In business, making a good impression and projecting yourself as mature, intelligent, confident and professional is important for long term success. Inappropriate language whether spoken or written can affect your credibility and put off or even offend those you work with. Proper language in the workplace should entail the following;
(i) Use standard English and follow the rules of grammar; no matter who your audience is, use proper English (the form of English used in publication, media and government documents) even if you are from a background where English is not your first language but English, being language of business in Nigeria means you should make conscious effort to speak well, pay attention to the way other professionals speak and write at work and begin to improve your own speech and writing.
(ii) When conversing in an informal situation or when writing a less formal correspondence, use a level of formality appropriate for your audience and remain respectful and professional at all times.
(iii) Do not use profanity; swearing is never acceptable in the work place.
(iv) Avoid derogatory or biased comments. Do not use language that is biased against any ethnic group or tribe, religion, age, race or other group. Also avoid making generalization or jokes that affirm or perpetuate stereotypes.
(v) Avoid the use of slangs generally in the workplace or expression that are commonly accepted in other settings. Be wise in the use of idiomatic expression and proverbs and use only in related context.
(vi) Be cautious when using jargons. Jargons should be used sparingly and only when speaking to audience that will be familiar with the terms used.
(vii) Be polite; please and thank you are important, not only in the home but also in business, you will accomplish more and have better relationship with co-workers and colleague if you treat them respectively and show appreciation by using courtesy words.
Benefit of Using Appropriate Language in Business and Workplace
When you are able to acquire proper business language skills it gives your business the following advantage;
(i) A professional outlook; using proper language denotes a professional approach by constructing a well-written response to a query, you give your customers and client’s the impression that is a professional, you are treating all your transactions seriously and you value them highly.
(ii) Convey the right message; the way you speak has a great impact on how it is received by your audience. Poor grammar affects your marketing strategies and even hinders your efforts to strengthen your relationship with your. By using the right words; you are able to get better responses from your audience.
(iii) You become an authority figure; this happens when you are able to give detailed information about your products or services through proper sentences. If you use poor grammar, people won’t take you seriously because it will indicate that you are guessing and do not know much
about your niche. Therefore strive to impress the audience from the start and earn their loyalty.
Cynthia Dare
Research Assistant
For: Institute of Attitudinal Change Managers
Website: www.iacmng.org
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