantage of these services if you need support, and please take good care of yourself and one another. Sincerely yours, Clayton Washburn Vice President, Student Life Recognize Bad News Anytime information is not welcome to your audience, it is bad news, even if it seems positive or neutral to you. For example, changing health plans is bad news to an employee who likes the current plan, even if the new plan is better. Being enrolled in a training program is bad news to busy managers who don’t know why they are there — as this story of mine illustrates: The group of managers walked into a Better Business Writing class I was set to teach, talking to each other but not to me. They responded to my greeting but did not seem especially glad to meet me. Despite the chill in the classroom, I led the session as I usually do. By the end of the 1.5-day writing class, people were pleased about what they had learned and enthusiastic about applying it on the job. Only as they were leaving did I find out why they had been cool at the beginning of the class. One manager happened to tell me this: “No one told us why we were signed up for this class. We just found it on our calendars, no explanation. We’re busy managers — a 1.5-day class meant we had to cancel standing meetings, without any explanation of why we needed to work on our writing.” No one had taken the time to tell the managers the bad news — that they would have to cancel meetings and put aside projects to attend a 1.5-day training. And no one had taken 160
the time to explain why. Here is the message the managers should have received: Subject: Better Business Writing Class The members of the executive team took a writing class we all found valuable. We want to extend the same opportunity to you and the other managers. The class is scheduled on [dates] at [times] and has been added to your calendar. We know your schedule is very busy and that attending this training may feel like a hardship. But taking time now to tune up your writing skills will save you significant time later. We have already seen an improvement in our writing. Note: You can work on real work documents in the class, so you can get your job done while you learn. Please stop by to talk to your director if you have questions about the class or concerns about the timing. Whenever you worry that someone will feel bad about an action you will take or a decision you have made, decide how you will communicate about the potential bad news. Even a small gesture such as unsubscribing from someone’s newsletter or feed can cause hurt feelings. In those situations, consider sending a message like one of the following. The first is an email; the second, a text message. Subject: Unsubscribing from feeds Hi Chloe, Today I spent an hour unsubscribing from newsletters and feeds I can’t make time to read. Rather than having them hanging in my inbox and filling my phone, where I feel guilty that I am not reading them, I decided to unsubscribe. I wanted to let you know I unsubscribed from your feed. You write about cool, fascinating things, but I am going to keep up with you other ways. I promise to stay in touch! Sky Hey José. What’s up? I wanted to tell you I unsubscribed from your feed. Nothing personal — I just need more time to get things done. When I see you, we can talk about soccer, life, and so on. Manny If you don’t feel comfortable sending such a bad-news message, and the relationship matters to you, make time to talk to the individual. That way, you can reduce the chances that your simple gesture will damage your relationship. Be Courageous: Communicate Bad News 161
Rather than communicate bad news, some people just don’t communicate at all, as though it will simply blow over. But that behavior can lead to others feeling let down, left out, overlooked, deceived, and unvalued. Although not communicating is often an attempt to avoid hard feelings, it regularly leads to them. The courageous alternative is to communicate bad news promptly and diplomatically. That means informing job candidates when a position has been filled by another qualified applicant. It means letting vendors know that their contracts will not be renewed. It means being honest about higher prices rather than pretending that prices will not go up to avoid losing customers. And it means telling employees when the company has plans to downsize. Understand This: Delivering Bad News Can Be Good In my work as an outplacement consultant, I observed that a layoff message delivered in person or in writing is very difficult to receive, especially when it is unexpected. But even when the bad news is very bad, there is a personal payoff for delivering the message well. Despite the message — or perhaps because of it — delivering bad news clearly rather than confusingly, carefully rather than thoughtlessly, and straightforwardly rather than cagily can lead to a deepening of respect and understanding between people. People I “laid off” sometimes became friends of mine, even though we were strangers at the time of the layoff. I was there for them at a difficult time, communicating the bad news and helping them understand it. You can help people the same way, deepening your business relationships, by communicating bad news with courage and compassion. Although the title of this chapter is “Share Bad News Without Fostering Bad Feelings,” it helps to recognize that bad news communicated well can lead to good feelings and stronger relationships.
Personal Reflection Remember a time when you had to communicate bad news. How well did you communicate it? Now think of a time when you received bad news. Was it communicated effectively? What do you wish the person who shared it had done differently? Next Step For any project plans you are working on, add “Communicate bad news” to the task list. If you plan to implement changes, list the people whose work lives may be negatively affected, at least from their perspective, and be sure to communicate with them about the changes.
Say No Clearly and Courageously If you have ever had to say no in writing, you realize it can be a difficult message to write. It is not necessarily the wording that challenges you. It’s the idea of saying no to other people whose goodwill you value. You worry about how they will react to the no, whether it is with disappointment, anger, disbelief, belligerence, or embarrassment. You may worry that they will complain to others, say negative things about you, or publish harsh comments about you or your company online. If you have decided to do nothing rather than say no, you are not alone. According to my survey, rather than tell someone no, 22 percent of people occasionally avoid responding; 3 percent frequently avoid responding in such a situation. Below is the story of Melanie, who could not say no either in person or in writing in a situation that began at work. The story is essentially true, although details have been changed. As you read Melanie’s story, notice whether any part of her feelings or the developing situation is familiar to you. Melanie was 23 years old and worked in a government agency. She had a coworker, Aleea, age 20. They frequently ate lunch together and went shopping occasionally. People often commented on how strikingly alike they looked. One day Aleea approached Melanie with a strange request: Aleea was going on vacation to Hawaii with a friend and her family. Because the legal drinking age in Hawaii is 21, Aleea wanted Melanie to help her acquire an ID she could take to Hawaii to show she was 21 and old enough to drink. Melanie was astonished as she realized Aleea had worked out all the details. Melanie was to report her driver’s license as lost and order a new one online, which Aleea would pay for. When the new license arrived, Melanie was to lend her old driver’s license to Aleea, who would take the ID to Hawaii, pretend to be Melanie, and be able to drink Mai Tais in bars and restaurants with her friend. When Aleea came back to work after the vacation, she would return the ID to Melanie, who could then destroy it. Melanie thought the idea was nutty, but she could see Aleea’s point of view. She herself had enjoyed the bar scene in Honolulu. And the crazy plan would probably work, since the two looked so much alike. At the same time, Melanie wanted nothing to do with requesting a new license on false pretenses, and she knew she would never agree to do it. Yet Melanie could not say no. She didn’t want to let Aleea down, and she didn’t want to appear to be unwilling to help. She also did not want to come across as a goody-goody or suggest that Aleea was less than ethical. And she feared a big blowup that would damage their friendship. Not knowing how to say no, Melanie half-heartedly said she would think about it. She avoided Aleea for a few days and hoped Aleea would forget about it. Aleea did not forget. When she tracked down Melanie at lunch one day, Aleea let Melanie know that she had gone online, pretended to be Melanie, and ordered the 163
replacement license. The new license would be mailed to Melanie within two weeks, easily in time for Aleea’s trip to Hawaii. All Melanie had to do was give Aleea her old license when the new one arrived. Melanie was flabbergasted. She could not believe Aleea had ordered the license. But then Melanie blamed herself for not saying no right away when Aleea had suggested it. She worried that now she owed the license to Aleea, who had paid $25 for it. She knew she would not turn the license over to Aleea, but still she could not say no. Melanie received the new license in the mail within a week. When it came, she decided firmly that she would pretend it had never arrived. Soon Aleea was asking Melanie every day if the license had come, and every day Melanie lied and said that it had not. The night before she was to fly to Hawaii, Aleea phoned Melanie, anxiously asking Melanie to give her the old license, since the new one would surely arrive the next day. That time Melanie did say no. She said she could not give Aleea her license because then she would not have one herself and would not be able to drive. Melanie dreaded Aleea’s return from her vacation. When Aleea returned and eventually asked if the license had ever arrived in the mail, Melanie said it had not. The two women endured a strained work relationship. A Typical Downward Spiral When You Cannot Say No Did any parts of Melanie’s story seem familiar? Here is what typically happens in situations when it is difficult to say no: Someone — a business associate, applicant, vendor, solicitor, employee, coworker, or potential customer, let’s say — makes a request that you cannot (or don’t want to) agree to. Maybe the request is impractical, not profitable for you, or against your company policy. Maybe it doesn’t appeal to you or would require too much effort. Maybe it is illegal (as in Melanie’s situation), unethical, or unprofessional. You find it difficult to say no for one reason or many. The reasons generally involve fear: fear of a hurtful response from the other person, of retaliation, of letting someone down, of a negative change in your relationship, of making the wrong decision, of saying it badly, and so on. You avoid responding directly to the person, hoping the need to say no will go away. Unfortunately, it rarely does. You end up avoiding the person who has made the request. You do not reply to the person’s email or voicemail messages, and you avoid places at work where the person might see you. You become frustrated with yourself and irritated with the other person for making the request, which has become either a huge presence in your mind or a tiny ongoing irritant. The situation may take an unpleasant turn, as Melanie’s did, with the other person taking action despite your lack of a response. Or you may end up telling a string of lies. 164
If you never communicate the no, the other person will eventually give up trying to get a response from you. But he or she will have less confidence and trust in you as a reliable businessperson. If you do eventually communicate the no, your message may be marked by untruths or apologies that make you feel bad. It does not have to be that way! After reading this chapter, you will look at saying no in a new way that will help you do it quickly and effectively. Saying No: Think of It as a Gift Do this: Recognize that what the person making the request really wants is an answer. Of course, the individual would prefer a yes. But a no is normally far better than no answer at all. If Melanie had said no to Aleea promptly, Aleea might have exploded in anger, or she might have sulked for a while. She certainly would not have spent time and money ordering the license. She would not have wasted time and effort repeatedly asking Melanie whether it had arrived. She would not have waited in anticipation for the license and would not have made the last-minute phone call pleading with Melanie to lend Aleea her license. Compared with the way things evolved, a no would have been a gift to Aleea. As the reader of this book, you probably don’t care about Aleea. After all, her request was ridiculous and her behavior unethical. But think of Melanie. Saying no would have ended all her worry and wondering about how Aleea would respond. It would have allowed Melanie to move on. Sure, she might have felt awkward around Aleea for a few days, but that discomfort would have been nothing compared to what actually happened. Think of saying no as courageously giving a gift to the other person and to yourself. It is the gift of being able to move on. Had Melanie thought of saying no as a gift to herself and Aleea, she might have sent this email shortly after Aleea made the request: Subject: Your Idea for Hawaii Hi Aleea. I thought about what you asked me at lunch, about Mai Tais in Hawaii. I have to say no. It’s just not okay with me. Sorry! I hope you have a great time anyway. Mel Aleea would not have been pleased. She might have gotten angry and retaliated somehow. She might have ended their friendship, which would have hurt Melanie despite their apparent difference in values. Yet the friendship ended anyway when Melanie could not say no. It is also possible that Aleea would have responded mildly. She might have gone up to Melanie in the cafeteria the next day and asked, “Are you sure? It’s not a big deal, just a driver’s license.” Melanie might then have said simply, “I’m sure. Sorry.” And Aleea might have dropped the subject. 165
The Parts of a No Message A written no message typically requires only these three parts: A neutral or positive opening A clearly stated or strongly implied no A positive or professional close My daughter Eva received this email from her piano accompanist, Valerie Shields, replying to Eva’s request for accompaniment at a fundraiser: Hi Eva [neutral or positive opening], I regret that I won’t be able to accompany you on April 11 [clearly stated no]. Hope all is well with you and that you are enjoying your senior year [a positive close]. Best wishes, Valerie The message says no clearly and concisely, yet it supports the relationship between the two musicians. Depending on the situation, you may want to expand the message by adding one or more of these additional parts: An explanation for the no An offer of an alternative A brief apology Imagine the situation of an entrepreneur named Seth, who was asked by someone in his professional circle to write a review of her book. Seth skimmed the book and hated it. Rather than writing a negative review, which his colleague would not have wanted — or a dishonest one, which he was not willing to do — he decided to send a no message. Seth felt the message required an explanation for the no. He considered saying he did not have time to read and review the book, but he feared that his colleague would then just ask him to write the review when he did have time. Here is the no message he sent: Dear Ellen, Thanks for inviting me to review your new book [positive opening]. I have scanned it, and I do not feel in tune with the book’s approach enough to endorse it [brief explanation for the no]. Therefore, I am going to decline the opportunity this time [clearly stated no]. Cheers [positive close], 166
Seth Seth’s no message is brief and clear without criticizing Ellen’s book. Although she would undoubtedly be disappointed, she could not fault him for anything but being “not in tune.” On the positive side, Seth gave her the gift of a clear, quick response. In the email below, I responded to a colleague in my professional network, someone I do not know well. She had written to express interest in referring training opportunities to me, for a 10 percent referral fee. She asked whether I would be open to such an arrangement. This no message includes an offer of an alternative. Dear Faith, Thank you for thinking of me for possible training opportunities. I appreciate your vote of confidence [positive opening]. Paying a referral fee is not something I am interested in doing [strongly implied no]. I prefer to refer work to other people and accept referrals from them without fees involved [brief explanation for the no]. I would be happy to have that kind of relationship with you [offer of an alternative]. Please let me know if you are interested in working that way. I wish you much success in your business [positive close]. Lynn “Faith” responded agreeably to the no message I sent. Our professional relationship is intact despite my having said no to her invitation. Saying No in Many Situations Here are examples of other situations in which you may wish to say no. Notice that all the messages have a positive opening (sometimes just a simple greeting), a clearly stated or strongly implied no, and a positive or professional close — some close both positively and professionally. Some include additional parts: an explanation for the no, an offer of an alternative, or a brief apology. When an employee emails to ask for a week of vacation: Brad, Thanks for asking me about taking the week before Christmas as a vacation week. Unfortunately, in our retail environment I can’t approve your request. The week before Christmas is the busiest week of the year for us. That’s why our policy requires nearly every employee to work that week. We do have a rotation that permits employees to take vacation time that week or the week after Christmas every four years if they wish to. You will be eligible for either of those weeks in your fourth year with us. You will have Christmas Day and New Year’s Day off as paid holidays because the store is closed. Also, because you are working Christmas Eve, 167
you will have New Year’s Eve off. I hope those days off will make up for having to work the week before Christmas. Let me know if you have questions. Julian Before writing the message above, Julian may have been thinking, Vacation the week before Christmas? Is this guy insane or from outer space? This is retail! However, his purpose was not to ridicule the employee. It was to say no and maintain a good work relationship. So he kept those thoughts to himself. When an employee makes a written request for approval to attend a training program: Lester, thanks for asking permission to attend the conference in Ontario. I believe the program would be excellent, and I wish I could say yes. However, I cannot. There is a company-wide push toward cost-effective training and education. We are asking all managers and staff to use our own training department, which offers a variety of very good programs. We are also encouraging everyone to consider programs at local colleges and universities. These are often an excellent value. Please talk with Nathan Griffin in the training department about the courses we offer. Nathan also maintains a database of programs offered locally, with particular emphasis on those serving our industry. Thanks for taking the initiative on your professional development. Please let me know if you want to discuss this. Larry When a potential client asks for a discount: Dear Mr. Gomez: Thank you very much for following up on our proposal so promptly. We are pleased that you are enthusiastic about our ideas, and we are all looking forward to the start of the project. In your message, you asked about the possibility of a discount because of your organization’s nonprofit status. We would like you to know that we reviewed a wide range of factors when we computed the proposed fees, and we have offered you our very best pricing. We hope that when you consider the anticipated results of the project, you will agree that the investment is sound. We look forward to your approval of the proposal. When we hear from you, we will draw up a letter of agreement. Sincerely, Maura 168
Maura Howe Director of Business Development When a potential customer asks for a free sample: Dear Ms. Powell: Thank you for writing to us and requesting a sample from our catalog. We were happy to hear from you. We do not provide free samples. However, if you order a sample product and are not satisfied with it, we will refund the cost of the item, along with the shipping costs you paid. You will not pay anything unless you choose to keep the item. Please phone or email us if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your order by phone, by email, or online. Best wishes, Todd Thrush, Customer Service Representative [Contact information] When a peer emails to ask for your participation in a panel or a project: Dear Jillian, Thanks for thinking of me. Unfortunately, my schedule and workload for the foreseeable future preclude me from participating in this interesting effort. Best regards, Elijah When a stranger asks for the opportunity to write a guest blog post: Thanks for asking about a guest post. We are not using guest writers at this time. Good luck with your business! Crista Turner LMNOP Company When a coworker asks for a conference room he needs for his team training: Hi Zach. About Columbia — sorry I can’t give it up. I want to impress the interns with the view and the free food next door. It’s their first day. Hope you find another spot. Peter Consider how Zach might feel if he had received this brief response instead: No can do. Peter 169
If Zach and Peter have a good work connection, the three-word response might be enough. But if their relationship is not solid, the lack of investment Peter made in the message could negatively affect their work relationship. When a coworker asks for your password to get a discount on a website: Hey Casey, I am not comfortable sharing my password for the site. It just doesn’t work for me. To get the discount, you can register yourself and get a password of your own. I believe the membership fee is just $25/year. It’s really worth it if you are going to make many purchases. Ciao, Sara Notice that Sara’s message does not criticize Casey for asking for her password. The purpose of the message is to say no — not to teach Casey about ethics. When a coworker asks for your security card to enter a building after hours: Hi, Long. I got your message about my key card. Sorry, I can’t lend it out. If you need to get into Preston on the weekend, ask Eleanor for advice. I know she has arranged with Security for other people to enter on weekends. Best, Dell When an employee asks for an advance on a paycheck: Hi Gretchen, I am sorry I cannot approve an advance on your check. I have a longstanding policy of not providing advances, for many reasons. Dorothy in Employee Assistance might have some helpful ideas. Also, during the last week of this month, we will conduct our annual inventory, when you can choose to work overtime. I hope making extra money that week will be helpful to you. Garlin When You Need to Say No Repeatedly Messages communicating a no are not always successful. Sometimes you need to say no repeatedly. For instance, imagine yourself in the shoes of Susan, a web designer, whose client has asked her to update his website. However, he is more than a month late in paying Susan’s most recent invoice. Susan is angry about not being paid, and she is not willing to complete more work before he pays the overdue amount. Her prompt reply to her client includes all six parts of the no message: 170
Hi, Dave. I’m glad you are getting web traffic and conversions on your site. That’s great [positive opening]! I am sorry I cannot do updates on your site until I receive payment for the work I have done so far [clearly stated no with a brief apology]. Our contract stipulates payment within 30 days, yet my invoice for $390 is more than one month past due [brief explanation for the no]. As soon as I receive your check or credit-card number for the payment, I will be glad to implement the updates you requested [offer of an alternative]. Best [professional close], Susan Within minutes, Susan received Dave’s reply: Susan, this isn’t fair. I had no idea you wouldn’t do work until you got paid. You never told me that. I need these changes. I have a gig coming up and I’m up against the wall. We have to get it on the site or I will lose money and you will never get paid. You’ve got to help me. Don’t let me down PLEASE. Dave Now Susan had to decide how she felt about the situation. She stayed firm in her decision that she would not do additional work for Dave until he paid what he owed her. They did not have a long-term business relationship that would make her ignore the terms of their contract in this one instance. It was important to her that he abide by their written agreement. Notice where her response again includes all six parts of the no message: Hi, Dave. Thanks for letting me know how you feel. You are correct that I never told you I would not do additional work until I received payment. You and I have a signed agreement that states that payment is due within 30 days. It is now over 60 days since I emailed the invoice for $390 to you. Because I have not received payment according to the terms of our agreement, I am not willing to do additional work. I am sorry about this situation. Please provide me with a check or credit-card number to process for $390. Once I receive your payment, I will perform the updates quickly. Best, Susan In her message, Susan repeated her offer to get to work on the updates as soon as she received a check or credit-card number. Her messages were consistent and clear. 171
Dave responded this way: I don’t have the money or I would pay you. I need to make money with this gig to pay. Can you make an exception this time PLEASE? Susan could again decide to perform the work for Dave or say no. Here is the professional email she sent in which she continued to incorporate all the parts of the no message: Dave, I understand your situation and am sorry about it. My answer is still no. I do not wish to make an exception. If you can find a way to pay for the work I completed, I will make your updates an immediate priority. Please let me know if anything changes about your ability to pay. I really hope things work out for you. Susan Of course, Susan’s messages did not seem like a gift to Dave. He needed additional work done on his website now, and Susan refused to complete the work without prior payment of his unpaid invoice. But Susan did give Dave a gift whether he recognized it or not. The gift was clarity. Susan made her policy completely clear to him. She did not cause him to waste time or resources waiting for delayed responses, second-guessing her intent, or trying to find holes in poorly stated messages. Saying No Respectfully and Professionally Beyond her clarity and quick responses, Susan treated Dave with respect. She did not criticize his money management skills or complain about his delayed payments. She used I statements to communicate her no messages: I am sorry I cannot do updates on your site until I receive payment for the work I have done so far. Because I have not received payment according to the terms of our agreement, I am not willing to do additional work. My answer is still no. I do not wish to make an exception. Those statements work well because her purpose was to say no to Dave and do so professionally. Her purpose was not to label him, teach him, or shame him, as these statements would have done: Your treatment of me is completely unfair and uncalled for [labeling]. 172
As a businessperson, you need to be able to manage your accounts payable [teaching]. How can you ever expect to be a successful businessman if you treat me in such an unbusinesslike way [shaming]? Certainly, Susan may be tempted to point out that Dave’s request is unfair and his behavior disrespectful. But if her purpose is to say no clearly and professionally, steering clear of language that “puts Dave in his place” is her best approach. Her goal is not to reform Dave. It is to run her business well. You may have wondered about the use of the word sorry in Susan’s messages. Susan is not the person who has ignored the terms of their contract. Why should she apologize? I am sorry I cannot do updates on your site until I receive payment for the work I have done so far. I am sorry about this situation. Dave, I understand your situation and am sorry about it. The word sorry is appropriate because Susan is sorry. She is sorry about the whole situation. Her sorry is not actually an apology (although I have called it that). It is an expression of regret and disappointment that things are not going better. Sorry also indicates that Susan has feelings. She is not a machine. Susan’s messages do not refer to her anger, even though she is angry that Dave has not paid her and is frustrated that he is wasting her time in this no-win email exchange. Talking about her anger and frustration would take the focus off the purpose of her message, which is to say no. Focusing on negative emotions could push the exchange into an unproductive angerfest that would threaten their work relationship just as much as Dave’s nonpayment threatens it. Only if Susan is unwilling to work for Dave in the future, even when he does pay, and only if she wants to fire him as a client, should she even consider bringing up her anger and frustration in her messages. If she wants to express her anger and frustration, doing so in a confidential, professional support group is a safer, more satisfying approach for the long term. Clearly Stated and Strongly Implied Nos All of the no messages you have read so far in this chapter include either a clearly stated no or a strongly implied one. Examples of a clearly stated no: I regret that I won’t be able to accompany you on April 11. Therefore, I am going to decline the opportunity this time.
Unfortunately, in our retail environment I can’t approve your request. Strongly implied no: Paying a referral fee is not something I am interested in doing. We are not using guest writers at this time. We would like you to know that we reviewed a wide range of factors when we computed the proposed fees, and we have offered you our very best pricing. When you write to U.S. business readers and other people who communicate in a direct style, it is essential that your no be clearly stated or strongly implied. Without an unmistakable no, the other person will wonder whether you said no and may even think you said yes. The implied no in this message is not strong enough to remove all doubts: Hi, Cheri. I received your message about taking PTO [paid time off] on Friday. Cassy and Fleur are scheduled to take that day off. Tyler This version removes the doubt with a clearly stated no, and it includes an apology: Hi, Cheri. I received your message about taking PTO on Friday. Because Cassy and Fleur are scheduled to take that day off, I cannot approve your request. I am sorry it did not work out this time. Tyler The ambiguous no message below is a response to a therapy patient’s request to change a next-day appointment from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hi Christian, My policy, as you know, is 48 hours’ notice except in emergencies, and I must stick to it. Changing an appointment in less than 48 hours counts as a cancellation and is the patient’s financial responsibility. Lyle This version includes a clearly stated no: Hi Christian, I am sorry I cannot change your appointment from 4 to 6 p.m. tomorrow. 174
My policy is 48 hours’ notice except in emergencies, and I must stick to it. If you are unable to make your appointment tomorrow, I will regard it as a cancellation and expect payment for the appointment. Please let me know if things do work out for you to come at 4. Lyle This story of Professor Bermudez and a student, Ms. Levitt, serves as an example of where indirect no messages can lead. Professor Bermudez received a request for a recommendation from Ms. Levitt. He did not want to recommend her because of her lackluster performance and limited participation in his course. Writing in a style that is comfortable for him, the professor sent this no message: Ms. Levitt, Regarding your message requesting a recommendation letter, I have had limited opportunities to become acquainted with your strengths and accomplishments. For that reason, a recommendation from me would not be helpful to you. I wish you success in finding a suitable program. H. Bermudez The professor’s implied no was not strong enough for his reader. He received this response: Hi Professor, I would be glad to meet at your convenience to discuss my strengths and accomplishments. Once you have this information, I hope you will be able to write a recommendation for me. My schedule is flexible. Please let me know a good time to meet with you, and I will bring my CV [“curriculum vitae,” the name for a resume in the academic world] and supporting documents. Best, Kat In Professor Bermudez’s mind, Ms. Levitt’s message gave further evidence that she was not a perceptive student. He wrote to her again: Ms. Levitt, My schedule precludes meeting with you in the near future. May I suggest that you request a recommendation from other faculty members? Sincerely, H. Bermudez 175
A month later he received this reply: Hi Professor, I was wondering whether your schedule had cleared enough for you to meet with me. I would really appreciate it if you could write a letter of recommendation for me. Can we schedule 15 minutes to go over my strengths and accomplishments? I am available at your convenience. Best, Kat Here is the final message in the exchange between Professor Bermudez and Ms. Levitt: Ms. Levitt, I am afraid I cannot write a wholly positive recommendation for you. I strongly suggest that you request recommendations from faculty members who admire your work. H. Bermudez That message from Professor Bermudez finally includes a very strongly implied no: “I cannot write a wholly positive recommendation for you.” If the professor had included that statement in his first message, Ms. Levitt would not have continued to ask for his help. However, in some cultures, a direct no is considered rude or highly inappropriate. Perhaps Professor Bermudez finally became direct because he feared Ms. Levitt would never stop pestering him! Give the Gift of No The purpose of this book is to build and sustain relationships through effective, heartfilled business writing. In many cases — except when you want to end a business relationship intentionally — the purpose of saying no is the same: to say no while preserving the business relationship. You can achieve that purpose by taking the courageous, difficult step of writing the message. If you do not take that step — if you leave the other person wondering and waiting — you will jeopardize the relationship and possibly destroy it, perhaps before it has even begun. When you have decided to say no, say it clearly and courageously. Think of your no message as a gift to the other person — and to yourself.
Personal Reflection In my survey, one person commented on saying no this way: “I’ve learned to say no. I love it!” Have you learned to say no? What do you need to do or to tell yourself in order to say no and love it — or at least tolerate it? 176
Next Step Think of a situation in which you may need to say no to someone. Use the sample messages in this chapter to draft a response.
Disagree With Discretion, Not Destruction Pavel was a flamer, someone who sends hostile electronic messages. His boss had sent him to my Better Business Writing class because when Pavel disagreed with people in writing, he destroyed relationships. Pavel (not his real name) had been told he was brutal in his writing, and he wanted to find out what he needed to change. He felt clueless. It was easy to recognize what Pavel was doing wrong. He described a situation in which he had responded to someone whose work, to Pavel, was obviously below standard. He had written to his colleague, “I would rather have my teeth extracted than do what you suggested.” When I asked Pavel whether that statement might have been a bit harsh, he told me the harshness was warranted because his colleague’s idea was terrible. Pavel could not disagree without destruction. His background was the key to Pavel’s communication problem. Just a few years earlier, he had come to the United States from an Eastern European country that values directness. Besides the bluntness that was second nature to him, he did not recognize tone differences. For example, he saw little or no difference between the sentences in these pairs: I have no idea what you are talking about! I do not understand your point yet. What in the world do you mean? What do you mean? Pavel had the tone deafness of Dr. Sheldon Cooper, a brilliant but emotionally insensitive character in the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Considering the sentences above, Pavel (and Sheldon) would argue, “But I don’t have any idea what they are talking about. Why can’t I say that?” And they might both shake their head in frustrated puzzlement, trying to understand why the phrase “in the world” in “What in the world do you mean?” would incense their coworkers. Although you may not have Pavel’s challenge of moving to a different culture and missing linguistic subtleties (or Sheldon Cooper’s emotional denseness), you too may feel challenged when you need to disagree. You may struggle to think of ways to communicate your disagreement without offending. You may labor to find the appropriate words. You may wrestle with how much detail to include to make your point without making an enemy. This chapter offers many examples of phrasing and several sample messages to help you. Or you may agree with Pavel. You may be wondering what is wrong with exclaiming, “I have no idea what you are talking about!” Like Pavel, you may prefer bluntness and forceful delivery of a brilliant argument. This chapter shows you how you can preserve your relationships while communicating your valuable ideas.
The Argument for Disagreeing With Discretion From what Pavel shared in class, I sensed that his situation was becoming grave. It sounded as though his colleagues avoided him because of his harsh communication. They discounted Pavel’s comments, regardless of how brilliant he was, because the comments came wrapped in insults. They did not seek his opinion unless they had to. Would you want to be in Pavel’s situation? Disagreeing with discretion means disagreeing with care and diplomacy. If Pavel could change his communication style and disagree with discretion, he could: Influence decision makers, coworkers, and peers in other departments to design better software. Become the expert whose opinion is sought and valued. Maintain work relationships rather than trashing them. Be promoted. Happily, Pavel can learn to disagree with discretion, and so can you. Differences: Destruction vs. Discretion Consider the story of Kelly and Donald, two recruiters at a rapidly growing high-tech company. In this message, Kelly disagrees with a part of Donald’s proposal: To: Donald From: Kelly Re: Problem With Your Recruiting Proposal I read your proposal for on-campus recruiting. I think you are making a big mistake to invite employees directly. You ought to go through their supervisors. You don’t want to have supervisors upset at Recruiting, as they were with the job-shadowing program you instituted without their involvement. Otherwise, it’s okay. Kelly Is Donald likely to accept Kelly’s suggestion? If he sees the wisdom of her point of view, he might do so grudgingly. However, it is just as likely that he will put up his defensive shield as soon as he reads the subject Kelly wrote on the email: “Problem With Your Recruiting Proposal.” The words problem and your together come across like a dog’s growl, signaling a possible attack. The body of the email does nothing to package Kelly’s disagreement pleasantly. “I read your proposal” contains no hint of praise. “You are making a big mistake” implies “You are an idiot.” “You ought to” says “I know better.” Bringing up the problem in the jobshadowing program says “Here you go again upsetting people.” The closing, “Otherwise, it’s okay,” does nothing to help Donald rebound from Kelly’s ego-destroying force. Contrast this version of the message, which disagrees with discretion: 179
To: Donald From: Kelly Re: Your New Recruiting Initiative Hi, Donald. Nice job on your new proposal for on-campus recruitment! I like it. You always have creative ideas about how to introduce our company to students. I have one important suggestion: I believe supervisors will be most supportive of your plan to take employees on recruitment trips if you issue the invitations through them. If you invite employees directly, I worry that supervisors may feel undermined, which could work against your plan. To get supervisors to say yes to the invitations, maybe you could offer an incentive such as a first crack at highly qualified candidates. Again, nice work! Kelly Donald will take Kelly’s suggestion seriously in this second version for many reasons: The words new and initiative give the subject line a positive feeling. The greeting prepares him for a collegial message, not an attack. The praise in the first paragraph communicates that Kelly admires his work. The phrases “important suggestion,” “I believe,” and “I worry” communicate Kelly’s disagreement without putting her in an opposing camp. She offered a suggestion to help Donald encourage supervisors to say yes to the invitations. She repeated her praise of Donald’s work. Of course, the 100-word second version requires more thought and effort than the 50word first one. But the probable payoff from the second version makes the investment worth it. Donald is much more likely to seriously consider and implement Kelly’s ideas rather than attack them. The second version also solidifies a good work relationship between coworkers. But what if Kelly disagreed with many aspects of Donald’s plan? She could still disagree with discretion: To: Donald From: Kelly Re: New Recruiting Proposal Hi, Donald. I read your proposal for on-campus recruitment. I want it to be very successful, as you do, but I have concerns about parts of it. Can we meet to talk about the parts I believe could benefit from rethinking? 180
I am free this afternoon or early tomorrow morning. Please let me know what works for you. I look forward to our conversation. Kelly That message includes no criticism of Donald or his proposal, only a mention of Kelly’s “concerns.” It sets a positive, professional tone with the phrases “very successful,” “benefit from rethinking,” and “look forward to our conversation.” You noticed that the message did not give details of what is wrong with Donald’s proposal. Whenever you can, share details in person or on the phone rather than in writing. A written message does not allow you to gauge how the other person is reacting or to take in information about why the individual approached the subject the way he or she did. What if the weird idea is the CEO’s? Nevertheless, if your business associates work on the other side of the globe while you are asleep, you may have to express disagreement in detailed emails and written reports rather than in real time. And there are other work situations that require you to flesh out your comments in writing. If Kelly must put the details in writing, here is how she can write the email or memo: To: Donald From: Kelly Re: New Recruiting Proposal Hi, Donald. I read your new proposal very carefully. You have put a lot of effort into recommending ways we can improve on-campus recruiting. Like you, I want this proposal to be very successful, so I am sharing these concerns about it. Please follow up with me if any of these ideas need clarification. 1. Inviting employees to participate in on-campus job fairs: This is an excellent idea. I believe supervisors will be most supportive of the idea if you issue the invitations through them. If you invite employees directly, I worry that supervisors may feel undermined, which could work against your plan. 2. Training for employees participating in recruitment: It is terrific that you thought of this. Too often people overlook training. We will need to sell this idea to managers, and I am almost certain they would balk at four hours of training. I recommend that we consider a one-hour or a 90-minute training program. We can add just-in-time training at the colleges as we set up. 3. Recruiting budget: You have estimated the costs as $25,000. Based on my recent experiences in budgeting, I believe $100,000 is closer to what we will need. I have attached a past budget to 181
give you an idea of unexpected expenses to factor in. I strongly encourage you to reconsider this budget number, since we will all have to live with it. I suggest a minimum of $90,000; $100,000 will give us a cushion in case we want to add campuses or trips. 4. Division of recruiting responsibilities: When I reviewed the geographic breakdown, it appeared that neither of us has an equal mix of colleges in rural areas and in large metropolitan areas, something that is important so that we have similar travel challenges. A trip to Ellensburg, Washington, in December is much more challenging and time consuming than a trip to Seattle. As someone who grew up on this coast, I would be happy to redraw the territory in a way that equalizes the travel challenges. Otherwise, I look forward to a revised plan from you. [Kelly can cover more points in a similar way.] Donald, I hope this input will help you finalize a strong, successful proposal that will enhance our college recruiting. Kelly In the detailed message, Kelly disagrees with four aspects of Donald’s plan. Yet she never uses the word disagree. Avoiding that word helps her avoid a confrontational tone. Reading Kelly’s message, you would never guess that her first unpolished reactions to Donald’s plan were: Invite employees directly? That’s doomed to fail. Four hours of training? Is he insane? $25,000 budget — in his dreams! He gets territories like Seattle, Portland, Sacramento — and I get cow towns! Not without a fight! I should have written this proposal myself! It’s just as much work when he writes it! Despite Kelly’s first thoughts, this message, like the earlier ones that disagree with discretion: Uses positive language such as improve, successful, excellent, supportive, and terrific. Avoids using the pronouns you and your with any negative words. Phrases such as “your error” and “you falsely assume” do not appear. Offers an alternative method for each area of disagreement, rather than just being critical. Avoids making any assumptions about Donald’s motives.
When You Disagree Completely At times, you may disagree completely with someone’s ideas. If you can discuss the issues with the individual, such an exchange of information is a productive approach. However, if you cannot or do not choose to meet in person or talk on the phone (perhaps because you want to go on record as disagreeing), you can still disagree with discretion rather than destruction. Imagine that Malick, webmaster for a small consulting firm, disagrees with Ahmed, the VP of marketing, who is pushing to use customers’ survey comments without their permission. Malick is the person who would be uploading the comments to the company website. The marketing assistant, Alicia, has just sent Ahmed three such comments to add to the site as testimonials. Here is Malick’s memo to Ahmed: To: Ahmed Atwal From: Malick Badami Re: Testimonials for Website — Recommendation Ahmed, I received three excellent customer-satisfaction survey comments from Alicia. To avoid doing something we might regret, I recommend that we contact these customers and get their permission before publishing their comments as testimonials. Here is why: 1. We have a signed nondisclosure agreement with one of the companies, ABC Inc., stating that we won’t use any of their comments or company information without their permission. Posting their comments online would be a violation of the agreement. 2. In Ed White’s comment (XYZ Associates), he mentions his company in less than flattering terms. If his unedited remarks were made public, he and his colleagues could be embarrassed. 3. Because these quotes will become part of each customer’s searchable Internet profile, posting them without approval could lead to mistrust and dissatisfaction. Yes, requesting and getting permission takes time, and we run the risk of customer denials. However, handling our customers discreetly will help us continue our excellent relationships with them. An “act first, apologize later” policy could alienate our best customers. I know you feel a sense of urgency about adding testimonials to our site. I am happy to help with that effort. I can work with Alicia to contact these customers, and others, to get permission and help them edit their comments, if necessary. To ensure we get permission to publish future comments, we can add a permission box to our surveys. Customers can check the box, giving us permission to use their comments in our marketing materials. 183
Let me know how I can help. Malick Although Malick is surprised and annoyed that the VP of marketing would publish testimonials without permission, those feelings do not come out in the message. Saying “I am surprised you would do this” would almost certainly cause Ahmed to defend himself or attack Malick. Describing his annoyance would not promote Malick’s point of view, so there is no point in mentioning it. A strength of Malick’s message is that he addresses Ahmed’s concerns. He acknowledges that requesting permission takes time and that Ahmed feels pressure to do this quickly. He offers help to speed up the process, and he suggests a way to obtain permission in the future. Malick’s message includes three reasons for his “recommendation.” (He does not use the word disagreement.) None of his reasons belittle Ahmed. Negative language has an appropriate place in the memo. The words regret, violation, embarrassed, mistrust, dissatisfaction, a nd alienate point out the possible negative consequences of publishing the comments without permission. Still, not one of the negative words is coupled with the pronoun you. Malick refrains from writing “You will alienate” or “You will embarrass.” By avoiding such accusatory sentence structures, Malick allows Ahmed to save face. Transforming Destruction Into Discretion This table compares written statements that disagree destructively with those that disagree discreetly.
Attitude: Destructive vs. Discreet 185
When you disagree in writing, your most important tool is your attitude. If your attitude is respectful and caring, your message is likely to be supportive rather than destructive. The statements in the “Disagreeing With Discretion” column of the table all communicate support and respect. They convey a positive regard for the reader. It will be a challenge to write a diplomatic message if your attitude is hostile, disparaging, or unsympathetic — or all three. If you have strong negative feelings toward the person, try hard to imagine the individual as your best friend, your favorite coworker, or your most admired public figure. This visualization may help you adjust your attitude and make it easier for you to see the person in a positive light. Then it will be easier to disagree with discretion. You and Pavel Can Disagree Without Destruction Pavel, the man whose story opened this chapter, disagreed with destruction, primarily because of his background. He had grown up communicating bluntly in Eastern Europe, and he did not recognize the differences between tact and tactlessness in English. Perhaps you too have been less than successful because of coming across as insensitive or undiplomatic. Both Pavel and you can disagree without destroying relationships if you apply these tips: Talk rather than write, when possible, so you can adjust your message based on the other person’s reactions and input. Avoid the word disagree, which puts you and the other person on opposing sides. Instead, simply state your views. Or describe them as suggestions or recommendations. Avoid the use of the pronouns you and your with blaming language. For example, avoid “you failed” and “your illogical plan.” Use I statements to express concerns, for instance, “I worry that …” and “I have reservations about …” Turn criticisms into suggestions. Rather than writing, “Your proposal lacks depth,” write, “The proposal would benefit from more discussion of …” Offer ideas and alternatives. Communicate carefully rather than cavalierly, sincerely rather than sarcastically. Omit exaggerations such as “I would rather jump off the George Washington Bridge than do as you suggested.” Avoid superlatives such as “This is the worst report I have ever read.” Appreciate the possibility that you are wrong. Your ideas may be out of fashion or too cutting edge for the situation. Use tentative language such as “may be” and “could be” rather than insisting things “are” exactly as you interpret them.
Avoid making negative assumptions about the other person’s motives, and never include such assumptions in your message. Assume the best of the other person. Recognize when your negative feelings will be obstacles to writing a tactful message. Try to see the other person in a positive light. Relationships are built on honest, tactful communication. Disagreeing with discretion will help you create and maintain strong business relationships.
Personal Reflection Are you able to disagree without being disagreeable or destructive? Which techniques and attitudes help you — or could help you — disagree discreetly? Next Step From the table that compares destructive and discreet language, choose several discreet phrases you could apply in conversations and written messages. Memorize your phrases and start using them this week.
Remind People Without Nagging or Whining If you are like most professionals, you have to write an occasional reminder. People do not always act as quickly as you want or need. Maybe a client has not paid your invoice promptly or has not replied to your request for a meeting. Perhaps a peer hasn’t given you essential data or hasn’t finished a report you are waiting for. Maybe your boss or a client keeps you waiting when you need approval to move ahead on a project. Those situations can be so frustrating! They can also be uncomfortable. Reminding the other person can feel like nagging, grumbling, or begging — none of which promotes good will and satisfying work relationships. Despite those feelings, you must occasionally remind someone of something to get what you need to do your job. This chapter will help you avoid turning frustration into embarrassment and associates into adversaries. It will help you write diplomatic, efficient reminders — and even eliminate the need to write some of them. How to Eliminate the Need for a Reminder Let’s start by identifying with the individuals who have not yet done what you want them to do. Why have they not paid, replied, approved, or accomplished the task you requested of them? Each case is different, but it is likely that they are reluctant, ambivalent, unaware, unable, or too busy to do what you want. If you can imagine your readers feeling one or more of those ways, you can reduce the need for many reminders by providing what they need from the start — that is, when you make your original request. When you request an action or assign a task, you can take these steps to increase the likelihood that the person will do it, thereby eliminating the need to send a reminder: To reduce ambivalence, personalize a message so that every individual who receives it knows it is from you to him or her — not from a department to a mass audience. When a request goes to a group, everyone assumes that someone else will respond, volunteer, or contribute. Use an individual’s name, and let the person know why you are making the request of him or her. You will be much more likely to receive a positive response and will not need to send out pleading reminders. To reduce reluctance and ambivalence, state why something is important. If people understand the importance of your request or assignment, they will prioritize it with their other important activities. In my role as an instructor at the University of Washington–Bothell, I received a request that I submit grades for summer students. The request provided these details about the importance of submitting grades on time: Please make every effort to submit grades on time. Students depend on 188
grades for their academic survival. They need them to: • Prove satisfactory academic progress. • Fulfill prerequisite requirements for registration. • Remain eligible for athletic programs. • Receive appropriate honors. • Remain eligible for scholarships. • Remain eligible for financial aid and other government-sponsored programs like veterans’ benefits. • Graduate. How could I not submit grades on time when all of the above could depend on my action? I took action promptly. Another way to reduce reluctance and ambivalence is to show how taking an action benefits the reader. Whenever there is a clear reader benefit, include it. Examples: I will start designing your website as soon as I receive the signed letter of agreement. When we meet, we can discuss next steps to get the project back on schedule. Reserving your booth this week guarantees a space in the main exhibit hall. Pay only $485 if you send payment within 10 days. Enjoy a 3 percent discount for prompt payment! To lessen the likelihood that someone is unable or too busy to complete a task, do as much as you can to help the other person comply. Sometimes the smallest missing details can lead to the biggest delays. Be sure to include all the information he or she may need, taking the following steps: Include your phone number, fax number, and mailing address so the person does not need to take time to search for them. Provide a payment link for easy credit-card payments. Send an Outlook meeting request, or list the dates and times you are available for a meeting. Include a map or a link to a map so the person can find your office easily, if something requires delivery. Attach a template for the document you need or a sample of what you expect. Provide links to resources for more information. To eliminate lack of awareness, follow up on any requests you make by email. Call, send a follow-up email, or make a personal visit within a few hours or a day of your original request. Make sure the person received your request, understands it, and can comply in a reasonable amount of time. When Your Best Efforts Don’t Lead to a Prompt, Positive Response 189
Despite doing everything you can to make complying easy, sometimes you will need to send reminders. Communications consultant Deb Arnold helps her clients win prestigious awards for their training programs. She does all the right things to encourage clients to provide timely information for award submissions, but she still has to follow up with reminders at times. Here is an example from Deb: Subject: Gentle Reminder FW: Your input requested for award submission Dear [Name], As the week comes to a close, I’m getting back in touch to see whether you might have had a chance to review the needed information for the [Award Name]. [Name of an executive] specifically asked for your input, so I wanted to be sure to follow up. As I mentioned below, I can set up a call or, if you prefer to, please feel free to send written input. Might you be able to let me know by end of day Monday how you would like to provide your insights? Thank you very kindly in advance for your time and important contributions. Best, Deb Deb communicates well to maintain positive business relationships. She uses the polite “Gentle reminder.” She efficiently forwards her original request rather than restating it. She uses the positive phrasing “Your input requested,” “getting back in touch,” “your insights,” “important contributions,” and “Thank you very kindly.” She hints at the passage of time with “As the week comes to a close.” She deftly mentions the executive’s desire for input, and she frames the communication as “I wanted to be sure to follow up” rather than “I needed to remind you.” Tips for Gentle Reminders Consider these tips to help you write “gentle” reminders that support good work relationships: Use I statements — not you statements. I statements help you communicate facts rather than accusations. Compare these sentences: I look forward to receiving the sales data I requested. (I statement) You have not yet sent me the sales data I requested. (you statement) The I statement is true: The writer looks forward to receiving the data. In contrast, the you statement is speculation. The writer cannot be certain that the other person has not sent the information. If the other person has sent it, the accusation could damage the relationship. Notice the difference in feeling in these sentence pairs: 190
You have not yet approved my check request. I would appreciate approval of my check request by tomorrow. You haven’t responded to my meeting request. I would like to meet with you ASAP. The I statements state the writer’s needs, whereas the you statements blame the reader. T he you statements are much more likely to elicit a defensive or an argumentative response. Communicate consequences, which help people prioritize. People typically take action on things that have positive consequences if they do them and negative consequences if they don’t do them. These examples communicate positive consequences: If I receive your input by tomorrow, I will be able to include your team’s activities in my report to the board. If I receive your approval by Friday, I will be able to meet the registration deadline. These sentences communicate negative consequences: If I do not receive your input by tomorrow, I will not be able to include your team’s activities in my report to the board. Unless I receive your approval by Friday, I will not meet the registration deadline. Although I prefer communicating positive consequences, both positive and negative consequences can move the other person to action. If negative consequences are stated with a matter-of-fact tone rather than a threatening one, they can be effective without threatening relationships. Describe the next step you will take. This description may be similar to the statements of consequences. Its purpose is to show the other person tactfully that you intend to take action or stop action. Consider these next steps, which are all I statements: I will phone your assistant to request an appointment with you. I will stop by your office on Thursday to pick up the work you have completed. I will suspend work on the survey until I hear from you. Include your original request, invoice, or excerpt from a statement of work, if 191
appropriate, rather than restating it. Including the original communication frees you from having to describe what you need and reduces the odds of using any blaming language. You may say something like this: I have not yet received the [whatever it is you are waiting for], which was due by [date]. I have attached the original [invoice, request for approval, etc.] as a reminder. I look forward to hearing from you by [date]. Frame your reminder as a helpful tool to encourage a positive, prompt response. For example, depending on the circumstances, you might: Include your latest contact information. Update your availability — list the dates and times you are still available for a meeting. Provide new information that makes action easy. Some businesses take this concept of helpful reminders to a high level of customer service. For example, I was taking a cross-country plane trip one night. On the morning of the upcoming trip, I woke up to reminder emails that helped me travel more easily from two companies: Alaska Airlines and National Car Rental. Both of them had sent reminder messages whose helpful details made my life easier. Alaska wrote with lots of good information: Welcome Aboard. For your convenience, here is your flight information for your upcoming trip to Orlando on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air starting 9/25/20XX. We’ve also listed useful information and services to help make your trip easy. Along with the weather in Orlando, Florida, Alaska informed me of my checkin time, reservation number, flight number, seat number, and tips on carry-on luggage. I appreciated all of these. More than that, I appreciated the fact that I did not have to sort through my email to find information about my flight, whose reservation I had made a couple of weeks earlier. This reminder came at exactly the right time. National Car Rental provided the same good service. Their email began this way: Subject: Friendly Email Reminder from NationalCar.com. Thank you for using National to make your reservation. Below is your confirmation number. You will need it when you get to the rental facility. Along with my confirmation number, National gave me a link to my reservation. As with Alaska, I appreciated having this information available at the exact moment I wanted it. The reminders worked for me. Both companies made it easy for me to take the action they wanted. When I got to the airport for my flight and later to the car rental area, I did 192
not drive the agents crazy because of missing information. I had all the details I needed. Think of Alaska Airlines and National Car Rental when you remind a customer or colleague about an assignment they still must complete, a webinar that requires their registration, or a lunch meeting they have not yet confirmed. How can you add value in your reminder, just at the moment the person needs it? Never use accusing language such as “You are avoiding me” or “You don’t seem to care about the success of this program” — even if you feel those statements are true. They will only elicit defensiveness and escalate tension. At all times, stay professional. Here is a sample reminder emailed to a client on August 24 involving the touchy subject of a late payment: Subject: Payment of July Invoice Hi, Colin. As of today’s mail delivery, I have not received payment for my July invoice. According to our contract, it was due on August 20. If you have mailed a check, please let me know. If you have not mailed it, please send it today. I have attached the original invoice for you. If you prefer to pay by credit card, please phone with your credit-card details. You can reach me or my assistant, Lydia Smith, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. I look forward to hearing from you about the status of the payment. Best wishes, Darla Darla Woods [Office phone], [Cell phone] [Mailing address] Here is a second reminder emailed on September 1: Subject: Overdue Payment of July Invoice Hi, Colin. I have not received the overdue payment of $2550. If you have not mailed it, please do so today, or phone me as soon as possible with your credit-card information. If you have mailed the payment, please let me know by phone or email. I have attached the original invoice for you. If I do not receive payment by September 8, I will need to suspend work on the new video. As you can imagine, I would hate to have to take that step. I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, Darla Darla Woods [Office phone], [Cell phone] 193
[Mailing address] Neither of Darla’s messages criticizes Colin or makes any assumptions about his behavior. When he pays the invoice, their relationship and the project can move forward free of rancor. Tim Jones, vice president and general manager at NetSpeed Learning Solutions, read those sample emails and sent me information about his approach. He wrote: I sometimes have to reach out to delinquent customers for payment. In those situations, I may also include an either-or option to give customers a friendly choice. For example, I might write, “Mary, if you would prefer to have me talk to someone in your accounts payable department, could you let me know the appropriate person for me to talk to and their contact information? Or if you prefer, I can call you later today and take your credit-card information. What works best for you?” Tim’s suggestion of an either-or option gives his customers some control in a situation that may feel out of control for them, especially if they do not have a say about when invoices get paid in their company. He comes across as understanding and supportive. Should You Remind People Before Something Is Due? In high-stakes projects, it can be tempting to remind people of deadlines before something is actually due. But that step can backfire. It can make people feel as though you don’t trust them to complete the work on time. I raised this subject on my Business Writing blog with these questions: If something is due at 5 p.m., is it okay to email someone at 4 p.m. with a reminder? If you were working toward a 5 p.m. deadline, would you appreciate a 4 p.m. email reminder? English professor Alfredo Deambrosi shared his view of this situation: Emailing reminders to an individual can communicate a lack of trust and can seem like micromanaging. Those problems are drastically reduced, however, if the reminder is sent to a group. If I am part of a group that receives a reminder, then I do not feel singled out as someone who could not get the job done if he did not get a reminder. Freelance copywriter Neil Wheatley had a different point of view: Treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself. I know I certainly wouldn’t appreciate receiving an email like that! I agree that group emails take the sting out a little — but these are not always applicable to the situation. I find it’s better to show some trust in the people you’re working with, at least until they’ve proved themselves 194
undeserving of it! I agree with both Alfredo and Neil. Reminders can come across as micromanaging, and they can suggest a lack of trust, although a group reminder avoids pointing a finger at anyone. You are better off showing trust in people. One way to eliminate negative reactions to early reminders is to agree on them in advance. For example, when agreeing on project timelines, you can agree that you will send reminders at certain times during the schedule. Sending anticipated reminders, you will not come across as lacking trust. You will simply be doing your job. For the writing classes I teach, my clients occasionally email attendees reminding them to turn in prework to me shortly before the work is due. Here are two examples: Just a quick reminder that this is due to the instructor, Lynn GaertnerJohnston, today. Thank you. Have a great weekend! Jayne Hi team, A quick reminder to send a sample to Lynn by EOD [end of day] Monday. This will help her prepare for our workshop on Thursday. Have a good one. Donna Although the reminders are friendly and brief, they may create a kind of dependency. People can get in the habit of waiting for a reminder to take action. That is why I prefer to wait until the deadline passes before sending a quick reminder like this one: Subject: Quick Prework for Better Business Writing — Please Send It Today According to my records, I have not received your prework. Can you please respond to the request below today? Thank you! In a business communications class I taught in an MBA program, one student blamed the lateness of his final assignment (and his corresponding lower grade) on a fellow student. His rationale was that the other student had always reminded him of the assignments that were due — until the final assignment. Although this was somewhat lighthearted blaming, the same situation can occur with serious consequences if people learn to rely on reminders and then do not receive one. A writing class participant proposed the ideal solution to avoid irritating coworkers or creating dependency with premature reminders: “If you need something by 5 p.m., give a 4 p.m. deadline. That way, if you have not received it by 4, you can comfortably nudge the other person.” 195
I like the approach of creating a deadline that is earlier than your true deadline, especially for important projects. If you need information by, let’s say, Monday at noon, why not set a deadline of Friday at noon for getting the work to you? That way, if you do not receive work by the early deadline, you have “wiggle room,” and you can send out a reminder like this one: Subject: Test Results for Project No. 202031 Omar, I have not yet gotten the test results from your team. I promised a report to the client by Monday, and they are already asking me when it will be ready. Can you please see that I get the results by the end of the day today so that I have time to incorporate them into the report? We originally agreed on a deadline of noon today, but I can make anytime today work if I know the information is coming. Can you reply to this email and let me know the status? Thanks! Phuong It is wise not to advertise wiggle room too openly. If people realize you always allow extra time before a true deadline, they may not take your deadline seriously. When They Don’t Tell You They Have Done It! At times you may be waiting for acknowledgment that a task has been completed, but it does not come. Once again you have to send out something that feels like a reminder. And once again you don’t want to nag or whine. Tim Jones has dealt with such situations and has devised a solution. He shared his approach: I have two coworkers who, when they finish a project or task I have asked them to do for me, just move on — without telling me they have completed it. I have a high need for closure and like to know when a project I have requested has been completed (when it’s not obvious without my asking). I am left in the awkward situation of not knowing whether they finished the project and not wanting to nag them about it. So I sometimes will email them something like this: “Dee, thanks very much for being willing to help me with the XYZ project. Hey, if you have not yet finished it, can you give me a rough ETA [estimated time of arrival or accomplishment], given the other items on your plate? And if you have already completed it, could you let me know? Thanks a lot.” I find that by acknowledging the very real possibility that they may have already completed the project, my checkin comes across a bit less like nagging.
After sharing his ideas above, Tim followed up with me. He let me know that he had successfully persuaded one of the coworkers to send him a simple email reply with the message “DONE” when he has finished an important task. Now Tim is in the happy situation of not having to send irksome reminder/checkins to that individual. How to Follow Up in Email Without Feeling Pushy or Pathetic In the online class How to Write Email That Gets Results, a participant asked this question: “When I’m following up on an email that I have not received a reply to, what do I start with? I don’t like ‘Just following up on my last email’ type intros.” Such follow-up messages are a kind of reminder. They can be awkward because you don’t know why someone has not responded, and you don’t want to weaken your relationship by coming across as pushy at one extreme or pitiable at the other. Try any of these approaches, which I have used successfully when I have not received a reply: Share something new to get the other person’s attention. For example, I might write an opening like this: “Hi, Manu. As you consider ways to improve the executive team’s writing, you may find this survey data instructive.” I present the data and then ask for an update on the prospective client’s process. Your “something new” might be a report you have written, an article you found in the news, a product review, a speech you heard on YouTube, a case study, or a checklist. The idea is to share something new to make the reader think of you and respond. You might begin with “Since I wrote to you last month,” followed by your new helpful information. Let the person know that a window of opportunity is closing. In my business, I let a client or prospective client know that my schedule is filling up or that seats in a webinar are going fast. For example, I might write, “I know you want to offer the program in July. I have only three days available that month: July 11, 12, and 13. Please let me know if you would like me to hold a day for you.” I only use this approach truthfully; that is, I say I have only three days available if it is true. Clients respond well to this approach, either by scheduling or responding that they cannot schedule yet. Your closing window of opportunity might be a deadline for a pre-season discount, for input into a preliminary design, for a grant application, or for meeting with you before your vacation. Whenever you can show a benefit to replying to you promptly, show it. “I will call you” often gets people moving too, like this: “Hi, Rahel. I would love to get your reaction to the proposal I sent last week. Have you had a chance to review it? I will call you on Friday unless we have communicated before then.” Try this simple approach: “Hello, John. I am forwarding the message I sent last week to be sure you received it. I look forward to hearing from you.” When I use this opening, people frequently respond positively and include a brief apology for not responding earlier. People are busy. They often cannot respond as quickly as you may hope. Remember that 197
what feels like a long delay to you may be standard turnaround time for them. To preserve the relationship, think creatively and kindly about their schedule and situation. Below is another example from Deb Arnold, which she uses when she has not yet received client approval for a section of an award submission. Notice that her reminder feels like a good customer-service gesture. Subject: Gentle Reminder FW: For your review – draft report Dear [Name], I wanted to circle back with you about your feedback on the draft report I sent. Your deadline to submit it is fast approaching, and I want to be sure that we have plenty of time to incorporate your comments. Might you be able to send your feedback tomorrow? If not, what is your sense about the timing? Thanks so much. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to make it easier for you to provide your thoughts on the draft. I’d be happy to set up a phone call. Best, Deb Remember as you compose a first, a second, or even a third reminder: You cannot control the other person’s behavior. You can only control your own. You cannot make the other person pay, respond to your email, send information, agree to a meeting, sign a contract, or anything else. You can only determine what you will do. One thing you can always do is communicate professionally and respectfully to maintain great work relationships.
Personal Reflection When you need to remind someone in writing to do something, do you successfully use I statements rather than you statements? How do you make your reminders seem helpful rather than hounding? Next Step Before you write your next request, review the steps under the heading “How to Eliminate the Need for a Reminder.” Then try to write the request so that a reminder will not be necessary.
Deal With Anger (Yours and Theirs) to Preserve Relationships — or End Them Well True
story, details changed: Jude is a contractor who lost an assignment as an instructional designer for a small, successful training company. He lost not only the challenging assignment he was working on, but also any future assignments with the company. Yet the company loved Jude’s work. The owner described Jude as the best instructional designer they had ever hired. Why was Jude fired? Because he put his anger and insults in writing. Jude had become frustrated with a stressful training design schedule and unrealistic demands that the training company had agreed to with a client. He felt he was not being adequately paid for revisions the client had requested. He felt mistreated and stretched too far. So Jude wrote to virtually everyone at the training company, either directly or through a cc’d email, accusing them of stupid project management. He harangued them about their decisions. He called them names. He wrote several of them more than once. Darlene, the owner of the training company, had no choice but to fire Jude. She had been one of his strongest fans, but he had alienated himself from everyone he needed to work with. She could not support or defend his tirades. Even though Jude was the best instructional designer around, he had handled the stress of the assignment by exploding, hitting everyone around him with a barrage of email shrapnel. Jude’s story is about destroying relationships. It is an example of what not to do in response to anger and stress. This chapter gives you language, examples, and tips to help you maintain your relationships even in charged situations — or to end a relationship professionally. How to Protect Business Relationships When You Are Angry and Under Stress If you, like Jude, feel pushed to the limit, you can maintain your cool and your relationships by applying these tips unfailingly: Do not commit your anger to writing. It will live on, long after your feelings of anger have passed. If you are well known, an embarrassing transcript of your angry messages could end up on the evening news. Talk with the appropriate person, typically the person who can help you change the situation or see it differently. That individual may be a peer, the project coordinator, your supervisor, a mentor, a trusted coworker, or a human resources representative. If you communicate by email, write only to the person who can make a difference 199
— not to a group. Do not copy others on the message, either by cc or bcc (blind copy). Copying others can make your anger the topic of everyone’s online and offline conversations. It can also publicly embarrass the individual or individuals who aroused your negative feelings. If you communicate in writing or talk with the person with whom you are angry, avoid using you statements, in which you is the subject. Instead, use I statements, in which I is the subject and focus. For example, instead of writing, “You are keeping me out of the communication loop,” write, “I don’t feel that I have all the information I need to do the job.” Instead of saying, “You are constantly second-guessing my decisions,” say, “I feel I am qualified to make certain decisions, and I would like to be able to make them without your review.” Avoid combining the pronoun you with any negative word. These statements only make your audience defensive:
Even though you may think those remarks are true (“He does expect the impossible!”), they come from your point of view, with your understanding of the situation, with the information you have. The other person probably has a different point of view, a different understanding of the situation, and different information. Making such statements almost never builds understanding and better relationships. If the behavior that upsets you is abusive, get help from your manager, another trusted manager or friend, or someone in human resources. Harassment and other forms of abuse should not be tolerated in your company or agency. An ally may be able to help you deal effectively with the situation. Do not keep anger and frustration inside until you explode, as Jude did. Do not wait until you feel powerless and out of control. Communicate as soon as you know or sense that things are going wrong. How to Request a Meeting When You Are Upset 200
It is often better to talk things out than to conduct a sensitive exchange entirely through email, especially when you are angry. But how do you compose the email requesting an in-person or phone meeting without letting your raging emotions hijack it? The question makes me think of an email I received from my longtime colleague Cynthia Clay. I used to do a lot of writing for Cynthia. In one situation, I wrote a book review for inclusion in her newsletter. She did not like the review. She felt that my huge praise for the author, a competitor of hers, detracted from Cynthia’s own work. (She was right; I had not realized my review was insensitive in that respect.) Rather than write to tell me angrily what was wrong with the review and my approach to the book, she wrote, “I really have my knickers in a knot over this review, and I’d like to talk with you about it. Please call me when you get a chance.” It was the perfect opening for communication. Instead of telling me what was wrong with my approach to the book, she told me that she had a problem we needed to discuss. When I phoned her, I was not the least defensive. She had set me up for a reasonable discussion, and I was able to revise the writing easily. When something or someone upsets you, do not write a scathing composition and click Send. Just send a short, simple message about your knotted knickers. Own the problem and open the door for a productive conversation. Follow Cynthia’s lead when you request a meeting by applying these tips: Keep the request short. Don’t get bogged down in details that are difficult to communicate tactfully. You have to give enough information so the other person understands the purpose of the meeting, but save details for the conversation. Avoid you statements. Use I statements to accept responsibility for your needs. Think of Cynthia’s “I really have my knickers in a knot.” Keep the tone light by using neutral rather than negative language. For example, say, “I’d like to talk with you tomorrow about the plans for the retail space.” Do not say, “I saw the plans and I am very upset about the square footage for my department.” That second comment might put the receiver on the defensive. Before he reached his breaking point, Jude, whose story opened this chapter, might have requested a meeting with Darlene to discuss what was bothering him. He might have written this message: Subject: Concerns About XYZ Project Hi, Darlene. I need to talk with you about resolving two important issues in the XYZ project: the schedule and the number of revisions. Briefly, I have been working 10 hours a day to meet the original deadlines. The new deadlines are going to be very difficult to meet without threatening the quality of the work. I know how important it is to you to deliver an excellent product, and I feel the same way.
Also, my contract stipulates that two revisions of the training design are included in my fee. The client’s daily requests for revisions are adding to my time and frustration, yet I don’t have a clear way of managing or being compensated for them. Can we meet by phone today or tomorrow? Please let me know and suggest a time. Jude Notice that the message does not attack or blame Darlene or question her judgment for agreeing to a new deadline. It states the facts as Jude sees them and tactfully communicates his frustration. It uses the I statements “I need to talk with you about resolving two issues” and “I don’t have a clear way of managing or being compensated” rather than you statements like “You need to explain to me how these issues are going to be resolved” and “You haven’t made it clear how I can manage these or be compensated.” It also includes two expressions with a positive tone: “resolving two important issues” and “deliver an excellent product.” In my reimagining of Jude’s situation, I saw him requesting a meeting with Darlene to discuss his concerns. But there are times when the last thing you want to do is to talk to the other person — on the phone or in person. That may be because he or she is domineering or manipulative. Or it may be that you feel you cannot win: Perhaps you are reflective and cautious when speaking, and the other person is quick, glib, and persuasive. Or perhaps the situation is simply too filled with emotion to discuss. At other times, real-time communication may be difficult because the other person is too busy or refuses to engage by phone or in person. Or the individual may work on a different schedule, in a different time zone, or on a faraway continent. Let’s imagine that Jude could not meet by phone or in person with Darlene because she did not make time to discuss his issues. Let’s say she responded to his request for a meeting this way: Subject: Re: Concerns About XYZ Project Hey Jude. Sorry I don’t have time to meet in the next few days. Keep on keeping on, and we will resolve the issues as soon as we can. Thanks. D. Rather than exploding in anger and frustration, Jude might have written a message like the one below. Subject: Re: Concerns About XYZ Project Darlene, since we cannot meet about the XYZ project soon, I need to be sure you are aware of several important items. 1. I will do my best to meet the new deadline; however, it will be very difficult. I urge you to hire a second designer to work on 202
the sixth and seventh modules because of the real possibility that I will not be able to start and complete them on time. I will be glad to orient a new designer to the project. 2. I talked with Kerry, who agreed to communicate directly with the client so I will not be interrupted continually with requests for revisions. She and I will communicate once a day about any needed changes. 3. My contract stipulates that two revisions of the training design are included in my fee. However, the design requirements have morphed into something neither of us had planned for or included in the contract. My plan is to track the time it takes to handle additional requests for revisions, and I will present an invoice for the additional changes at the end of the project. Please let me know if you want to discuss any of the items above. Jude Jude cannot control Darlene, the client, or anyone else involved in the project — only himself. So the email does not attempt to control them. Neither does the message attack or blame Darlene or anyone else or make negative assumptions about Darlene’s reasons for not agreeing to meet. Instead, it urges Darlene to hire a second designer, presents Jude’s plan to have Kerry communicate with the client, and describes how Jude intends to handle payment for additional design changes. It presents Jude’s views professionally. Let’s assume that the situation has not improved. Rather than blast Darlene and others, Jude can write this message: Subject: Urgent Action Needed: XYZ Project Issues Darlene, the situation with the XYZ project design has worsened, and I strongly request that changes be made now so I can continue to work on the design. The newest deadline is impossible to meet given the increasing complexity of the design and the ongoing changes the client has requested. Although Kerry has tried to work as an intermediary between us, the client has continued to phone and email me, literally from dawn until late evening. I urge you to step in to work with Kerry, the client, and me, so a solution can be reached. Please call or email me about next steps as soon as you can. Jude Now let’s assume the worst: With no meaningful intervention from Darlene, the stress has increased exponentially and irrevocably. Jude cannot continue to work on the project without jeopardizing his well-being. Rather than send attack-and-blame emails throughout the company, as he did in the true story, he can exit the project this way: 203
Subject: Resignation from XYZ Project Dear Darlene, I am sorry to have to inform you that I am ending my involvement in the XYZ project. Friday will be my last day of work. I will schedule a meeting with Kerry before Friday to familiarize her with the work I have completed and to pass the project on to her. If you would like to be included in that meeting, please let Kerry know. I will submit a final invoice based on the portion of the work I have completed. Best regards, Jude Just as in the true story, Jude is now out of a job — this time by his own choice. But in this message, Jude has not burned his bridges; that is, he has not severed his relationship with the training company. Of course, Darlene will not be pleased about his leaving the project, and she may not rehire him. But because Jude is an excellent instructional designer, she may hire him for a less stressful project, and she will not have to defend that decision to her staff. Beyond the idea of rehiring Jude, Darlene can give Jude a positive reference regarding his excellent work, although she may indicate that he “deserted” an important project at crunch time. Then it will be Jude’s challenge to explain the situation briefly to a future employer. Having to explain his leaving will be much easier than having to explain his attacking everyone with explosive emails. Why Not Express Anger? You may be wondering why I did not communicate Jude’s understandable anger and frustration in the emails I created from him to Darlene. After all, Jude might have included an I statement like this one: “I am very angry and frustrated with the new design schedule and the client’s constant phone calls.” Such a statement communicating anger and frustration is not wrong, but it puts the focus in the wrong place — on Jude’s feelings. What needs to change is the situation. Focusing on the situation is more likely to inspire a positive response. An admission of anger and frustration might have moved Darlene to respond this way: “We are all angry and frustrated! Cope!” Still, Jude’s frustration and anger were real, and in the real story, Jude flung his negative emotions at everyone involved in the project. If he had instead found a sounding board for his feelings, such as a friend, therapist, or trusted peer, he could have salvaged his work relationships. When a Written Message Upsets You It would be lovely if every email, memo, and letter you received were positive and friendly. But some of them that cross your desk or come up on your screen will be angry, mean-spirited, or hurtful. A supervisor shouts at you in an email — and copies others on 204
the message. A client makes an absurd accusation in email. A colleague sends you a memo filled with preachy, condescending advice. In my survey on business writing and relationships: 64 percent of respondents indicated that they occasionally receive written messages that are angry or insulting; 6 percent receive them frequently. 33 percent of respondents indicated that they have been hurt to the point of crying by a written message they have received at work, with huge gender differences: 39 percent of women and 16 percent of men. One respondent gave details about the hurtful message: It was the content AND delivery, not just the content. And I would say more lump in my throat/need to take a walk/head feeling like it’s going to explode from instant pressure than crying. I have thick skin, but wow! How should you respond to such messages? Should you respond at all? In these situations, the usual wisdom is to avoid a written response. The advice is to pick up the telephone to talk with the other person or to schedule an in-person meeting. That is excellent advice. But sometimes a phone conversation or a face-to-face meeting is not workable for the reasons mentioned earlier in this chapter. Tips for Responding to Upsetting Written Messages At first, do nothing. Although reacting quickly may relieve some tension, acting without adequate thought and preparation may create more problems and embarrassment. People often regret it later. If the situation allows you to let 24 hours pass, let it. If you can let several days pass, that is even better. As time passes, you are likely to see the situation from a better perspective and feel calmer about it. Control the damage. If others received copies of the message and you are concerned about controlling the damage, write a brief response in which you reply to all. It will signal that you are handling the situation. Try something like this: “Renaldo, I received your message. I will send you an individual, private response and then follow up with others as needed.” After sending a brief message, take time to consider your next response. Get support from a trusted colleague. It is smart to get support and another person’s perspective. Be sure that individual will not share your heated comments with others. Allegiances at work change, so use caution about sharing negative feelings. Do not broadcast your anger or upset feelings. If you do, it may become impossible to control the spread of private information. Also, you may be perceived as indiscreet or unprofessional because you have publicly disparaged the person with whom you are upset.
Decide whether you need to respond. When you can think of nothing to write in response, it may be because there is simply nothing you can say to make the situation better. You may have heard the expression “I will not dignify that comment with a response.” Sometimes the mature response is not to respond. Consider the possibility that you are overreacting or misinterpreting the message and the intent. Tell yourself, “I am overreacting, and here’s how.” Then review the possibilities. Is it possible that the message contains unintentional errors? People have been known to send messages addressing the reader as “Stud” rather than the name Stu and to type incompetent when they meant incomplete. A human resources manager I know wrote “Hell to all!” when she intended “Hello to all!” Giving the writer the benefit of the doubt may lead you to a more positive interpretation. Try to find any truth in the message. Yes, the message is hurtful. Beyond that, does it communicate any truth? For example, is it possible that you did embarrass the other person at this morning’s meeting? Is it true that your incorrect information caused the individual to stay at the wrong hotel in the wrong city? If you can find a bit of truth in the message, you may find ways to forgive the hurtful language and deal constructively with the information. Write a long, therapeutic message to yourself. In it, say everything you would like to say to the other person. The purpose of the message is to get your own angry feelings out so that you can deal constructively with the other person. Be sure to avoid composing this message in email or in any other format that might be sent by mistake or read by others. If you refer to any people or companies in this message to yourself, give them fictitious names. Do not accept the other person’s statements as facts. Be especially cautious if he or she accuses other people or cites the remarks of others. Discreetly investigate what happened and who said what. Keep value judgments, emotional language, and unsupported remarks out of any response. State only the facts. Avoid “Everyone agrees” or “It’s obvious that …” Avoid writing, “Your attack on me is unjustified.” Instead state, “I am not sure what prompted some of your statements.” Rather than “What the heck are you talking about?” state, “I need more information about what went wrong.” If you can avoid putting down the other person, you can avoid becoming embroiled in a conflict. Although making a cutting remark might make you feel momentarily pleased, it will not lead to a resolution. Keep your response short. Some details may be necessary, but in general, the less you write, the less the other person will be able to misinterpret or try to refute. The more you write, the more time and emotional energy you are likely to expend on the ordeal. Before you send it, have one or two trusted friends or coworkers review your me ssage . These people should help you edit your reply for emotional language, 206
unsubstantiated remarks, and sarcasm. Instead of saying, “Right on! You told her!” your reviewers should help ensure that your message is professional and mature. Remind them that you are not responsible for the other person’s bad behavior, but you are responsible for the professionalism of your reply. The following offensive email to an administrative assistant came from her manager, who was out of town at a meeting: Subject: TYPO Jane, you missed an obvious typo in the brochure. OUR PHONE NUMBER IS WRONG, for God’s sake! Every damn one will need to be reprinted. Don’t you dare come to me about an end-of-year bonus! This mistake makes me sick. What the hell were you doing when you were supposed to be proofreading? When Jane read the message for the first time, she focused on the attacking language. She wanted to fire back an email, informing her manager that she would not put up with such treatment. She wanted to take up the issue of the annual bonus and the unfairness of denying her a bonus when she had done excellent work all year. But Jane let 20 minutes pass during which she acknowledged that it was her job to proofread the brochure. She found a copy of the brochure and saw that the phone number was indeed wrong — on a print run of 5000. After thinking through what she wanted to say, Jane composed this fitting email reply: Subject: Re: TYPO — I Am Very Sorry I am very sorry about the mistake. It makes me sick as well. I have no explanation except that I proofread it the day I left early with the flu. I have left a message for the printer to find out what our options are, and I will let you know as soon as I hear from him. Jane In Jane’s brief reply, she apologized for her mistake and empathized with the manager’s “feeling sick” over the costly error. She responded to the factual part of the message and showed that she was taking action to correct the mistake. Nothing else needed to be done immediately. How Not to Handle a Situation When You Are Angry In this next scenario, Martin let his frustration overcome his professionalism in an email to Henry, a peer in another department: Subject: THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT HENRY: I EMAILED YOU THREE TIMES ASKING YOU TO GIVE ME LAST MONTH’S FIGURES SO I COULD INCLUDE THEM IN MY 207
PRESENTATION TO THE EXEC. MGMT. GROUP THIS MORNING. WELL, SUFFICE IT TO SAY, I GAVE THE PRESENTATION WITHOUT THE FIGURES. OF COURSE, I WAS ASKED ABOUT THEM AND HAD TO SAY I COULD NOT GET THEM IN TIME. THANKS FOR MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A FOOL. I LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING THE FAVOR. MARTIN Martin’s frustration took over, from his sarcastic “THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT” to his closing “I LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING THE FAVOR,” all in blaring capital letters. In his reply, Henry took the high road rather than responding in kind. He took the emotion out of the message: Subject: Re: THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT Hi, Martin. I am very sorry you didn’t have the figures you needed this morning. Unfortunately, I was sent to China on short notice to meet with a manufacturer, and everything was rush-rush until I left. Then I didn’t check email on the plane. When I checked it today, I saw your second and third requests. I wish I had activated my out-of-office message. I plan to be back in the office on Friday. If there is any information I can get for you after my return, just let me know. Again, sorry for missing your deadline. Henry Henry chose not to focus on or match Martin’s anger and inappropriate message. Instead, he apologized, explained, and offered to provide information when he returned. Then he apologized again. When Martin received Henry’s reply, his own blaming email embarrassed him. Although he was still annoyed that he had not had the data when he needed it, he understood why Henry had not responded, and he was irritated with himself for not tracking down the data another way. Martin composed this reply to undo the damage of his first insulting email to Henry: Subject: Have a good trip! Hi Henry, Thanks for letting me know why you didn’t get back to me. I apologize for my earlier email. I should have followed up when I didn’t hear from you with the data. At this point there is nothing I need from you. I will talk with you when you are back in town. Enjoy the flight home. Martin 208
Martin’s second message was simple and sincere. He thanked Henry, apologized, and let Henry know that he did not need any information. Martin’s “Have a good trip” opening and close will begin to heal any rift in his relationship with Henry. Both Jane and Henry took the emotion out of the situation by responding calmly and considerately. They turned a potentially ugly, drawn-out battle into a small skirmish that avoided long-term wounds. Their messages can mend the potential damage to their relationships. When Effective Writing Doesn’t Work One of the hard facts of life is that some people can make our jobs miserable. Sometimes no amount of effective writing can salvage the situation. If you repeatedly receive hostile, angry, or critical messages from someone whose influence matters — and you cannot change the situation — you may need to find a new job. Certainly, you will not want to maintain a relationship with the offensive individual. Or like Jude, the training designer whose true story opened this chapter, you may find that the demands of a job are unworkable. Unlike Jude, you can leave on your terms, having maintained a professional, positive demeanor and salvaged your business relationships. Remember: There are professional ways to deal with other people’s anger and your own to preserve relationships or end them well.
Personal Reflection In my survey on writing and relationships, 30 percent of people admitted having told off someone at work in writing and regretting it. How do you handle your feelings of anger on the job? Do you avoid putting them in writing? Do you have any messages you regret sending? Next Step Reread this chapter whenever you find yourself in a heated situation.
Share Constructive Feedback to Improve Performance — and Relationships It was my second day on the job at the bookstore warehouse on New York City’s Union Square, where I was a part-time biller-typist in the days before desktop computers. My first day had been a long, ultimately satisfying one. I had learned how to type invoices to college bookstores that had ordered foreign language books, the bookstore’s specialty. My desk was prominent in a huge open space that all employees walked through to get to their work areas. As I approached my desk that second morning, I saw, propped up tall on a typing stand, a note from my supervisor. The note went something like this: Lynn, attached are all the invoices you made mistakes on yesterday. Please be more careful today! Patty Why do I remember this short note from my second day in a part-time job a long time ago? Is anything memorable about it to you? I remember the note because I felt demoralized and publicly embarrassed. The note announced my incompetence to all who walked past my desk before I arrived at 9:30. I felt foolish because I thought I had had a good first day, taking in endless details about foreign language books and publishers and carefully trying to avoid errors. This note showed clearly that my first-day efforts were in vain. This chapter will help you give constructive feedback the right way — not the way Patty did — to improve performance while building relationships. What Patty Did Wrong Here is what my supervisor did wrong: She wrote the message at the end of a long day, when she had no energy for thinking about how I, a new employee, might feel. She gave me feedback by placing a note on my desk for me to find and read in a vacuum. She displayed the note prominently so I would not miss it — but neither would anyone who walked past my desk. She provided no information about how I might avoid errors. She did not point out anything I had done well on my first day. She did not acknowledge that errors might be expected since I was just learning my job. 210
An Opportunity Missed Effective constructive feedback is an indispensable part of everyone’s professional development, especially for people who are new on the job. Good constructive feedback helps individuals and groups improve, adapt, and achieve their goals. Giving me feedback on my first day on the job could have been an excellent opportunity for Patty to help me succeed and to develop a supportive relationship with me. She might have written a note like this one and placed it in a sealed envelope on my desk: Good morning, Lynn! You did a great job yesterday. You completed 60 invoices, which is a terrific achievement for your first day, especially since most of our titles and publishers are in foreign languages. Some of your invoices had errors. I have kept copies of them so we can go over them. I will show you where the errors occurred, and we can talk about how to catch errors in the future. I will be in late today because of a midtown meeting. When I get in, we can talk about the invoices and about how it’s going. Until then, be sure to check each invoice before going on to the next one. Thanks for your hard work yesterday! Patty The second version has a completely different tone: appreciative, supportive, nonjudgmental, and forward looking. Yet it addresses my errors. But what if I had done an awful job on my first day? The feedback would still need to be constructive. In the following message, you will notice changes from the previous one, which make it appropriate for someone whose performance needs significant improvement: Good morning, Lynn! Congratulations on surviving your first day. The biller-typist’s job can be very challenging, especially since most of our titles and publishers are in foreign languages. Some of your invoices had errors. I have kept copies of them so we can go over them. I will show you where the errors occurred, and we can talk about how to catch errors in the future. Also, I will sit with you as you work on some new invoices, so you can ask questions and I can guide you. I will be in late today because of a midtown meeting. When I get in, we can spend time together. Until then, take your time with each invoice and be sure to check it before going on to the next one. Thanks for your hard work yesterday! Patty
The Secret to Giving Constructive Feedback In my survey on writing and relationships, 77 percent of respondents said they have felt extremely hurt when receiving written negative feedback on a job. That hurt should not be happening. The secret to giving constructive feedback is to recognize that it must be constructive — not destructive. It must build up the other person. Its tone should be positive, helpful, and focused on future success. Otherwise, what is its point? Imagine a situation in which Karla, a new junior executive, sent an email to her peers. In response, she received the following two emails. Although both messages shared the same information, one message built her up; the other tore her down. Message 1: To: Karla From: Maria Re: Marketing Tips Hi, Karla. Thanks for the excellent marketing tips. I recognized several that I can apply to our new insurance product. I noticed that your email included the greeting “Ladies.” We have had many conversations about that greeting in the past. The consensus is that “Team” or “Greetings, everyone,” or even using no greeting is preferable. When I am back in town, we can have a conversation about this, and I will give you the background (dirt). For now, I just wanted to let you know that “Ladies” does not work well as a greeting for our group. By the way, Lee Ralston is a man, which you would not have known. Again, thank you for the tips. I look forward to seeing you next week. Maria Message 2: To: Karla From: Priscilla Subject: We Aren’t “Ladies” Regarding your message with the greeting “Ladies” — besides the fact that some of us have worked too hard to be given that dainty label, Lee Ralston is a heterosexual man — definitely NOT a lady. “Ladies” may have been the right greeting where you came from, but it is dead wrong here. I suggest you lose it. In Message 1, Maria communicates appreciation, shares helpful feedback, and begins to build a relationship with Karla. In contrast, Priscilla’s destructive, biting feedback in Message 2 has the power to wound, embarrass, and discourage Karla, destroying any relationship with her before it can even begin. In some cases, negative feedback like Priscilla’s shuts down and silences people, who then no longer contribute their ideas and 212
energy. Yet if Priscilla had made her goal “Be constructive, not destructive,” she would never have written such a message. Tips on Giving Constructive (Negative) Feedback At one time or another, you will be required to give constructive written feedback. If you supervise people, you will provide feedback on your employees’ work in performance evaluations and other documents, and sometimes you will have more negative than positive comments to share. When your coworkers or peers ask for your comments, you will need to point out things that are not working or not effective, along with the commendable parts of their performance. The following tips will help you meet the challenges of giving constructive feedback. Use them to write messages that help to enhance performance while building and maintaining solid work relationships. Establish a positive climate by making at least one sincere, positive comment before constructive comments. Here’s a simple example from a message I received from John Cline, a training manager in Vancouver, British Columbia. John was responding to a description of a new seminar I was creating for him. His email began like this: Hi, Lynn, Thanks for your creativity. I like what you have created so far. May I suggest the following modification? When John started with a compliment, I became open to his suggestion. If he had started like this, I might have resisted his idea: Lynn, I got your email. The title doesn’t work. Can we change it to this? [followed by a new title] This opening would have disappointed me because it doesn’t acknowledge anything good: Lynn, thanks for your work. Don’t you think the title is a little too broad? Please come up with something different. Sometimes opening positively requires just one word. Can you recognize the word in this emailed comment from a reader of my blog? Hi Lynn, I just visited your fabulous business writing blog and noticed a minor typo. Because you are a professional writer, I thought you might like to know. Here it is: The word fabulous set the tone of the message. How could I reject a comment when my work was being called fabulous? 213
Notice how the tone changes when that one word is missing: Hi Lynn, I just visited your business writing blog and noticed a minor typo. Because you are a professional writer, I thought you might like to know. Here it is: Remember: It may take only one word to make constructive feedback palatable. Share positive feedback too. Try to balance the positives and negatives so your reader will be able to accept the constructive feedback. Even if a project, proposal, plan, or customer interaction feels like a disaster to you, some aspects of it must be worthy of praise. Example A: In your press conference, you did a good job of handling the difficult questions about compensation. Your use of specific examples built credibility, and the story about your first job was appropriate and persuasive. One area to work on for the next press conference is keeping responses short and on topic. Detailed responses on subjects such as pension law can lose some listeners. We can work on concise responses in our next coaching session. Example B: I appreciate how quickly you got this mockup to us. You and your staff worked fast! The colors and fabric are perfect, and the design is generally correct. These three details in the mockup need to be changed: 1. The pocket on the left side should have the same placement as the pocket on the right side. In the mockup, the right pocket is correctly placed. The left pocket should be 4 cm lower. 2. The zipper should be full-length. The mockup has only a 25cm zipper. 3. The ribbing along the bottom should be 5.08 cm. The ribbing on the mockup is only 2.54 cm. Sometimes you can plan the criteria you will use for your feedback ahead of time, to ensure that some feedback items will be positive or at least acceptable. For example, I often use a 12-point checklist to give people feedback on their writing. Among the 12 areas for feedback, there are always at least 3 or 4 the writer does well. Maybe the tone is professional, the message is complete, contact information is included, and the writer avoids inappropriate passive verbs. By ensuring that every writer gets to recognize and enjoy what he or she is doing well, I can freely share what each person needs to do better. 214
Avoid the pronouns you and your in constructive comments, when possible. By avoiding the use of you with constructive feedback, you will reduce your reader’s defensiveness. Notice the absence of y o u a nd your in the constructive parts of the previous Examples A and B. Here is another example: “The test data do not seem convincing to me. That might be because I had difficulty understanding Table B.” By contrast, in positive comments, you and your are encouraging: “Your test data are very convincing, and you communicated them clearly in Table B.” Be specific, not vague. If you comment on a speech by saying, “The introduction doesn’t work,” the presenter will not know why it doesn’t work or how it might work better. Without specifics, the remark comes across as a putdown. Instead, write something like this: The introduction seems to go on too long. I understood and agreed with your approach within the first minute, but then the explanation continued. Why not explain the approach just once? If the audience wants more information, they can ask you when you invite questions. Avoid the word but after a compliment. But is guaranteed to erase any positive comment in the reader’s mind, as it would in this example: “Your ideas are excellent, but you are not communicating them clearly.” Notice how this revised example lets the compliment shine: “Your ideas are excellent — very creative and exciting. Here are some suggestions for communicating them more clearly.” Provide suggestions or offer to provide them. People often need specific suggestions to be able to improve their work. Example: Because there is a lot of text on this screen, the customer may become frustrated and abandon the shopping cart. Some content that can safely be deleted is … Be sure your correction is valid when you correct other people’s work. Don’t hold too tightly to your view. Recognize that there are many ways of doing things. You may see a graphic design as cluttered, while others see it as intricate. To you, a recommendation may be too direct, but others may find it straightforward and confident. There may be more than one way to attach a widget to a whatsit. It is even possible that your approach is inefficient, outdated, overly conventional, or risky. Ask yourself: Is his or her way wrong? Or is it just that I do things differently based on my experience? When you realize your correction is actually just another way of handling something, think twice about communicating it at all. Management guru Marshall Goldsmith, in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, warns against “adding too much value,” that is, contributing your two cents to a colleague’s or employee’s idea. He based his warning on the contention that such feedback makes the project or idea partially yours rather than completely the pride and joy 215
of the other person. Goldsmith writes, “You may have improved the content of my idea by 5 percent, but you’ve reduced my commitment to executing it by 50 percent, because you’ve taken away my ownership of the idea. My idea is now your idea.” Focus on the future. The past cannot be changed. These two examples each focus on a future opportunity: The next time you talk with a patient about treatment options, you may want to refer to the printed brochure that is in the holder in each of the exam rooms. It will help you cover everything, and the patient will be able to take the brochure home with her. In the future, empathize with the customer before saying that we cannot replace the item at no charge. Empathy helps customers feel heard even when they don’t get what they want. Try a response such as … Put your feedback in context. If you are making a small point, say so, as this example does: This is a small point: If the names were alphabetized rather than listed by rank, it would take the emphasis off corporate hierarchy. This introductory statement helps the reader take in the feedback: I have one major comment and two minor ones. If you think someone’s idea is weird or stupid, ask questions instead of commenting, like this: Thanks for sending me your ideas for the new flooring. Not having seen this approach before, I have some questions: 1. How will this flooring hold up in a room that gets a lot of traffic? 2. Do you see it as a good match or a contrast to the executive suite it leads up to? 3. How does the material fit with the overall budget? Whenever you can give constructive feedback in person, choose that approach — even if you have written your comments. Your task is much easier when you can accompany your comments with smiles, nods of encouragement, and other attentive body language, and you can notice and respond to the other person’s feelings. Written feedback alone provides no opportunity for direct two-way communication. The words on the screen or the page must stand alone, communicating your support, fairness, accuracy, professionalism, and even compassion. Your comments must try to anticipate and answer 216
the reader’s questions. So whenever you can be there to support your written words, do it. Tips (Don’ts!) on How to Be Kind and Constructive When you give feedback, recognize that you are dealing with human beings. Individuals may have a demanding travel schedule, a sick child, an overdue project or credit-card bill, a sore back, or a broken heart. You can make their lives easier by providing feedback that is clear, compassionate, and easy to act on. To write meaningful comments that help rather than harm others, follow these tips. I have worded them as don’ts since they cover behaviors to avoid. Don’t exaggerate. Instead, be careful and courteous. For example, do not write, “On a 10-point scale of confusing, your budget proposal is a 12.” If a budget proposal is confusing, write, “While reviewing the budget, I got confused several times. I have noted those places below.” Don’t be cute or clever. Do not write, “Your film is the solution to my insomnia. I put it in the player and was asleep in seconds.” Do not comment, “I would rather have a root canal than try to sell your design to our client.” When giving constructive criticism, your job is not to make yourself look good. It is to make the other person feel good while absorbing the criticism. In the situation of commenting on a boring film, write something like this: “The film did not keep my attention, and I wanted it to. I was trying to be engaged, but I found my mind wandering repeatedly.” Then give examples of dull scenes (without calling them dull) and suggestions for editing or cutting them. Don’t equate rudeness with straight talk. Edit your gut reactions. Instead of writing, “I thought you would be smarter than my previous assistant,” describe specific behaviors you would like the assistant to improve. Instead of writing, “Your home page is a mess,” write, “I couldn’t find certain standard information on the home page.” Then give specific examples. Don’t act dense. For instance, do not write, “I have no idea what you mean.” Unless the person is working from a unique perspective or is communicating horribly, you must have some idea. Try to understand. If you still cannot understand despite trying, write, “I tried, but I don’t understand your point yet.” Don’t be a hit-and-run critic. Have the courage to sign your constructive comments — with your real name. On the Internet, on evaluation forms, and sometimes even in email, it is easy to slam into someone with a truckload of negativity, then sneak away anonymously. If your comments are legitimate and helpful, you deserve credit and thanks for writing them. If they are unreasonable and destructive, destroy them before they do harm. Don’t copy other people on constructive feedback. Broadcasting constructive criticism is the same as criticizing a person publicly. If a third party asks for a copy of your written feedback, encourage the individual to get it from the person to whom you 217
gave it. Don’t assume someone else has a problem you can help to fix. Recognize that some problems are yours — not the other person’s. For example, if you can’t stand to look at an associate’s long bangs (fringe) hanging into her eyes in meetings, she doesn’t have a problem — you do. No amount of “helpful” feedback will make her accept your advice. Similarly, if you cannot bear a coworker’s nasally voice or cheerful outlook, you have a problem. Neither of those features deserves constructive criticism. Don’t comment if it is not your job to do so and you have not been asked or paid for an opinion. It is no one’s responsibility to give constructive feedback to the world. Assume that if people have not asked for your comments, they do not want them. Even if you feel compelled to share your expert judgment of another’s thought process, eyeglasses, parenting skills, tattoo, attitude, accent, office décor, or hair color, don’t do it! Your treatment for someone else’s problem is likely to be a bitter pill they will not swallow no matter how expert your views are. If you are in a critical mood, focus instead on how you can improve your own skills, traits, appearance, productivity, worldview, etc. But let’s not confuse constructive criticism with helpful information. People want to know if they are walking around, smiling, with spinach between their front teeth. They want to know if they have hung a drawing upside down. Writer-editor Anne Boardman took the right step in this situation: I recently pointed out to the digital editor of my local paper that their domain name had been dropped from their RSS feeds. The consequence was that every click to an article resulted in an error message. I just added the domain name manually so I could read the articles, but it was annoying and I thought if I were in the same situation, I’d want to know about it. Most people wouldn’t go through the trouble to fix the URL and would just stop reading their feeds. … In fact, no one had pointed it out to them, which they wrote back to me with extreme gratitude. Don’t counterattack. If someone has given you harsh criticism, do not return the fire. Provide fair, courteous, specific criticism that you would give to any other person. Don’t give feedback when it is too late to incorporate. When someone has printed 500 marketing packets, it is too late to recommend a stronger slogan. If you are not sure whether your feedback might be too late, phone or email the other person to learn the status of a project before writing comments. Feedback is also too late when the other person no longer remembers or cares about the situation you are addressing in your comments. Wait for the next opportunity to give useful feedback rather than sharing stale remarks. Constructive Feedback Tips for Managers Common employee complaints about feedback are that it is always negative and often a surprise. You can eliminate such complaints by creating a work environment that is rich in 218
feedback. Here are three proven tips: Build feedback into every project. If you do, people will anticipate feedback rather than being blindsided by it. At a team meeting, for example, ask what went well on a project. Then, using a blame-free approach, ask what might be done better in the future. In written messages include the same balanced approach. Give constructive feedback privately. Feedback should never be public shaming. Even if you, as a manager, have a strong ego, assume your staff members are still developing their ability to accept constructive criticism. If appropriate, copy others on complimentary feedback. To balance constructive feedback, share positive feedback liberally. Add “Give positive feedback” to your daily calendar. Be sure your positive feedback is specific, sincere, and meaningful. To make it meaningful, mention why the behavior or performance is important to the team and the company. See examples in the chapter “Give Positive, Powerful Feedback.” Examples of Feedback That Builds Performance and Relationships Everyone deserves constructive feedback that will help them work more effectively. When it is your job to give feedback, welcome that responsibility. Use these examples to help you succeed at the task. In this first example, a maintenance and grounds manager emails feedback to someone in his department who made a serious mistake: To: Frank Harris From: Gerry Nielson Re: Safe Work Practices I heard from Hector what happened in the warehouse today. I know he talked with you about the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, Frank, and I want to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. All of us must follow this rule: Never use gasoline-powered equipment in an unventilated area. Example: Do not use the gas-powered pressure washer in any part of the warehouse unless the windows and doors are open and a fan is on. I believe Hector told you to use an electric pressure washer in any unventilated area, and I am telling you the same thing. Now you know where the extension cords are. Whenever you have any questions, ask. Hector told me you are learning the job fast and are easy to work with. Glad to hear it! Just remember to use gas-powered equipment in ventilated areas only. We want you healthy and on the job. We don’t want you to end up in the emergency room! Gerry Gerry’s message is constructive, not destructive. It does not criticize Frank for his 219
serious mistake. Because of the seriousness of the issue, Gerry got into the subject right away, without a buffer of positive feedback. However, he included positive comments in the final paragraph. Feedback is rarely all positive or all constructive. Here is an example of peer-to-peer feedback that includes both kinds: Subject: Your Request for Feedback Candice, I’m glad to give comments on your presentation. You did an impressive job, and the clients left smiling and eager to move to the next step. Here is what I observed: • Preparation: You were very well prepared. You exhibited great insights into the client’s problems and were able to describe their pain points well. The client appeared very comfortable and impressed that you heard and understood them. • Terminology. For the most part, you used language that was clear to the client. However, several terms were our jargon. When those terms came up, you had to spend time explaining them, and that took you off message. For the next presentation, I suggest that you ask June to do a final review to catch jargon. Then you can choose to replace the jargon or be ready with a quick definition or analogy. • Q&A: The connectivity questions and answers went on a bit too long, and it was unfortunate that they came up in the middle of your presentation. If that happens in the future, I recommend that you briefly answer the initial question and explain that there will be time for more questions at the end of your presentation. You responded well to their questions about the documentation. You were clear and brief, and it was smart to defer the details to a follow-up message. • Consistency: The comments of the sales team were completely consistent with yours, so there were no cracks in your presentation. I mention the sales aspect here because I know you helped them prepare. Your work with them paid off. You were able to present the client with a coherent, realistic solution. Candice, congratulations on a fine presentation! Don In this 90-day performance evaluation, a manager includes positive and constructive feedback for a new receptionist: To: John Frost From: Doris Davis Date: December 1, 20XX Subject: 90-Day Performance Evaluation
John, your overall performance during your probationary period has been very good. I would like to give you feedback on the five areas we discussed during your first week on the job. 1. Attendance and punctuality. Your performance in this area has been outstanding. You have not missed any days of work, even though we have had bad weather. Also, you were late only one day. Regarding punctuality, I really appreciate that you are at your desk ready to work at 8 a.m., rather than getting coffee or walking around. As you know, we often have visitors as soon as the doors open. Your being at your desk working at 8 o’clock increases our efficiency and presents our unit positively. 2. Professional appearance. Both you and your work area look professional. Since receiving feedback in September, you have kept your desk and the reception area free of clutter. The area looks tidy whenever anyone visits. Also, you present yourself well, with neat, appropriate clothing. 3. Courtesy. You treat each of our visitors courteously. No one is kept waiting unnecessarily, you greet everyone by name, you request identification diplomatically, and you offer refreshments when appropriate. One change I would like to see is for you to greet visitors you do not know well, especially those who are older, by using a courtesy title or professional title and their last names. Even though the professional staff may call visitors by their first names, that familiarity often comes from long relationships. For example, when Dr. Krikorian visited the other day, it was appropriate for Joanna to address him by his first name because they have known each other for many years. Please ask me if you have any questions about how to greet specific individuals. 4. Communication. Your oral communication with staff and visitors is excellent. You speak clearly and courteously. When I call in, you are always easy to understand, and you have mastered our challenging phone system. Regarding written communication, you have been applying the feedback you received on your emails, and your messages have improved noticeably. The next step is to make your emails more concise. I would like you to find and take an email class during first quarter to help you strengthen your messages. Your IMs [instant messages] are generally clear and effective. 5. Accuracy. Not once have I found any significant errors in your work, and no one has mentioned any problems with the accuracy of your messages, scheduling, or other tasks. You manage details very well. I really appreciate the care and high standards you 221
bring to your work. Hats off to you for completing your probationary period successfully! I am delighted to have you as part of our team. Doris The two previous messages go a long way in providing helpful information, both positive and constructive. Candice and John learned what they have done well, and they can implement specific suggestions to improve their performance. Beyond that, the messages are likely to solidify the relationships between those who wrote the feedback and those who received it. The positive and constructive comments and rich details help to build trust between the people involved. You may have noticed that Doris’s feedback to John in his 90-day evaluation briefly mentions constructive feedback he received earlier, on his desk clutter and email. Doris did not save that constructive feedback until she wrote this formal evaluation. Prompt feedback helps recipients change their behavior promptly. It also minimizes any embarrassment they might feel about having performed badly over a longer period. And it averts mistrust for the people delivering the feedback. After all, they did not store it up, then dump it on the recipients. If you take just one idea away from this chapter, make it this: “Negative” feedback should not be negative, but rather constructive. It should build up the reader and help him or her correct errors or improve behavior that is less than optimal. Building up the other person in this way will help you build and sustain good work relationships.
Personal Reflection Whether you are a supervisor, an individual contributor, a teacher, or a consultant, which techniques do you use to make your feedback constructive rather than destructive? Did any ideas in the chapter surprise you? Next Step Review the list of feedback don’ts in the chapter. Make a note of any that you need to remember.
Communicate Around the Globe With Courtesy and Wisdom Exhausted from two nights and days of traveling from Kenya to Dubai to Delhi, in clothes he had not changed (his luggage was delayed), the American human resources professional arrived in Delhi to facilitate the retreat. His NGO (nongovernmental organization) had sent him to work with their local Indian leadership. The man, Richard Wilkinson, tells the story: I walk into the meeting room and, much to my surprise, it’s a converted restaurant. The staff are seated in low booths, banquettes, and small tables. There is no wall to stick stuff on — just a stage. We jerry-rig a way to record participant contributions, and off we go. The first topic of the retreat was to make plans for the coming year. First question: What would you be celebrating as a country office a year from now if you enjoyed an extraordinarily successful year? Dutifully the India staff discuss this among themselves, then write down their views on small sheets of paper, which are then posted on the jerry-rigged wall-that-is-nota-wall. I then asked what challenges may be encountered that could get in the way of realizing the great year they envisioned. This time I wrote their ideas on a scratchy old whiteboard teetering on a wonky easel. This was my first trip to India, I’m seriously tired, I’m standing in front of my colleagues in two-day old clothes with streaks of black tar across my behind [from the seat of a taxi], and I’m struggling to catch on with Indianaccented English. Finally, let’s call him Singh, pipes up from a back booth, “Starved for attention.” “Starved for attention?” I ask. “Not quite sure how that might be an obstacle, but …” I say as I write “Starved for attention” on the teetering whiteboard. The room erupts in laughter. I turn to the participants and ask, “Okay, what did Singh really say?” “Staff retention!” came the chorus of replies. Smiles or Scowls? It’s Your Choice Stories like Richard Wilkinson’s take place every workday in interactions between people of different cultures and countries. Global miscommunication happens. In my survey on writing and relationships, 43 percent of women and 64 percent of men indicated that they had had a serious miscommunication at work with someone from another culture or country. Happily, Richard’s story is not one of those statistics. It led to smiles and laughter rather than scowls and anger. The retreat succeeded, and Richard succeeded in 223
developing positive work relationships. But the situation might have been different if Richard had made different choices. He might have opted to postpone the retreat because of the delayed planes and his resulting exhaustion. He might have refused to work in a space without the equipment he needed. He might have frowned at participants when their accents challenged his understanding. Had he made those choices, he might have left India without success for himself or the Indian leaders and without any new blossoming relationships. Richard, who has been working in global health since 2001, believes that communication across cultures must be intentional. He says: I am very conscious of choices we make in the moment about how we are going to relate to one another and how those have implications for the future. I think about the question “What is it we are trying to create here?” and the choices we have in creating it. It matters a lot what we say and how we say it. That lays the foundation for expectation and trust down the road. Wanting to be successful in his first trip to Kenya in 2001, Richard asked the vice president of administration at his NGO for his advice on interacting effectively across cultures. The answer was “Have patience and smile.” But in our written messages, how do we make the right choices? How do we communicate patience and a smile? This chapter shares stories, tips, and strategies to help you build friendships across cultures and across the globe. Consider the following approaches, which are inspired by Richard and his experiences: Communicate first as a person, then as a professional. If you are from a resultsfocused culture like the United States, communicating first as a person may mean taking the opposite approach of your normal pattern in your emails. In the United States, emails frequently get down to business at the start, then end on a friendly note. But as Richard Wilkinson explains, “Getting to the point in settings where there is more sensitivity about relationships is really discourteous.” He adds, “Sometimes I express empathy or appreciation at the beginning before getting into the meat of a message.” Richard shared this example of an opening to a colleague going through a difficult time in India: “Hope you’re holding up given all that is going on!” To a colleague in Botswana, he began with “It was great catching up with you today.” You can use or adapt these openings to begin your messages with a focus on the person rather than the action: How are you? I hope you are healthy and happy. I hope you are well. We hope you are enjoying the season. I trust you and your coworkers are fine. I trust you are doing splendidly and enjoying the season. I send you and your esteemed colleagues my warm wishes. Greetings from our research team! 224
Greetings to you and your family. It is a pleasure to be in touch with you again. It was a delight to see you in São Paulo. I hope you enjoyed your trip to New York. Welcome back to work! I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Think twice about greetings that refer to time of day. When beginning an email to coworkers around the globe, remember that your “Good morning” message may instantly arrive in their late afternoon, or even at midnight. Use polite language such as please, thank you, a n d appreciate throughout your message. Close with a courteous sign-off such as: All the best With best wishes Best regards Warm regards Sincerely Respectfully With many thanks Recognize that there is more than one way to get results. If you do not insist that business be done your way, you will be able to feel more patient and therefore communicate more patiently. For example, recognize that people from other cultures may find it uncomfortable and unseemly to give feedback directly, even though you ask for candid feedback and are used to it. Your emails asking for their feedback may not lead to a reply, or not a useful one, and your expectations may put a strain on your relationship. Richard uses Survey Monkey, an online survey tool, to get input from his African colleagues in simple, short surveys. He finds the tool helpful because it forces him to be clear about what he needs, it shows his African colleagues that their opinion matters, and it makes it easy for them to provide input. Be humble. Recognize that you do not know it all. Richard was humbled by his humorous “starved for attention” misunderstanding. In that situation, clearly the mistake was his. But it makes sense to humbly assume that you may be wrong in other, subtler situations, for example, when dealing with a culture like India’s, which is thousands of years old. When dealing with less experienced colleagues in other countries, Richard says, “It would be easy to condescend or to be high-handed and directive,” adding, “but instead of being condescending, you accept a situation for what it is, then show respect by asking questions. Not pointed questions, but open ones.” For clarity across cultures, Richard asks just a few questions at a time, and he lists and numbers them rather than including them in paragraphs. Explore to Learn More Like Richard Wilkinson, Jerry Schlagenhauf has always loved international travel and 225
working with people from other cultures. He began his travels as an exchange student in Switzerland; studied anthropology in college and graduate school; lived for two years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and worked for many years in human resources in Saudi Arabia. Now he works as a career consultant in the United States. In Switzerland, Jerry’s Swiss family away from home treated him very well. For instance, they spoke only standard German rather than their Swiss dialect so that he would learn a language he could use. One day Jerry was talking on and on about how special something American was, when his Swiss mother sat him down and told him in German: Jerry, I want you to know one thing. I am absolutely certain that America is a wonderful place and that you have many, many things that we probably don’t have. But do you understand that this is my home, my country? This is where I was born, and this is where I have that feeling, that connection that you are expressing to me. Jerry described his reaction and where it has taken him: I felt grateful some place deep inside me, but I was so embarrassed. I thought, oh my goodness. I really haven’t been learning and listening as much as I thought I was. One of the points I try to keep in front of me all the time regardless of who I am working with is: You don’t know it all, Jerry. There are still things to learn. There are still things I should explore, questions I should ask rather than telling so much. Jerry has developed these specific practices to help him explore and learn more, which you can apply too: Ask questions. In email across cultures, ask and acknowledge rather than make assumptions and assert your knowledge. Like Richard Wilkinson, Jerry has adopted asking questions as a primary way of learning about people and developing strong cross-cultural relationships, demonstrating a keen interest. When he begins working with a careercounseling client, especially one from another culture or country, he asks questions to discover unique interests and preferences: What brings you to me? Where do you want to be? What is most important to you? What are your obstacles? He asks such questions rather than starting with “Here’s what I am going to do for you” or “Here’s the information I have for you.” Besides expressing curiosity, Jerry shows respect for others by not assuming that he knows their situation or that he will be able to “fix them” by applying a generic solution. Do your homework. Learn general information about others before you start the 226
relationship. Before Jerry begins working with a client from another culture, he researches the country and culture on the Internet. He also gets information from former clients, colleagues, and networking connections to find out what is going on in the country now. Human information sources often provide the best guidance. “If you want to just ignore it all,” he says, “you might get along, but you won’t really have learned very much.” Jerry has found that many lasting relationships have developed because he has made a special effort to learn about people rather than focus on himself and what he has to present. Cultivate acceptance. Recognize that people from other cultures are different in many ways, but they are also the same. Over the years, Jerry has listened to people’s stories that have shaken and saddened him. But he has focused on understanding people and looking for common bonds. He explained: I may disagree with the politics and the handling of domestic affairs in a particular culture. Even though I am trained as an anthropologist, I don’t think I can be so valueless that things don’t offend me. But to understand where they are coming from means that I have to hold back that judgmental piece. We are all connected regardless of where the political boundaries have been drawn. No matter what the cultural differences are, the basic emotional needs of human beings are very, very similar. Applying Jerry’s approach, you can accept that colleagues from certain cultures will be blunt rather than diplomatic in the messages you receive from them. Viewing their candor as refreshing rather than barbaric will improve your relationship. If “no” is an intolerable answer in the culture of some of your coworkers, you can change your questions rather than force the issue. For example, rather than asking, “Can you do it?” and requiring a response, you can ask, “When can you do it?” or “How does this fit in your work schedule?” By asking questions and doing your homework, you will learn how others are the same as and different from you. By focusing on acceptance, you can build relationships rather than dissect them. Simplify for Clear, Welcoming Communication Deb Arnold is a communications expert who has a degree in international relations, an MBA, and experience working and traveling around the globe. At the time of this story, she was working in the United States at a marketing agency that had approximately 50 offices in 32 countries serving a huge multinational account. Agency staff around the world came together in quarterly online meetings, “global rallies,” to share best practices and news about the account. Communicating as a worldwide team, they used English as their language. They would sign in to the virtual meetings by office, with the cities London, Paris, Frankfurt, and so on, popping up on the screen. It was global communication at its best. At one quarterly meeting, headquarters staff decided to use online polls to illustrate how the offices might use such polls in their own online meetings. They included this poll 227
question: Which is your favorite breed of dog? a. Chihuahua b. German shepherd c. Poodle d. Dachshund Deb worked at headquarters and typically planned the quarterly meetings. But she had been out of town for this meeting. Telling me the story, she described people’s reaction to the meeting: When I came back, I looked at the meeting evaluations, and there were all these comments about dogs: “I didn’t understand about the dogs,” “It was very frustrating,” and “Why did you give us something we couldn’t understand?” At offices around the world, employees and managers alike expressed frustration and anger. Do you understand what went wrong? Take a moment to think about what caused the problem. Deb explained: I speak Hebrew fairly well. I speak Spanish fairly well. Yet I don’t know how to say the name of any breed of dog in either of those languages. We were talking to people in 32 countries, in only three of which is English their first language. The people didn’t know what the words meant! The leadership was caught off guard. The teams were turning to the leaders to ask “What does this poll question mean?” and the leaders didn’t know what it meant. So the question just made everyone feel stupid and uncomfortable. And it exacerbated all of the issues that you would imagine between headquarters and satellite offices, with satellite offices thinking, “They don’t understand our situation. They don’t understand our particular context.” Not a good way to build relationships around the globe! Deb’s “dog story” illustrates how easy it is to damage relationships, even in communication-savvy companies, when people do not simplify their writing and think clearly about their audience. To write clear, welcoming global messages that build trust rather than wariness, consider these tips: Use plain English. As the marketing agency learned in Deb’s story, it is essential to choose words that are part of your readers’ vocabulary if you want them to understand your message. Replace any word your readers are likely not to know. Consider these 228
examples: pussyfoot, upshot, intrinsic, drive-by, cascading, canny, purview, and thumbnail. If you replace such words, you will communicate more clearly with both native and nonnative English speakers. Use words and phrases that have few meanings. The word manufacture has several meanings, whereas make has dozens. If you mean “manufacture,” use that word. Likewise, the words appropriate and correct have few meanings; right has over 40. Avoid words that have opposite or very different meanings. Oversight may be a close review or a failure to review. Transparent may be plainly visible or invisible. Sanction may mean to approve or to penalize. Such is the beauty of English to confuse and alienate your readers! Use concrete language rather than figurative language or slang. As Deb Arnold says of this advice, “It tests our creativity to actually be creative within these boundaries, but it’s important to do.” From stories I have heard in classes, on my blog, and in my survey, I would say that the most frequently misunderstood slang expression is “bang for your buck.” A writing class participant told about a colleague who used the expression at a business meeting in France. When he uttered the phrase, people in the room visibly shrank from him in apparent disgust, perhaps because the word bang is vulgar slang for sexual intercourse. The audience would have understood “return on our investment,” which is what the U.S. businessman intended. Other problematic figurative language comes from sports (“This will be his third strike”) and the military (“What’s the blowback if we take this position?”). Use simple verb forms such as present, past, and future tense (write, wrote, will write). Avoid less common, more complicated verb tenses ( will have written, should have been writing) that your readers may not have mastered despite years of studying English. For example, use “Will you attend the seminar?” rather than “Will you be planning on attending the seminar?” Use “If you have questions” rather than “Should you find you have questions.” Write short, simple sentences rather than complex, convoluted ones. Long sentences are more difficult to follow for all readers. But they present special challenges for people who read English as a second, third, or fourth language. Long sentences make readers work harder to understand the relationships between the pronouns (it, they, their), conjunctions (but, yet, which), and other sentence parts. Know your audience. Deb Arnold — whose slogan is “Who do you think you’re talking to?” — recommends answering these questions about your readers: Who are they? What do they care about? What are they afraid of? 229
What are their hopes and desires? What do they know? What do they not know? If the agency meeting planners had thought about Deb’s first three questions, they might have recognized that some attendees don’t care about dogs and might even be afraid of them. In many places in the Middle East, dogs live as security guards rather than pets. In certain African countries, they are associated with apartheid. When you think about what readers know and do not know, keep these tips in mind: Consider geography. Just as poodl e a n d dachshund meant nothing to agency professionals around the world, Olympia, Calgary, and Espoo may be unknown cities to your readers. Provide necessary details about their locations. Clarify references such as the Mainland and East Texas, which may not be named that way on a map. Consider objects that have different names for various English-speaking audiences. You may call that fleshy purple fruit eggplant, when your reader knows it as an aubergine. You may recognize these punctuation marks as parentheses ( ), but your reader thinks they are brackets. (The “Recommended Resources” chapter includes an online resource on differences between British, Canadian, and U.S. English.) Avoid contractions, abbreviations, acronyms, and nicknames. Some international readers can easily recognize contractions such as that’s, it’s, and who’s. But others may confuse them with possessive forms such as Sue’s. Readers near and far may misunderstand abbreviations (Mass Ave for Massachusetts Avenue), acronyms ( IRA may be your individual retirement account but your reader’s Irish Republican Army), and nicknames (who is Ole Miss anyway?). Include both metric and U.S. standard (Imperial) measurements, when applicable, to communicate accurately for all your readers. Spell out dates. Use, for example, September 2, 2014, or 2 September 2014, rather than 9/2/14 or 2/9/14, which may confuse half your readers, depending on the style they are accustomed to. Some companies follow the ISO 8601 (International Organization for Standardization) standard format, 2014-09-02, but your readers may still be confused unless they recognize the standard. Consider using the 24-hour clock for time, and indicate time zones to reduce confusion. For example, 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time in Los Angeles would be expressed as 10:00 PT (UTC-8). And 4:30 p.m. Daylight Saving Time in New York City would be 16:30 ET (UTC-4). UTC is a commonly used successor to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). To convert time easily for your audience, use the website timeanddate.com. Do research. Like Jerry Schlagenhauf, Deb turns to the Internet to prepare herself for work with people from other cultures. For a brief project with someone from another 230
culture, she searches for best practices for doing business in that culture or country. Depending on the depth and length of the interaction, she recommends investing more time and effort: Let’s say your company has just merged with an overseas competitor, and you are going to be working extensively with these new colleagues. You may want to hire a consultant with expertise in doing business with that country, who can walk you through the steps and make you aware of potential pitfalls and best practices. You will save a lot of headaches and a lot of explanations and apologies if you know in advance the things you should be aware of. If you write to a group in another country, develop a relationship with a colleague there who may be willing to review your messages before you send them out broadly. That individual could advise you about any sentences or expressions that do not come across the way you intend. Think twice about your formatting. Like readers everywhere, your global readers will find it difficult to read long paragraphs. However, some international readers cringe at the heavy use of bullet points, finding them too direct and inelegant. Try using short, clear paragraphs for analysis and background, and use bullet points for lists and action items. If your readers can view attachments, use graphs and charts to present details. This sample email from Richard Wilkinson to his African colleagues in Dar es Salaam includes effective short chunks of text and short sentences (averaging 13 words each). You will notice that rather than getting to the point the way he would have with American colleagues, Richard took a more leisurely, personal approach that acknowledged his relationship and recent visit. Subject: Next Steps for Our Salary Survey Greetings from a sunny Seattle! Hope both of you are doing well. We are cherishing the sun here in these final few days of summer. I had a great time in Tanzania and Malawi, but it is great to be home, too. Now, on to business. It is time for us to work on the custom salary study we want to do. I have attached several documents for you to review. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Custom Salary Survey: Attached is the draft of the survey. It would be ideal for one of you to complete the survey to see how it works. If there are any problems, we can edit the survey before sending it to others. I will share this draft with my colleague to get her suggestions, too. 2. Positions to Survey: Please carefully review this list of the positions we will survey. Are there one or two other positions we should include? I do not think we need to survey drivers 231
because the original survey is fine for that level of position. 3. Position Descriptions: I included brief descriptions for each position from another survey. The purpose of the brief descriptions is for others to judge whether their job is a match for ours. We will probably want to edit these to be more like what our positions do, but remember that they need to be somewhat generic, too. 4. Invitations: Please contact the organizations next week to invite them to participate in our survey. Tell them we will share a summary of the results with them. TELEPHONE MEETING? To keep this project moving along, I suggest that the three of us talk soon. Any day next week is fine with me. As usual, because of our million timezone differences, it will need to be 16h00 in Dar/6h00 in Seattle. Please let me know which day or days are best for you. All the best, Richard Below is a polite request for action from a writer who does not know the reader. Notice the greeting, brief introduction, short sentences (averaging 14 words each), short paragraphs, use of a graphic illustration, and absence of acronyms and abbreviations. Subject: Cloud-Computing Webinar — Action Requested Dear Mr. Khose, Greetings from XYZ Company. As a member of the Information Technology department in our Washington office, I am organizing the December 11 webinar on cloud computing. This email is to confirm that you will be able to log on to attend the program. Action Requested: Please click this link to test your ability to log on to the online “classroom.” (The attached picture indicates how the classroom should appear on your screen.) If the link does not connect you to the classroom, please send this email to the computer software expert at your company. Your expert can find the problem, which might be a computer firewall. Please let me know that you are able to log on to the classroom. I look forward to working with you and your team. Please email or call me if you have any questions or requirements. With best regards, Reena Leonard [Job title] [Company name] [Telephone number] 232
[Website URL] More Global Communication Tips These additional tips will help you succeed with global relationships: Think of your readers as valued partners, and communicate with them that way. This approach is especially important if you work in the international headquarters and your readers are thousands of miles away. Avoid language such as “We expect your group to comply,” which emphasizes your rank rather than building a relationship. Avoid email, if possible, if you have bad news or a controversial topic to discuss. Use a teleconference or web conference in which information can be exchanged and questions can be answered. Communicate good news, thanks, and congratulations. Avoid only writing when you have bad news or a request. Sending positive messages builds rapport with people far away. Write different versions for people in different countries if the message affects people differently. For example, if you are moving a project from Indonesia to India, recognize that the people in each location will have different concerns, and write separate messages. Learn about holidays and holy days that are observed in the various homelands of your readers. Acknowledge those occasions in your messages if appropriate, and do not expect a prompt response when your readers are on holiday. Use the University of Kansas Medical Center Diversity Calendar (www3.kumc.edu/diversity/january.html), which lists ethnic and religious dates, as a helpful starting place. Recognize the World You Work In Consider this truth: Communicating around the globe goes beyond email, online postings, and virtual meetings with people who work on the other side of the globe. It also includes communication with people who work at the lab bench or in the cubicle next to yours but happen to be from other cultures or countries. Not only geographical distance, but also cultural differences and simple unfamiliarity, can get in the way of cross-cultural understanding and great work relationships. Learn from the stories and suggestions from Richard, Jerry, and Deb. Apply the tips in this chapter and throughout this book. Then enjoy your growing relationships with people around the world and right next door.
Personal Application Do the stories related by Richard, Jerry, and Deb remind you of your own 233
experiences in global communication? Do you think you might have done something differently to enhance relationships in those situations? What did you do well? Next Step Consider your relationships, no matter how developed or undeveloped they are, with people from other countries or cultures. Choose one relationship to strengthen by applying the ideas in this chapter.
Create Your Action Plan for Building Relationships One Message at a Time If you are wondering whether you can incorporate the ideas from this book into your work life, this chapter is for you. You can build better work relationships one message at a time. In fact, you can make it happen easily, just by doing what you normally do a little differently, even if your work plate overflows or you think of yourself as antisocial. There are also extra steps you can take whenever you have the time and inclination to focus on relationship building through writing. Let’s begin with a story. I was talking to a fourth-year medical student named Xavi, who was applying for residency programs. Xavi told me about the programs she was considering and said she was very impressed with Tulane, a medical center affiliated with Tulane University in New Orleans. When I asked what impressed her about Tulane, I learned that it was a personal note! Xavi said something like this: The director followed up on my interview by sending me a personal, handwritten note. Usually all the communication is by email. From his personal note, I think he must be very interested in the residents. No doubt the residency programs at Tulane have other strong points, but Xavi did not mention any of them. She mentioned receiving a personal note. When I told this story on my blog, marketing expert Marcia Yudkin chimed in with a similar experience. She wrote: When I was thinking about where to go for graduate school, I visited Cornell and was introduced to a very distinguished professor whom I was hoping to study with. Within a week, a handwritten note arrived from him saying how pleased he was to have met me and he hoped I would choose their program. I had already decided to attend Cornell, but if I hadn’t, this note would undoubtedly have swayed me to choose Cornell over two other schools that had higher reputations. Xavi’s and Marcia’s stories illustrate that building relationships one message at a time requires two things: having a positive intent and taking action. Positive Intent Since you are reading these words, you probably have already taken the most important 236
step to build relationships one message at a time. You have experienced the desire to enhance your business relationships through writing. Having that desire is a requirement of reaching the goal. Positive intent is the ticket to communicating with heart and building business relationships. It is the desire to engage with other human beings at work in supportive, mutually rewarding relationships, spreading positive energy rather than negative feelings (also known as “bad vibes”). The professors who met with Xavi and Marcia communicated their interest and positive feelings about the two student applicants through personal notes. Your positive intent is something you can bring to virtually all your business communications. Consider the following example of a brief but far-from-routine message from a service provider. My husband and I had been away from our home office all day at a conference. At that time, we were rarely both out all day, but when we were, a pet sitter named Allison would come by during the day to visit and walk our English cocker spaniel, Chica. When we returned in the evening, we found Allison’s “report” on her visit. She wrote, “Positively grand seeing Chica again. She always surprises me — remembers me immediately and doesn’t miss a beat before she rolls over for belly rubs!” The brief handwritten note from Allison came on her special form, which had as its heading “Walks & Playtime Notes.” Allison might have left just an invoice for us. She might have simply scribbled a note saying she had come by at 11:30 in the morning. She might have left nothing at all. Instead, Allison’s simple 24-word message, from “positively grand” to “belly rubs,” communicated her positive intent. She communicated to us that in our long day’s absence, our Chica was visited, cared for, and loved. Perhaps the professors’ personal notes, along with Allison’s delightful report, will move you to think of ways to communicate your positive intent and make people smile. How can you encourage, delight, please, inspire — in general, create a positive experience for another person? In this chapter and throughout this book you will find examples of ways to connect with others and communicate positively. Let’s assume you have the positive intent. Now all you need is to take action. How many ways will you communicate? Send the Handwritten Note or Card Email and other electronic communications are easy to send and nearly instantaneous. But one can still make a strong argument for the handwritten note, as demonstrated by Xavi’s and Marcia’s feelings about the messages they received. Other people commented on the Business Writing blog post about Xavi’s reaction to Tulane, nearly all of them in favor of the handwritten message. Paula Diaco, owner of the SignARama shop in South Burlington, Vermont, put it this way: When I receive business correspondence that is packaged in a lovely envelope, or clearly has a greeting card inside, I’m immediately intrigued and open it right away. I agree that a personal handwritten note rises above 237
email and standard business stationery in terms of being interesting. Freelance writer Ben Curnett left this comment on the blog: We’ve gotten calls and referrals years after sending handwritten letters to people we’ve met or done business with. Plus, I like the feeling I get when I write them. I know that the letters will get noticed. I know that I’m showing someone that I’m listening to them. To me, that’s very cool. English professor Alfredo Deambrosi expressed the sole dissenting view on personal messages, but he also acknowledged their effectiveness: Traditional mail frustrates me. It clutters my desk (maybe, that’s my fault) and takes longer to open and to trash or file. But it does get my attention. Because I carry it with me to read before meetings, I am more likely to discuss it with a colleague, if it’s appropriate for me to do so. Reflecting on her letter from the Cornell professor, Marcia Yudkin pointed out the wisdom of writing personal messages today: Any school or workplace that uses this technique has a marketplace advantage that flies under the radar. Competitors won’t normally know why they’re losing out! Such comments argue for the handwritten note as intriguing, interesting, compelling, rare, powerful, sincere, attention grabbing, memorable, satisfying, powerful, and competitively advantageous. Who can argue with those characteristics? Send Electronic Messages Email, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, e-cards, and other online ways of communicating do win in some situations. For example: When your work relationship with the other person is strictly electronic. In some relationships, your only contact information is an email address, Facebook page, or LinkedIn connection. When you are communicating with someone on the other side of the world. Airmail letters across the globe can take two weeks or more to reach their recipients, and in some countries delivery is unpredictable. When your message requires near-instant delivery. When you learn that today is your client’s birthday or anniversary, only an electronic greeting is quick enough — unless you have a message or a gift hand-delivered. When your message is informal. Sometimes a quick electronic message is all you need to send to convey your good wishes and positive intent — for example, in a 238
thank-you to someone who just made your day or in “Way to go!” congratulations on one of life’s small successes. When you will not get around to putting something in regular mail. It is always better to connect virtually than not connect at all. Take Action: Gather Supplies to Make Relationship Building Easier If you intend to send handwritten notes and cards, good for you! To turn your intention into reality, have these supplies on hand: Notecards and notepaper with envelopes. Having both cards and notepaper allows you to choose what feels right for your message. Stores such as Papyrus and Hallmark sell attractive stationery sets and boxed cards in the United States and Canada, as do museum gift shops. Ordering greeting cards from museums, UNICEF, World Wildlife Fund, and other nonprofits gives you the added pleasure of supporting an organization while buying the cards you need. If you are a photographer, you can make your own cards with your photos, pre-scored card stock paper, your laser or inkjet printer, and simple instructions from manufacturers such as Avery. Postage stamps. In the United States, you can buy “forever” stamps, and in Canada, “permanent” stamps, whose value is sufficient to cover a first-class letter or card even when postal rates increase. Or choose stamps whose graphic or message you like, for example, Breast Cancer Awareness stamps in the United States. Buy at least one booklet or sheet of 20 stamps as a start. If you think you will send oversized or square cards, which may require additional postage, purchase those extra stamps in advance, so you won’t be slowed down later because of a lack of postage. Sympathy cards and get-well cards are useful because they allow you to send a thoughtful message without having to compose it. Add a few of these cards to your collection, and you will be ready for delicate moments that require a timely message. Store your supplies so they are at your fingertips. For minimal cost, you can buy a cardboard or plastic storage box at your office-supply store to keep the cards, stationery, and stamps together with a ballpoint, rollerball, or fountain pen. Or simply slip your postage stamps, a pen, and any extra greeting cards into the box or boxes from the greeting cards you purchase. Then slip your supply box onto a handy bookshelf or into a desk drawer with your copy of this book.
Take Action: Gather Your Contact Information Assemble your contacts’ email and mailing addresses in one, or at most two, places. Whether you use a contact management system, an Outlook address book, a day planner, a Rolodex, or something else, having just one or two go-to places for addresses is easier than tracking down slips of paper or loose business cards when you want to send a greeting. If you have a lot of contact information in various places, you may need to set aside several hours to pull your contacts together. Or consider hiring someone to finish the job for you. Take Action: Decide on a Calendar System When you remember their birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions, your employees, clients, and other business associates are touched by your thoughtfulness. But it’s hard to actually remember such occasions, especially when your list of contacts grows. That’s why a system that remembers them for you is essential. 240
Your calendar system may be Outlook, the Mac’s iCal, your smartphone’s system, a day planner, or another approach. Whatever system you choose, make sure it will sustain you over the years. You don’t want to have to copy special dates from one year to the next on New Year’s Day. With Outlook, you can program dates to appear annually, with a flag that reminds you of the upcoming event several days in advance. Those several days give you time to put a greeting card in the mail or to send an early electronic greeting. Don’t Contemplate, Communicate! With your supplies at hand, your contacts organized, and your calendar at your service, you are ready to take action. Here is a range of one-off and ongoing action steps you can take to build and sustain great work relationships. Choose just one or several, and get started! Choose someone randomly from your contact list or address book. Send the individual a note of hello, appreciation, positive feedback, or if appropriate, congratulations. Librarian Roger Green has used the same random approach with phone calls despite a girlfriend’s criticism: I had a girlfriend about 20 years ago who chastised me for pulling out my address book and deciding who I might want to call rather than just KNOWING who I wanted to call. I thought it was important to keep up with people I hadn’t been in touch with. Her irritation with my methodology baffled me; still does. Those people getting the call were pleased by the call; how I got to calling them “out of the blue” should not have mattered. If you have Roger’s desire to connect with people, then copy his way of making it happen. Just pick someone from your list. Your contact will be pleased, as Roger’s were, to hear from you. Your positive words may make their day and lead to unexpected rewards for you. Take action in the moment — don’t put it off. If you receive a thoughtful email, respond immediately with a quick thanks. Thinking I’ll get to it later has led to millions of unsent messages. This step means reading your email and regular mail at a time when you can respond to it — not just check it for urgent messages. Strive for completion — not perfection. This point is related to the item above. You do not need to write the perfect thank-you, condolence, or get-well message. You need to send a message. Do not let perfectionism get in the way of sending a heartfelt, timely message. Psychologist Doris Jeanette emailed this simple thank-you to me in response to a holiday card in which I had included a bookmark of the rules of rendering numbers: Hi Lynn, 241
I want to thank you for such a thoughtful and beautiful card. I did read the bookmark and it has raised my awareness about numbers. Thank you for thinking of me. Doris The entire message, including both our names, is just 34 words. It is perfect in its simplicity. Writing the thank-you removed the task from Doris’s to-do list and probably gave her a feeling of satisfaction and connection. I know it made me feel appreciated. Make a routine communication into a special one. Whenever you can quickly connect with another person in a way that recognizes him or her as a human being, do it. When people unsubscribe from my newsletter, they have the option of sharing their reason for unsubscribing. They often mention that they have been laid off, are retiring from work, or are taking a leave of absence. I respond in email to those messages. Here’s an example: Unsubscribe comment from Jamie: “I am going out on maternity leave.” My response: “Jamie, have a happy, healthy maternity leave. I wish you a safe delivery and a joyous welcome of your baby into the world.” Jamie’s response: “Lynn, thank you very much for your warm wishes.” Writing and emailing the message to Jamie took me about a minute, just one minute for a meaningful connection with a subscriber. If you write checks to vendors, as I do in my business, you have an opportunity to write a message of thanks. I include my check in a greeting card. When I included my payment in a thank-you card to a sales consultant, she wrote back saying she enjoyed the card and wondered whether I paid my phone and electric bills with a personal note. No, only when someone I know is at the other end of the envelope do I send a personal message. You can apply this approach when someone forwards a contract or a check request to you, asking for your signature. Add a quick note of appreciation for their handling the paperwork for you. Or if someone asks you to sign off on a graphic design, an annual report, or a program change, add your positive feedback to your approval. If someone asks for your advice, include along with your words of counsel your thanks and praise for approaching the situation so carefully. You may have daily opportunities to make routine communications into special ones. Why not take advantage of them? Set aside time each week to send relationship-building messages. Even if you can manage only 15 minutes, that small chunk of time is enough to send four or five emails or two greeting cards or notes. If your Friday afternoons are calm, that might be a perfect time to reflect on the week and the people you would like to communicate with. Some managers set aside a few minutes each day to extend thanks and positive feedback to staff and colleagues. 242
Add a positive-tone check when proofreading your emails, memos, and letters. Do not send a message unless it includes at least two positive or courteous words: please, thank you, appreciate, grateful, delighted, happy to, excellent, welcome, etc. If this step seems odd or awkward to you, ask yourself why you would want to send a message with nothing positive in it. Even in an email in which you request a meeting, one that might be a tense encounter, you can include this positive sentence: “I look forward to working through the issues.” I remember a business writing class in South Carolina in which a communications specialist was stumped about how to state this concern more positively: “Supplies are limited, so any delays in ordering might result in unfulfilled orders.” She was referring to a glossy publication the communications department had produced for employees. We transformed her message to “Supplies are limited. Order now to reserve copies for your department.” Our revision eliminated the negative and doubtful delays, might, and unfulfilled and communicated positively without using obviously positive language. Add a communication review step to your project plans and decisions. This step is a point at which you can ask yourself: Could this project or decision be bad news for others? If so, add one or more badnews messages and apologies to your task list. Is this project or decision the result of the work of others? Add one or more messages of congratulations, thanks, and positive feedback to your tasks. Did this project or decision necessitate hiring new staff? Add an introduction of new staff to your tasks. Will communications about this project or decision involve email? Review the chapter “Protect Your Relationships by Avoiding Bad Email Behaviors” to avoid email pitfalls. Will this project or decision involve communications with people around the globe? Review the chapter “Communicate Around the Globe With Courtesy and Wisdom” for reminders about what can go wrong and right in international communication. Will this project or decision create additional work or require a special effort from any individuals? Add a reminder to your calendar to send thank-you notes and positive feedback at appropriate times during the implementation. Add a note to your calendar to check your contact list in May, August, and December for people who may be graduating. Without making a conscious effort, it is too easy to overlook graduations from high school, junior college, undergraduate school, MBA programs, and other degree and certificate programs. Mark such hard-earned milestones with a special card, note, or gift. Start early if you intend to send Chanukah, Christmas, or New Year’s cards — or all three — to various people. Steps include buying, writing, addressing, stamping, and mailing the cards to your contacts. Even with a contact list of 25 people, that effort takes 243
time. Begin in November or earlier, and pay attention to the date of Chanukah, which may start in late November. Add the birthdays of your coworkers, employees, and other business associates to your calendar. With LinkedIn and Facebook, your connections and friends have the option of posting their birthdays. Pay attention to those days, and add them to your calendar system. Then send a card, note, or electronic congratulations on their special days. Add clients’ birthdays to your calendar, and send a greeting by email or card. If sending birthday cards is too costly because of your volume of clients, consider tasteful postcards. If you are a dentist, resist the temptation to send a card with an open mouth, and if you are a chiropractor, leave the spine illustration to the poster in your office. Your clients know your profession without cheesy reminders of it on their birthday greetings. Add to your contact list the names and birthdates of the children of your business associates. You don’t need to remember the children’s birthdays, but you will enjoy being able to talk about them in situations like this one: Someone in my professional network, a woman I may see once a year, ordered 20 booklets from me. In my emailed thank-you for her order, I said I hoped she and her young daughter were having a beautiful summer. I used her daughter’s name. She wrote back, “Thanks! I am so impressed you remembered my daughter’s name :-).” Confession: I did not remember her daughter’s name. I had recorded it, along with her date of birth, in the notes in my Outlook contacts. Having recorded it rather than remembering it does not make the gesture any less meaningful. After all, I wa n t to remember her daughter. I want to have warm relationships with customers and others in my professional network. You earn an easy win when you keep track of the personal milestones in people’s lives and mention them in the natural flow of business communication. It just takes the discipline of recording those events when they happen. Imagine being able to say, “David is 16 now, right? Has he started driving yet?” The questions show much more awareness and sensitivity than remarks like these: “Your kid is already in high school? No! But it seems just yesterday that you were home with the baby.” Add to your calendar the holidays and holy days, if applicable, of your associates in other countries. See the “Recommended Resources” section for resources that will help you to acknowledge special days with email greetings and to avoid expecting a response on days when your associates are away from their offices. When you receive positive feedback or thanks, add those messages to a special paper or electronic folder. When you are feeling discouraged, you can open this folder to brighten your day and improve your relationship with yourself! In her comment on Business Writing blog, nurse practitioner Mary K. Parker described the dual value of saving such messages:
I’ve saved all the thank-you notes I’ve received from patients. Not only does it comfort me on those Sisyphean days, it is an opportunity to show tangible customer-service skills to future employers. An added benefit is that reviewing thanks-yous and other positive messages provides an important reminder to send the same kinds of valuable messages to others. Add the dates of deaths to your calendar so you can remember their anniversaries with associates who are friends and family members of the deceased. See the chapter “Convey Condolences to Connect With Others” for sample messages. Add to your calendar a note to review the chapter “Share Constructive Feedback to Improve Performance — and Relationships” at the start of the performance evaluation period at your company. The chapter will remind you of the purpose of feedback and the language to do your job well. When you add a conference or professional meeting to your calendar, add time after the event as well to follow up with new contacts with whom you have made a meaningful connection. After the event, add each contact to your smartphone, your Outlook contacts, or the system you use. Then send an email or handwritten note or request a LinkedIn connection with the individuals you met. Avoid sending generic messages such as “It was a pleasure talking with you this morning.” Instead write something like “I enjoyed our conversation about diversity programs and how to make them meaningful.” If you are looking for a job, add to your calendar a note to update your contacts on the progress you have made in your job search. Then send those updates so your network will remember your search and will recognize ways to continue to help you. When you have a networking meeting or a job interview, add time to your calendar to send follow-up thank-you messages. If your profession involves learning about milestones such as weddings, anniversaries, significant birthdays, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, first communions, and first home purchases — for example, if you are a minister, priest, rabbi, florist, baker, caterer, dressmaker, limo driver, travel planner, or real estate agent — send your own greeting to the person or persons of honor. If appropriate, add the date to your calendar and acknowledge it in coming years. Seattle real estate agent Jayne DeHaan takes a similar step, calling clients on their birthdays. I have received a birthday call from Jayne each May for over 20 years, ever since I purchased my first house with her help. If your profession brings you into contact with people whose family members (including pets) have died — for example, in medicine, veterinary medicine, law, nursing homes, hospice, brokerage services, insurance, and mortuary and executor services — add time to your calendar to send condolence notes or sympathy cards. If you do not know the 245
family well, a printed sympathy card with a brief message such as “I am very sorry for your loss,” along with your signature, is all you need to send. This small but gracious gesture shows you appreciate the other person as a human being, not just as a client or a customer. Also remember bereaved individuals at other times of the year. This sample message remembers someone’s loss: Dear Mr. Jenner, As the holidays approach, I think of the clients I worked with this year, and you come quickly to mind. I know you will be spending the holidays without your wife, Kathryn, for the first time. Know that I am thinking of you during this time of continued loss. Warm wishes, Anita Robbins If your profession involves helping people through life transitions — for example, adoption law, life coaching, and personal training services — send your clients notes of congratulation when they move through a transition or achieve a personal goal. If you work for a nonprofit organization, when you schedule an auction or a similar fundraising initiative, add time to your calendar to write thank-you notes and letters. Donors, sponsors, and volunteers may grumble when they are contacted a year later with a “Thank you for your support. It’s time to give again” message. Acknowledge contributions specifically rather than generically whenever possible. For instance, rather than “Thank you for your generous donation,” write, “Thank you for your generous donation of a week at your condominium in Belize.” If you are in a profession in which you regularly deal with adversaries — such as law, politics, and the military — add a note to your daily calendar to remind yourself to communicate positively and nurture your professional relationships. A reminder such as “Be kind in writing” or “Have you included positive language in that message?” can help you counteract your profession’s focus on defeating the enemy or opponent. If you are a student, start early building professional relationships. At the end of a class, send an email or thank-you note to professors and guest lecturers who have been especially helpful to you or who have worked hard to make your class engaging. Normally send the note to your professors after they have submitted grades, so your communication does not suggest an attempt to inspire a higher grade. Write a note of thanks or positive feedback whenever someone has exceeded your learning expectations. If you are a blogger, make time to visit the blogs of others in related and unrelated fields. Leave comments expressing appreciation and praise for great content. Blog about the specific posts of others when you can. By doing so, you will enrich your work life with “virtual friends.” Take any of the actions in this chapter, and you will be using business writing to create 246
and sustain great work relationships. As with the professors at Tulane and Cornell who sent memorable messages to student applicants, your efforts will be noticed and remembered, perhaps even many years later!
Personal Reflection How many of the action steps in this chapter are you already taking? Which steps will be easy to add to your routine? Next Step Take a moment to congratulate yourself for everything you are already doing to create and sustain great work relationships. Enjoy the satisfaction and success those relationships bring.
Recommended Resources: Learn More About Building Relationships Learn More About Etiquette Books Use Emily Post’s Etiquette, Eighteenth Edition, by Peggy Post, et al. (HarperCollins, 2011), to learn more about manners in our quickly evolving world. The “Life in the Workplace” section covers the job search, office challenges, workplace relationships, and business socializing. Use Robert Hickey’s book, Honor & Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address (The Protocol School of Washington, 2008), to have answers to your momentous “how to address” questions at your fingertips. In the United States, the comprehensive volume is used at the White House, Supreme Court, and Department of State, among many other institutions. Blog Visit Robert Hickey’s blog on names, titles, and forms of address, at www.formsofaddress.info/faq.html, when you are unsure how to address, greet, or list an important person. If Mr. Hickey, Deputy Director of the Protocol School of Washington, has not already answered your question online, he will do so. Learn More About International Communication Books Gather more information about writing for people who read English as a foreign language in Edmond H. Weiss’s The Elements of International English Style: A Guide to Writing Correspondence, Reports, Technical Documents, and Internet Pages for a Global Audience (M.E. Sharpe, 2005). The book offers 57 communication tactics with vivid examples and many helpful insights. Learn more about the cultures, customs, and communication preferences of people in more than 80 countries in When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures, Third Edition (Nicholas Brealey International, 2006), by Richard D. Lewis. This book provides excellent detailed guidance to help you lead, sell, and build relationships across cultures. Websites Learn about the national holidays celebrated in countries around the world, from Åland to Zimbabwe, on the Q++ Worldwide Public Holidays site, at www.qppstudio.net/publicholidays.htm. The site covers 198 countries and 48 semiautonomous territories such as Hong Kong and Gibraltar. Consult the University of Kansas Medical Center’s diversity calendar to learn about 249
religious and national holidays of various cultures and countries, at www3.kumc.edu/diversity/january.html. On Wikipedia, at www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/workweek, find out when your associates in other countries celebrate the weekend. Learn, for example, which Islamic countries celebrate the weekend on Thursday–Friday and on Friday–Saturday. Use the websites www.worldtimeserver.com and www.timeanddate.com to learn what time it is around the world. Both sites include a time-zone converter and a time-zone map. Get Help Solving Interpersonal Difficulties Books Pore over Peer Power: Transforming Workplace Relationships, by Cynthia Clay and Ray Olitt (Jossey-Bass, 2012). The book provides clues, strategies, and principles to help you identify and work effectively with nine challenging personalities including the attacker, the whiner, and the slacker. Take your interpersonal skills to the next level reading What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, by Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Deiter (Hyperion, 2007). Learn how to eliminate 20 bad habits such as making destructive comments, refusing to express regret, and failing to express gratitude. Get Better at Building and Sustaining Relationships Books Dip into any chapter of Keith Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone and Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time (with Tahl Raz, Doubleday, 2005) to get great gems on building business relationships. Mr. Ferrazzi promotes audacity, authenticity, passion, “pinging” (getting in touch briefly and often), and many gratifying ways of connecting with others. Read Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, by Peggy Klaus (Warner Business Books, 2003), to learn how to comfortably and confidently share information about yourself. Although the purpose of the book is to “teach you the art of bragging,” Ms. Klaus’s strategies help you open up in ways that launch and build relationships. Find out more about how giving to others builds success in Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, by Adam Grant (Viking/Penguin Group, 2013). Professor Grant tells many stories that will inspire you to give to others in your professional life the way you do naturally in your personal life. Learn More About Apologies
Book Enjoy Aaron Lazare’s On Apology (Oxford University Press, 2004), which provides everything you ever wanted to know about apologies in a fascinating read. Dr. Lazare’s true examples of pseudo apologies, non-apologies, and excuses, often in rich historical contexts, give you a deep understanding of what can go wrong in apologies — and how to do it right. Learn More About Giving and Eliciting Feedback
Book Read Rick Maurer’s short but powerful Feedback Toolkit: 16 Tools for Better Communication in the Workplace, Second Edition (Productivity Press, 2011), to learn more about what Mr. Maurer calls “telling each other the truth.” This concise gem of a book offers insights and easy-to-follow plans. Gain More Confidence in Your Writing
Book G e t The Gregg Reference Manual: A Manual of Style, Grammar, Usage, and Formatting, Tribute Edition, Eleventh Edition, edited by William A. Sabin (McGrawHill, 2011), to gain confidence about the correctness of your business writing. Gregg covers virtually any question you may have on grammar, punctuation, formatting, and related topics.
Ways to Render Names and Titles in Greetings and on Envelopes When you have taken the time to choose the perfect card or write a thoughtful note or letter, you don’t want to worry about how to address someone. Nevertheless, questions may come up: Should you use a title such as Mr. o r Ms.? When you write to a couple, whose name comes first? This section provides guidance so that you can confidently address your readers and render their names on envelopes. For information on greetings and how to punctuate them, see the next section, “Greetings (Salutations) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Text Messages.” Guidelines for What Follows “Dear” and Appears on Envelopes When you know your reader and your relationship is friendly, use his or her first name in the greeting. On the envelope, use a courtesy title or just first and last name. Greeting: Dear Kim, Envelope: Ms. Kim Batcher [OR] Kim Batcher When the relationship is formal, use a courtesy title or a professional title and a last name. Examples of formal relationships are student to professor and nonprofit employee to donor. Greeting: Dear Mr. Alfano: Envelope: Mr. Albert Alfano Greeting: Dear Professor Cook: Envelope: Professor Amanda R. Cook When you write to someone who is much older than you or highly esteemed, use a title and a last name. Greeting: Dear Reverend Carlock, Envelope: Reverend Anita Carlock 254
Greeting: Dear Dr. Mak: Envelope: Dr. Ronald D. Mak [OR] Ronald D. Mak, M.D. When you write to someone you do not know or do not know very well, greet the reader using a title and last name, or use both first and last names without a courtesy title. Greeting: Dear Mrs. Yang: [OR] Dear Monica Yang: Envelope: Mrs. Monica Yang [OR] Monica Yang Be sure not to switch between a first-name and last-name basis with someone. If you do, Salma may wonder what she did to suddenly become “Dr. Bishara.” If you have an assistant who prepares your correspondence, be sure he or she knows which approach you want to use. Unless you are certain that a woman prefers the courtesy title Miss o r Mrs., use the title Ms. or leave the title out. Pay attention to women’s signature blocks and online bios and profiles to see whether they communicate a preference. Know which titles to spell out. Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. Do spell out these titles and similar ones: Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Admiral, and Judge. Do not use an academic degree (M.S., M.D.) or professional designation (SPHR, Esq.) in the greeting. On the envelope, if you include an academic degree or professional designation after a person’s name, do not use a courtesy title that indicates the same achievement (for example, do not use Dr. and Ph.D. together). You may use a title and a degree on the same line if doing so is not redundant. Greeting: Dear Dr. Pelley: Envelope: Olive Pelley, Ph.D. Greeting: Dear Mr. Lowe: Envelope: Jason Lowe, CPA Greeting: 255
Dear Dr. Abramson, [OR] Dear Rabbi Abramson, Envelope: Rabbi Sydney Abramson, D.D. Jr. , Sr., and roman numerals such as III are normally included on the envelope, unless a message is informal. However, do not include them in your greeting. Greeting: Dear Nicholas, Envelope: Mr. Nicholas Parson Jr. Greeting: Dear Mr. Noss: Envelope: Mr. Jonathan Noss III The traditional way to greet male-female married couples is with the man’s title first, then the woman’s title followed by the last name. On the envelope, only the man’s first name appears. Greeting: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wright, Envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Wright Jr. Greeting: Dear Dr. and Mrs. Terry, Envelope: Dr. and Mrs. James Terry Greeting: Dear Senator and Mrs. Smith, Envelope: Senator and Mrs. Gordon Smith The modern way to address male-female couples and same-sex couples is to render both individuals’ names the same way, with or without first names and titles. On the envelope, render the names either on the same line or one beneath the other, listing first the name of the person with a special title or the primary recipient (for instance, the person you know better). Greeting: Dear Anne and Bruce Wright, Envelope: Ms. Anne Wright 256
Mr. Bruce Wright Jr. Greeting: Dear Anne and Bruce, Envelope: Anne and Bruce Wright Greeting: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wright: Envelope: Mr. Bruce Wright Jr. and Mrs. Anne Wright Greeting: Dear Mses. Carlson: Envelope: Ms. Nadine Carlson Ms. Danique Carlson When a woman marries, pay special attention to the name she uses. For instance, if Dawn Harden marries Ron Wice, she may remain Dawn Harden. Or she may be Dawn Wice, Dawn Harden Wice, Dawn Harden-Wice, or something else. If you are not certain which name a woman uses professionally, ask. She will welcome your interest. In messages to two people (coupled or not), include the name of the person with a special title first, or list the main recipient first. Whenever you know your readers well and want to communicate in a friendly way, use first names in the greeting. But avoid using an abbreviated form of a person’s name unless he or she uses it. For example, do not call a Juan Carlos “JC” or an Emily “Em” unless the individual does so. Greeting: Dear Ms. Donne and Mr. Trujillo, [OR] Dear Drenda and Alex, (only if he uses the name Alex) Envelope: Ms. Drenda Donne Mr. Alessandro Trujillo Greeting: Dear Dr. and Mrs. Ellis: Envelope: Dr. Moises Ellis (or replace Dr. with M.D. at end) Mrs. Renee Ellis (or replace Mrs. with Ms.) Greeting: Dear Drs. Gerber and Singh: [OR] Dear Dr. Gerber and Dr. Singh: Envelope: Dr. Robin Gerber 257
Dr. Gaurav Singh Greeting: Dear Drs. Moody: Envelope: Dr. Claire P. Moody Dr. James M. Moody Greeting: Dear Captain Klein and Professor Klein: Envelope: Captain Erika I. Klein Professor Roger K. Klein Greeting: Dear Reverend Paul and Mr. Green: [OR] Dear Tim and Dan, (only if they use these short forms) Envelope: Reverend Timothy Paul Mr. Daniel Green Greeting: Dear Mr. Lee and Ms. Roy-Lee, [OR] Dear Anthony Lee and Susan Roy-Lee, Envelope: Mr. Anthony Lee Jr. Ms. Susan Roy-Lee Greeting: Dear Messrs. Stone and Raj, [OR] Dear Mr. Stone and Mr. Raj, Envelope: Mr. Joseph Stone Mr. Alain Raj Greeting: Dear Mses. Woodard, [OR] Dear Loretta and Chanel, Envelope: Ms. Loretta Woodard Ms. Chanel Woodard Greeting: Dear Mrs. Hain and Mrs. Pham, [OR] Dear Mesdames Hain and Pham Envelope: Mrs. Marie Hain 258
Mrs. Lu Pham Messrs. is for more than one man with the title Mr. Its use is quite formal and traditional. You may use Mr. with each man’s name instead. Mesdames is for more than one woman with the title Mrs. Like Messrs., it is formal and traditional. You may use Mrs. with each name. Mses. is for more than one woman with the title Ms. You may also use Ms. with each name. When You Have a “Mystery Reader” If you are writing to a stranger and don’t know a person’s gender, do a bit of research on the Internet before leaving off courtesy titles such as Mr. and Ms. Type the individual’s name into your browser’s search box and see what you find. Or call the company and ask which courtesy title is appropriate. If your research doesn’t reap a helpful answer, use the person’s full name without a title, like this: Dear Dana Simms: Dear T.K. Spinazola: Dear E. Hassan, If you don’t know and can’t get the name of the person who will read your letter — for example, when applying for a job — use a targeted greeting with an appropriate job title, like this: Dear Recruiter: Dear Hiring Manager: Dear Claims Adjustor: You may use “Dear Sir or Madam,” but that greeting feels more anonymous, as does the cold “To whom it may concern.” Do not use “Dear Sir,” “Dear Sirs,” and “Gentlemen” because those greetings assume your readers are male. If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, you may use the company name. This approach is considered slightly informal. Dear Syntax Training: Dear XYZ Company: Dear ABC Agency: Answers to Common Questions About Names and Titles The challenge of how to render names and titles correctly in greetings and on envelopes has raised many questions on my blog and in my email. Here are answers to some common questions. Sometimes I am undecided about using a courtesy title. The message may be friendly — for example, a congratulations, but the relationship is more formal. Is 259
it better to err on the side of friendliness or formality? You will virtually always be correct if you use a courtesy title or a professional title such as Ms., Mr., Dr., Father, or Dean for your recipient. You may choose to leave out such a title when your message is more personal than professional or more informal than formal. For example, if your congratulatory note celebrates a new baby, that message qualifies as personal. If your congratulations marks a promotion or an honor, it is professional. Similarly, your invitations to a barbecue lean toward informal, but invitations to a gala are formal. You decide whether you want the communication to feel personal or professional, informal or formal. If the person I am writing to uses two last names, do I use both or only one of them in the greeting? You use both names in the greeting. For example: Dear Professor Garcia Lopez, Dear Ms. Gaertner-Johnston: I have seen “Dear Sir” and “Dear Sir or Madam.” Is “Dear Madam” ever correct? “Dear Madam” would be correct if you knew your reader was a woman but did not know — and could not learn — her name. When your goal is to build relationships, doing the research to learn someone’s name comes across as more thoughtful than being satisfied with a lack of information. When I write to a man or a woman who has a Ph.D. or another doctorate, do I use Dr. as the title? Use Dr. if you know the person prefers it or it is standard in your industry. If the individual is in academia or science in the United States, it is more likely he or she uses Dr. than in other industries (and perhaps countries). Otherwise, use Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss, or Professor depending on any known preferences. If you have access to the person’s bio or professional profile, pay attention to which title appears there. If I am writing to a recently widowed woman, how do I address her? At work, a woman rarely uses her husband’s first name to identify herself. However, if you write to donors, constituents, members, patients, or customers who are widows, pay attention to the way they refer to themselves (in the traditional way, Mrs. Alfred J. Sherrard, or the modern way, Ms. Alicia Sherrard). If a woman uses her husband’s name, write to her that way even if he dies. When and if she decides to stop using his name, you can follow her lead. At the beginning of your business relationship with a widow or at the time she becomes a widow, you can ask her tactfully how she would like to be addressed. Is it acceptable to use & (the ampersand) between names in the salutation? 260
No. It is traditionally not acceptable to use the ampersand for and in the salutation. If I am writing to a family and each person has the same last name, what is the proper greeting? The easiest way is to use first names. Greeting: Dear Don, Julie, and Julian, Envelope: Don, Julie, and Julian Burke If you must be more formal, use this approach: Greeting: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Burke and Mr. Burke, Envelope: Mr. Donald Burke, Mrs. Julie Burke, and Mr. Julian Burke When writing to an entire family, should everyone’s name be on the envelope and in the greeting? Rather than crowd envelopes and greetings with many names, you can use the parent’s or parents’ names with “and Family.” For example, address the envelope to “Ernest and Kate Elgin,” with a greeting to “Dear Ernest, Kate, and Family.” Or use just the last name in both places: on the envelope “The Robinsons” and for a greeting “Dear Robinsons.” Should I use Miss or Ms. for a young girl? Emily Post’s Etiquette suggests the use of Miss until age 16 to 18, then Ms. The Gregg Reference Manual recommends addressing teenage girls as M s . o r Miss, following the girl’s preference when you know it. For younger girls, Gregg indicates that you may use a title or omit it. For boys, Emily Post’s Etiquette recommends the title Master until age 6 to 7, then no title until age 16 to 18 years, then Mr. In contrast, The Gregg Reference Manual recommends addressing a boy as Mr. when he becomes a teenager. Gregg notes that Master is rarely seen. If I am sending a letter or an email to many people, may I use a greeting such as “Dear Joshua et al.”? Et al., which is Latin for “and others,” is not appropriate in a greeting. Many people will stumble over it, detracting from your message, and it seems too distant for a relationship-building message. If you need to greet up to five people, use all of their names. If you have more than five readers, try a group greeting such as: In a letter: Dear Chamber Members,
In an email: Hello, Marketing Team. Greetings, everybody. If you regularly write to a group, why not ask group members which greeting they prefer? If you have more questions about names and titles and how to render them, search my blog at www.businesswritingblog.com, or consult The Gregg Reference Manual or Emily Post’s Etiquette, Eighteenth Edition, by Peggy Post et al. (Note: That’s a correct use of et al.!)
Greetings (Salutations) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Text Messages After the date and a possible subject line, the first thing your reader sees is your greeting, also known as a salutation. Sometimes greetings set the tone of the message like a friendly smile and a handshake. At other times, they rest unremarkably on the screen or page and make little difference. This section offers guidance and answers common questions about salutations, so you don’t need to worry about your greetings and what they may unintentionally communicate. Greetings in Business Letters and Notes The standard way to open a business letter is with Dear, the person’s name with or without a professional title (Dr.) or courtesy title (Ms.), and a colon, like this: Dear Louise: Dear Patrick: Dear Ms. Chu: Dear Mr. and Dr. Paige: Dear Professor Amato: Dear Drs. Zhu: Use a colon after the greeting (rather than a comma) when your message is more business focused than social — for example, when you are writing to explain a policy or say no. The standard way to open a social business letter or a note is with Dear, the person’s name with or without a professional or courtesy title, and a comma, like this: Dear Nigel, Dear Patty and Eric, Dear Dr. Tarabi, Dear Annette and Teri, Dear Reverend Jans, Dear Dr. and Mrs. Lewis, A social business letter or note focuses more on the social aspects of your relationship than the business aspects. Letters and notes of condolence, personal congratulations (for weddings, births, retirement, and other celebrations), and thank-yous fall into the category of social business letters. 263
The colon-comma distinction is alive and well in the United States and Canada. However, in the United Kingdom, often no punctuation follows the greeting. Greetings in Emails For formal email — that is, email used in place of a business letter — greet the reader as you would in a letter. Use Dear before the person’s name with or without a title, followed by a colon or a comma. To warm up less formal emails, use greetings like these: Hi, Eva. Greetings, Finance. Hello, Drs. Furtado and Cho. Hello, Kwasi. Good morning, Folks. Ciao, everyone. Greetings, Professor! Dear all, Hello to all. Think twice about greetings that indicate the time of day, such as “Good morning.” Time-of-day greetings do not work well if some of your readers live in other time zones or will read your message long after you send it. Some people use Hey as a greeting, similar to Hi, but others object to it as too informal. If you do use Hey, save it for very informal messages. Various ways to punctuate the email greetings H i and Hello are acceptable. As a punctuation traditionalist, I prefer these ways, either on the same line as the first sentence or above the body of the message: Hi, Han. Hello, Han. You will also see these styles above the message body: Hi Han, Hi, Han, Hello Han, Hello, Han, Some people leave out the greeting, but the resulting tone can feel cool or cold: Brooke: Team: Professor: 264
Sue, Accounting, Rather than using a greeting, you may use the person’s name in the opening sentence, like this: Yiota, you were right about the prices. For messages back and forth in an email conversation, use the reader’s name in the opening sentence rather than repeating a greeting several times a day. When you do omit a greeting, be sure you include positive language in the message to warm up your tone. Greetings in Text Messages Texts are informal messages, so follow the suggestions for less formal emails. You may be tempted to omit the greeting when tapping out a text, but do not omit it if your goal is to build or maintain a good business relationship. Notice that the greeting warms up the tone in these pairs of texts: I’ll be there in 10 minutes. Hi, Professor. I’ll be there in 10 minutes. I’m waiting in the lobby for you to escort me. Hello, Guy. I’m waiting in the lobby for you to escort me. Answers to Common Questions About Greetings Over the years, readers of my blog and participants in classes have repeatedly asked two questions about greetings. Here are those questions and answers. If I don’t like someone, do I still have to use Dear in the greeting of a letter? Dear is not the same as Dearest or Darling. It is simply the standard term for greetings in letters, so you need to use it. No etiquette experts recommend “Not So Dear” as a greeting. One place in which you can skip Dear is the simplified letter, which has no greeting. It begins with the subject in all capital letters, like this: WAYS TO BEGIN A BUSINESS LETTER I am writing to share information about standard letter openings to … Do not use the simplified letter if your goal is to build a relationship with your reader. It feels too anonymous. If I use words such as team and everybody in the greeting, should I capitalize those words even though they are not people’s names or titles? You should capitalize all nouns. Words such as team, group, department, and managers are nouns. You should not capitalize pronouns. The words everybody, anybody, everyone, anyone, and all are pronouns. 265
If you have more questions www.businesswritingblog.com.
Complimentary Closes (Sign-Offs) for Letters, Notes, Emails, and Texts The complimentary close, or closing, is the last words your reader sees before your name. Complimentary closes are straightforward, but you may feel confused by what you have learned and what you see in the messages you receive. Use this section to remove any doubts about the closes you choose. Complimentary Closes in Letters and Notes Complimentary closes are standard in business letters, except for the simplified letter, which omits them. (The simplified letter, with neither greeting nor close, is not a strong choice for relationship-building messages.) Complimentary closes also typically appear in typed and handwritten notes. Like greetings, closes range from formal and professional to friendly and warm. These acceptable closes are listed by their degree of formality or friendliness:
For sympathy messages, choose one of the above closes or one of these: In deepest sympathy, With sympathy, With our condolences, Very sincerely, Wishing you peace, Sincere regards, Regarding “Yours faithfully,” my colleagues in the United Kingdom tell me it is used there regularly when writing to someone you do not know. Do not use your closing to communicate anger or frustration: Not this: With strong malice, 267
Not this: In deep frustration, Instead, use a professional-sounding close such as “Sincerely.” Avoid using the word warm in closes to people you do not know. Doing so may come across as overly familiar. Use affectionately only in a very close business relationship. Avoid it if your affection could be thought inappropriate by the reader or anyone else who reads the message. Do not use xoxo (kiss hug kiss hug) as a close in any but the most familiar relationships. Read the discussion of xoxo in the chapter “Add Heart to Your Writing One Message at a Time.” In the United States and Canada, a comma follows the complimentary close. In the United Kingdom, often no punctuation follows it. Only the first word of the complimentary close is capitalized. Like this: With best wishes, Not this: With Best Wishes, Complimentary Closes in Email When you use email in place of a business letter, choose a complimentary close from the earlier list. A close is not required in less formal email, but it helps you end your message pleasantly. Choose from the closes listed earlier, or pick one of these to add a positive tone to your email: Best, Regards, All the best, Cheers, Yours, Ciao, Thanks is not technically a complimentary close although it appears at the end of millions of emails. If you use Thanks at the end of your email, why not make it a sentence and follow it with a period, such as “Thanks for your help” or “Thanks again for your interest” or “Thanks for considering my request”? In an email conversation of messages back and forth, repeating the complimentary close and signature block is not necessary and could seem silly. But when you start a new conversation or revisit an email string after a few days, use a greeting and a close again. 268
Complimentary Closes in Text Messages The nature of texts is quick, short, and informal, so any close you use should match that style. Good closes for texts are: Best, All best, Cheers, Ciao, It’s acceptable to skip the close in texts. But as in any message, a friendly sign-off communicates warmth. Despite the brevity of texts, the closes below do not communicate well. They keep readers guessing and can come across as lazy. Therefore, do not use: Rgds, KR, (for Kind regards) BW, (for Best wishes) Answers to Common Questions About Closes Is it ever correct to add “I am” or “We are” above a closing? Expressions such as “I am” above “Sincerely yours” or a similar close are virtually never used in 21st century communication. They are not even recommended in a writing handbook I have that was published in 1914, Handbook of Business English, by George Burton Hotchkiss and Edward Jones Kilduff. Do not use them. How about adding “I remain” after a closing, such as “With warm regards, I remain”? Is that acceptable? That style does not appear in any business writing manuals I have seen in the last 25 years, so I can’t recommend it. If more than one person will sign the letter, are there two closes? Use just one complimentary close even if two people sign the letter. Have them sign above their names. Your closing might look like this:
Or like this: Best regards, Patrick White Manager, Customer Service 269
Michaela Best Regional Manager Is “Your loving student” or “Your loving coworker” ever appropriate as a closing? “Your loving” is too intimate for the student-teacher or coworker relationship. If the relationship is close, use “Warm wishes” or “Warm regards.” Is it acceptable to use two complimentary closes together, for example, “Yours sincerely, with best wishes”? One complimentary close is plenty. Using two would call attention to its oddity. If you want to combine sentiments, you might use “With sincere best wishes.” If the closes in someone’s messages to me begin to change from “Thanks” to “Best wishes,” does that mean something has changed in the relationship? Don’t read too much into people’s closes. Writers who change closes may simply have learned something new about them, for example, that “Thanks” is not a standard close. Or they may simply want to bring variety to their messages. Is it acceptable to refer to the reader’s friends or family in the close? It’s fine to use a close such as “Best regards to you and your family.” Can a simple “From” be used as a close, for example, “From [followed by a blank line] Your Friends at ABC Company”? “From” is not a complimentary close. Replace it with a more standard close such as “Best wishes.” Is “Kindly” an appropriate close? “Kindly” does not work as a close. Its meaning is different from “Sincerely” and “Cordially.” It is too closely associated with “Please,” as in “Would you kindly confirm the time of our meeting?” If you like “Kind” in your complimentary close, use “Kind regards.” Search for answers to more questions about complimentary closes on my blog at www.businesswritingblog.com or in The Gregg Reference Manual.
Acknowledgments My heartfelt thanks go to many people who supported me on this book-building journey. Susan Daffron inspired me with her enthusiastic response to my first two chapters and outline. Marcia Yudkin coached and challenged me with her brilliant logic and deep understanding of what works in nonfiction books. My friend Doe Coover, whose support goes all the way back to our first year of college, cheered me across the finish line with her insightful advice and fine eye for grouping chapters. My friends and colleagues Deb Arnold, Jerry Schlagenhauf, Ron Scott, Lynn Takaki, and Richard Wilkinson granted me interviews that brought several topics to life. They also took time to review and fine-tune their sections. Many generous, smart people provided examples, suggestions, and stories that made the book practical and authentic. I list them here alphabetically: Deb Arnold, Mary Bennett, Gilda Bonanno, Pete Busacca, Keith Chapman, Cynthia Clay, John Cline, Dennis Dennis, Cameron Deuel, Lisa Dodge-Johnson, Hanna Ekström, Margaret Elwood, Charlie Gadzik, Kathy Goughenour, Carolyn Grimm, Doris Jeanette, Tim Jones, Marie Kelly, Joanne Masterson, Sten Olsen, Lesley Peters, Alice Risemberg, Mary Rolston, Jerry Schlagenhauf, Valerie Shields, Russ Taylor, Steve Teixeira, Melissa Thirloway, and Marcia Yudkin, along with the staff at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services. These astute blog commenters expanded the book’s points of view: Claudia Amaya, Anne Boardman, Jeff Chamberlain, Matt Charles, Ben Curnett, Alfredo Deambrosi, Paula Diaco, Nancy Doerhoff, Roger Green, Robert Hickey, Josh Hinds, Cornelia Luethi, Cyndy McCollough, Jeannette Paladino, Mary K. Parker, and Neil Wheatley. The talented associates of 1106 Design transformed my manuscript into a professional book of which I am proud. Special thanks go to Michele DeFilippo and Ronda Rawlins. Thanks and a shout out to Christi and the gang at the Island Country Inn on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where I wrote most of this book while enjoying a room of my own. I thank my 100-year-old cousin Eleanor for inspiring me with a life well lived. Eleanor, you’ve always had heart! My cherished daughter, Eva, accepted the absence of Mom and meals while I was away working on this book. She graciously replaced her question “What’s for dinner?” with “How is your book?” My deepest appreciation and love go to my husband, Michael Johnston. Without his support and repeated encouragement to go away and write, this book would still be an inadequate Word document tugging at my soul.
About the Author Lynn Gaertner-Johnston has helped thousands of employees and managers improve their business writing skills and confidence through her company, Syntax Training (www.syntaxtraining.com). In her corporate training career of more than 20 years, she has worked with executives, engineers, scientists, sales staff, and many other professionals, helping them get their messages across with clarity and tact. A gifted teacher, Lynn has led writing classes at more than 100 companies and organizations such as MasterCard, Microsoft, Boeing, Nintendo, REI, AARP, and Kaiser Permanente. Near her home in Seattle, Washington, she has taught managerial communications in the MBA programs of the University of Washington and UW Bothell. Lynn’s influence extends far beyond the corporate classroom. Her free monthly newsletter, Better Writing at Work, reaches many thousands of subscribers around the world. Her popular Business Writing blog (www.businesswritingblog.com) attracts more than 3 million annual visits from readers on six continents. A recognized expert in business writing etiquette, Lynn has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The Chicago Tribune, and other media. Lynn sharpened her business writing skills at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a master’s degree in communication, and at Bradley University, with a bachelor’s degree in English. | <urn:uuid:26cf468d-2568-40c0-b796-7f11d6ec8f1c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://idoc.pub/documents/business-writing-with-heart-2nv8r2d7x0lk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.962784 | 119,035 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Activists are discovering the power of working together to bring accountability to their communities.
May the force be with you.
(“And also with you…” No? Ok, moving on.)
Today marks the annual celebration of Star Wars. Conveniently, it is held every year on May 4th, spurring fans and superfans alike to greet each other with “May the Fourth be with you” in a nod to the classic movie line.
But beyond the excitement of lightsabers and fictional characters from galaxies far, far away, Star Wars teaches us helpful government lessons. According to Cass Sunstein, author of The World According to Star Wars, there are many parallels between George Lucas’s intergalactic fantasy and today’s world. From governance decisions about constitutional law to economics and political uprisings, Star Wars reveals a great deal that the U.S. government can learn from, argues Sunstein.
I do not agree with Mr. Sunstein on most things, but there were a couple interesting connections he made between Star Wars and the real-world.
There’s a point here about the political message of the movie where freedom of choice in individual life, which even the Sith respect, is mirrored by the plea for republican self-government as against the authoritarian Emperor. So if there’s one theme that belongs in the “Star Wars” pantheon with fatherhood and redemption, it is freedom of choice. That’s the Holy Trinity of the films.
George Lucas used his sci-fi saga to make a series of claims about freedom and remind us of its importance. Freedom as it relates to law and also as it relates to politics. (I think Mr. Lucas was inspired by one of the greatest economists of the 20th century, Milton Friedman. Free to Choose, anyone?)
But Star Wars also focuses on freedom in individual lives. Two of the main characters, Luke and Anakin, both face the same challenges and must decide how to respond while weighing the consequences of those decisions. There’s always a choice, and we see the results of the two paths chosen.
Sunstein’s comment above about republican self-government is also worth expanding on. Star Wars clearly distinguishes a Republic from an Empire. The Republic is better at providing justice and providing freedom of thought and speech. The Empire represents an oppressive dictatorship. While the Republic was not a perfect form of government, it was better than most forms of government we find today in the real world. It is worth noting the U.S. is a republic.
Whether or not these lessons matter to you, Star Wars will live on as one of the greatest sci-fi movie series.
I think I know what I’m watching this weekend. | <urn:uuid:932f0bc6-ab51-4a7e-bbf5-43686af0c33d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.americanexperiment.org/happy-star-wars-day-may-the-4th-be-with-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.953079 | 577 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Noise levels of crackers to be put on the web-site
The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) has been directed by the Central Information Commission (CIC) to display noise levels of firecrackers on its website which fulfills the longstanding demand for measuring noise levels of fireworks. On a complaint filed by an activist Sumaira Abdulali, the Central Information Commission has directed that the information regarding tests carried out on firecrackers for hazardous chemical content and noise levels by agencies authorized by the MoEF should be disclosed on the official website pro-actively under Section 4 of the RTI Act.
In October 1999, an amendment was made in the Environment (Protection) Rules 1986, whereby the definition of noise pollution was amended. Further, the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers generating noise levels exceeding 125dB (AL) or 145dB (C) was banned. The Department of Explosives under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is empowered to regulate the grant of licences to manufacturers of explosives.
In compliance of the Supreme Court (SC) order dated 18th July 2005 wherein the SC ordered that the noise levels be measured and put in the public domain, PESO had undertaken a study in association with MEPCO Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi. | <urn:uuid:c6226b3f-3045-4c1a-8e9e-62650f251522> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/noise-levels-crackers-be-put-web-site-1503 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.9428 | 266 | 2.1875 | 2 |
i-HILT, Institute for the History of International Law @ Tilburg is a group of researchers from the Department of Public Law and Governance at Tilburg Law School, the Netherlands.
i-HILT is a virtual platform on the history of international law, with a focus on public international law, and international economic and commercial law. Here, ‘international law’ is used in the broadest sense. It refers to all forms of normativity that regulated relations between polities such as states, cities and corporations and among citizens and merchants throughout recorded history: from pre-classical Antiquity to the present and from all civilizations.
i-HILT will run the ‘Bibliography of the History of International Law’ and the ‘Bibliography of the History of International Economic and Commercial Law’. These bibliographies can be downloaded from the website. They are regularly updated. Furthermore, i-HILT will provide information on events and new publications.
i-HILT also stands for Institute of the History of International Law @ Tilburg research group within the Department of Public Law and Governance at Tilburg Law School.
I-HILT is responsible for teaching several legal history classes on the curriculum of Tilburg Law School. We also organize a series of lectures on the history of international law at the Tilburg Law School.
Members of i-HILT participate in the research program 'Global Law and Governance’ of the Department of Global Law and Governance at Tilburg Law School.
I-HILT E-Lecture - Samuel Moyn: Reflections on the Humanization of War13th June 2022
Reflections on the Humanization of War
Book launch Event - International Law in Europe, 700-1200 by Jenny Benham09th February 2022
The Centre for Medieval Studies at Cardiff University has organised an online book launch event to showcase Jenny Benham’s new book International Law in Europe, 700-1200, which provides a fascinating opportunity to explore international law during the medieval age.
New book: The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius22nd September 2021
Cambridge University Press has recently published the new volume ‘The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius’, edited by our professor Randall Lesaffer together with Janne Nijman. | <urn:uuid:a3536ac0-f297-4c3b-aa68-e34c6b5a58ce> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/research/institutes-and-research-groups/i-hilt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573399.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818185216-20220818215216-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.913086 | 507 | 1.765625 | 2 |
First of all, and most importantly, children are not color blind. To think that they don't notice race is a dangerous myth that puts the blame of innocent comments on parents who "must be teaching them at home". If they notice that a little wagon is red, and the grass is green, how could they not notice color of skin?
A study by Katz and Kofkin (1997) showed that children are able to "nonverbally categorize race" around 6 months. Infants will look at unfamiliar faces of different skin colors longer than unfamiliar faces of their own. They don't hate or develop prejudice; they simply notice. However, around ages 3-5, they begin to form opinions and biases based on their own experiences with regards to race. This is the critical time to begin to speak about it.
It is interesting to note that most parents don't have any problem speaking about gender differences, but they freeze when it comes to discussing race.
When children notice and make comments, terrified parents hush them for fear of offending someone.
Psychologist Beverly Tatum (1997) shares this example:
"A white mother and preschool child are shopping at the grocery store. They pass a black woman and child, and the white child says loudly, "Mommy, look at that girl! Why is she so dirty?" (Confusing dark skin with dirt is a common misconception among white preschool children.) The white mother, embarrassed by her child's comment, responds quickly with a "Ssh!" An appropriate response might have been: "Honey, that little girl is not dirty. Her skin is as clean as yours. It's just a different color. Just like we have different color hair, people have different skin colors."'
If the child still seemed interested, the explanation of melanin could be added. Perhaps afraid of saying the wrong thing, however, many parents don't offer an explanation. They stop at "Ssh," silencing the child but not responding to the question or the reasoning underlying it. Children who have been silenced often enough learn not to talk about race publicly. Their questions don't go away, they just go unasked."
Another common mistake is believing that children are too young for discussions about race. While conversations should be age appropriate, to not talk about them at all can lead to errant thoughts and misconceptions. After all, there must be some reason you're uncomfortable speaking about it.
It isn't necessary to go into racism when you discuss race. However, if there are issues of racism that your child catches wind of on the news or in school, it should be addressed immediately in a comfortable conversation geared toward their age, understanding and circumstance.
To ignore race is to breed ignorance. Acknowledgment of the beautiful colors that make up the world is not only essential to our kids' understanding of global race and culture, it will lead to a more peaceful state of mind for them.
Many live in communities that do not have a diverse racial mix. If you live in such a place, try to find opportunities to visit places that do. When you look at the global population by race, you will note that, of the 6.7 billion people on the planet, Whites=17%; Blacks=15%; Asians=31%; Middle Easterners/Indians=25%; Native Americans/Mestizos=4%; Others=8%. This is good for children to know and understand if they live mainly among one race.
Just as people have different color eyes and hair, they have different color skin and there are as many shades of white, black and brown as there are any other color.
Acknowledge your children's questions. Address the issues. Discuss openly and never shush them when they have questions. It is not offensive to another race to acknowledge their color or culture. | <urn:uuid:2c2ddc54-6df8-48e8-9615-a1759433e5b8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.familytoday.com/family/how-to-teach-your-kids-about-race/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.968043 | 783 | 3.8125 | 4 |
This is a very significant article and I hope no one misses it.
We’ve heard Will Thomas say in 2007 that Chinese microchips in American military hardware are programmed to fail under operational use.
That article is Will Thomas, “Faulty Chips Could Cripple U.S. Military” available on this site at https://tinyurl.com/26n3axw .
Now here is a second article saying the same thing.
If this is true, and this report makes it seem more likely than not, the U.S. military cannot be sure that its systems will not fail under operational conditions. That is the greatest inducement to peace that I can think of.
I’ve only reproduced the part of the article that deals with the chips. Please go to the URL indicated to read the rest.
29 June 2010
by: John Lasker
t r u t h o u t
From the microchips that fly F-16s and activate nuclear warheads, all the way down to the lowly (but deadly) bullet, more and more US military weapons are being made overseas by foreigners.
Some experts say that outsourcing defense contracts not only costs Americans jobs and America’s connection to the war, but one of the nation’s most essential assets, as well: its security.
According to William R. Hawkins, a defense expert on military contracting and former Republican Party staffer, foreigners have been manufacturing critical and sophisticated components of US weaponry for nearly 20 years now.
He says the Pentagon started outsourcing the manufacturing of “high-end” computer chips to Taiwan in the early 1990s – microchips used in US fighter jets and missile defense systems, for instance. Over time, the Taiwanese have “second-sourced” most of these contracts to the Chinese, he says.
“Can we trust buying [high-end] chips from China for our military systems? Will they perform as well?” asks Hawkins. “We have found Chinese chips do not perform as well. They’ve also found counterfeit chips in the supply chain. Can we be sure the Chinese won’t plant Trojans or bugs in them?”
Indeed, on June 13th on 60 Minutes, Jim Gosler, an expert on cyberwarfare, said the US government has uncovered sabotaged microchips within some of the nation’s most powerful weapons. “It’s very clear that a foreign intelligence service put them there,” he added.
John Lasker is a freelance journalist from Ohio. He has written for Wired, Christian Science Monitor, Agence France-Press and the Buffalo News. | <urn:uuid:23a43a1b-0066-49aa-81d5-34a76d588091> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://goldenageofgaia.com/issue-mediation-process-r3/accountability/the-myth-of-invincibility-exposed/possible-confirmation-that-u-s-military-microchips-are-compromised/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.954014 | 579 | 1.828125 | 2 |
St. Petersburg College, Marine Sciences Bay Pines Learning Center
St. Petersburg College
Saint Petersburg College’s Bay Pines STEM Learning Center and marine sciences laboratory is a classroom and research laboratory building that serves the College’s
baccalaureate programs in marines sciences, animal sciences, as well as STEM
programs such as robotics. VoltAir provided MEP, fire protection, and technology infrastructure to support the faculty’s teaching and research needs in both laboratory classroom and research settings which are focused on the study of marine ecologies and habitats. Other program spaces in this academic facility include a large multipurpose auditorium, lobby, offices, a conference room, and catering service room. The mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology systems for the research labs and classrooms are designed as standalone systems within their system controls setup.
The technology scope includes technology systems consulting services for the complete structured cabling system and pathways for the audiovisual and security systems. The structured cabling design includes CAT6 horizontal cabling, and fiber-optic and copper cabling between the telecommunications rooms on each floor and the existing
campus main distribution frame (MDF), and the telecommunications room layout in the new building. | <urn:uuid:472432c3-29b9-41e0-8dd9-ea5aaa5592a8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://voltairinc.com/project/st-petersburg-college-marine-sciences-bay-pines-learning-center/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.905894 | 295 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Open Flame - Really. Lighting technology began with the open flame as candles and tapers, and then graduated to the gas light. It is a beautiful look. However, note that the history of every great theatre includes in the last paragraph a sentence that reads, "...and on such-and-such a date, the theatre burned to the ground... " Unless you have a very specific need for open flame lighting, avoid it at all costs. There are several effects tricks that you can use in place of open flame, and most of them actually look better (on stage and on film) than real open flame does.
Open flame technology also includes limelight. Calcium oxide exposed to an open flame is an effective and horrifyingly dangerous method of lighting a space. Calcium limelight is frequently cited as an origin of the term "green room" because of the strong prevalence of green color in the limelight. Actors, as the story goes, would remain in the "green room" so as to let their eyes adjust to the color of the lighting on stage. This may or may not be true.
Incandescent - Technically, all lighting is "incandescent". For our purposes, we use the term to indicate those lighting instruments we normally think of as household lighting or something closely related to it. In the USA, these lighting instruments are typically wired for household voltages (110V) and capable of holding lighting elements (bulbs, lamps) with wattages as low as 5W, and as high as 500W. Both ends of that spectrum are unusual. You will most likely be called on to light a scene or set with 60W, 100W, 200W, or 250W in a prop or practical of some sort. Some Stage and Studio lighting instruments are built for using incandescent lamps. They are rare and becoming less useful. The point is that you will do better to use a Stage and Studio instrument that is built around one of the more advanced technologies which will give you better control over the light output.
Tungsten-Halogen - We shortcut this term as "tungsten" so as to save the extra effort of indicating the halogen portion of the technology. Tungsten lighting uses exactly the same physical-chemical process of incandescent, except that instead of the filament being some sort of carbon fiber in a vacuum, the bulbs in these instruments use a tungsten filament encased in a halogen gaseous cloud.
Tungsten bulbs are superior to standard incandescent bulbs in that they last longer and are capable of much higher light output. When an electrical current is passed through a filament, causing it to incandesce, the filament will throw off molecules of itself along with the photons. Over time, the filament degrades and eventually, as you would expect, burn out. Tungsten will do the same thing. In a halogen cloud, though, the vaporized tungsten molecules tend to condense (or coalesce if you prefer) back on the filament rather than falling into the base of the lamp. As the filament cools, it rebuilds itself.
Tungsten is also a more sturdy element for the filament than the kind of carbon-fiber found in traditional incandescent bulbs. Refer to your own text books or the bulb manufacturer's documentation for the specifics regarding light output. In short, these lamps are found in wattages as low as 100W and as high as 20,000W. They are generally considered to have a Black-Body Radiation color temperature around 3200 degrees Kelvin (3200K).
Carbon Arc - This is an older, and brute-force, technology that uses the reaction of electrons moving in the air to create photons. Where the incandescent technologies have a solid, continuous circuit through which electricity passes, the Carbon Arc has two terminal points and a gap across which electricity jumps. Picture the Jacobs Ladder effect in monster movies.
This is also a dangerous technology and should be avoided. You are dumping raw electricity into an enclosed space, with carbon, and letting it light up. It gets hot, it doesn't last as long as you think it would, and the output is inconsistent over time. It does, however, lead to the Mercury Vapor lamp, which then leads to HMI.
Mercury Vapor - Carbon Arc suffers from several drawbacks that make it a difficult choice for controlled lighting. When you put a carbon arc in a cloud of mercury vapor gas, though, something fantastic happens. The arc of electricity in the lamp causes the mercury vapor to fluoresce. They require less electricity than the Carbon Arc, they last longer, and have a more consistent light output. They do, however, take very long to warm up to full strength and are quite ugly. Similar technologies are Sodium Vapor and High Intensity Discharge (HID).
The chemical vapor lamps have their place, mostly industrial. They also are the starting points for fluorescent technology, neon, and more to the point, HMI.
HMI - Hydrargyrum Medium-arc Iodide. Yup. That word you don't recognize is the Latin word for mercury (and the origin for the Elemental Symbol Hg). For the record, HMI is a trademark of Osram that has become generalized into common use. You will notice that only Osram calls its bulbs HMI. The other manufacturers use different codes and acronyms in their product names. Philips uses the term Medium Source Rare-earth, MSR.
HMI is a vapor-arc technology that combines the durability of tungsten with the light output of mercury and iodine vapor. The other advancement it implements is the discontinuous arc. Where the carbon and chemical vapor arc lamps stream a continuous flow of electrons across the space between the terminals, HMI instruments do not. HMI technology stimulates the fluorescent properties of the vapor by inducing an intermittent arc into the gas. In order to make that happen, the HMI technology requires a control unit, it cannot be plugged straight into an AC power outlet. That control unit is the ballast.
An adequate discussion regarding the purpose and operation of the ballast is beyond the scope of this page. Keep in mind that it is a professional requirement that you are familiar with the types of ballasts, what they do, how they do it, and what effect it will have on your filming.
Ever seen one of the large HMI lamps blown out? Ever wonder why they fail after only a few hours of use when they are supposed to last much longer? There is an answer: Orientation Matters.
The support bar also serves a purpose of creating an electro-magnetic field that prevents the heated gasses inside the inner globe from reaching the glass. As long as the lamp is inserted into the head with the support bar on top, then physics is your friend. If you mount the lamp upside-down in the head, then gravity is your enemy and you will have a very expensive lesson in high-temperature plasma physics.
We require two things for our lamps 6K and above:
1) Always mount the lamp in the head correctly, including the proper orientation of the support bar. And,
2) We require that all lamps be removed from the lamp head for transportation. No Exceptions.
We thank our friends at Wolfram for the safety tips.
The Magnetic Ballast is not much more than a large set of transformers and inducers. They are large, very heavy, provide no conditioning of the AC waveform, and cheap. The modern Electronic Ballast is small, light, conditions the AC power into a square-wave waveform, and expensive.
The chemical composition of HMI lighting produces a color temperature in the daylight range near 5600 degrees Kelvin (5600K). Review the current documentation for specific photometric information. HMI wattages range from 150W to 18,000W.
Fluorescent - Tubes of fluorine gas shot through with an electric current have been around a long time. Not much has changed. Except to say that the compact fluorescent fixture will eventually replace the standard incandescent.
The things to know about fluorescent tubes are size and color temperature. Fluorescent tubes generally come in lengths of two feet or four feet. Other lengths are available, but uncommon. The tube's diameter is measured in one-eighth inch increments and a T prefix. Most common is the T-12 size, which has a diameter of one and one-half inches. Next most common is T-8 which has a one inch diameter. Emerging in the market is the T-5 standard. It is more compact, but needs different bases to hold the tubes. The T-8 and T-12 tubes have the contact pins in the same configuration. The T-5 pins are closer together.
Even though the T-8 and T-12 tubes have the same pin spacing, we strongly recommend that each be used only in fixtures that have been designed for them. The power requirement for the T-8 is different than it is for the T-12, and the appropriate ballasts take that into account.
Color temperatures can vary in fluorescent tubes. Commercial, consumer, fluorescent tubes can be specified as soft or daylight, roughly equating to tungsten 3200K or daylight 5600K. The best course of action is to replace all fluorescent fixtures in the shooting area with tubes from the same batch. This gives you the best chance for having colors that match throughout the area. Keep in mind that the plus- and minus-green color correction gel is a way of life when working with fluorescents.
For more control of the color temperature, specify the use of the Kino Flo bulbs or Movie-Tone bulbs.
A note about Standard Output and High Output: Our friends at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute published in 2006 a maddeningly comprehensive analysis of Initial Light Output (ILO) and Color Rendering Index (CRI). See their work here from the Lighting Research Center. For our purposes, it is important to remember that the commercial fluorescent tubes, and the Movie-Tone tubes are rated at Standard Output (ILO near 2800 lumens). Kino Flo tubes are rated at High Output (ILO 2950 lumens and above). Our Recommended Best Practices do not allow for use of the Kino Flo tubes in commercial fixtures, nor commercial tubes in Kino Flo equipment. The colors will be wrong, and the equipment may be damaged. Really, Kino Flo tubes go in Kino Flo equipment, and nothing else. No good can come from doing otherwise.
Neon - The Sky's The Limit in neon lighting. It doesn't do much for Stage and Studio lighting except as an effect, prop, or practical. Discussion of neon in depth is beyond the scope of this page.
LED - Advances in the Light Emitting Diode have created a whole new line of lighting instruments for consumer use and, more to the point, for Stage and Studio use. Consumer oriented LEDs are readily available from various sources. Stage and Studio instruments allow for a wide range of choices regarding color temperatures and power output while maintaining a small footprint, lower power usage, and cooler operating temperatures.
Lenses and Focus
Fresnel - Refer to French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for a brief history of the Fresnel Lens and its first application in lighthouses. In the meantime, keep in mind that the fresnel lens allows for large-aperture, short-focal-length lenses that distribute a lot of light effectively without a thick and heavy lens material. The thing to keep in mind about the fresnel lens is that it does not provide a hard-edge beam of light. You can adjust the distance of the lamp to the lens so as to increase or decrease the intensity of the instrument's "hot spot". The edges of the beam will always be a soft focus.
Open - This is, as it sounds, a lighting instrument that has no lens built in to it at all. It is commonly referred to as "open face". The open face instrument allows for the maximum light output with minimum interference. Typically it is used to wash an entire set or frame, or is filtered through a soft-box ("Chimera" for example) or fabric. Some open face instruments come with a set of lenses that allow for beam focusing.
The open face instruments are also called PAR, for Parabolic Aluminized Reflector. This refers to the mechanism in the instrument that reflects the light away from the back of the lamp head towards the open face. It is similar to, but shouldn't be confused with the PAR lamps / bulbs themselves.
Ellipsoidal - Interestingly, the two most common nicknames for Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights (ERS) came into use around the same time. Joseph Levy and Edward Kook developed their ERS for their company, Century Lighting. As a brand name, they took the first two letters of each last name and came up with the Lekolite. The Kleigl Brothers developed their ERS under the brand name Kleiglight.
Since then, Century Lighting merged with Strand Lighting for what we now know as Century-Strand. The term Lekolite grew into common usage as the leko, although Century-Strand is starting to use the name Lekolite again. You may occasionally still hear these instruments called kleiglights or kleigs. That is less common (read: old school).
Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) has built their Source4 line around the ERS design. As such, you will hear that as a synonym for ERS also.
AAdynTech - The ECO Series is made exclusively with high-end CREE LEDs, the brightest and most-controllable LEDs in the world today. No LED on the market has more output that draws as little power.
ARRI - ARRI was founded in Munich, Germany as Arnold & Richter Cine Technik in 1917, named after founders August Arnold and Robert Richter. You will still see this full name on occasion on ARRI equipment and documentation. Our selection of ARRI Lighting equipment ranges from the 150W Tungsten Fresnel to the powerful 18 kilowatt (18 KW) ARRIMAX.
Barger Lite - The powerful and compact lighting instruments are designed to fill a soft-bank (Chimera) with an even spread of light in a small footprint. Our selection of Barget Lites include 3-light and 6-light units.
Chimera - Ask the best lighting experts in the business and they'll tell you what makes all the difference. It's lighting solutions from Chimera. For the past 30 years, they've developed and invented innovative products that have changed the way the industry creates perfect light. Their lighting essentials and accessories are lightweight, portable, durable, heat resistant, easy to assemble and use, and so much more. And every Chimera product is built to last. Shot after beautiful shot, scene after memorable scene, year after year.
Cinemills - Our Cinemills 12KW HMI is used to fill the gap between the smaller wattage HMI instruments and the 18KW range. Ask us about how this would work best for you.
ETC - Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) offers a full range of stage and studio lighting, rigging, and control equipment. Our rental inventory includes their Source4 ERS (ellipsoidal) and open face PAR cans.
K-5600 - These small-footprint HMI instruments allow for ease of use, ease of movement, beam focus, and control of the light output. Our inventory includes the versatile 200W HMI Joker up to the 1200W HMI Joker.
Kino Flo - Kino Flo designs all of its unique fluorescent lighting systems for motion picture, TV and commercial production. These versatile fixtures and proprietary True Match® full spectrum lamps have distinguished Kino Flo as the leading innovator of creative lighting solutions. This line of fluorescent-based lighting instruments allow for an easy setup and manipulation of a lighting source. Our Kino Flo instruments come in 2-foot and 4-foot options for single (1-bank) heads, 2-bank doubles, 4-bank, and the 4-foot, 8-bank Flathead. Bulbs are available in 3200 degree Kelvin (3200K) Tungsten and 5500K Daylight.
Litepanels - This revolutionary lighting brings the advantages of Litepanels unique patented light-emitting diode technology to professional production lighting. Not your ordinary lights, Litepanels has painstakingly designed these extraordinary systems to exceed the highest professional standards. That's why their ultra-efficient, luminous, soft, directional output is being praised by lighting directors, photographers, and cinematographers alike. Cool, silent, dimmable and ballast-free, Litepanels concept offers a multitude of benefits for working in studio, or on-location anywhere in the world. It's no surprise that Litepanels have fast become the industry's most valuable lighting tools. These revolutionary instruments paved the way for LED lighting solutions that are commercially and technically viable. We offer the handy Miniplus and the powerful 1x1.
Mole-Richardson - We maintain an inventory of Mole equipment to provide the kinds of lighting options not available from everything else we carry. Ask us if these lighting instruments would work best for you. | <urn:uuid:f5622b03-dcf8-4343-8a40-4d26c7320e9c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.lowinglight.com/pages/view/lighting | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.936299 | 3,606 | 2.890625 | 3 |
The Beaches Link is a proposed tunnel linking the Northern Beaches to the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney.
The future Western Harbour Tunnel will also connect with the Warringah Freeway, allowing motorists to travel on a single roadway from the Northern Beaches, through the Western Harbour Tunnel and into the WestConnex roadways system.
Detailed Designs in the Project Update indicate Beaches Link will include over 11 kilometres of tunnels as well as around five kilometres of surface road upgrades. The main tunnel between Cammeray, connecting to the Western Harbour Tunnel, and Balgowlah will be three lanes each way, with connections to Wakehurst Parkway and Gore Hill Freeway two lanes each way. The preferred method for constructing the tunnels involves using multiple road header machines, with the section under Middle Harbour to use immersed tube tunnels.
Three kilometres of Wakehurst Parkway to the Northern Beaches Hospital will be upgraded along with further surface works to integrate the tunnels with the existing road network.
|Procuring Agency:||Transport for NSW|
|Mar 2017||The NSW Government announced the northern route as the preferred corridor.|
|Apr 2017||Coffey and AECOM engaged to conduct geotechnical investigations.|
|Nov 2017||A State Significant Infrastructure Application (SSIA) was lodged to identify topics for a future EIS.|
|Dec 2017||Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements issued for preparation of the EIS.|
|Jul 2018||The NSW Government announced that the Beaches Link Tunnel would be tolled.|
|Nov 2019||The NSW Government announced the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project is to be available for public exhibition from mid-2020.|
|Apr 2020||The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment issued the Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for the project. Public exhibition of the EIS closed on 30 March 2020.|
|Dec 2020||The NSW Government released the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), remaining on public exhibition until March 2021.|
|Jun 2021||The NSW 2021-22 Budget allocated $6.3 billion over the next four years for the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, including $454 million in FY2021-22. This included $60 million to the Beaches Link for planning in FY2021-22.|
|May 2022||Infrastructure NSW's 2022 State Infrastructure Strategy recommended the project be re-sequenced to avoid delivery risks caused by complexity and a shortage of skilled labour. The NSW Government will assess the strategy's recommendations before making a decision on their implementation.|
|Jun 2022||The 2022-23 NSW budget allocated $1 million toward planning for the Beaches Link in FY2022-23. The allocation follows the NSW Government’s announcement that delivery of Beaches Link would be delayed due to market constraints.|
Project Update - August 2018
State Significant Infrastructure Application - Factsheet
State Significant Infrastructure Application | <urn:uuid:e3060262-5199-49e1-a153-6d4960377bb5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://infrastructurepipeline.org/project/beaches-link | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.919092 | 632 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Posted on January 21, 2012 by Derek Kwait
Tuesday through Thursday those of us who didn’t go on the annual Poland trip went on a tiyyul to the Arava. The Arava is a huge rift valley south of the Dead Sea split between Israel and Jordan. Similar to the Negev tiyyul, our primary activities on this tiyyul were hiking, learning about our surroundings, and eating cookies. This time, however, we stayed at Kibbutz Ketura, built on the site of a former military compound almost right along the Jordanian border. Another difference was the people—not only was half the school in Poland, but we were joined by many of the new students for this semester.
It turns out there are few better ways of getting to know new people than by hiking with them. Seeing the new people choose the hard or easy hike, how they conducted themselves on the bus and in the dining hall, what they wore and the kinds of conversations they made during the hike, what kind of cookies they prefer, and how they are as roommates all made much better ways of
judging getting to know them than any superficial ice-breaker game ever could have. Of course we played one of those, too—where we all sat in a circle, dug deep within ourselves, and put our ability to properly throw a football on display before the entire group, some of whom we barely knew. Many tears were shed; a few noses were almost broken, but by the end of this intimate exercise, we emerged as a team, closer than ever before. The new kids are awesome.
We began the tiyyul on the limestone sand dunes, a unique geological feature of the Negev. These sand dunes contain some of the finest sand in the world—you can run, roll and jump through it like snow. And we did. Even now, three days later, I’m still brushing it out of my hair, ears, phone, and wallet, but it was worth it.
Following this, those of us on the hard hike trekked five hours from there to the kibbutz, stopping only once every hour or so to eat cookies, while, from what I hear those on the easy hike saw a rather disappointing Leopard Temple.
Wednesday I did the hard 5-hour hike up Har Amir, which contained only a roughly once every 45 minutes cookie-break plus a hybrid lunch/cookie break at the summit.
After the hike, both groups met-up to go to Eilat, about a half-hour drive away. I had never been to Eilat before, and I found that it lived up to the hype of combining the class of the Atlantic City boardwalk with the ambiance of Breezewood.
I shouldn’t complain, there’s some parts of Eilat I really loved: there’s no VAT in the entire city, and at the Gap in the mall, I got a great new pair of jeans and a belt for WAY less than I could have at any store in Jerusalem. It was so cheap in fact that I think the next time I need clothes, if not for the large amount of time it takes to get there, it would be more cost-effective to buy a bus ticket to Eilat and do all my shopping there. Actually, even with the travel time, I would much prefer this to going to the Shuk on a Friday,
Thursday, I did the hard hike up Har Timna, then the even harder hike back down. Unlike the previous two hikes, this one was only four hours long, including at least two cookie-breaks and a food-break on top of the mountain.
We then saw “Solomon’s Pillars” in the Timna Valley.
Wednesday night we had a presentation about the Kibbutz then Thursday after lunch we got a tour of it. Ketura is an amazing, inspiring place, and its location is the least of reasons why. It was founded by American Young-Judea alumni in the 1970s and has since grown into one of the largest and most successful kibbutzim in Israel and features members from all over the world. Far from just date and dairy farming, they’ve also built a state-of-the-art algae farm, Israel’s first solar field, the lovely resort hotel in which we stayed, hiking tours with a very knowledgeable and friendly staff that guided us through our hikes, and the renowned Arava Institute for Environmental Studies—a school where Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, other Arab, and even some North American and European students learn everything from public-policy to water management to peace-building skills. Impressive as all this is, though, I think the biggest reason Pardes comes here every year is for its unique model of Jewish religious pluralism among kibbutzim. The kitchen is kosher, Shabbat and holidays are officially observed, and there is a synagogue where Shabbat services, B’nai Mitzvot, and circumcisions are held. Yet inside people’s homes there is religious autonomy; in private, some people are Orthodox, most are what we would call Conservative, and some are secular.
Ketura made me realize that before this week, I had no real idea what a kibbutz actually was. Prior to this, I always pictured a kibbutz as basically a farm full of ben Gurion-era socialists, but now I know that’s not entirely true. Yes, 100% of all members’ salaries go into the kibbutz and almost all meals are eaten together in the main dining hall, but children live with their families and you can eat at home any time you want to. Members are encouraged to develop their own projects suited to their needs and talents. I think our presenter Wednesday night was right when she said the kibbutz model is actually democracy in its purest form since all decisions on the kibbutz are made by committees of members, meaning all decisions made effect the decision makers equally as much as everybody else. As our tour guide said, nobody’s about to set-up a tent outside the kibbutz conference room. Very much like the Jerusalem bi-(really tri-)lingual school and the State of Israel as a whole, I am tremendously happy such a place exists, even if I can’t see myself living there.
Currently, the most famous resident of Ketura might be Methuselah, a 5-year old date palm. This plant is guarded as least as heavily as the Mona Lisa at the Kibbutz, and for good reason: It is the world’s oldest 5-year-old, growing from a 2,000-year-old seed of the now-extinct Judean palm variety found atop Masada. Other seeds were found, but this was the only one that still worked. Unfortunately, Methuselah is a male tree, so it will not be able to produce fruit without a female seed. Since I majored in fiction writing and not botany, I have no idea what that means other than what our tour guide said, “We have to find Methuselah a girlfriend.” I smell a reality show…
A 2,000-year-old date seed from Masada growing in the desert soil of a kibbutz in modern Israel. I bet you could make a lot of metaphors out of that.
Quote of the Week: “Earth’s crammed with heaven/And every common bush afire with God: But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,”- Elizabeth Barrett Browning as quoted by our dean, Dr. Bernstein
Hebrew Word of the Week: עוגיות (“oogioht”) – cookies
(Top two photos stolen from Austin Clar and Yishai Paquin, respectively. Bottom one stolen from Andrea Wiese.) | <urn:uuid:8a321d5f-5aef-4f7c-ae4a-7c4a3b6b7816> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://theseandthose.pardes.org/2012/01/21/week-20-the-arava-tiyyul/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.975144 | 1,671 | 1.898438 | 2 |
75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, we see efforts to diminish the Holocaust & deny or downplay the responsibility of its perpetrators.— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) 2020年1月27日
But we will never forget.
We will continue telling the stories of victims & honour them by building peace & justice around the world. pic.twitter.com/b1LXL11QVQ
The Holocaust began with words - and in the era of the internet & social media, the power of propaganda is more devastating than ever.— UNESCO (@UNESCO) 2020年1月27日
But education & knowledge can help prevent genocide.
27 January is International #HolocaustRemembrance Day
ℹ️ https://t.co/41dxzOZfJT pic.twitter.com/9XjI7fqL4j
75 years ago today over 7,000 prisoners of the German Nazi #Auschwitz camp, including ca. 700 children, were liberated by the soldiers of the Soviet army. 1,689 days of murder, humiliation, suffering, and pain were over. Today we all remember. | #Auschwitz75 #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/af5m1cs83d— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) 2020年1月27日
Between 1940-1945 German Nazis deported ca. 1,3 million people to #Auschwitz: 1,1 mln Jews, 150k Poles, 23k Roma, 15k Soviet POWs & 25k others incl. almost 400 Jehova's witnesses and at least 77 homosexuals. Around 1,1 million people were murdered in Auschwitz, 90% Jews.— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) 2020年1月27日
Out of 1,3 million deported 400,000 people became prisoners of the camp while 900,000 people were murdered in gas chambers after arrival. The estimated number of people murdered in the German Nazi Auschwitz camp is: 1 mln Jews, 75k Poles, 21k Roma, 14k Soviet POWs & 12k others.— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) 2020年1月27日 | <urn:uuid:18022115-446b-42c2-bc2b-60b0dc6e06fe> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sumita-m.hatenadiary.com/entry/2020/01/28/014913 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.75161 | 501 | 3.3125 | 3 |
At first, I didn’t want to take medication because I thought I would become dependent on it. Once I was told that it was not addictive and I knew I wouldn’t have to stay on it forever I felt better. Letting kids know what’s going on is very important. It makes everything less scary.
Tell your doctor
Take the medication you are prescribed exactly as your doctor tells you. If you had strep throat, chances are that you would take the prescribed antibiotics as directed. That’s not to say you definitely won’t experience any uncomfortable side effects, and if you do, be sure to tell your doctor. A good psychiatrist will listen attentively to you when you speak, both about possible side effects from medication as well as to your thoughts and feelings. If he or she seems to be paying closer attention to the clock ticking off the fifty minute session than to you, find another doctor. You deserve better.
Getting it right
You can’t get medicines right on the first try. It takes a while. Sometimes people (parents and kids) give up about medicine because you can’t always get it right at first. I was too slow because I was on a lot of medicine. Then I got taken off some of my medicine. Then I was a lot quicker. One medicine was actually making me more angry, but I got taken off of that. Now I’m on, I believe, the perfect medicine. You just have to be patient with it.
Depression is a Medical Illness
If you have experienced it, you know that depression is as real, painful and dangerous as many other illnesses. But because it is not visually apparent or measurable by a blood test, you may begin to question why you are unable to will it away if only you would try hard enough. But often, depression does have a physiological component to it. In the same way diabetics cannot will their pancreas to regulate their blood sugar levels, most clinically depressed people cannot simply will their brain to better regulate their mood. Your brain is as much a physical organ as a pancreas or a heart; it might require medication for it to function better. | <urn:uuid:22588cad-87ae-4cb4-9526-083977147778> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://experiencejournal.com/journals/depression/my-medications-for-depression/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.980244 | 454 | 2.046875 | 2 |
SFC undergraduate education committee meeting 2006-11-29
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Present: 4 UGs, 4 faculty. Chair = Christine
- Undergrads met on 2 Nov; Christine handed out notes
Seminars for better teaching
- Discussion of how to get faculty to participate
- Problem we are trying to solve: uneven teaching
- Perhaps set something up for new faculty (assistant professors)
- Use scantron forms? Publish the results
- GPS binds together TQFRs and hands out to all of the faculty
- Perhaps when you drop a course, you should have to fill out a questionnaire (why did you drop)
- Finding a way to provide feedback is very useful, but need to be careful that comments reflect teaching and not just the difficulty of the course
- Is there a forum where faculty get together to talk about teaching?
- Could we create some sort of forum for interdivisional meetings?
- Who reads faculty evaluations and how does feedback happen?
Problems to solve
- Communication between professors and TAS - TAs don't know what the professors want
- Class web sites are useful; would like to see more of these
- Lecturing style
- legibility of the writing; can't tell what they wrote
- projection; speaking to the room instead of to an individual or the blackboard
- Materials out of data - sets were ignoring some new technology
- Possibly survey ombuds next term to see what people are doing and what works
- Midterm survey in courses that we (people on the committee) are involved with
- Could we create more meetings between students and faculty?
- Some students never meet with their advisors; except to get drop cards signed
- Some people take classes and then realize that it wasn't the right collection; nobody along the way who can provide advice
- Online course registration is convenient, but it cuts down on advisor/advisee communication
- More faculty/study interaction | <urn:uuid:a59f00ad-5964-4fdb-b059-4fe4521b09ea> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://murray.cds.caltech.edu/SFC_undergraduate_education_committee_meeting_2006-11-29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.948344 | 438 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Unhealthy living a challenge for us all
The parallels between global warming and the public health crisis we currently face from obesity go far beyond both being modern and lethal phenomena.
One clear example is the fact that we appear to be disproportionately carrying the negative consequences of a trend affecting the world as a whole.
More than 58 per cent of women in Samoa are classified as obese, or more than 25 percentage points than the regional average, statistics from the Global Nutrition Report show.
The social costs of this unhealthy living are massive. Close to one-third of people in the nation are diabetic, or suffer from other diseases associated with unhealthy living, such as gout, kidney failure or their many comorbidities. In addition to their human toll, these conditions place a massive and burgeoning cost on our health system, one which is only likely to increase as our currently young population ages. Our unhealthy population carries a burden that threatens to undercut their own health and prosperity as time wears on but also the nation’s as a whole.
An important new paper from Viali Lameko and Penelope Schoeffel provides a forensic account of how these problems came to be but also how they have continued to plague us through the latter half of last century until today.
Writing in the Pacific Health Dialog, they note obesity was rarely a problem in Samoa before the 1960s.
Among the obvious causes of its rise, many relate modernisation of the economy, the food industry and individuals’ dietary consumption patterns in general.
The introduction of cheaper processed, sugary and fatty imported foods has served to undercut the traditional healthy Samoan diet of fresh produce and lean protein.
Indeed, the authors note the idealised picture of Samoans living and eating healthily off the land - be it for their own families or to supply the kitchens of others - is one that is largely outdated.
Today probably less than one-quarter of Samoan households mainly depend on home-grown food for their own subsistence living; those that do find it difficult to keep and attract labour with the lure of overseas and internal migration.
The result? Instead of a population which expends a significant amount of energy obtaining its nutrition through farming and fishing, we have a population leading far more sedentary lifestyles consuming far more readily available imported food such as cheeseburgers and sugary drinks.
Research has shown that in the more than half century until 2007 the amount of food that could be obtained by consumers for the same price shot up by some 900 calories, or nearly half what most global health authorities count as a day’s healthy diet.
That the public health deteriorated over the same period seems not only unsurprising but inevitable, especially when we consider research showing that up to half of Samoan people may have a genetic predisposition to non-chronic diseases.
But it is the article’s analysis of our failures to address these problems that prove to be so powerful.
For decades, the authors note obesity has been framed as a failure of the individual - and so too have attempts to fight its prevalence by medical authorities.
Huge amounts have been spent on Government campaigns exhorting Samoans to simply eat better and live healthier lives, all of which has amounted to very little indeed as our public health problems have only continued to compound.
What the Government has failed to apprehend, the authors note, is that we are living in a society that itself promotes or is conducive to obesity and unhealthy choices and that, amidst a focus on individual behaviour, far too little is being done to address that fact.
Other societies are implementing measures to change the economic equation of grocery shopping to promote healthy choices, such as banning the sale of unhealthy sweets to children or promoting exercise in the workplace.
But in Samoa our minimum wage of $3 an hour is far too low to feed a family a nutritious diet; nearly one-fifth of our population lives below the poverty line; and far too few supermarkets carry fresh food and produce.
A wicked confluence of factors has created this disaster. But the Government has not done nearly enough to help.
Taxes have mainly been seen as an instrument for increasing the Government’s revenue, not improving the health of the population (or averting future expenditure on hospital bills).
Drives to increase agricultural productivity have been almost exclusively undertaken with a view to making Samoa more competitive economically, not better able to provide its people with nutritious food choices.
It is time to stop viewing the growing sickness of our public as a matter for the individuals who bear its costs. Our nation is unhealthy because it is geared to be so and people are left with few other choices. | <urn:uuid:249f6234-e352-40a8-ba77-670a043fe0ee> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/article/96662 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.959997 | 951 | 3.0625 | 3 |
On Mon, May 15, 2017 at 10:42 PM, Leni Kadali Mutungi <lenikmutu...@gmail.com> wrote: > On 5/15/17, Yedidyah Bar David <d...@redhat.com> wrote: > >> Now is the time to explain something. >> >> ovirt-host-deploy is not designed to be ran manually like you try. >> >> You will get the exact same error if you try to do this on CentOS or >> Fedora. >> >> The normal way it works is that the engine "bundles" it in a tarball, >> copies it to the target host using ssh, untars it there and runs it. >> >> It then talks with it - the engine sends some stuff, host-deploy replies, >> etc. >> > I'm guessing this means I can now move on to building ovirt-engine.
That would be great, but: 1. It will require a lot of work, mostly probably of packaging in Debian dependencies of the engine that are not yet there. 2. You'll be mostly walking the unwalked path. Most of the work on Debian support so far was on the hosts' side. Re (1.), you should also note that currently, the engine is not even packaged properly for Fedora/CentOS. I know this sounds weird, as everyone uses the packages we provide, but it's true - these packages are not compliant with Fedora's packaging guidelines. Why? Because we use maven for building the engine, and package also many dependencies simply as a result of maven getting them from maven central. See also: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/showdependencytree.cgi?id=1168605&hide_resolved=0 Best, > >> The protocol they use is described in otopi, in the file README.dialog. >> >> otopi has (currently) two "dialects" - "human" (default) and "machine". >> The engine and ovirt-host-deploy talk using the machine dialog. >> >> To make ovirt-host-deploy talk with you using the machine dialog, >> you should run it with: >> >> ovirt-host-deploy DIALOG/dialect=str:machine >> >> To make it let you configure it, run it with: >> >> ovirt-host-deploy DIALOG/dialect=str:machine DIALOG/customization=bool:True >> >> To know what it expects at each stage, I suggest to have a look at an >> ovirt-host-deploy log generated on el7 or fedora. >> > This is very useful; will definitely try this out. >> Anyway, congrats for a nice progress! > Thanks. I wouldn't have come this far without the community's help and > the documentation. > >>> I tried starting the libvirtd service to see if that would make the >>> VIRT/enable error go away or at least satisfy the requirements of >>> ovirt-host-deploy, but it didn't seem to work. >> >> If you check such a log file, you'll see there (among other things): >> >> DIALOG:SEND **%QStart: CUSTOMIZATION_COMMAND >> DIALOG:SEND ### >> DIALOG:SEND ### Customization phase, use 'install' to proceed >> DIALOG:SEND ### COMMAND> >> DIALOG:SEND **%QHidden: FALSE >> DIALOG:SEND ***Q:STRING CUSTOMIZATION_COMMAND >> DIALOG:SEND **%QEnd: CUSTOMIZATION_COMMAND >> DIALOG:RECEIVE env-query -k VIRT/enable >> DIALOG:SEND **%QStart: VIRT/enable >> DIALOG:SEND ### >> DIALOG:SEND ### Please specify value for 'VIRT/enable': >> DIALOG:SEND ### Response is VALUE VIRT/enable=type:value or >> ABORT VIRT/enable >> DIALOG:SEND ***Q:VALUE VIRT/enable >> DIALOG:SEND **%QEnd: VIRT/enable >> DIALOG:RECEIVE VALUE VIRT/enable=bool:true >> >> "SEND" is what the host-deploy sends, "RECEIVE" is what the engine >> replies. >> >> So host-deploy sent a prompt asking for a customization command, >> the engine sent the command 'env-query -k VIRT/enable', host-deploy >> then asked the engine to provide a value for 'VIRT/enable', and the >> engine replied 'VIRT/enable=bool:true'. >> > Okay. Will try to look into this as well. > >>> The other errors seem >>> to be related to not having an IP address that ovirt-host-deploy can >>> recognize. To package this for Debian, I would need to find the >>> equivalent of yumpackager.py for aptitude/apt-get/apt, since it seems >>> to be a dependency required by ovirt-host-deploy. >> >> As I said, you can ignore it for now. But IMO this isn't specific >> to Debian - search a bit and you'll find other similar cases. > Alright. Good to know. :) > >> >>> >>> TL;DR: How to enable the virt service and assign an IP address that >>> ovirt-host-deploy can use. >>> Write/Find a python script that is equivalent to yumpackager.py and >>> miniyum.py so that that dependency for ovirt-host-deploy is satisfied >>> as well. >> >> Last one will indeed be very interesting, but isn't mandatory for you >> to continue, if your stated goal is to have a Debian host managed by >> an oVirt engine. You can manually install all your stuff on the host, >> and use offlinepackager so that host-deploy will not try to install >> stuff for you. You'll then have a harder first-time-install, and >> will miss checking for updates etc. For these you'll indeed need to >> write something like debpackager, and probably minideb as well - >> engine-setup uses it directly, as otopi's packager isn't enough for it. >> >> I'd like to mention another point. As explained above, when the engine >> adds a host, it copies to it a bundle (tarfile). This bundle is not >> rpm/yum/dnf specific - it should work also on Debian. Normally, >> ovirt-host-deploy (the rpm package) is installed only on the engine >> machine. So if you do not care about the engine side for now, you >> should be able to try adding a Debian host to your engine already - >> just configure offline packager. This might be easier to debug then >> by manually running ovirt-host-deploy. > Well, my aim is to run oVirt *on* Debian, similar to how it is run and > used by users on say Fedora or RHEL/CentOS. So that's what is guiding > me. If your suggestions need to revised in the light of that, do let > me know. > > - Warm regards > Leni Kadali Mutungi -- Didi _______________________________________________ Users mailing list email@example.com http://lists.ovirt.org/mailman/listinfo/users | <urn:uuid:00b27a8e-532b-4c0f-b44f-9b62cc4814fe> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mail-archive.com/users@ovirt.org/msg41485.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.907367 | 1,602 | 1.546875 | 2 |
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Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Lab
USDA, ARS, NEA, BARC, EMFSL
10300 Baltimore Avenue
Building 201 BARC-East, Room 100B
Beltsville, MD 20705-2350 USA
Our laboratory investigates the intersection of produce safety and sustainability by examining the persistence and survival of enteric bacterial pathogens in biological soil amendments (manure), irrigation water, and on fruit and vegetable commodities. Our research leads us to examine which factors may influence survival and persistence in pre-harvest produce growing environments, and how pathogens are introduced to fruits and vegetables like leafy greens and melons. Our aim is to provide fruit and vegetable growers data to minimize pathogenic contamination on these commodities and reduce foodborne illness associated with produce commodities in the United States.
Current project, 2016 - 2021: Characterization and Mitigation of Bacterial Pathogens in the Fresh Produce Production and Processing Continuum
- Doctorate of Philosophy, Food Science and Technology. Center for Food Safety and Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA.
- Master of Science, Food Science and Technology. Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA.
- Bachelor of Science, Microbiology and Cell Science, Minor: Chemistry. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 2018. Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award, International Association for Food Protection. Given for “dedicated and exceptional contributions in the laboratory. It recognizes a commitment to the development and/or application of innovative and practical analytical approaches in support of food safety.”
- 2011. Larry Beuchat Young Investigator Award, International Association for Food Protection. Given to a food safety researcher in the first seven years of his/her career “who has shown outstanding ability and professional promise.”
- 2009. USDA ARS Beltsville Area Early Career Scientist Award. Recognized for developing innovative methods for detecting internalization of pathogens into leafy greens.
- Sharma, M., Millner, P.D., Hashem, F., Vinyard, B.T., East, C.L., Handy, E.T., White, K., Stonebraker, R., Cotton, C.P. 2019. Survival of Escherichia coli is affected by spatiotemporal, agricultural, and weather factors in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 85: e02392-18.
- Shah, M.K., Bradshaw, R., Nyarko, E., Millner, P.D., Neher, D., Weicht, T, Bergholz, T., Sharma, M. 2019. Survival and growth of wild-type and rpoS-deficient Salmonella Newport in soil extracts prepared with heat-treated poultry pellets. J Food Prot. Accepted for publication.
- Gurtler, J.B., Doyle, M.P., Erickson, M.C., Jiang, X., Millner, P.D., and Sharma, M., 2018. Composting to inactivate foodborne pathogens for crop soil application: a review. J Food Prot. 81: 1821-1837.
- Sharma, M. , Millner, P.D., Hashem, F., Camp, M., Whyte, C., Graham, L., and Cotton, C.P. 2016. Survival and persistence of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli and attenuated Escherichia coli O157:H7 in soils amended with animal manure in a greenhouse environment. J Food Prot. 79: 913 – 921.
- Oni, R., Sharma, M. , and Buchanan, R. 2015. Survival of Salmonella spp. dried turkey manure and persistence on spinach leaves. J Food Prot. 78: 1791-1799.
- Sharma, M. , and Reynnells, R.R. 2016. Importance of soil amendments: survival of bacterial pathogens in manure and compost used as organic fertilizers. Microbiol. Spectrum. 4: PFS-0010-2015.
- Reynnells, R., Ingram, D.T., Callahan, M.T., Handy, E.T., Roberts, C., Felton, G., Millner, P.D., and Sharma, M. 2014. Evaluation of Two Immunomagnetic Separation Techniques for the Detection and Recovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Finished Composts. Food Anal Meth. 8: 1812-1814.
- Reynnells, R., Ingram, D.T., Roberts, C., Stonebraker, R., Handy, E.T., Felton, G., Vinyard, B., Millner, P.D., Sharma, M. 2014. Comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Composting Council microbial detection methods in finished compost and regrowth potential of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in finished compost. Food Path Dis. 11: 555 – 567.
- Harris, L.J., Berry, E.D, Blessington, T., Erickson, M., Jay-Russell, M., Jiang, X., Killinger, K., Michel, F.C., Millner, P., Schneider, K., Sharma, M. , Suslow, T.V., Wang, L., and Worobo. R.W. 2013. A framework for developing research protocols for evaluation of microbial hazards and controls during production that pertain to the application of untreated soil amendments of animal origin on land used to grow produce that may be consumed raw. J Food Prot. 76: 1062-1084.
- Zhu, L., Torres, M., Betancourt, W.Q., Sharma, M., Micallef, S.A., Gerba, C., Sapkota, A.R., Sapkota, A., Parveen, S., Hashem F., May, E., Kniel, K. Pop, M., Ravishankar, S. 2019. Incidence of fecal indicator and pathogenic bacteria in reclaimed and return flow waters in Arizona, USA. Environ. Res. 170: 122-127.
- Kulkarni, P., Olson, N.D., Paulson, J.N., Pop, M., Maddox, C., Claye, E., Rosenberg Goldstein, R.E., Sharma, M., Gibbs, S.G., Mongodin, E.F., and Sapkota, A.R. 2018. Impact of conventional wastewater treatment and reuse site practices on the bacterial community structure of reclaimed water. Sci Tot Environ. 639: 1126-1137.
- Markland, S., Ingram, D.T., Kniel. K.E., and Sharma, M. 2017. Water for Agriculture. Microbiol. Spectrum. 5(3): PFS-0014-2016.
- Ingram, D.T., Callahan, M.T., Ferguson, S.E., Hoover, D., Chiu, P.C., Shelton, D.R., Millner, P.D., Camp., M.J., Patel, J.R., Kniel, K.E., and Sharma, M. 2012. Use of zero-valent iron biosand filters to reduce E. coli O157 :H12 in irrigation water applied to spinach plants in a field setting. J. Appl. Microbiol. 112 : 551-560.
- Ingram, D.T., Patel, J.R, and Sharma, M. 2011. The effect of repeated irrigation with water containing varying levels of total organic carbon on the persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on baby spinach. J Food Prot. 74 : 709-717.
- Shelton, D., Karns, J.S., Coppock, C.R., Patel, J.R., Sharma, M., and Pachepsky, Y.A. 2011. Comparison of generic E. coli vs pathogenic E. coli virulence factors in an agricultural watershed : implications for irrigation water standards and leafy green. J Food Prot. 74 : 18-23.
- Callahan, M.T., Micallef, S.A., Sharma, M., Millner, P.D., and Buchanan, R.L. 2016. Investigating metrics proposed to prevent the harvest of leafy green crops. Appl Environ. Microbiol. 82: 3746-3753.
- Patel, J., Singh, M., Macarisin, D., Sharma, M., Shelton, D. 2013. Differences in biofilm formation of produce and poultry Salmonella enterica isolates and their persistence on spinach plants. Food Microbiol. 36: 388-394.
- Hirniesen, K., Sharma, M., and Kniel, K.E. 2012. Human enteric pathogen internalization by root uptake into food crops. Food Path Dis. 9: 396-405.
- Markland, S., Shortlidge, K., Hoover, D., Yaron, S., Patel, J.R, Singh, A., Sharma, M., Kniel, K. 2012. Survival of pathogenic Escherichia coli on basil, lettuce, and spinach. Zoon and Public Health. 60: 563-571.
- Sharma, M., Lakshman, S., Ferguson, S., Ingram, D.T., Luo, Y., and Patel, J.R. 2011. The effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the persistence and expression of virulence factors of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on shredded iceberg lettuce. J Food Prot. 74 : 718-726.
- Patel, J.R, Sharma, M., and Ravishankar, S. 2010. Effect of curli expression and hydrophobicity of E. coli O157 :H7 on attachment to fresh produce surfaces. J Appl Microbiol. 110 : 737-745.
- Patel, J, and Sharma, M. 2010. Differences in attachment of Salmonella enterica serovars to cabbage and lettuce leaves. Intl J Food Micro. 139: 41-47.
- Patel, J., Millner, P, Nou, X. and Sharma, M. 2010. Persistence of enterohaemorrhagic and nonpathogenic E. coli on spinach leaves and in rhizosphere soil. J. Appl. Microbiol. 8: 1789-1796.
- Sharma, M., Ingram, D.T., Patel, J.R., Millner, P.D., Wang, X, Hull, A.E., and Donnenberg, M.S. 2009. A novel approach to investigate the uptake and internalization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in spinach cultivated in soil and hydroponic media. J. Food Prot. 72: 1513-1520.
- Nyarko, E., Kniel, K.E., Zhou, B., Millner, P.D., Luo, Y., Handy, E.T., East, C., and Sharma, M. 2017. Listeria monocytogenes persistence and transfer to cantaloupes in the packing environment is affected by surface type and cleanliness. Food Control. 85: 177-185.
- Nyarko, E., Kniel, K.E., Reynells, R., East, C., Handy, E.T., Luo, Y., Millner, P.D., and Sharma, M. 2016. Survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut “Athena” and “Rocky Ford” cantaloupes during storage at 4°C and 10°C. Food Path Dis. 13: 587-591.
- Nyarko, E., Kniel, K.E., Millner, P.D., Luo, Y., Handy, E.T., Reynnells, R., East, C.R., and Sharma, M. 2016. Survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes on whole cantaloupes is dependent on site of contamination and storage temperature. Intl J Food Microbiol. 234: 65-70.
- Sharma, M., Dashiell, G., Handy, E.T., East, C.L., Reynnells, R., White, C., Nyarko, E., Micallef, S., Hashem, F. and Millner, P.D. 2017. Survival of Salmonella Newport on whole and fresh-cut cucumbers treated with lytic bacteriophages. J Food Prot. 80: 668-673.
- Boyacioglu, O., Sulakvelidze, A., Sharma, M., and Goktepe, I. 2016. Effect of a bacteriophage cocktail in combination with modified atmosphere packaging in controlling Listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut spinach. Irish J Agr Food Res. 55: 74-79.
- Sharma, M. 2013. Lytic bacteriophages: Potential interventions against enteric bacterial pathogens on produce. Bacteriophage. 2013;3:e25518.
- Boyacioglu O, Sharma M, Sulakvelidze A, Goktepe I. Biocontrol of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh-cut leafy greens: Using a bacteriophage cocktail in combination with modified atmosphere packaging. Bacteriophage 2013; 3:e24620.
- Ferguson, S.E. Handy, E.T., Roberts, C.L., and Sharma, M. 2013. The use of lytic bacteriophages to reduce E. coli O157:H7 on fresh cut lettuce introduced through cross-contamination. Bacteriophage; 3:e24323.
- Patel, J., Sharma, M., Millner, P., Callaway, T., and Singh, M. 2011. Inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 attached to spinach harvester blade using bacteriophage. Food Path Dis. 8:541-546.
- Sharma, M., Patel, J.R., Conway, W.S., Ferguson, S., and Sulakvelidze, A. 2009. Effectiveness of bacteriophages in reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh-cut produce. J. Food Prot. 72: 1481-1485.
- Sharma, M., Ryu, J.-H. and Beuchat, L.R. 2005. Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in biofilms on stainless steel by treatment with alkaline cleaner and bacteriophage. J. Appl. Microbiol. 99: 449-459.
- LeStrange, K., Markland, S., Hoover, D.G., Sharma, M., and Kniel, K.E. 2017. An evaluation of the virulence and adherence properties of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli. One Health. 4: 22-26.
- Markland, S., Lestrange, K., Sharma, M., and Kniel, K.E. 2015. Old friends in new places: Exploring the role of extraintestinal E. coli in intestinal disease and foodborne illness. Zoon Public Health. 62: 491-496.
- Sharma, M., Eastridge, J., and Mudd, C.L. 2009. Effective household disinfection methods of kitchen sponges. Food Cont. 20: 310-313.
- Sharma, M., Shearer, A., Hoover, D., Solomon, M.B., and Kniel, K.E. 2008. Comparison of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressure to inactivate foodborne viruses. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. 9: 418-422.
- Chao, K., Nou, X., Liu, Y., Kim, M., Chan, D, Chum-Chieh, Y., Patel, J.R., and Sharma, M. 2007. Detection of fecal / ingesta contaminants on poultry processing equipment surfaces by visible and near-infrared reflectance microscopy. Appl. Engineer. Agricul. 24: 49-55.
- Ling, J., Sharma, M., and Bhagwat, A. 2008. Role of RNA polymerase sigma-factor (RpoS) in induction of glutamate-dependent acid-resistance of Escherichia albertii under anaerobic conditions. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 283: 75-82.
- Sharma, M., Kniel, K., Derevianko, A., Ling, J. and Bhagwat, A. 2007. Sensitivity of Escherichia albertii, a potential foodborne pathogen, to food preservation treatments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 4351-4353.
- Patel, J.R. , Sanglay, G.C., Sharma, M., and Solomon, M.B. 2007. Combining antimicrobials with hydrodynamic pressure processing for control of Listeria monocytogenes on frankfurters. J. Muscle Foods. 18: 1-18.
- Bhagwat, A.A., Tan, J., Sharma, M., Kothary, M., Low, S., Tall, B.D. and Bhagwat, M. 2006. Functional heterogeneity of RpoS in stress tolerance of enterohemorrhagic E. coli strains. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 77: 4978-4986.
- Sharma, M., Adler, B.B., Harrison, M.D. and L.R. Beuchat, L.R. 2005. Thermal tolerance of acid-adapted and unadapted Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupe juice and watermelon juice. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 41: 448- 453.
- Sharma, M., Richards, G.R. and Beuchat, L.R. 2004. Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in roast beef and salami after exposure to an alkaline cleaner. J. Food Prot. 67: 2107-2116.
- Sharma, M., and Beuchat, L.R. 2004. Sensitivity of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to commercial alkaline cleaners and subsequent resistance to heat and sanitizers. Appl. Envrion. Microbiol. 70: 1795-1803.
- Sharma, M., P.J. Taormina, P.J., and Beuchat, L.R. 2003. Habituation of foodborne pathogens exposed to extreme pH conditions: genetic basis and implications in foods and food processing environments. Food Sci. Technol. Res. 9: 115-127.
- Sharma, M., Beuchat, L.R., Doyle, M.P., and Chen, J. 2001. Survival of salmonellae in pasteurized, refrigerated calcium-fortified orange juice. J. Food Prot. 64: 1299-1304.
- Sharma, M., Beuchat, L.R., Doyle, M.P. and Chen, J. 2001. Fate of salmonellae in calcium-supplemented orange juice at refrigeration temperature. J. Food Prot. 64: 2053-2057.
- Sharma, M., Ingram, D.T., and Graham, L. 2016. Foodborne outbreaks and potential routes of contamination in fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. in Foodborne Diseases: Case Studies of Outbreaks in the Agri-food Industries. ed. L. Manning, C.A. Wallance, and J.M. Soon. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. 19-36
- Sharma, M., and G.C. Sharma. 2012. Bacteriophages. in Decontamination of Fresh and Minimally Processed Produce. ed. V.M. Gomez-Lopez. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken, NJ. 285-295.
- Sharma, M., Y. Luo, and R. Buchanan. 2011. Food Safety and Security Issues. in Postharvest Biology & Technology of Tropical and Sub-tropical Fruits. ed. J. Brecht and E.M. Yahia. Woodhead, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 288-309.
- Solomon, M.B., Sharma, M., and Patel, J.R. 2011. Hydrodynamic Pressure Processing of Meat Products in Non-thermal Processing Technologies for Food. ed. H. Q. Zhang, G. V, Barbosa-Canovas, V. M. Balasubramaniam, C. P. Dunne, D. F. Farkas, and J. T. C. Yuan, Wiley-Blackwell, p. 98-108.
- Solomon, E.B., and Sharma, M. 2009. Microbial attachment and limitations of decontamination methodology. inThe Produce Contamination Problem: Causes and Solutions. ed. G. Sapers, E.B. Solomon, and K.R. Matthews. Elsevier, Boston, MA. 21-45.
- Solomon, M.B., Liu, M.N., Patel, J.R., Bowker, B.C. and Sharma, M. 2006. Hydrodynamic Pressure Processing to Improve Meat Quality and Safety. in Advanced Technologies for Meat Processing. ed. L.M.L. Nollet and F. Toldra. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 219-244.
Links to information from the ARS database
Click here to see a list of publications for Manan Sharma, with access to an abstract/summary for each publication. | <urn:uuid:19935990-7fd6-43b8-a2b5-db45382bb403> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-barc/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/emfsl/people/manan-sharma/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.664105 | 4,767 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Why would a group of 52 people from Grand Rapids get on a bus and take a trip to Detroit? A city that has lost so many people that it has been (incorrectly) compared to bomb-devastated Berlin after World War II? And what was the inspiration behind it?
The group spent the day enjoying the sites and sounds of Detroit, including the renovation of the historic jazz club Cliff Bells, Earthworks Urban Farm and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, the Cass Corridor and Midtown, the Rust Belt to Artist Belt Conference, the Rattlesnake Club and the opening reception of ArtX Detroit.
Here's what the people behind the whole idea, Jeff Hill, Tommy Allen, Terry Johnston and Juliet Bennett Rylah, had to say:What was your inspiration for the trip? Jeff Hill:
My thought was that this would be a great opportunity to show people a side of Detroit that maybe they hadn't seen before, or even heard about. To have "agents of change" in Grand Rapids meet people in Detroit who were toiling away every day trying to make it a better city, and to highlight the success stories and creative processes going on.
We also wanted it to have a broad appeal for our travelers, which is why we strove to hit multiple focus areas: art, small business owners and entrepreneurs, creative practitioners, bars and restaurants, urban revitalization pioneers, urban farmers (which also hit on homelessness and poverty) and both blight and revitalization in Detroit.Tommy Allen:
Over the years I have been lucky to be able to work on both sides of the state. As I went about my job, I was always amazed at the disconnect between the headlines and the work I was seeing performed on the ground.
I witnessed people attempt great feats much like I see back in Grand Rapids, but I also recognized that within both sides of the state there were these stereotypes that are attributed to each community.
So for me, it was always about breaking down these false walls that keep us apart and looking for ways that we can partner on projects to change the face and reality of our state. Since we are the two largest metroplexes in the state, it was a no-brainer for me to begin this process.Why were you willing to get involved, Terry? And what were your impressions afterward?Terry Johnston:
I really wanted to get involved because this is a trip that I make every week and living part of my week in Grand Rapids and the other half in Detroit has changed my outlook. I see weekly a different picture of both our cities, a view that I felt needed to be shared by others. After the trip I felt energized, seeing the look on the faces of everyone throughout the day as they "got it" was amazing! I also felt that this trip opened up not only the eyes but the brain power of others to a new way of thinking -- a new approach that can be used to help not only further Grand Rapids, but to help bring our art, culture and businesses to a new level.What do you hope comes out of the trip? Are there any plans to continue the theme?
I wanted people to come away with a new-found appreciation for Detroit and its struggles and successes. And to not only make some connections with peers there, but also to make new connections with peers here in Grand Rapids, to share ideas and possibly collaborate on future projects. And to find inspiration in projects going on in Detroit and try new things here.
We also are working with one of the attendees on a speaker series event that will bring Detroit entrepreneurs and urban pioneers on stage in Grand Rapids with their peers working over here.Tommy Allen:
The next steps for me are to work with my Detroit contacts who have encouraged this first trip. It is hard to say when that day will be, but I am betting it will be sooner than I expect.
What Rapid Growth did was not remarkable in that we booked a bus and filled it, but I do realize that it takes time to change stereotypes. It is my hope that those who I work with on the other side of the state will recognize the boldness in doing something like this and fire up the bus.
When they do come, we will be more than willing to show them around town...and maybe a good party or two at the end of their day. You've spent a lot of time recently in Detroit, Juliet. Has your perception of the city changed recently? Juliet Bennett Rylah:
It never fails that when I say that I am going to Detroit, for whatever reason, someone responds with some snide comment about how it isn't safe or it won't be a good time. Some people simply respond with, 'Why?' These are also usually the same people who haven't been to Detroit in years, and know only what they know about Detroit from ruin porn and cracks on sit coms.
Detroit isn't easy to get to know, but it's still a city and people still live there. It might seem empty at times, and you will pass boarded-up buildings covered in graffiti, but if you spend a little time there, you will find good restaurants, crowded hipster bars, good local art and music and prime displays of culture.
There was a joke on the Simpsons where Moe says to take it easy on Detroit because they're living in Mad Max times. The really sexy thing about Detroit is that while some people view it as this sprawling dystopia and the horrors of what happens to a city built on one industry, some people are bright enough to develop this Tyler Durden mentality of 'when you lose everything, you are free to do anything.' For the entrepreneur, the artist and the ambitious, this city is an experimental playground. This city is what you make of it. Imagine being a 20-something artist trying to make a big difference in New York City. It won't happen. NYC doesn't need you. It doesn't appreciate you. It won't care if you come or go. People in Grand Rapids get so excited when someone comes in and repurposes a building. In Detroit, creative people are repurposing an entire city.
Check out this great video by Michael Cook of Grand Rapids Social Diary
, who traveled along with us to document the trip.
We're hoping you take a trip to Detroit soon to experience the city like we did. If you'd like to retrace our steps, here are a few links to the stops we made:Park BarCliff BellsEarthworks Urban FarmShop Midtown DetroitSlows BBQCollege For Creative Studies MOCAD
Video by Michael Cook of Grand Rapids Social Diary
Photo by Terry Johnston
. You can see more photos of the trip by Terry Johnston on his Facebook Page. | <urn:uuid:c0c22d8a-340d-4f26-b1c3-43977bbc0beb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/features/detroitbusvideo.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.972835 | 1,386 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Short on time? This class is available HERE as a Fast Class, exclusively for CreativeLive subscribers.
Make yourself stand out among nature photographers by adding a new dimension to your images. Painterly techniques draw attention to the delicate patterns, lines, textures, and designs that we often overlook in the natural world.
Kathleen Clemons is an experienced nature photographer, known for her creative techniques and her unique, stunning compositions.
Join Kathleen for this class, and you’ll learn:
How to achieve the painterly look in-camera with slow shutter, selective focus, Lensbaby, and multiple exposures.
How to evoke the painterly look in Photoshop with panning.
How to use Topaz Impression and NIK software to make painterly photos.
In this class, you’ll learn how to create painterly images by using a wide variety of techniques. Kathleen will show you how to apply effects using in-camera settings, different lenses, Adobe Photoshop®, and low-tech tricks like applying vaseline to filters. Capture the magic of nature and turn your photography into remarkable impressionistic art.
Wow. I really loved this class. I took her other class, "The Art of Flower Photography" as well. She is very thorough, explains concepts clearly and is professional, yet kind. I have been doing photography for decades, but flower photography is a little bit of a different animal. I have found it to be extraordinarily challenging - which is also invigorating! At the same time, using Kathleen's principles, I feel like I now have basic rules and tools under my belt which I did not have before. This is a little humbling as I have been doing photography for so long and was surprised there were a few basic concepts I didn't "get the memo" on. haha. This class will save me heaps of trial and error time. I will be much better able to zero in on what I really need to work on. I actually recommend taking both her Creative Live courses. Yes, there is a bit of overlap - but that little bit of repetition is actually helpful. They are not the same class. Oh, and one more "perk"...you get to view some of the most stunning flower photography ever created. Masterful. Thank you, Kathleen.
Donna Macri Stevens
As I've been watching this class, I have literally been sitting at my computer and saying aloud, "Wow....WOW!" This is an absolutely amazing class!!! I began watching it while it streamed, but had to buy it. Kathleen is an amazing instructor, and she is SO generous with her tips and techniques. I love that she supplemented her instruction with on-site videos, in class photo manipulation and so much more. If you love flower photography or want amazing tips on how to make your photos more painterly, CLICK BUY NOW! I'm just blown away! This is a GREAT, GREAT class!
Kathleen's images have a very artistic and painterly character, so she is a great presenter for this subject. In this class she openly shares many of her methods of shooting to create in-camera artistic images (even with your phone) as well as post-processing techniques. She presents this material with her open, calm, strong and passionate manner that gives you an "artistic license" to experiment and discover "What happens if?" I have admired her work for a long time and am so excited that she shares the secrets of creating her enchanting images here. If you are interested in capturing images that go beyond what you see to incorporate how you feel about a subject, you will love this class! | <urn:uuid:9235e66b-2e94-4394-8dfe-86eb073ac4c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.creativelive.com/class/creating-painterly-photographs-kathleen-clemons | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.964058 | 749 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The British Model: Government and Education
I. L. Kandel has been a visiting professor in a number of American universities and is Emeritus Professor of American Studies at the University of Manchester (England). For 20 years, 1924-1944, he edited the Educational Yearbooks of the International Institute of Teachers College, Columbia University; from 1946 to 1953 he held the editorship of School and Society. His important works include History of Secondary Education, Comparative Education, The New Era in Education, American Education in the Twentieth Century and William Chandler Bagley: Stalwart Educator.
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I. L. Kandel; The British Model: Government and Education. Current History 1 June 1961; 40 (238): 340–345. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.19126.96.36.1990
Download citation file: | <urn:uuid:e5a52e94-f56b-40cd-ba7c-8bda5f0e83cd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article-abstract/40/238/340/165522/The-British-ModelGovernment-and-Education?redirectedFrom=fulltext | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.857381 | 200 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Johannesburg – The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has issued a warning to consumers to be aware of the risks associated with the use of instant electronic funds transfer (EFT) online payment services offered at e-commerce stores.
An instant EFT is a payment method offered by a third party, in partnership with e-commerce stores (stores which facilitate the purchase and sale of goods and/or services via the Internet), which automates the initiation of payments for consumers to e-commerce stores and also provides immediate confirmation of payment to the e-commerce store to enable them to dispatch the goods or services purchased.
Instant EFT payments use a method called ‘screen scraping’, which makes it possible for third parties to access bank account data and automate actions on behalf of a consumer using that consumer’s online banking access credentials.
The access to the consumer’s screen data is then used to facilitate payments.
In a statement on Thursday, the SARB, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) said they do not support the use of screen scraping to effect payments, given that it exposes consumers to the risks, including data privacy, fraud risk and breach of contractual agreements.
The SARB, FSCA and the payments industry said the method of using screen scraping to effect payments puts consumers’ access credentials at risk of being compromised.
“Consumers have no control over how their credentials, and any other data or personal information, are accessed and used by the third party, like account numbers and account statements can be stored and utilised without the consumer’s knowledge or consent,” SARB said.
The SARB also warned that rogue entities might pose as third parties offering instant EFT services on fake ecommerce sites to capture consumers’ access credentials for their bank’s Internet banking websites.
“From there, such entities might impersonate the consumer and conduct any activity that the consumer would have access to on their online banking platform including, making real-time payments to themselves, applying for a personal loan, increasing transaction limits, and ultimately initiating payments to mule accounts.
“Rogue entities might also access relevant data and personal information such as account information and monthly statements from which fraudulent collections through debit orders might occur,” the Reserve Bank warned.
Breach of contractual agreements
The SARB further warned that by providing their Internet banking login credentials to a third party, consumers that use instant EFT products might be in breach of their banks’ terms and conditions which regulate Internet banking.
As a result, it said, knowingly or unknowingly, consumers might be giving up their rights of recourse and any legal protection in the event of suffering fraud and/or subsequent loss.
“Risk of financial loss and the goods purchased being lost EFT payments are final and irrevocable in nature, and consumers are unable to lodge disputes to reverse a transaction in the event of the online store not honouring their agreement (e.g. not delivering the goods or delivering counterfeit goods).
“Consumers might also be held liable for the interest payable on such amounts when payment was made from their credit card account or overdraft facilities,” SARB said.
As the global economy experiences an increase in the use of electronic payments and online shopping, and considering the growing role of financial technology (fintech) in payments, SARB noted that online crimes are increasing.
“It is becoming even more important for consumers to educate themselves on the risks and benefits of using online means to make payments or order goods and services. It is also becoming exceptionally difficult for regulators and the financial industry alike to keep up with such crimes before a loss is experienced by either party.”
Tips for consumers
- Consumers need to be extra vigilant. They need to do all their checks, including contacting their banks for advice, before proceeding with something marketed and disguised under the premise of convenience;
- Consumers should use industry-supported solutions, like paying with their cards (debit or credit cards);
- Consumers should not share their Internet banking logon credentials with any third party. | <urn:uuid:da7cf320-bf05-482a-afc8-d0f5f74b42cd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sundayworld.co.za/breaking-news/sa-reserve-bank-warns-consumers-about-using-eft-online-payments/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.948608 | 871 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Worked across six farms close to Llanilar, near Aberystwyth.
These farms comprise an organic sheep and beef farm and conventional livestock farms with a range of agriculturally improved and unimproved pastures.
A few fields use beet fodder as part of the farm rotation prior to reseeding.
The total area is approximately 448 ha encompassing 110 fields.
These farms offer migrant woodcock suitable nearby daytime cover to rest in and adjacent pastures for night-time feeding through the winter.
Woodcock numbers have been counted and birds ringed across these farms for the last 12 years.
The study examined the relationships between woodcock feeding sites and soil quality, followed by an assessment of the feasibility of using counts of woodcock in winter to engage and guide farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.
With heightened focus on improving soil health to maximise carbon uptake and maintain agricultural yields, indicator species are being increasingly used as a preliminary marker of habitat quality. We aim to trial the use of woodcock counts in winter as an indicator for farmers of fields where action may be required through altered practices to improve soil quality. We will examine the relationships between woodcock feeding sites, soil invertebrate abundance and physical soil characteristics and assess the feasibility of using counts of woodcock as a proxy for soil quality in lieu of more expensive and time-consuming measures of soil attributes and soil fauna.
VIDEO Initial findings
The study used thermal imaging to plot woodcock on fields to establish areas of ‘high use’ and areas of ‘low use’ and then compared soil variables between these areas.
Preliminary analysis of the data found a slight bias of woodcock use towards areas with higher invertebrate numbers and overall weight, however this was less marked than expected. When investigating data for soil organic matter (SOM) it was found that overall there was a stronger positive correlation between woodcock use and SOM than that found in the invertebrate data.
The soil variable showing the strongest correlation with woodcock use of pastures was stone burden. Much of the soil in the study area was very shallow (10-15cm), and in uncultivated old pasture the stone burden lay at the base of the sample. However, on fields that had been cultivated in recent years, ploughing had disturbed the stone burden and distributed it throughout the soil column. The data suggest that this was a significant deterrence to woodcock feeding on these fields. As invertebrate numbers didn’t always negatively correlate with stone burden, it seems fair to conclude that the physical difficulty of probing in stony soil was the reason for woodcock avoiding these areas. There is also little doubt that high levels of stone in soils also constitutes a physical barrier to root penetration and prevents good drainage, which are vital to good soil health.
This study was limited by delays in funding due to Covid resulting in a rush to complete the fieldwork before woodcock left on their spring migration. The number of soil samples had to be limited to fit the timescale, but despite this the scoping study has served to highlight the importance of good soil management, particularly in areas with thin soils such as many parts of West Wales.
Livestock pastures in areas like West Wales are an important wintering habitat for a significant proportion of our UK migrant population of woodcock. It is clear that careful management of soils in these areas will ensure that this continues to the be the case and will bring the added benefits of higher biodiversity and greater carbon capture at the same time as improving pasture yields. This throws into question the rush to plant trees on farmland, particularly when recently published science suggests that the pasture soils have a higher capacity to store carbon than those of woodland. | <urn:uuid:df70eda2-c8ff-4748-8c0e-72a3a1a1f85c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.gwct.org.uk/wales/projects/woodcock-as-soil-health-indicator-species/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.96193 | 765 | 3.046875 | 3 |
For the greatest chance of success for your Geothermal project, choose an HVAC system that offers the most flexibility and the greatest heat reclaiming capabilities.
To minimize capital expenditure, choose a system that can lower the cost of Geothermal field. A Geothermal utility model that removes the capital cost and risk.
Most buildings are unbalanced when it comes to heat rejected to and extracted from the Geothermal field.
Choose an HVAC system that can provide:
- Longevity of the Geo field by mitigating the risk of overheating or overcooling
- Simplest building piping loop layout
- Greatest ability for heat reclaiming
- Minimize heat rejected (cooling dominant)
- Most dependable heating delivery method
The Bulldog Geothermal system has a positive impact on the design and operation of the Geothermal field. It allows for greater design flexibility that can help bring the Geothermal field back to a balanced mode. This is accomplished by a design that allows for ALL HVAC equipment to be placed on one common fluid loop which takes advantage of the energy diversity in the building and provides greater heat reclaiming capabilities. This reduces the risk of overheating and may result in a smaller Geothermal field with significant capital cost reductions. | <urn:uuid:4acb5405-30da-4d20-94af-90d26f3ae117> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bulldogheatpump.com/geothermal-applications/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.902011 | 253 | 1.664063 | 2 |
What is Swai Fish?
Swai is a catfish from Vietnam which has a delicate texture and a milder taste. Although it is often confused with the Basa, the two are not the same. Like Tilapia, Swai fish is a whole lot cheaper than Basa and even though it may have a more grainy and coarse texture as opposed to Basa, it can work as its substitute. Pangasius, River Catfish, shark catfish, Tra and iridescent shark can be used interchangeably because these are all the different market names for Swai. The scientific name for Swai fish is Pangasius Hypophthalamus.
The Swai fish species is a sustainable aquaculture species, which means these easy to commercially farm. Swai is mostly farmed in Southeast Asia and since these do not take as much time as Basa to grow therefore they are shipped in huge quantities for exports. The fish originally hails from Southeast Asia, it is native to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. People who do not like freshwater fishes normally often take a liking to this fish. Although frozen Swai is available all year long, the fresh water fish can be found only in the Chao Phraya river system and the Mekong River Basin of Southeast Asia.
These farm-raised fishes are naturally low in fat and they are an excellent source of protein. What’s more, Swai can adjust to your cooking technique in the kitchen whether you are pan frying, broiling or baking it. AMJE has seen both novice seafood chefs as well as experts are fans of the Swai.
Facts About Swai Fish
1. A 100 gram raw edible portion of Swai contains about 90 calories, 4 grams of fat, 45mg Cholesterol, 13 grams of Protein and 50mg Sodium.
2. Only about 40% of the fish can be cut off to form fillets
3. Swai fish is one of the most versatile fishes because it can be cooked in so many different ways, i.e. by steaming, sautéing, deep frying, broiling and baking. This fish, however, is not suitable for poaching, smoking and for making sushi.
4. Swai fishes have fins which are either black or dark grey in colour. Juveniles come with two black stripes, one along the lateral line and the other just below it. They also have shiny and iridescent skin, which is why they are also called Iridescent shark.
5. Adult Swai fishes can reach a maximum length of 130 cm or 4 feet and a weight of 44 kgs or 97 pounds.
6. Swai is an extremely healthy choice because it is a great source of proteins. Protein is the primary macronutrient in case of the Swai fish. A fillet of Swai contains about fifteen grams of protein, which is about one-third of the daily protein requirement.
7. Swai is an oily fish, but only in terms of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy oils that offer a sea of health benefits like reducing blood pressure, preventing cardiac deaths, ailing rheumatoid arthritis, improving brain functions, promoting healthy skin and so on.
8. Swai also contains other healthy fats which keeps one’s blood free flowing and protects against major diseases related to the heart like a heart attack, stroke and so on.
9. Even though the fillets of Swai are thinner than that of Basa, it is the closest substitute of the latter when it is cooked because the two are extremely similar in taste. Moreover, it is also a much cheaper alternative to Halibut, Haddock, Cod, etc.
10. The taste of Swai fish goes extremely well with white sauces; therefore it can be used extensively in case of pasta dishes or it can be a standalone dish.
Safety Precautions and Side Effects of Swai Fish
The quality of Swai fish depends upon the feed and water conditions. One should be cautious about packaged Swai fishes that are touted as ‘specials’ because these may be of inferior quality, which is quite ironical considering its name! Always buy Swai fillets from a trusted vendor.
Never purchase Swai fish if you detect an excessive use of STP on the packaging because STP abuse will cause the fish to lose a lot of moisture after thawing, thereby becoming an inferior food product. Check out cobia fish.
A word of caution about packaged Swai fillets is that sometimes they would be soaked in Sodium Tripolyphosphate in order to increase yields but the chemical would not be stated in the labels. | <urn:uuid:7c6bccb0-a8bc-40bb-aa9a-c84bf0e3f32a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.amjournalexpress.com/detailed-guide-of-swai-fish-the-river-farmed-catfish/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.950816 | 963 | 2.59375 | 3 |
I’ve been enthralled by science from a very young age. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve me spending hours exploring creeks, lifting rocks to find bugs, and watching every nature show I could find. The more I learned the more I loved it, but as I learned I noticed something odd – no one in science looked like me.
Growing up as a latina in a working class neighborhood I had trouble finding a role model and even peers who loved science in the ways that I did. None of my family members had ever attended college, which made the journey toward majoring in science seem much more intimidating. “Can someone like me really succeed in the world of science?” I had certainly never seen someone like me thriving in science. “Will I be good enough?” These were both questions that plagued me when making the decision to major in Biology during my first year at Elon University.
Today, I am a Junior and I am involved in undergraduate research on insect vibrational communication. I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I have learned so much and have thrived in the academic setting. Still, my mind frequently wanders to vulnerable times when I would have truly benefited from seeing others like me succeeding in science. Could I help make a difference for other young women? Could I, maybe, help improve the diversity, equity, and inclusion of all other underrepresented groups in science? How?
Fast forward to June this year, right in the middle of the pandemic, when I received an email from Dr. Hamel about a possible virtual internship with Ohio State University – it involved specimen data transcription, literature review, etc. I thought that would be a good fit for me so I immediately contacted Dr. Musetti about it.
There were several potential projects, including specimen data entry based on photographs and building an electronic literature archive for the collection, but the one that spoke to me the most was one that would involve tracking down information about the scientific work of Dr. Dorothy Johnson Knull. In her email to me Dr. Musetti wrote: “Dorothy is particularly dear to me as she is the only other woman associated (informally) with the collection as curator. She helped her husband build the collection, but she never received the recognition she deserved.” I was hooked right there and then.
Dorothy Johnson Knull (1928-1971) was an entomologist and a taxonomist specialized in the study of leafhoppers. She obtained her PhD in Entomology in 1934 and described many new species of leafhoppers. Her collection, including type specimens of most of the species she described, are deposited at Ohio State. She married Josef Knull, the first official Curator of the OSU Insect Collection (now called Triplehorn Insect Collection), and worked for many years as a volunteer curator in the collection. Despite all that, her contribution went relatively unrecognized for decades, her name always coming associated with her husband’s.
The overall goal of my internship is to raise Dorothy Knull’s profile and get her some much deserved recognition for her contributions to science and to the Triplehorn Insect Collection. This is also a great opportunity for me to learn more about taxonomy and the process of species description, among other things.
The first objective is to produce a list of all the species she described and to gather the specimen data for all primary and secondary types mentioned in her publications. That information will later be entered in the collection’s online database and associated with images of the specimens that are deposited in the collection. We plan to create a Wikipedia page for Dorothy Knull and write a bio to be added to the collection’s website.
Upon reading her publications I found heartwarming bits of information that made me personally relate to Dorothy Knull, like when she dedicated a new leafhopper species, Erythroneura masonae (Knull, 1954), to her mother “who shared a love for entomology.”
Being able to play a role in the process of documenting her work and highlighting her contribution to science has planted a newfound appreciation for virtual internships in me. I first had to learn how to read and interpret taxonomic literature, something I had never done before. I am also learning how to keep detailed records and to standardize specimen information so it can be uploaded to the collection’s database. Moreover, working on this project I have crossed paths with individuals I would not have met otherwise and the experience has been enriching as I have grown my relationships and expanded my knowledge on women’s contributions to science.
As we strive to increase the visibility of the work of women in science our work might also open avenues for the recognition and inclusion of other underrepresented groups in science.
Meeting my internship advisor Dr. Musetti has given me the diverse and holistic outlook on science that I have always needed. Despite being states away, I feel connected to the project and to my advisor. We have weekly Zoom meetings during which we discuss various topics such as information on Dorothy Knull and even our own personal experiences in science. I personally would recommend virtual internships as a way to step out of one’s comfort zone in science and I am looking forward to what the future has in store!
Knull, DJ (1954) New Erythroneura (Eratoneura) of the Dira group with notes (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). The Ohio Journal of Science 54(3): 170. (free online pdf from OSU Knowledge Bank)
Photos by the author unless credited otherwise.
About the Author:
Rebecca Carranza is a Junior Biology student at Elon University who is focusing her undergraduate research on ant mutualism with treehoppers alongside insect vibrational communication. She is interested in learning how different attendant ant species affect the behavior of a local North Carolina treehopper species Entylia carinata. With guidance from her research advisor Dr. Jennifer Hamel, she will be proposing a research project this upcoming fall. Rebecca is passionate about ecological science and will also be serving as a teacher’s assistant for the Biodiversity class of 2020-2021. Find Rebecca on Instagram | <urn:uuid:9fe5bab0-7a2e-405a-9a8b-d1e76e371c47> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://u.osu.edu/pinningblock/2020/08/10/learning-more-about-women-in-science-through-my-virtual-internship-guest-post-by-rebecca-carranza/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.964965 | 1,294 | 1.867188 | 2 |
Wildfire risk reduction
Colorado has been experiencing drought conditions along with low humidity and high winds. These conditions can increase the risk for wildland fires. The district is working diligently with local fire authorities and our landscape contractor to ensure we are taking the necessary steps to mitigate risk in district owned and managed tracts. There are multiple resources to advise homeowners on how to create a “defensible zone” around their property. Attached are recommendations from the National Fire Protection Association on steps homeowners can take to reduce the risk of their homes igniting during wildfire.
For more information, please visit Firewise USA: www.firewise.org. or contact your local fire protection professionals. | <urn:uuid:7948d84e-1465-4e51-bd2d-049c0a0c4e43> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.brightoncrossings-connect.com/defensible-space-wildfire-risk-reduction/?grid-list-toggle=grid&month=aug&yr=2022 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.935281 | 137 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Maths Assessments for all grades Years 1 – 12 inclusive
Below you will find maths assessments for grade 1-12. Each assessment has a PDF for the student and for the assessor. There are also a few important things to keep in mind.
Why Maths Assessments often don’t matter
Usually, companies do assessments to highlight all the possible knowledge gaps a student might have. These “gaps” are then used to create a sense of urgency to sell more tutoring or practice materials, or whatever the company is selling. This is not the spirit in which these assessments were created and as such they are not designed to be absolutely exhaustive in terms of content.
Maths assessments that cover every tiny bit of content are usually not a realistic reflection of the student’s knowledge gaps. Unless the student specifically prepared for the assessment and diligently revised all of the content from the previous year, they are simply not going to remember everything during the assessment even if they are a top student. It is important that we don’t mix up a “knowledge gap” with unpreparedness.
Beyond assessing for knowledge gaps
- Does the student study enough and do their homework?
- Do they backcheck their work properly or do they make lots of silly mistakes?
- Do they truly comprehend the content or are they Rule Dependent and struggle with worded problems?
- Do they take notes in a way that enables meaningful revision?
- Do they lay their working out with correct formatting to increase readability, avoid silly mistakes, maximize partial marks?
- Are they afraid of being wrong and give up whenever they get stuck? Or are they comfortable to take risks?
If a student is just memorizing what to do and not comprehending it; or if they just can’t help making silly mistakes in every question, then it doesn’t matter if we discover and close all their knowledge gaps. They still won’t perform well.
It is important to uncover knowledge gaps of course, but it is just as important to understand the student’s true challenges in the subject, their study skills and habits. Without a focus on improving how the student learns, the same problems will repeat themselves. Not all of a student’s challenge is due to knowledge gaps. Why did those gaps develop? An honest maths assessment must consider knowledge gaps AND study skills/habits.
About these maths assessments
Each assessment includes content that a student should typically know as they enter the grade. For example, the grade 5 maths assessment has content that a student should know as they are entering year 5.
These assessments are designed to be done together with the student. They are not tests. The assessor/teacher/tutor/parent should sit with the student and follow the instructions in the Assessor PDF. The assessor should lead the student through the assessment, feeling free to prompt them and ask questions when necessary.
No time restrictions are intended, so that the assessor can really get insight into the student’s thinking process. | <urn:uuid:3b331209-8d2a-489d-9552-1afe52b0c8f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ezymathtutoring.com.au/resources/maths-assessment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.954911 | 631 | 3.421875 | 3 |
Children are shaped by what they see and hear around them at home and at school. This can include race-related discourse that posits some members of society above others. The 12-14 year old children in two Australian Grade 8 classes were not exempt. Although previously they had very minimal interaction with Aboriginal Australians, all 47 students in these two classes had come to believe derogative stereotypes about Aboriginal people. But things began to change as they engaged in a program of learning designed in consultation with an Aboriginal educator to present a positive discourse to counter the deficit discourse about Aboriginal people prevalent in Australia. In the drivers’ seat of their learning, students began to appreciate past and present cultures of Aboriginal people and their resilience and achievements amidst racial oppression. Through a lens of empathy, students not only formed more positive perspectives about Aboriginal people, but realised the need to not judge any group of people. Aspects of the design and outcomes of this study may be applied to other anti-prejudice and pro-social educational initiatives.
|Number of pages||13|
|Journal||Issues in Educational Research|
|Publication status||Published - 4 Nov 2018| | <urn:uuid:4be43fae-72a4-473b-bb2c-f58d3bdffbf7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/publications/kids-can-show-prejudice-and-teachers-can-show-them-another-path | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.963255 | 268 | 3.984375 | 4 |
Almost a million people immigrate to the United States yearly, although the Census Bureau predicts that the number will drop to about 700,000 a year by 2011.
The main reason people come to the United States is for better-paying jobs.
For example, one study showed that people who were earning only about $31 a week in Mexico could make $278 a week in the United States.
Today, minority groups are not really in the minority in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia, where they make up more than half of the population.
And almost half, or 46 percent of the people living in Texas are minority group members. | <urn:uuid:507bc50d-51e8-4b72-a12d-5ac56d34fe8a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://zippyfacts.com/how-many-people-come-from-other-countries-to-live-in-the-united-states-each-year/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.963679 | 135 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Thiazide use is associated with an increased risk of hyponatremia, and this risk is influenced by age and body mass index (BMI), according to a population-based study.
Compared with individuals not exposed to thiazides, those who took the medications had a nearly fivefold increased risk of hyponatremia, researchers reported online ahead of print in the American Journal of Kidney Disease.
The study, by Eline M. Rodenburg, MD, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues, included 13,325 individuals aged 45 years and older living in a suburb of Rotterdam. Of these, 718 used thiazides at baseline and 2,738 started on thiazide therapy during follow-up. Hyponatremia developed in 522 subjects, of whom 32.4% were exposed to thiazide diuretics at the time of hyponatremia.
The risk of thiazide-associated hyponatremia decreased with older age. Among subjects aged 55-65, thiazide-exposed individuals had a nearly eightfold increased risk of hyponatremia compared with nonexposed individuals. By comparison, among subjects older than 85, thiazide users had a fourfold increased risk compared with nonusers.
With respect to BMI, the risk was highest in the lowest stratum (sevenfold greater in the exposed than in the nonexposed group after adjusting for age, sex, heart failure, and blood pressure). | <urn:uuid:b2a7b15d-936f-49e4-aec1-335b32338879> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.renalandurologynews.com/home/news/nephrology/hypertension/hyponatremia-linked-to-thiazide-use/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.948841 | 319 | 2.609375 | 3 |
According to NCMEC, approximately 800,000 children disappear each year as a result of family abductions, kidnappings, and running away. This means that over 2,100 children - or 90 an hour - disappear each day. Through Project Home Again, local MSCA contractors can assist in efforts to find missing children and help bring them safely home.
Since these service vehicles travel extensively around the community on a daily basis, it is hoped that many people will see the poster and the missing child will be recognized, found, and returned to his/her family.
Each poster includes a photo of the child at the time he or she was first reported missing, biographical information, and phone numbers to call if the child has been seen or if anyone has information.
“We are proud to be participating in this extremely worthwhile program and urge everyone in the community to look for the posters on our vehicles and keep an eye out for these children,” said Dick Starr, president of Enterprise.
“MSCA is proud to have its contractor members involved in their local communities and with such a worthwhile cause,” said Barbara Dolim, MSCA executive director. “Poster programs have proven to be extremely effective in locating missing children and it is hoped that Project Home Again will significantly contribute to this success rate.”
The Enterprise Corporation specializes in HVAC, building control, and certified air/water balance. The company operates throughout northeast and north central Ohio and is an MSCA “STAR Contractor.” According to the organization, this status signifies “the elite of the elite” within MSCA due to superior technical qualifications, safety record, and 100 percent drug-free status. Enterprise can be reached at 800-HVAC-911. | <urn:uuid:7ca0e8aa-2fc7-40cc-9110-a8dbcf0144c2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.achrnews.com/articles/105442-the-enterprise-corporation-endorses-project-home-again | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.958508 | 377 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Saint Anthony of Padua was born in Lisbon in 1195. He entered into the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine at a very young age and became a priest. However, one day he heard the tale of a martyr in Morocco from some Friars Minor, sent by Saint Francis of Assisi to announce the Gospel to the sultans.
Fascinated by the spirit of the new order founded by Saint Francis, Fernando left his own order and joined the Friars Minor, taking the name of Anthony. Thanks to his great eloquence, his superiors sent him to Italy to preach. He ended up in the city of Padua, where he preached the Lenten sermons that upset the entire town.
It is here where he died in 1227. After his death the miracles obtained through his intersession were so numerous that he was canonized the following year.
Often Satan tormented Saint Anthony with diabolic illusions when he retired in prayer to his small hermitage of Brive. Often times fellow petitioners, that wanted to imitate his love for the poor and lonely, would join him. When the supply of food ended Saint Anthony would send them to look for help in the nearby village. One night on the way back from the village, some of his friends saw a band of pimps that were destroying a camp of one of their benefactors. They went right away to warn the Saint.
Saint Anthony replied to them: “Do not be afraid. It is only a decoy from the demon that wants to distract you from prayer.” The next day, in fact, the camp of the benefactor was found completely intact just as Saint Anthony assured them.
A case of diabolical obsession, that yielded to the power of St Anthony of Padua, was recorded in Portugal during the reign of King Denis.
Under the guise of a heavenly visitant, the devil frequently appeared to a woman of Lisbon and urged her to throw herself into the river Tagus in order to obtain the remission of her sins and eternal happiness.
The tormented woman at length decided to drown herself. Passing a Franciscan chapel on her way to the river, she entered, and kneeling before the altar of St. Anthony, implored the Saint to help her save her soul. Overcome by fatigue, she fell asleep.
During her slumber St Anthony appeared to her, revealed the deceit of the “father of lies” and released her from the obsession. On awaking, the woman found a letter which the Saint had given her during the vision. It contained the prayer now known as the “Brief of St Anthony.” The original of Saint Anthonys Brief was preserved with the crown jewels by the King of Portugal. Pope Sixtus V caused the efficacious lines to be inscribed on an obelisk, which he had erected in the quadrangle in front of Saint Peter’s.
SAINT ANTHONY’S BRIEF
Behold the Cross of the Lord!
Fly, ye powers of darkness!
The Lion of the tribe of Juda,
the root of David, has conquered.
It is a devout practice to wear this blessing known as Saint Anthonys Brief on one’s person, or to put it up in the home, and often repeat it.
Passion of Christ comfort me! Comfort me for the day is long and weary, comfort me as I fight my up the path of life safe to the haven of Thy Sacred Heart. Comfort me in pain and sorrow and tribulation, comfort me when temptation rages around me and every hope seems lost. And when that last dread hour has sounded and my eyes are closing on this world of sin, Passion of Christ! comfort me then, and lead me gently to Thy Wounded Feet above. Amen | <urn:uuid:d5cfca2c-148c-4944-af97-abf68e77eeb5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://airbournemillennial.wordpress.com/2019/01/17/st-anthony-of-paduas-battles-with-the-demons/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573760.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819191655-20220819221655-00672.warc.gz | en | 0.977709 | 792 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Mustard Seed People are those who won’t listen when “life” says No. In spite of seemingly insurmountable odds, these men and women persist and press until they become the outcome of their own seed of faith. Mustard Seed People have been told they can’t be what they see because they’re not smart enough, not light enough, not bright enough; they’ve been told they’re too short, too large, too late or before their time. But they will not be deterred. They will not be discouraged. They just will not settle for less. Well maybe for a season. But in due time they come to themselves and get it done.
Mustard Seed People are my s/heroes as they provide encouragement for others as we overcome by the word of their testimony. I’ve read stories of such characters my entire life and been blessed by their chutzpah and their grace. Here’s hoping readers of these pages will be likewise blessed.
Susan Frances Booze Byrd Fuller
Her laugh was not the first thing you’d notice about her but once you’d heard it you’d be forever infected. She could throw her head back and give off a belly laugh that would make everyone within hearing join in without even having heard the punch line – a line she’d probably delivered with a straight face and a serious tone.
Her wit could be dry and understated. It could be sober and sedentary. It could be subversive, yet compelling. For example, the time she exited the city transit bus simultaneously with the entrance of a young Caucasian man. It had to have been around 1959 or so. As quickly as he called her a nigger, she with rapid fire speed returned, “If your Mammy had married the man she loved, you’d have been a nigger too.” The transaction was so quick that he had no idea what had hit him and she was already walking down Greenmount Avenue as the bus carried him up the same avenue before he could gather himself for a comeback.
Just a sampling of a woman so full of so much – a woman that life had dealt an interesting hand – she was born in 1900 one of 13 children, the last of which died in 1983. Her mother had been born a year after the Emancipation Proclamation, and yet most of Susan’s life was spent in an environment that belied real freedom.
It was during her lifetime that women received the right to vote. It was during her lifetime that the NAACP and the National Urban League were established, 1909 and 1910 respectively. It was in her early years that neighborhoods and work places were segregated by legislation.
It was also during her lifetime that violence against Blacks increased with the Springfield Race Riot of 1908, the East St. Louis Race Riot of 1917, the Houston Mutiny of 1917 resulting in the execution of 29 Black soldiers for their participation. Race riots continued in Philadelphia, 1918; and throughout the nation causing those months in 1919 to be designated Red Summer.
And she internalized it all. She was an avid reader of everything including the daily news papers and the AFRO American Newspaper that was published twice weekly in Baltimore, Washington D.C.; as far south as Richmond and as far north as New Jersey.
She died in 1970, less than 20 years after Brown v. Board of Education that legislated the integration of schools in 1954.
She lived long enough to witness the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hadn’t she had enough horror in her life?
Yes! But she never let that keep her from doing the most she could do for the most people she possibly could for as long as she possibly could. She had grown into a woman of faith, having been taught from a child by a mother who loved the Lord. She wasn’t an openly demonstrative person in her faith. You’d never have caught her speaking in tongues – she’d have been horrified. You’d never have caught her dancing or shouting during a worship experience. You might have caught her napping during the sermon because she’d been up late preparing Sunday dinner because there was no work done on the Sabbath. Food was cooked; clothes were ironed; hair was done on Saturday. Her faith was shown in more subtle ways including that tear that would course down her face during worship, the one that could be so easily missed because it was all alone.
Her faith was shown in weekday ways. She sent me and the other children she raised to the homes of the elderly in the community to check on them – to see whether or not they were okay or needed something from the store. When she went to the market she purchased items to have on hand when neighbors might need them. When neighbors had questionable habits, rather than trust them with money, she’d have the milk on hand for the babies to drink. The sugar, the flour even tissue paper they might need. And there was no announcement about these things. I only knew them because I lived with her from the age of 6 until I got married at 18.
She held up a standard for education because she understood it was the only earthly thing that could make us truly free. She hadn’t gotten as much as she’d wanted but she went to night school alongside her only son, who was also in high school, and bested his grades with 97 in chemistry and 100 in German. Her numbers never dipped into the low 90s. When her granddaughter when to Germany with her new husband 40 years later, it was Susan who helped her with the language.
She held up a standard for the arts, making sure each child – and there were many – who lived in her house was at least exposed to piano lessons in addition to whatever arts and crafts were offered at the church. So into our house every week came Mr. Author Boardley, minister of music at Trinity AME Church in east Baltimore. He’d sit with whatever children lived there at the time and hear the pieces they’d practiced that week, while he sipped either hot tea in the winter or home made iced tea in the summer. And after a few minutes of sharing in the kitchen, he’d receive.25 per child and be on to his next lesson.
She must have raised or been influential in the lives of at least 50 children – not including those at the church where she served as superintendent of the Sunday School and musician for the Junior Choir. Nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and those, such as myself, who had no blood connection. And each was treated to the full court raising with a vengeance and an intention to bring out the best. Some became teachers and principals. Some became preachers and pastors. Some became singers and musicians. But each had a tremendous sendoff because they had been touched by a Mustard Seed persson and her faith did them well.
Wilbur Francisco Fuller
He always had a story. An anecdote. A morality tale. And we always rolled our eyes and made faces to each other. As much as we could get away with back in the 1960s, which wasn’t much. We couldn’t talk back. We couldn’t sass with our faces. Sucking our teeth would have ensured our need for false teeth or having our jaws reconnected to our faces. It was a different time and children were to be seen and not heard. We couldn’t participate in grown up conversations. “Children get drunk on old folks’ breath.”
But children could be taught and taught we were. Constantly. What I realize now to be a perfect complement to public schooling. Discipline or discipling. Walking alongside to train the gait or step of another.
Anyway. Wilbur Francisco Fuller, in 1949, married Susan Frances Booze Byrd and became Wilbur to her children and Granddaddy Fuller to the grands, including this foster kid. He had apparently been a Pullman Porter until he retired and became a school custodian and general Mr. Fixit who was loved by all, especially the principal of the school, Miss Alfreda Pinkney.
He had been an only child of a Methodist minister and his wife, Rev. Joshua and Mrs. Elizabeth Fuller. They lived just a block away on Brentwood Avenue. They had been founding members of St. Matthews Methodist Church around the corner on 23rd Street. By the time we met, Rev Joshua was already in full blown dementia which might today be called Alzheimer’s. He was an altogether lovely gentleman who appreciated everything everyone did for him. On the day we buried his wife, his principal caregiver, his recollection on the way home was, “Well we’ve had a lovely ride in the country today,” totally oblivious to what the journey had actually meant.
This son of a preacher was a brown guy. Wore a lot of brown suits. But he was dapper. A sharp dresser often seen wearing a straw hat. Until he retired and sweaters replaced jackets and work boot replaced tie ups.
A funny thing about Wilbur Francisco Fuller. He founded a group of wonderfully talented young men who sang gospel music. They had the most vibrant voices I’d ever heard. The Gospel Comforters’ voices seemed to blend like butter even during the rehearsals that were thankfully held at our house. They were in demand on the East Coast and it was a good while before I realized Granddaddy Fuller wasn’t singing with them. He couldn’t sing. He was their founder and business manager. He couldn’t sing. Not even a little bit.
But he could tell stories. And he always had one. They usually began, “When I was working on the train.” Or “If you were working on a train.” But they always had a lesson about conducting yourself as a person of quality regardless of your circumstances. He recalled having to comport himself as a gentleman even in the face of outright racism and disrespect. Not all the lessons were so deep. Some were simple survival tips.
If someone says they fixed something especially for you, don’t eat it.
If you are at a gathering and put your drink down, leaving it unattended, don’t go back to it.
And then there were the instructions on table manners, which earned for him the monicker, Eddie Cut. I’ll just leave that there. Don’t drink during the meal. Place your knife and fork in a certain position to signal you’re finished eating. Don’t talk with a full mouth. Napkin laid gently in the lap.
And he made me love coffee until I actually tasted it years later. They wouldn’t give children coffee so I could only smell it as the grounds nestled with egg shells lit up the entire house when he made coffee in the mornings. He’d fry eggs and bacon and it was on. Imagine me disappointment when I finally tasted it, having erred by making my first purchase from a vending machine at TSU. But it’s okay now. Coffee and I’ve been friends for a long time now.
Granddaddy Fuller and his wife, Grandma Sue were friends, I guess showing as much intimacy as people showed back in the day. But he always seemed to be outnumbered and outvoted by the women- Grandma Sue and her daughter, Aunt Ruth. I really did like his stories and the energy he put into them. He seemed most alive during those times. Sometimes I’d ask questions just to get him to talk. He didn’t have children of his own so he seemed kind of lonely except for us grandchildren.
Two weeks before my junior prom in 1965, he got really sick. He was at home sick which was the habit back then. But eventually had to be taken out by ambulance. He died the day before the prom so I couldn’t go. Out of respect.
He was a nice warm man who all the children liked. But I think he never really got his due. It’s my pleasure to remember him and speak his name. Wilbur Francisco Fuller. | <urn:uuid:c41ec3b1-c3fd-4eb9-bc98-959a4a31134d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dorothyscottboulware.com/mustard-seed-people/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.990733 | 2,562 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Although too few people realize it, debt is almost always a bad a idea. Of course, many people borrow and lend money with good intentions, looking to help people pay for school, buy a car, or do other things that may help them in life. And even though the debt may not be healthy, at least the folks that sell this debt are trying to be helpful, at least as much as they know how.
But some lenders don’t have good intentions. There are a lot of unscrupulous folks out there that understand the bondage of debt all too well, and use it to take advantage of the poor. These lenders use exorbitant interest rates to trap the financially illiterate into endless cycles of debt and interest. They’re part of an industry that I call Despicable Debt, and you should never, ever go near them.
Payday lenders are some of the best known purveyors of Despicable Debt in the country. Their products may go by a bunch of different names: Cash advance, payday advances, check-cashing services, etc. But their game is always the same — they take advantage of people’s desperate situations to trap them exploitative debt cycles. You almost always find these places in poor neighborhoods, and they attract customers who don’t know enough about money to understand that they’re about to get ripped off.
You’ve probably seen commercials for payday lenders on daytime talk shows or late night TV. Here’s how their pitch works: “Do you need cash now, but don’t get paid for another two weeks? Come see us! You can write us a check, and we’ll give you cash for it right now. Then we’ll hold your check and won’t cash it until payday.”
The ads make it seem like a safe, low-cost way to get money quickly. I drive past a payday loan shop from time to time, and see signs saying that you can borrow $200 and pay back $203. Seems like a fairly cheap deal, until you stop and do the math.
You see, the $3 fee represents 1.5% of the money that you borrowed, and that is due within two weeks of taking out the loan. In other words, you’re paying 1.5% interest on the loan every two weeks. That translates into an annual percentage rate of 40% or more — an exorbitant interest rate that is far above the normal rates that legitimate banks charge.
And that’s only the beginning. Some people qualify for that 1.5% lending rate, but only the most-qualified borrowers. If you have poor credit or no credit, payday lenders are going to charge you even more for the same loan. It’s not unheard of for people to be charged interest rates that compute to more than 100% annually.
These ridiculously high rates are bad enough, but this situation gets even worse. Payday lenders know that their customers probably won’t be able to pay back the loans in two weeks; in fact, most people that use these services end up rolling the loans over month after month. As they do, they amass late fees and escalating interest. So someone who borrowed $200 may spend a year paying the loan back. By the time they do, they could be out $400, $500 or more. It’s a terrible cycle.
Fortunately, many local and state governments have begun to crack down on payday lenders, regulating the amounts of interest that they can charge. But government can’t stop these sleazebags from being sleazy. Payday lenders make huge money by preying on broke people who don’t understand the awful deal that they’re getting themselves into.
If you’re ever so desperate for money that you consider getting a payday loan, I would urge you to stay away from there. While no debt is good, payday loans are just about the worst kind of debt that you can incur. I would rather see you borrow money from a relative or a bank, or even take out a cash advance on a credit card. Not that any of those things are good, because they’re not. But payday loans are about as bad as you can get.
Payday loans are Despicable Debt because they take advantage of poor people. These loans make rich people richer, but they do so by making poor people poorer. They trap people in cycles of debt that can take years to escape. And they use people’s ignorance against them. This isn’t helpful to anybody.
Why am I so hard on payday lenders? Because I believe that we have a duty to help to the poor, to provide for their physical needs today and to teach them how to provide for themselves tomorrow. Payday lenders to the opposite of all of that.
I’ll leave you with with a passage from Proverbs 22:22-23 that sums up the reason why payday loans are Despicable Debt:
22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
23 for the Lord will take up their case
and will exact life for life.
Photo by Taber Andrew Bain. Used under Creative Commons License. | <urn:uuid:30769964-eb45-4899-bfc5-780b6301d98d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.godmoneyme.com/2012/10/11/despicable-debt-payday-loans/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571987.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813202507-20220813232507-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.965359 | 1,099 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Artist Joe DellaGatta wanted to share the work that went into bringing a page of science fiction author Michael Swanwick’s first-ever (fantastic) comic script, “The Long Bow” (starring Telemachus), to life. Click on any image below to see it bigger.
Now, take it away, Joe:
So, here’s a bit of my process. It’s usually the same, project to project. After reading the script, written by Michael Swanwick, I begin to do tiny layouts. Roughly 1” x 1.5”. This allows me to focus on basic shapes, flow of panels, panel sizes, and a rough idea of lettering space needed. This is before I gather any reference, or develop any designs.
After the thumbnail stage, I’ll do a quick pass at all the lettering. I enjoy doing this myself on smaller stories, and, I like to see hand lettering on pages. It doesn’t happen too often these days.
This stage also allows me to reassess my page layouts, and see if I need more or less space in certain panels to accommodate the balloons/captions.
These are my quick passes at the character designs from the story. I asked Michael for a brief, physical description of each character, then started to come up with their looks. I tried to incorporate a little fashion sense from Ancient Greece, and a VERY simplified Kirby influence to some of the clothing.
At this point, I’ll scan in my tiny thumbnails, and enlarge them to the full size I’ll be drawing at. Then, I’ll paste in the scans of the rough lettering, leaving the balloons a solid blue color just as a placeholder. This saves me a little bit of time at the pencil stage because I’ll know where the lettering will be, and I won’t be drawing anything unnecessarily in those spots.
From here, I’ll print a “low opacity” copy of this, and start penciling the figures, backgrounds, etc. right on this layout.
Now, I’ll take my rough pencils and lightbox the essentials onto my final boards (11” x 17” bristol), along with the lettering.
This shot is pretty self explanatory. I’ll go through and ink the page with an assortment of pens, and fill in larger areas of black with a brush. I use the same pens to ink the lettering and balloons, and I’ll use white ink for any corrections or stray marks.
When it came to coloring, we hit a couple snags. Eventually I asked Andrew and Chris (editors) if I could take on coloring duties, and they were trusting enough to allow me to do it.
Everything was colored using Photoshop CS5. Flat colors usually work best with my art, so that was the initial idea. But I wanted something that made the work look a little older, and offered something slightly different. Which brought me to the “halftone/dot” pattern, like in old comic book printing. The halftone pattern also made it possible for me to unify the color palettes on each page. By lowering the opacity of the halftone layer, and making it a color that that fit in the page’s color scheme, I applied it like an overlay that made everything more cohesive.
I feel incredibly lucky to have been involved in this project. Michael wrote a great story, and Andrew and Chris did a fantastic job gathering all these different creators to put together an amazing book. We hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for reading!
Find Once Upon a Time Machine vol. 2: Greek Gods & Legends in comic stores April 11, from Dark Horse Books. | <urn:uuid:5cf711c7-04d4-4eec-91a1-87b0a63ad850> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://onceuponatimemachine.com/category/behind-the-scenes/under-the-hood/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572127.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815024523-20220815054523-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.933853 | 805 | 1.9375 | 2 |
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