Good style creates a good impression, not just of you, but of the company you represent. By paying attention to the language you use, you can eliminate the frustration caused by communication that is hard to read, confusing, or uninformative and thereby build and sustain business relationships. (Carolyn Meyer. Communicating for results, 3^rd Ed. P. 72)

To this end, here are a few simple rules:

. Be direct, and use one or two words to convey the intended message.

For example, instead of saying, or writing: you might want to consider sending us the information in a timely fashion, say/write: please send us the information promptly.

. Make minimal use of French or foreign words, thereby conveying your message in a simple and direct manner.

Words such as ambiguous (confusing), impromptu (spontaneous, unplanned), per se (clearly), bona fide (genuine), converse (talk), etc. are fine, once in a while. Overused, they are irritating and distracting.

. Be wary of technical terms. They are fine to use with technicians and specialists, but with a customer, or any other non-expert, such words can make them feel awkward and inadequate.

For example: The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol, designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security and privacy comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN.

The same feature can be explained in a simpler way when necessary: WEP stands for “Wired Equivalent Privacy.” It is a security protocol for wireless networks. Since wireless networks transmit data over radio waves, it is easy to “eavesdrop” on these transmissions. The goal of WEP is to make wireless networks as secure as wired networks.

. Finally, avoid socially disrespectful words (the politically correct must prevail here), as well as slang terms.

Marie-Josée & Anick

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