Homonym Homicide: Are You Going For A Slay Ride or a Sleigh Ride This Holiday Season?

‘Tis the season for holiday and winter activities such as skiing, sledding and skating.  And maybe even a  sleigh ride – NOT a slay ride.  A slay ride connotates that you are going on a killing spree – not quite the same thing and not good at any time of year – especially not around the holidays.  Of course, we may be out slaying our goals and that is a good thing but not what is meant in this context.  It’s so important to get it right!

I received an email last week from an acquaintance who is a vice president at a successful, growing company.  There were two instances of homonym errors, choosing the wrong spelling for the meaning that the word was meant to convey.  This instantly decreased the credibility of his communication.  It shows a lack of attention to detail, a lack of care and a lack of respect for the reader – aka me.

This is but one type of communication error that commonly occurs. Some other common culprits:

• Spelling and grammar mistakes – SpellCheck anyone? Come on!  There is no excuse for this one
• Jargon and complicated language – this does not make you appear smarter and confuses your reader
• Apologizing for your message by using “sorry” and “just” throughout. You have something important to say so say it in a simple, straightforward manner
• Not considering your audience and their level of knowledge and understanding. The sales manager and even the CEO may not know what IFRS 16 is.  It’s the new lease standard by the way

Join me for our free webinar Credible Communications – Command the Attention You Deserve tomorrow December 13^th at 12:00 EST to learn more tips to improve your communication skills! Click here to sign up