Write Correctly to Be Taken Seriously (per M.J. Dowling)

Are Your Communications Hurting Your Credibility?

A while back, a friend invited me to attend a lecture. "The speaker really knows his stuff," he assured me. "Be prepared to take notes." As we entered the lecture room, I could feel excitement in the air. The topic promised to be interesting. Based on my friend's endorsement, I was predisposed to trust the speaker. But then it happened: A few minutes into his talk, the speaker said, "Me and my wife..." Immediately, my antennae went up. Almost without realizing it, I began to evaluate more skeptically the content of his talk. For another couple of minutes, I deliberately made an effort to give the presenter the benefit of the doubt. Then it happened again. He said "Him and me..." when he should have said "He and I...." From that point on, I was more interested in "taking off from the presentation" than "taking in the presentation."  Did I judge this fellow too rashly? Perhaps so, but my writing him off was largely an unconscious decision. If he wasn't knowledgeable enough to speak proper English, how could I trust his knowledge of the material?   Here's the takeaway: If you want to establish credibility with your audience and gain acceptance for your message, you must speak and write proper English. Poor grammar will sink an otherwise outstanding presentation.   Make sure your books, articles, and other written documents are free from errors. The book industry's #1 criticism of self-published books is poor grammar. Are your writing and speaking skills working for you or against you?

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