I Can’t Get No Satisfaction

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adverb, Business Communications, conjunction, correction, double negative, editing, geek, grammar, Mick Jagger, pronoun, Rolling Stones, Satisfaction, verb

I have loved double negatives for as long as I can remember. It is a deep-seated love affair, and one of which I am proud.

I love hearing double negatives. I also love correcting them.

I find their use fascinating and perplexing.

I am a word and grammar geek, so this announcement should not come as a surprise. The cartoon shown here is one I’ve had in my planner for at least 15 years. Even after all this time, I look at it and I still chuckle.

I also correct double negatives when I hear them. Yes, I am that person. I will respond with the correct statement. If one of my students says, “I don’t know nothing about writing a business letter.” I will tell her, “Oh, so you DO know something about writing a business letter.” The look of confusion sticks around until we discuss the definition of a double negative. (She should have said, “I don’t know anything about writing a business letter.”)

A double negative occurs when two forms of negation appear in a clause (statement or sentence). You might combine a negative verb with a negative adverb or a negative pronoun or a negative conjunction. This ultimately turns the statement into the opposite meaning because the negatives may cancel out each other.

For example, scarcely and hardly are already negative adverbs. To add another negative term is redundant, because in English only one negative is ever used at a time

• So, instead of saying “They found scarcely no animals on the island” (meaning there were many animals), the writer meant to write “They found scarcely any animals on the island” (meaning there were only a few animals).
• Or, instead of saying “Hardly no one came to the party” (which means many people came to the party), one would write “Hardly anyone came to the party” (meaning there were only a few at the party).

A double negative may not always be an error, though. Take this for example: “She is not unattractive” meaning to say that “She IS attractive.” A speaker may have been using the double negative to drive home that point. Sometimes using the double negative is intentional, but it depends on the context.

When Mick Jagger sings, “I can’t get no satisfaction,” he is really saying he is quite satisfied. Good for him, because who couldn’t use a little more satisfaction?

I’ll Call You Back Later

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acumen, business, business c, client, courtesy, expectation, relationship, respond, response time, telephone, Voicemail

What is the acceptable amount of time to return a business phone call?

 

I do not think returning phone call messages are optional.

My process is to return business phone calls in an immediate fashion, and always within one business day. If details or information is needed, my response may take up to a few hours. If I expect the information I need to compile may take an extended period, I offer a courtesy call to acknowledge the request and provide an estimated timeframe. “Just to let you know I received your call and will have the information to you by end of day tomorrow.”

Sometimes travel or personal time may delay a response. It’s always best to personalize your outgoing voicemail to alert callers as to a potential wait.

It is also important to return calls, even if you may not think them important or relevant. If I receive a call from someone with whom I know I won’t do business, I still call him back so he can cross me off his list. If I don’t recognize the name, I do call back because it could be a referral and ultimately lead to a new relationship or project. Adversely, if I don’t respond to someone who was referred by a client, I could miss a new opportunity as well as tarnish the relationship with my existing client. Responding to inquiries can build your business as well as your reputation.

Just this past week, I left two voice messages with a vendor (as well as sent two emails) over six business days before I received a return call. In our five minute call, my questions were answered and the project on track. However, I was off put by this lack of business acumen, and am concerned about the upcoming work this company will perform. By not returning my call in a timely manner and causing me to follow up, they lowered my expectations.

On the other extreme, I worked with a man who believed all calls should be returned in two hours, no matter the time of day. He essentially erased any work/personal boundaries. People took advantage of his “open phone” policy and he ended up sleeping with his work phone on his bed stand because calls would come in from different time zones at all times of the day. He set the expectation he would respond no matter the time or no matter what he was doing.

Do you think returning phone calls is normal business etiquette? And how quickly do you respond?

 

After Banning Bossy

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Advocacy, Banning Bossy, Boss, Bossy, employee, employee development, feedback, Fortune 500, gender, Girl Scouts, leadership, Lean In, magnet, Sheryl Sandberg, tenet, women

When promoted to an executive position a few years ago, a friend gave me congratulatory card with a magnet that read, “I’m not bossy. I just have better ideas!!”

I laughed when I received that magnet. It wasn’t too far off the mark. Promoted as the youngest female vice president of a Fortune 500 company, that achievement did not come by being a follower without originality and gumption. As funny as I thought that magnet was, though, I wasn’t about to bring it into the office and set a tone of being close-minded.

I am not offended by the term bossy because I tend to remove the “y” and just think of it as “boss.” And in turn, I think of myself as a leader with a leadership style advocating for the employee and for each other. I also work with each individual to increase strengths and develop weaknesses supported by plenty of on-going feedback.

As part of my summer reading list, I finally cracked open Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. This book led to the creation of the Ban Bossy campaign by the Lean In Organization and Girl Scouts of America. A tenet of the campaign focuses on women predetermining advocacy for each other in the workplace where they ask opinions, reinforce ideas and provide support. I think this is a great idea, however, I do think it should apply to both genders. Think about this: what if in second grade during a math lesson, the teacher sent Billy into the hallway while she taught Sally, Susie and Betsy how to add? Billy would never learn the concept.

The Ban Bossy campaign also offers valuable resources and reference ideas on leadership. It focuses on how to help each other. I believe inspirational leadership is an all-inclusive process. Leave no employee behind.

I still have that Bossy magnet, and I still chuckle when I read it. It has stayed on the refrigerator at home, an appropriate reminder for my family members as to why I’m in charge in this household.

For more information on the Ban Bossy campaign, visit http://www.banbossy.com or http://www.leanin.org.

Top 10 Qualities of a Great Leader

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ability to lead, business communication, CAO, commitment, communication, confidence, creativity, effective, Forbes, hostess, intuition, leader, leaders, management style, managers, positive attitude, qualities, sense of humor, Top 10

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have…the facts of the whole spectrum of managers.

Throughout my career, I’ve had my fair share of managers. From the restaurant/bakery/deli manager where I was a hostess, to the CAO of a fortune 500 company where I was VP of marketing communications. Styles, personalities and abilities are all different – most effective, some not. Not all people are born to manage, and not all managers are leaders or mentors.

I had one manager who was great at dating most of his staff and some in other departments, too. It seemed upper management turned a blind eye to the situation, even though it was common knowledge throughout the company. He didn’t overlap relationships and the women he dated didn’t seem to think anything wrong of it and never complained. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of looking around a staff meeting and realizing you’re only one of two women at the table not intimately involved with the manager. That was one of the most dysfunctional and bizarre management styles I ever experienced. While I loved the products and industry, at the earliest chance I moved on to another company where I was hired by one of the best managers/leaders I ever experienced.

When I think about the managers who influenced me in my leadership development, I tend to think of those who were not good leaders first. It is true that you can learn a lot from the poor examples. Often times when I’m faced with a challenge I might think, “What would Mr. Poor Manager do in this situation?” Then I cross his option off my list. I turn my reflection to the styles of the effective and smart leaders I know. I’ll combine that with my training, background and experience to guide me to make smart decisions for my staff, my department and for the company.

Forbes has a list of the Top 10 qualities that make not only a good leader, but a great one. One is never too young or too old to become a great leader. I do think in business you can teach old dogs new tricks if the dog is willing. With the right attitude, an observant eye and a desire to learn, any young professional can prevail early on, and any seasoned professional can turn things around.

Forbes Top 10 Qualities that Make a Great Leader

1. Honesty
2. Ability to delegate
3. Communication
4. Sense of humor
5. Confidence
6. Commitment
7. Positive attitude
8. Creativity
9. Intuition
10. Ability to inspire

Huzzah and Happy 4th!

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4th of July, Benjamin Franklin, Boston, celebrations, Constitution, cookouts, Founding Fathers, Fourth of July, history, huzzah, Independence, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, photography, Red, United States of America, USA, Veterans, white and blue

The original Constitution of the USA

It’s the 4^th of July weekend and like most Americans, we’re taking a couple days to enjoy the celebrations. We’re planning on a nice long, relaxing (hopefully) weekend. There are parades to watch, cookouts to attend, and travel to undertake. We’ll wear red, white and blue clothing, and proudly wave flags.

Lately, there seems to be a resurgence in acknowledging the reason for the holidays in the U.S., rather than just basking in a paid day off at the beach, park or backyard. As a collective whole, the citizens of our country do a better job celebrating the history and background. Memorial Day is to remember and honor our service men and women who serve(d) our country. Labor Day celebrates those who paved the way for the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers.

For the 4^th of July, the U.S. celebrates the oldest written national constitution in use and the formal establishment of the United States of America. Most people correlate it with freedom. The Constitution defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions, and the basic rights of citizens. It was signed by 55 men, commonly referred to as the “founding fathers.” Amendments were added and changed from 1791 through 1992.

While touring Boston this past May, I met Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers. An agreeable man, he proudly spoke of the Constitution, its positives and its faults, and his belief in the people of our country. Two hundred and twenty-seven years after it was written, the Constitution still exemplifies the United States of America and the ingenuity, resourcefulness and dedication of its people. Huzzah!

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

For more information on the history of the United States, click here http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/134197/Constitution-of-the-United-States-of-America