As the graph shows, the average politician’s speech making declined from an 11.5 grade level at its peak in 2002 to 10.5 at its lowest point in 2011; Republicans went from 11.6 to 10.3; and Democrats went from 11.4 to 10.6. Each group’s average has risen a bit since 2011.

The analysis uses the objective Flesch-Kincaid test, which considers two factors: length of words and length of sentences. The longer the words and sentences, the higher the grade level. It does not take into account clarity or accuracy. Thus, a speech could be ranked at a high grade level and still be convoluted or erroneous—but on the other hand, so could a speech ranked at a low level.

Despite those issues, I find the data fascinating. Is it coincidence that when our country was most united—after the September 11 tragedies—political speech making reflected that unity? Did the shift in 2007 when Democrats took the lead have to do with conservatives’ criticism of then-candidate Obama’s “elitist” ways? Perhaps they unconsciously (or consciously) tried to distance themselves from him with the language they used in their speeches. And what’s the cause of the across-the-board rise in 2012? I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, but they’re interesting to speculate about.

As thought-provoking as those questions are, however, we nitpickers are most interested in what this means about communication. Should we, as citizens, worry that our politicians are speaking with less and less sophistication? Do we want the kind of political leaders that produced the Constitution, which was written at a 17.8 grade level? Or should we celebrate the fact that these politicians are now speaking in a way more reflective of the populace, which averages between an 8^th and 9^th grade level? Or should we bemoan the fact that they’re still speaking over the average American’s head? We can’t wait to hear your opinions.

Please elaborate on your answer in the Comments section.

[Image Source: NPR]

This Groucho Marx quote is a good example: “I never forget a face, but in your case I make an exception.” Of course, if someone said that to me or about someone I cared for, I wouldn’t think it was funny at all. As a quote about someone I’ll never know, it made me chuckle.

Even though I can laugh at a bit of snarkiness every now and then, I maintain that it has no place at work. Unlike other “work-inappropriate” language, snark seems to sneak into the workplace more and more. Take these examples that I’ve seen in actual offices:

I’m betting most people who display signs like those in their workspaces do so because they think they’re funny, not because they’re trying to be mean or rude. They are sort of funny, but the messages they send are not conducive to teamwork or a healthy work environment, and that overrides the signs’ wittiness. Think about the subtext they suggest to new co-workers—or anyone else who isn’t familiar with your sense of humor:

• “I don’t care about your difficulties.”

• “I blame you when something goes wrong.”

• “I talk about people behind their backs.”

• “I can’t stand some of the people I work with … possibly including you.”

• “I consider you a nuisance.”

• And most importantly: “I do not respect you.”

If you are a team player and want to be seen as one, don’t undermine that with snarky office signs. Just realized you need to replace your office decor? Check out our snark-free “Workplace Humor” Pinterest board. It’s funny without being mean or unprofessional. I promise!

What other snarky messages have you seen displayed in workplaces?

[Image Sources:  1 | 2 | 3 ]

Have you ever received a report or an email from a co-worker that is full of mistakes? Sometimes it seems like the person didn’t learn basic grammar in school, but is that even possible?

Unfortunately, it is entirely possible. I can’t speak for all school systems, but I do know that grammar instruction was removed from the curriculum of the northern Virginia school I attended as a child. Geography was too. The idea was that we’d learn those subjects through our other studies.

Did it work? I don’t think so. I went to public school for third and fourth grades, transferred to private school for fifth through eighth, and returned to the public school system for high school. In private school, I received a good amount of grammar instruction, learned the basics—the parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, what makes a complete sentence—and even diagrammed sentences.

When I returned to public school, it was clear to me that my peers hadn’t received the same training. In English class, many couldn’t identify subjects of sentences, differentiate between adjectives and adverbs, or recognize run-ons and fragments. Teachers were frustrated, but they didn’t offer “back to the basics” lessons in their classrooms. They did their best to correct errors in students’ papers, but they rarely took the time to teach the rules to the whole class.

When I went on to attend college at the University of Virginia, I found that there too  many of my peers lacked an understanding of basic grammar rules, and my English professors certainly didn’t teach any.

What’s more, the students in my master’s teaching program weren’t any better off, and they were the people about to be certified to teach middle and high school English. I remember one of the girls in my program announcing that the summer before we began student teaching she was going to teach herself grammar: “I’ve always felt like I should know what an adjective is, so this summer I’m going to learn it—all of it.”

Surprised, I asked “You don’t know what an adjective is?” Her answer stuck with me: “No. I’ve never had to. I was never tested on it, and I read a lot, so I was a decent writer. I didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Maybe if I’d made mistakes a teacher might have felt the need to explain the parts of speech, but that just didn’t happen.”

When I started teaching, I discovered that things hadn’t changed. My ninth graders hadn’t received much grammar instruction in middle school. They were just like my own ninth grade peers. Even in my advanced classes, the majority of students couldn’t identify any parts of speech besides verbs. Beyond those, it was just a wild guessing game. I did my best, but most of my students left my classroom with a shaky foundation in grammar at best.

My point is that you may have some very bright people working at your organization who simply didn’t receive grammar instruction. For others, it’s a case of “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” and they’ve long forgotten grammar basics taught to them in school. Still, for others, it just doesn’t matter. Few careers require you to know the parts of a sentence, and people feel that as long as the message is understood, a misplaced comma isn’t a big deal. Here at Nitpickers’ Nook, we believe in following grammar basics, but ultimately, we believe that clarity and conciseness are the top priorities whenever you communicate.

So, while we would never suggest that you lower your standards, we hope you will show those people lacking grammar skills some empathy … and, of course, a good grammar guide.

How important do you think grammar is in today’s workplaces?

[Image Source: Grammar Time Blog]

After four days of agonizing over a complicated project, working extra hours to complete it on time, my friend finally finished the file and sent it to the head of the division (her boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.) In response she received a one-word reply: “Thanks.”

She was demoralized.

As she told me the story, I noted a key detail: The executive was traveling. “I’ll bet he saw your email on his smartphone and just sent a quick reply to let you know that he received it,” I assured her.

A few days later she received feedback through her boss that made all the difference. The top executives who saw her work thought it was “Awesome.” That one word made her proud and excited about the work she had done.

The gap between what you intend your message to convey and how the recipient interprets it can be huge. Take time before you hit Send on your next email to make sure you are delivering the right message. A few more words could avoid confusion or make someone’s day.

Learning how the way you communicate affects others is just the first topic in the two-day, jam-packed Ultimate Communicator Training Camp. Don’t miss this live event in a city near you!

“Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist who couldn’t explain to an 8-year-old what he was doing was a charlatan.”

—Kurt Vonnegut in Cat’s Cradle

I have a couple of brilliant family members who have very impressive jobs, but frankly, no one in the family is quite sure exactly what their work involves. They are successes at their jobs but failures at communicating their work to outsiders.

I don’t think that being an editor is complicated, but my own mother never quite understood my work. When I saw a challenge last year for people to describe their work life in six words, I came up with this description: “I help people succeed at work.”

That doesn’t describe what I do as an editor and writer, but it is my ultimate goal with the blog posts, e-letters, newsletter, books, training tools and other products I work on. It’s an answer that I can elaborate on, based on the interest level and background of the person to whom I am speaking. Depending on the person’s interests, I might talk more about Communication Briefings, American Speaker or The Organized Executive.

Instead of having a standard “elevator speech,” offer a brief description of your work that will pique people’s interest. Then customize the remarks you make after that.

To be sure that new acquaintances outside your field will easily understand your work, imagine that you are talking to a family member, maybe your Nana, Uncle Lee or niece Kiki. I used that technique when I was a rookie reporter trying to figure out how to write about a complex news subject.

Recently the Center for Communicating Science issued a challenge to scientists to answer the question “What is a flame?” so that an 11-year-old could understand and be interested in the topic. The 822 entries it received included poems and cartoon videos. I’ll be fascinated to hear the winning entry in June.

How do you answer the question “What do you do?”

Have you ever been in that position? It’s an uncomfortable feeling.

The other person feels that you’re in the wrong, and you don’t. There wasn’t a miscommunication that can be worked out. There’s just a difference in opinions. Maybe the two of you follow different social conventions. Maybe you think the person is being overly sensitive. Whatever the reason, you see the situation very differently. Should you apologize then?

I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule for this. If one person is regularly pressuring you to apologize when you don’t feel like you did anything wrong, it’s possible that person is bullying you to make you feel weaker. If it’s an individual or rare occurrence, on the other hand, consider these factors:

• Is the issue worth a rift? If a co-worker whom you normally get along with mentions being offended by something that seems silly to you, it might be worth apologizing just to maintain a good relationship. Example: “It bothered me when you ate chocolate in front of me after I told you that I am trying to lose weight.” You don’t need to apologize for your behavior if you’re not sorry for it, but you can still apologize for its effect. Simply say “I’m sorry that I made it difficult for you to stick to your diet. I’ll keep that in mind in the future.”

• Are you sure that you understand the whole problem? If a co-worker’s complaint seems to have come out of left field, ask for clarification. Example: A co-worker says “It really hurt my feelings when you didn’t offer to get me something out of the vending machine.” Instead of becoming defensive or thoughtlessly apologizing, ask “Can you explain why that bothered you? I don’t understand what I did wrong.” Your co-worker might explain that normally she would never expect the offer, but she’s seen you extend it daily to everyone else. That information could help you be more empathetic to your co-worker’s feelings—even if you still don’t think you did anything wrong.

• Am I getting this a lot? If multiple people have indicated that you should apologize for things you don’t feel sorry for, reflect on whether you might be insensitive or rude to others. Maybe you were raised in a thick-skinned household and think everyone else needs to “learn to take a joke” or “toughen up,” but if you’re getting the same kinds of complaints from multiple avenues, it’s more likely that you need to be a little nicer.

What are your thoughts on apologizing when you don’t think you were in the wrong?

An easily forgotten aspect of effective workplace communication is appearance. Yes, your words and your actions should ultimately define your successes and growth within an organization, but how you project yourself can also play an important role in how superiors and clients perceive you and your work. Follow these guidelines for appropriate workplace appearance:

• Avoid dressing too casually.  Many companies offer a casual Friday dress code or the opportunity to wear jeans in exchange for a charity donation. That doesn’t mean, however, that any pair of jeans is acceptable. Keep in mind that you are still dressing for the workplace and—as that old adage says—“for the job you want.” Dark, tailored denim without holes or embellishments is your safest bet. “Jeggings” (i.e. leggings made of denim or a denim-like material) are not appropriate for work.

• Project professional image. Putting effort into your appearance can tell a lot about how you perceive yourself. A neat dresser immediately conveys the image of a polished professional. Someone with a wrinkled shirt or shaggy hair conveys sloppiness and carelessness. These images communicate to both superiors and clients what kind of work you will offer.

• Follow your clients’ dress code. Dress in accordance with clients for off-site meetings. If you know your clients will be dressed in suits, you should follow their lead. When in doubt, wear traditional business attire.

• Remember posture. It’s easy to get comfortable in the workplace and find yourself slouching in a meeting. Pay attention to how you carry your body during meetings and other workplace interactions. Your appearance is just as much about the confidence you project as the clothes you wear.

What dress-for-success advice has worked best for you?

• Go out to the ballpark, or anywhere other than your office. When you take a break from focusing on a problem, your brain will continue to work on it in the background.

• Play. Have a hobby and spend time with interesting people. Innovators often make connections between seemingly unrelated things. If the bookmarks slipping out of his choir hymnal had not frustrated Art Fry, 3M may have never found a marketable use for the low-tack adhesive Spencer Silver had invented. And we wouldn’t have Post-it notes and other products.

• Be a team member. Collaborate with your colleagues. Talk about your problems and ideas. Build on and combine each other’s thoughts.

• Keep records. Don’t rely on being able to scrawl your great idea on the back of a napkin. Always carry a way to record your thoughts. It doesn’t matter whether you choose a paper or digital method, as long as it’s always available and easy to use. Review those notes periodically, because sometimes ideas take a while to simmer.

• Meet the fans. Your customers, that is. Chemists at Procter & Gamble spent years trying to invent a better cleaning solution for mopping. But when P&G partnered with an outside firm, that company watched customers cleaning their own floors and discovered the problem was with the mop. The result: the Swiffer line of products, which is worth about half a billion dollars a year.

Finally, keep swinging. Remember, base hits can lead to the scoring run, and when you swing hard you’re likely to miss sometimes—but you also can hit a home run.

See ideas through to action with tips in the Communication Briefings E-letter.

What habits do you have for spurring your creativity?

One semester in college, I worked in a psychology lab for credit. I worked under a Ph.D. candidate who had designed a behavioral psychology experiment to test whether certain emotional activities affected people’s short-term empathy. Because I was in a teaching program at the time and was used to instructing students, she asked me to lead the experiments. My job was pretty simple: I handed out the materials and explained the instructions to the participants, sticking to a script.

After the first experiment, the Ph.D. candidate was very positive about my performance: “Yes, that was perfect! Your teacher mode is perfect for this!”

I was happy to have done well and tried to emphasize my “teacher mode” during the next experiment. Unfortunately, she wasn’t nearly as impressed that time. She told me “You weren’t as teacher-y this time. Try to get into that teacher mode you used last time.”

Inconsistencies in administering the test were a big deal because they could skew the data, so I wanted to get it right. But I was confused. I thought I’d really brought out the “teacher mode” this time, so I asked her for clarification.

“You know, you acted like a teacher. You weren’t mean, but you seemed stern and in charge.”

Well, that explained it. Our definitions of “teacher mode” were completely different. I had assumed that she meant that she liked my warmth and inviting nature—qualities that were stressed in my teaching program—but she actually was referring to attributes that were practically the opposite.

Once we got on the same page, I was able to act the way she wanted, and the rest of the semester went smoothly. But the whole issue could have been avoided if we’d spent a little time discussing that first piece of praise.

If the circumstances had been different and she hadn’t been there to observe my second experiment, I could have gone on doing the wrong thing for weeks, all the while assuming I was right on target. Think about that the next time you offhandedly praise an employee or co-worker. Follow up a vague “I like the way you handled that” with some specifics, or risk the person misinterpreting your intent.

Do you have a good miscommunication story? Share it in the Comments section!

Communication M.O.:

Energy Vampires can come in many forms—from the egomaniac who doesn’t let you get a word in edgewise to the passive aggressor who always makes you feel (unduly) guilty—but their effect is consistent: They leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted.

Working with energy vampires:

• Recognize the warning signs. Identify the people at work who regularly drain or demoralize you. Pay attention to the early physical and emotional signs (e.g. fatigue and irritability) that those people bring out in you. Once you’re aware of those signs, you can take steps to minimize the Energy Vampires’ effect on you.

• Stay calm. If you allow yourself to react negatively by becoming defensive, arguing or stewing internally, you will only further drain yourself. Instead, stay emotionally neutral. Quickly and calmly remove yourself from the situation.

• Be assertive. Learn effective ways to end conversations with Energy Vampires. When one approaches you, say “I only have two minutes to talk right now. What can I do for you?” Be honest about your needs. Say “I need my lunch break to be a time of relaxation, so I cannot get caught up in that issue right now.” Practice saying “No.”

If you’re an energy vampire:

• Pay attention to others’ behavior around you. Do the people you speak with generally walk away looking happy and energized or irritable and drained? If the latter is more common, reflect on your conversations. After each, think about what you talked about, what tone of voice you used, how you felt and how it appeared the other person felt. That will make you more self-aware in future conversations with co-workers.

• Fix what’s broken in your life. Happy people aren’t energy vampires. If your negativity is draining those around you, chances are high that there is something in your life making you depressed, angry or fearful. Spend time reflecting and journaling to identify that trigger. Then, work out a plan to fix it. As with any to-do list, make sure each item is a single task, not a whole project, otherwise your list will make you feel more overwhelmed than empowered. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. But instead of dumping your problems on your co-workers, ask for their assistance in specific ways to overcome those obstacles.

• Take responsibility for your part in every relationship. Even if you’re not sucking the life out of people around you, think about any work relationships that could be better. Perhaps you’re always in a bad mood after working with a particular co-worker. Instead of blaming that person, consider what you can do to improve that relationship. Example: Do you agonize over the thought of working with the person? That might cause you to begin each interaction in a bad mood, worsening your relationship. Try altering your own mood before your next conversation with the person, and see if your positive attitude spreads.

How do you deal with energy vampires?