Workplace Communication

Audiences no longer sit quietly, absorbing a speaker’s words and images, waiting to ask a question or make a comment. Instead, they use Twitter to text in real-time, usually adding a specific hashtag to their tweets. Any tweet mentioning a particular hashtag is part of the “backchannel” conversation among attendees and speakers.

It’s all too easy to trip over these words: "literally," "myself" and "utlilize." For example:

Writers sometimes stumble over how to make words plural. Here are two tricky situations: 1. Family and brand names. 2. Decades and other numbers.

The next time you're ready to deliver a presentation, don't let nitty-gritty audio problems make you even more nervous before stepping up to the mike. You don't want to start the presentation with "Can you hear me now?" Set the stage to set off on the right note, by answering these questions:

If you think about it, the whole process of starting with learning the basics of any discipline and methodically working your way up to some level of mastery makes sense for undertakings far beyond Boy Scout merit badges.  It led me to consider, “If there were a merit badge for organizational leadership, what would the requirements be?”

Two former Dow Jones executives have launched a business that hires economically disadvantaged single mothers and provides them with child care coverage and career development training. The organization’s founders call Moms and Jobs, or MoJo, “a social venture in a for-profit vehicle.”

Q. A supervisor recently asked if he was allowed to accept a subordinate’s “friend” request on Facebook. How should we advise our supervisors?

Depending on our personal history, values, beliefs, language and culture, we bring a unique perspective to the workplace. Our perspective is what creates the stories we use to justify our behavior for taking or not taking action. These same stories explain our successes and failures and how we deal with others.

Employers operate in an increasingly complex legal environment, made all the more difficult by the tough economy. Hiring has emerged as a particular trouble spot. You need to hire and maintain a skilled and productive workforce, but you must watch out for legal liability that can surface in the process.

Some findings about folks who look on the sunny side, adapted from “Why It’s Smart to Be Optimistic”: