The Word Cop and “Myself”

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Margaret Purvine

I’ve been reading my favorite newspaper again – The Wall Street Journal.  The breadth and depth of its subjects and coverage never fail to grab my interest and impress me.

This time, the article in question is “Me, Myself, and I”, written by Collin Levy and published in the Monday, January 14, 2008 edition of the WSJ.  Ms. Levy is commenting on the speech we have been hearing during the campaign and says the following:

“For all the rhetorical flourish on display, many of the presidential candidates still don’t have a grip on the King’s English.”

The Word Cop is not surprised.  Have you listened to the candidates as they debate and speak?  Sometimes, I just cringe. 

Ms. Levy’s article is focused on the use and misuse of the very words of her title.  She begins with “myself”.  Instead of saying “like me”, it has become fashionable to say “like myself”.  She quotes sportswriter Red Smith, who said, “Myself is the foxhole of ignorance, where cowards take refuge, because they were taught that me is vulgar and I is egotistical.”  Quite apart from the excellent point Red Smith makes, isn’t that a wonderful way to say it?  Ms. Levy goes on to say, “In the same spirit, “myself” has become the campaign’s de rigueur grammar cop-out, substituted for I or me when the candidate isn’t sure which is accurate – or worse, assumes Americans will see proper English as elitist.”

It’s a great article.  I recommend it to all of you out there who appreciate how elegant and wonderful the English language can be when used correctly. 

It is also refreshing that, for once, President Bush is singled out for using correct grammar.  The article concludes with this.

Referring to his own grammatical quirks in a debate with Al Gore, the then Texas governor’s usage was impeccable.  “Well, we all make mistakes,” he said, “I’ve been known to mangle a syllable or two myself.”

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Un-buh-lievable: The Word Cop takes on vowels

Posted on January 14, 2008 by Margaret Purvine

All of us endure a constant onslaught of advertising, particularly on television.  I do my best to tune out most of it.  In fact, I love my mute button when I can get to it.  However, when I am cooking and using the TV to keep me company, my hands are often too occupied, or too wet, to handle the remote.  Then I must attempt to ignore the ads, even though the volume always goes up.

Today, I heard the Hughes.net ad one time too many.  They’ve been using the same attractive red head for some time now, so she must be making money for them.  Couldn’t they give her a little speech coaching?  Here’s my beef – vowels.  We have 5, sometimes 6 of them (a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y, to quote from elementary school English class) and they all sound different.  From this woman, they all sound the same.  The real rant is this.  She is not unique.  Most Americans are extremely careless with their speech.

Back to my red head.  She asks the question that goes something like, “Think you can’t get fast internet service because of where you live?”  Then, the clincher.  “Don’t buh-lieve it.”  Buh-lieve?  Is that anything like believe?  Then, to ad insult to injury, she moves on to, “Hughes Net duh-livers”.  Frankly, I would prefer that a vender “deliver”.  What’s “duh-liver”?  Duh liver and bacon I would refuse to eat if it ever appeared on my dinner plate?  I’ve heard this ad so many times, with its lousy pronunciation, that my ears hurt.

Then there is the word “immediately”.  Very useful, heavily used word.  Listen for it in speech, from everyone.  Then, note how frequently the word is pronounced “ah-mediately”.  My very unscientific and frustrated observation has the percentage at 90.  90% of the time, the word is mispronounced.

I will accept this sort of mispronunciation only in humor.  Thank goodness for Scott Adams and his well-loved characters Dilbert and Dogbert.  They speak of “in-duh-viduals”.  In other words, idiots.

Duh!

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You’re at the starting gate – Are your employees with you?

Posted on January 13, 2008 by Margaret Purvine

This is the time of year when we all try to take stock of where we are and plan for an even better year this year.  I think it’s also a great time to make sure your employees are primed and motivated to charge forward with you.  Are they?  Spend some time and effort on management and HR chores to ensure your team is chomping at the bit, too.

Many of us in small business are new to people management and not terribly comfortable with it.  Take heart.  Even if management doesn’t come easily or naturally to you, it is possible to learn.  The rewards are well worth it.  In any business, regardless of size, your greatest asset is not on your balance sheet.  It’s your people.  Imagine how much more you can accomplish this year with a skilled, dedicated, motivated team at your side.

The beginning of a new year is a good time to evaluate your employees and set new performance goals for the future.  People need to know how they have done in the past and what is expected of them in future.  They also need direction.  That direction should come from the top.  Communication is key.  Make sure your employees are aware of your vision for the business and how you plan to get there.  Let them know what their role in this success is and how important they are to the overall success of the company.

Start by sitting down with each employee and discussing his/her performance.  Let him/her know what was done well and where you expect improvement.  As a new manager myself, I found it very difficult to confront a poorly performing employee.  No one likes confrontation.  I got over the hump by realizing that I would do my employees a serious disservice if I didn’t let them know what they were doing wrong and give them a chance to fix it.  When doing an employee evaluation, I prepare in advance so I am clear in what I want to convey.  Then, I always start with the good news – what he/she has done well – before going into what I expect in terms of improvement.  When performance issues are more serious, I convey clear expectations with specific dates attached for improvement and reevaluation.  Be direct, honest, and very clear.  It is possible to do so without being mean or nasty.  Your employees will appreciate it. 

Employee performance planning, development and evaluation will work best if it is a regular activity.  Develop a schedule and system that works for you and make sure all employees are aware of it.  Use the system and communicate regularly with your employees.  The process will help make it easier for all concerned.

As the year progresses, take time to celebrate successes.  It will help keep your team on track and motivated.  Besides, everyone appreciates an atta-boy or atta-girl now and then.  Have some fun with it, if appropriate, with contests and awards.  Make sure your employees feel appreciated and that their efforts make a difference.  It will make a difference in your business.

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What color is the hat? How to tell the good guys from the bad

Posted on January 10, 2008 by Margaret Purvine

In the old time western movies, Hollywood was pretty obvious in presenting good versus bad guys, heroes versus crooks.  Subtlety was never their strong suit.  The good guys almost always wore white hats, nice clean white hats to boot.  The bad guys wore black hats, usually dusty and sweat stained to go along with the dirty-looking stubble on their faces.

Nowadays, the job of figuring out who’s good and who’s not is a lot tougher.  And it remains very important, especially for the small business owner relying  on a small staff as well as critical outside resources.  I believe the ability to determine who is truly acting in your best interests can make or break a business.  Even if your business isn’t broken, it can be dealt a pretty heavy blow by an error in people judgement.

So how do you tell?  Here are a few thoughts.

What is their attitude?  This is something to watch over time.  Few people can fake it long term.  Is the person really helping you and your business, or mostly helping themselves?

Especially for an outside resource – CPA, attorney, consultant – are they telling you the truth or just what you want to hear?  If you step back and really think about it with an open mind, this may become more clear.  Notice how other members of your staff and outside advisory team react to the person.  Sometimes a brown noser is blatantly obvious to all but the principal.

For a consultant, is the person selling a product while charging for advice?  It’s fine to sell a product that will meet a client’s need, but it’s a conflict of interest to charge for your expert advice then collect a commission for the product you just recommended.

What do you do if you are impacted by a bad guy masquerading as a guy with a white hat?  Analyze the situation, determine where you went wrong in your choice, and learn from the experience.  And don’t make the mistake of painting all other people with the same broad brush.  We had the experience of talking to a potential client once who informed us, “I hired two consultants once and they both lied to me.  All consultants are liars.”  Needless to say, we didn’t get the client and he badly needed what we had to offer.  There are lots of excellent and ethical professionals out there.  Don’t cut yourself off from needed assistance.  Just do a better job of selecting it. 

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Happy New Year! Ready to hit the ground running?

Posted on January 2, 2008 by Margaret Purvine

It’s January 2, 2008!  The crystal ball in New York has dropped, the fireworks have exploded from the Space Needle (at least some of them), the champagne has been drunk and Auld Lang Syne sung.  We’ve had a day to recover from the late night and celebratory excess while watching more football than I thought possible.  (Go Blue!  Finally, my team wins a bowl game, not for the Gipper, but for outgoing head coach Lloyd Carr.  This U of M alumnus is happy today!)

 Now, it’s back to work - the first work day of a brand new year that’s never been touched.  How’s your attitude?  Starting the day with a groan or with a sense of excited anticipation?  I for one vote for looking forward, rather than back.  The best way to do that is to have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish with your business in the new year.  Yes, it’s time for that annual rite of January, strategic planning.

 We are devoting our first working day of the new year to our planning effort.  January is a busy month for us, so making the commitment of an entire day for planning isn’t easy.  However, it is essential!  The most productive time of the year in my experience is the first half, before we are beguiled by warm summer days, children out of school, and just general laziness.  We absolutely don’t want to waste it!

Today, we are trying to accomplish the following:

  • Review and validate our vision for our business.
  • Determine our business goals for 2008 and make sure they support our vision.
  • Develop action plans for each goal.

 It is an ambitious plan for a single day, but we are primed!  To make forward progress, you need to establish a destination, determine a course, then set out on your journey with purpose.   Based on many years of experience, we still firmly believe that, without these important steps, you will just spin your wheels and travel in circles.  With a goal, a plan, and purposeful action, you stand a much greater chance of achieving success.

Let the planning commence!

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Can you – like – speak without saying “like”?

Posted on December 18, 2007 by Margaret Purvine

The word cop is back today.  This time, I would like to speak more seriously to the many young people out there who are just entering the work force or preparing to do so soon.  So many of them can’t seem to speak without inserting the word “like” every second or third word they utter.  Then, there is the constant overuse and misuse of the word “go”.  Call me picky, but I thought the word to indicate something uttered verbally was “say”, not “go”.

Yes, this is a major beef I have.  It irritates me no end.  My larger concern, however, is the effect this type of speech can have on the careers of our young people.  Don’t get me wrong.  I think slang is a wonderful thing.  It is fascinating, colorful, and conveys incredible meaning to one’s peers.  Therein lies part of the issue.  Every human group has its own special terminology, allowing them to communicate in ways that say, “I am a member here.  I belong.”  There is comfort in this, especially for adolescents for whom the only sin is to be different.  (You might ask how I know this, but that’s another blog entry.)  However, it’s a big world out there and you can’t exist, or make a living, totally within your own little group.

My recommendation to young people preparing to make their own way in the world is this.  Use and enjoy your slang, but make sure you can speak well in standard, correct English, too.  Cultivate the ability to turn the slang off at will, so you can make the very best impression on potential employers, colleagues, and customers.  You will have a far greater chance of success if you master the art of communication, both written and spoken, in correct modern English.

Let’s make sure we can prove Professor Higgins, of My Fair Lady fame, wrong when he sings, “Why can’t the English teach their children how to speak?”  A ways into the song he asks, “Why can’t they set a good example, for people who’s English is painful to your ears?  The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears.  There even are places where English completely disappears.  Why in America they haven’t used it in years!”

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Crucifying the English Language – time for the word cop!

Posted on December 18, 2007 by Margaret Purvine

I confess, I was raised by an English teacher.  I am also an avid reader and writer.  English is a magnificent language, full of rich words that allow us to express ourselves in countless ways and at every emotional level.  I love it and use it with pleasure every day.  I don’t claim to write or speak with absolutely perfect English, but I am struck by how poorly so many of my fellow professionals write and speak.  Some of the errors just grate on me!  So today I am initiating a new category on my blog – Words @ Work.  This is my vehicle for rants and raves on current English use and abuse. 

 I will start with one I hear primarily from the news media.  That expression is “went missing”.  What happened to “disappeared”?  Or “vanished”?  I am not even sure if correct English “went missing” here.  It may be a correct usage, but I hate it!

 Let me move on to another gem.  I don’t know about you, but I “graduated from” high school, as well as college.  I did not “graduate high school”.  Is this a West Coast thing?  I don’t recall hearing this when I lived east of the Mississippi.

 Here’s another one I hear far too frequently from the English-challenged TV media.  There is a distinct difference between “cache” and “cachet”.  “Cache” (pronounced like “cash”) is a hiding place or stash, such as an emergency food “cache”.  “Cachet” (pronounced “cash-AY”) denotes superior status or prestige.  “The job had a certain cachet” is an example I found in an online dictionary.  Listen to your daily dose of TV news and I’ll bet you can catch many examples of confusion with these words, over pronunciation, meaning, or both.

 Enough from me today.  What are your pet English peeves?  Please share them!

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Should we be panicked over the economy?

Posted on December 5, 2007 by Margaret Purvine

I had a manager once who always said, “Perception is reality.�?  My experience tells me this is generally true.  But is it always?

Our economy is all about money and when people consider money, some switch in the brain goes off and emotion overtakes logic.  Emotion does seem in charge these days.  The general perception of people is that we are not doing well economically.  Some seem to indicate that we are down the proverbial toilet.

Then, particularly in an election year, the politicians jump on board that emotional train.  It’s knee jerk time!  Even the President is joining in.  According to an item in today’s Wall Street Journal, President Bush is all set to unveil a relief plan for homeowners.

Without a doubt, the sub-prime mortgage mess is just that, a mess.  But shouldn’t the situation be presented with some perspective?  Shouldn’t we consider the overall picture, with, dare I say (Dare! Dare!), the facts?  According to more measured reports I have heard, most borrowers are managing to make their payments just fine.  Yes, there are foreclosures, but we need to look at how many in the overall context.

The stock market sure has been volatile lately, too, further exacerbating the general perception of economic malaise.  Looking again at today’s online Wall Street Journal, a headline states, “Strong Data Gives Stocks a Boost.�?  The article itself opens with the following:

“Stocks advanced, supported by benign economic readings and continued belief that the Fed is likely to deliver another rate cut next week.�?  (Emphasis is mine.) 

“Benign economic readings�??  According to Dictionary.com, one meaning of the word is “favorable; propitious: a series of benign omens and configurations in the heavens.�?  The American Heritage Dictionary offers additional perspectives: 

·         “Tending to exert  a beneficial influence; favorable: a policy with benign consequences for the economy.�?

·         “Having little or no detrimental effect; harmless:  a chemical additive that is environmentally benign.�?

So maybe we should take a deep breath before we panic and look more carefully.  Job creation has been excellent and fairly steady.  Unemployment rates are very low across most of the country.  The economy is still growing.  Even federal tax revenues are up significantly, reducing the national debt faster than anticipated.  And this after taxes were cut and during a time when our country is at war! 

There was a great article in the November 19th edition of Newsweek, written by George F. Will.  It is entitled “Peru and Other Menaces�? and talks about applying more reason to our view of the economy, and especially the potential actions of our government.  I highly recommend it to you.  He closes with the following:

“Presidential elections are always epidemics of economic illiteracy and hysteria, for two reasons:  The party not holding the White House has an incentive to talk gloomy nonsense, and the media, for whom the phrase “good news�? is an oxymoron (“We don’t report the planes that land safely�?), love crises.…  That can, however, be self-fulfilling:  Worried people curtail consumption, wary businesses defer investments.  Everyone should remember the witticism that the stock market has predicted nine of the last three recessions.�?

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The US Economy on Halloween – not as scary as you think

Posted on October 31, 2007 by Margaret Purvine

It’s that most scary of days and nights in our annual calendar, Halloween.  There are lots of households in my neighborhood who get into this in a big way.  I have seen lots of orange lights, fake spider webs, and simulated grave sites popping up all over the place.  I am not immune, either, as I sit here typing away while wearing skeleton earrings, my Halloween vest and glow-in-the-dark socks.

We all get to be kids today, to whatever degree we choose.  I am ready for the fairly small crowd of Trick or Treaters we get each year, with a stock of candy (in some of my favorites varieties, of course – I’m weak when it comes to candy).  I’ll have to make sure I have batteries in the camera, too.  The children and their costumes always tickle me.

However, when I look at business, it seems to me that there is more darkness and gloom and doom than is warranted.  I get regular news alerts from the Wall Street Journal.  Today, I got the following:

“Oct. 31, 2007

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.9% in the third quarter, the fastest pace in 1 1/2 years, the Commerce Department said, as surging exports and stronger consumer spending helped counterbalance the weakening housing sector. The gross domestic product report suggests that the economy is thus far holding up well to the strains in the housing and credit markets, which had intensified during the third quarter.�?

In spite of the so-called mortgage meltdown, our US economy is holding up fairly well.  I looked at the entire article in the WSJ and found the writer to be balanced, citing both good and bad news.  However, the overall assessment was pretty decent.  Here are a couple of samples: 

 “Most economists expect growth to slow through the end of this year and into next year, as the fallout from a deteriorating housing market, higher oil prices and credit-market woes continue.  … Still, most forecasters expect the U.S. to dodge a recession.�? 

“The latest employment report from payroll firm Automatic Data Processing suggests that the government’s monthly jobs report will show a gain of some 125,000 jobs in October, a gain over previous months. And inflation appears to be contained, with the price index for consumer expenditures — excluding food and energy — rising 1.8% in the third quarter versus 1.4% in the second.â€?? 

In the State of Washington, our unemployment rate rose very slightly, to 4.2% from 3.9% if I remember correctly, but that is still so low as to be close to full employment.

So, why the general doom and gloom?  Well, in my opinion, some of it comes from the mainstream media who demonstrate two problems with the economy.  First, they work on the principal of “If it bleeds, it leads.�?  So they almost always report the bad news, or the cautious news as bad news.  Second, there are very few who understand business or economics.  Third, the reporting in the daily paper and in evening newscasts, unfortunately the primary source for too many citizens, is incredibly shallow.  It rarely delves even a fraction of an inch below the surface headline. 

The other source for gloom is simply emotion and the perception by regular folk, gleaned from what they absorb from the information swirling around them, that things aren’t great.  Not everyone takes the time to delve behind the headlines.  I can’t help but wish the media would, however.

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Attracting and keeping the best employees

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Dennis Purvine

Lots of us shoppers out there are Costco addicts.  Speaking for myself, I have to say I love the thrill of the hunt, finding something unusual and exciting at a great price.  I appreciate the more mundane benefits of shopping at Costco, too – the high quality and really good prices for stuff I need and use every day, even if I wind up buying a quantity more suited to an army than to my small family. 

 The thrill of Costco’s  “treasure-hunt technique” was described in a recent Wall Street Journal article, from an interview with Costco CEO Jim Sinegal.  It’s a great article, one I highly recommend.  What I found even more important, however, were his comments about hiring and keeping good people.  Here’s the quote:

“WSJ:  Costco offers better wages and benefits than most of its rivals.  Why is that?

Mr. Sinegal:  We think that you get what you pay for.  If you hire good people, pay them good wages and provide good jobs and careers, good things will happen in your business.  We think that’s proven true in our case.  We are the low-cost provider of merchandise, and yet we pay the highest wages.  Wouldn’t that suggest that we’re getting better productivity?”

Well, duh.

We have seen this principle used and abused among our clients.  One, who had a serious cheap streak when it came to employees, had a constant problem with turnover.  Employee morale and attitudes suffered and the results were reflected in reduced productivity and lower profits.

In contrast, another client was known for paying extremely well (almost too well, IMHO).  He demanded a lot from his employees, but gave them the tools, training, and freedom to deliver.  And they did.  They worked hard and well.  Productivity soared along with profits.  And the employees stayed!  They were an effective team and were rewarded for their hard work and loyalty.

What is your experience?  Please share your stories!

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