Write for Business - Blog

One Word, Many Meanings: bound

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:15:00 GMT

The word bound is another term that can have many different uses in English.

As a verb…
bound can mean

tied or wrapped (past tense of bind).
She bound her hair with a ribbon.
The nurse bound the wound tightly.
leap or bounce.
We watched the dog bound across the field.
(The past tense of bound is bounded.)

As an adjective…
bound can mean

connected or fastened.
She was bound to her ailing sister by love and by guilt.
Her long hair was bound with ribbons of red satin.
headed for a destination.
The train was Seattle bound.
very likely.
The storm was bound to hit soon.

As a noun…
bound can be

a leap or a bounce.
The victory put a bound in his step.
a limit or a boundary (used in plural form).
The action was outside the bounds of decency.

In idioms…
bound is frequently used in the following ways.

Out of bounds points to a metaphorical limit.
That line of questioning was out of bounds.
Bound up, similar to caught up, indicates preoccupation.
She was so bound up in the music that she didn't hear us arrive.

Conclusion
The more you immerse yourself in the English language, the more your writing will positively impact your readers. So take some time now and then to explore a dictionary or a thesaurus—just for fun. You're bound to enjoy it.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by Emery Way

One Word, Many Meanings: table

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:57:00 GMT

Even simple English words can have several different meanings, table being a perfect example.

As a noun…
a table might be

a piece of furniture with a flat surface supported by several legs or a pedestal, usually used for serving food or playing a game;
any flat or level geographical feature, including a plateau or the level below which water wholly saturates the ground (a water table);
an abbreviated list or an arrangement of related words or numbers in columns and rows, such as a table of contents in a book, a mathematical table displaying related data, or the periodic table of elements.

As a verb…
table is usually transitive, needing an object, and it has three separate meanings:

to postpone discussion or consideration, as in The committee will table that proposal until the research results are finalized.
to lay something on a table, as in Table your books so the staff can mop the floor.
to enter in a list or table, as in After Dr. Ian tables his data, we can compare our findings.

As an adjective…
table describes whatever may be placed on a table:

a table setting, for example, refers to a set of eating utensils for one person, and
a table cover refers to a cloth placed over a table.

In idioms…
table appears in the following phrases:

To turn the tables means "to cause a reversal that gains the advantage."
Under the table has two meanings, the first being a secret transaction, as in They made the offer under the table, and the second describing inebriation, as in He drank his competitor under the table.
On the table refers to an offer submitted for approval, as in Our proposal was on the table, awaiting the board's decision.

Conclusion
The simple word table, for its versatility, enriches the English language. What other such words can you think of?

—Joyce Becker Lee

Photo by dalbera

One Word, Many Meanings: account

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:59:00 GMT

English contains many words that are used as different parts of speech, with different meanings. One such word is account, a term that often crops up in business and elsewhere.

As a noun…
account may mean

a description, whether written or verbal: He gave an account of events that happened at the conference.
a reason for one's actions: It was on that account that she decided to sign the contract.
a financial tool, such as a checking or savings account in a bank, or a credit-card account.
importance, often used in the negative to refer to something of low value: That detail is of no account.

As a verb…
account may be transitive (needing an object) or intransitive (not needing an object).

In the transitive form, the verb account may mean

to analyze: After accounting the situation thoroughly, we will act.
to consider: You should account yourself lucky to have escaped that situation.

In the intransitive form, account is usually followed by the preposition for, and may mean

to cause: Her careful preparation accounted for much of our success.
to provide a reason: He was asked to account for his extra hours.

In idioms…
account is often used in the following ways:

The phrase on account of suggests a reason for something: On account of that embarrassing interview, I didn't get the job.
Another phrase, hold to account, suggests blame or responsibility: She will hold to account anyone who arrives late.

Conclusion
As you can see, the word account can be applied in several different ways. Use the term carefully to ensure clear business communications.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by o5com

Business Writing in the Information Age: The 2020 Workforce

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:54:00 GMT

More than half of the U.S. workforce will be independent by 2020, according to a forecast by consulting firm MBO Partners. That's 70 million people, compared to a reported 16 million today. Members of this expanding independent workforce include

people with fixed-term contracts,
freelance consultants,
people working through temp agencies,
on-call workers, and
business owners with fewer than five employees.

Nor is this increasing shift simply a matter of a depressed economy. Among those currently independent, the vast majority say they intend to stay so.

The 2020 forecast makes four further predictions:

The future workforce will reflect a "growing demand for experts and seasoned skilled workers," including people aged 55 and up, who are moving their on-the-job knowledge to independent careers.
"Independence [will be] fueled as new social communities and collaborative technologies continue to rise."
State and federal governments will respond with "increased regulation and tighter enforcement" of labor laws.
"Independent workers will require a 'passport for independence'" to carry benefits such as retirement and healthcare from project to project, employer to employer.

Seasoned Skills
Obviously, one of the "seasoned skills" mentioned is clear communication, especially given increased "social communities and collaborative technologies." Writing skills will be especially valuable. While increased bandwidth and interconnectedness will certainly improve videoconferencing, scheduling meetings won't be any easier (especially across time zones). Nor will need for textual documentation decrease.

As people use cloud computing and shared applications more extensively—working on project documents at whatever time best fits their schedule—they'll undoubtedly leave notes for one another, connecting in real time only for brainstorming or clarification. Naturally, the better the written communication, the less the need for clarification.

Implications for Individuals
Implications for individual workers are clear: Learn to communicate well, including in writing, and adapt to evolving technologies.

Implications for Businesses
Businesses will also need to prepare, of course. Beyond putting new technologies in place, they'll need to establish best practices for communicating with this independent workforce. Some of their own full-time employees may become independent contractors, so training invested in them will pay off in the long run.

As Ben Cashnocha points out in "When Talent Can Easily Find New Opportunity, How Do You Retain Talent?" by fostering employee skills—even knowing those employees may then move on—companies encourage an alumni spirit, create goodwill ambassadors, and expand their own business connections. Weigh the cost of training against these benefits, together with the reduced overhead of a smaller office, and the equation looks pretty simple.

Conclusion
This then is a glimpse at the working world of the near future. The Information Age is truly dawning. It's an era of networking and communication. Are you ready?

—Lester Smith

Photo by Ross Angus

One Word, Many Meanings: counter

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:42:00 GMT

In our increasingly interconnected world, English plays a dramatic role in business. Consequently, it pays to recognize that many English words can serve as different parts of speech, often with very different meanings. One such example is the word counter.

As a noun…
counter is commonly used in the following ways (among others):

a flat marker used in games
a long, level surface where transactions are conducted (e.g., a display counter) or where food and drink are prepared or served (as opposed to a table, which is generally lower and not as long)
a person or device that counts
a stiffener around or within the heel area of the upper part of a shoe

As a verb…
counter is typically used in one of the following ways:

to oppose (as in working against a current trend)
to defend or react (as in a debate or in the game of chess)

As an adjective, adverb, or prefix…
counter conveys negation, opposition, or reverse action, as in these examples:

The results were counter to expectations. (predicate adjective)
Jeeves acted counter to my express wishes. (adverb)
We added a counterbalance to even the scales. (prefix)

In idioms…
counter can be used to indicate the sale of nonprescription drugs (over-the-counter medications) or a secret, perhaps illegal transaction (payment under the counter).

Conclusion
For both native English speakers and for those who use English as a second language, being aware that a single word can convey many meanings is helpful—especially as we strive for clear communication within a global business community.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by Thomas Bresson

Thin Is In, for Business Writing and Presentation

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:06:00 GMT

Take a look at the Beatles in 1964, arriving in New York for their first U.S. television appearance (on the Ed Sullivan Show). Note those skinny ties and narrow jacket lapels. Now skip over the broad sweep of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s to today: Thin is back in style.

That's as true of business writing as of haberdashery. Text messaging, Twitter, and Facebook have driven us to write leaner copy. People just don't have time for lengthy messages. With its PLAIN Writing Act, even the U.S. government is driving this push for succinctness.

Happily, the shift to leanness is also making information presentation increasingly visual. Graphic elements like headings and bullet lists have become commonly accepted for highlighting key points, of course. But well-designed infographics are used more and more to make complex data digestible. Further, with increased bandwidth available, online audio and video are replacing text for quick consumption of information. (I recently repaired my washing machine, for example, after watching a home-appliance store's YouTube video.)

Given the rise of smartphones and tablet computers, this trend toward "thin" is only going to continue, especially online. Short text is helpful text. Multimedia options that help viewers quickly find what they need (as opposed to multimedia dress-up) will be rewarded with more visitors.

For a further glimpse of this slim-lined future, take a look at HTML5. It's a match made for mobile computing. The days of Flash-heavy or (heaven forbid) Flash-only sites are numbered.

If you're writing for the Web, or anyhow influencing your company's Web presence, and you're not already browsing with a mobile device, it's high time to start. It's the only way to really understand how well your site works for your visitors, or doesn't. You may also want to begin chanting this mantra: "Thin is in."

—Lester Smith

Photo by JonoMueller

As You, Like, Like It

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:41:00 GMT

"Like" is a frequently misused word nowadays. Basically, there are just two correct uses: as a preposition when presenting a comparison…

"Time creeps like a turtle."

and as a verb meaning "to have positive feelings for"…

"Bears like honey."

Often, however, "like" is misused as a conjunction, when "as" should be used instead. Consider the old cigarette advertisement that erroneously declared, "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should." While the ad campaign was memorable, the grammar was wrong. So wrong, in fact, that you can use it as a memory aid for how not to use "like."

In recent decades, "like" has also become used as a casual "filler" word in popular vernacular, especially among the young: "So we were, like, going to meet, like, at the park. But then it, like, started to rain." It is also often coupled with a form of "be" for use in place of "said": "So I was like, 'I don't believe it,' and he was like, 'It's totally true.'" Neither of these uses is acceptable for business.

That casual employment has, however, led to one possible permanent addition to "like's" repertoire. In a Vanity Fair article a couple of years ago, Christopher Hitchens quoted novelist Ian McEwan as suggesting that as an interjection, "like" creates hyperbole and emphasis, as in the statement, "It was, like, the worst movie ever." Still, we would not suggest this usage for business communication.

So why bother discussing these casual usages of "like" at all? Well, language does slowly shift and change, especially spoken language. (See our blog entry, "Not Just One but Four Grammars—And Why That's Good.") So what might be unthinkable in one context (such as a report or a formal speech) might be more acceptable in another (a casual brainstorming session, for example). Only by understanding the difference between formal rules and casual usage can we be certain to communicate effectively.

—Joyce Lee

P.S. As a fun exercise, count how many times a construction with "as" appears above. In which of them might someone mistakenly use "like"? J.L.

Photo by Paolo Camera

Concision

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

English is a language of synonyms, multiple words with similar meanings. At first, that might seem wasteful. But it allows for nuance, subtle differences that convey added meaning. And it allows for concision.

As an example, let's consider that word concision in comparison with its sibling conciseness. They're both noun forms of the adjective concise, meaning "short and to the point." But concision carries the added sound of precision. In some contexts, it might even echo incision—being direct or "cutting to the heart of the matter."

In addition, at just nine letters, concision is a better model of terseness than the eleven-lettered conciseness. What's more, concision's final syllable simply "sounds" more to the point than its sibling's.

Of course, conciseness is the more common word, which means it gets the idea across without drawing attention to itself. Most often, then, you're likely best served by conciseness. If you want to emphasize terseness, however, concision does the trick.

—Lester Smith

Photo by Creative Tools

Don't Be ASAP

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:25:00 GMT

How often do you see the abbreviation ASAP? How does it make you feel? How often do you use it yourself?

ASAP (As Soon As Possible) has been with us since 1955, originating as U.S. Army slang. Over the intervening years it has become cliché, losing what impact it might have once had. Here's a short list of why ASAP is ineffective nowadays.

It doesn't specify a delivery date. "As soon as possible" is actually a vague statement, leaving delivery to the listener's judgment. What seems a "possible" date to one person might seem very different to someone facing other circumstances.
It doesn't identify priorities. ASAP doesn't specifically mean "Do this first" or "Do this now." It could legitimately be interpreted as "Fit this into your schedule." If my other tasks seem more pressing, "as soon as possible" might actually mean "tack it onto the end."
It sets unrealistic expectations. ASAP creates a general sense of tension and unease. Even when an "ASAP" project is finished, people can't tell whether they met a milestone or missed it. And while an "ASAP" project remains uncompleted, they can only worry.
It sets a negative tone. Using ASAP is basically like saying "I need this in a hurry but can't be bothered to tell you when." It devalues the receiver and his or her time, treating that person as a servant rather than a colleague or team member.
If everything is needed ASAP, nothing is. Let's assume you have multiple tasks assigned at the same time. If they're all "top priority," that puts them all on the same level. Even if your tasks come one at a time, if every one is "ASAP," the situation becomes like "The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf.'"

So avoid using the term ASAP. Take time to actually set priorities and target dates, to praise people for meeting those goals, and to devote more resources to a task that is falling behind. That's a much more effective strategy for getting things done quickly than just demanding them "ASAP."

—Lester Smith

Photo by AfroDad

What Was She Thinking?

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:52:00 GMT

I have a friend who has a quick temper and a quicker computer. She will read something that makes her angry and dash off a quick e-mail reviling the writer, or post a scathing comment on the writer's blog. With one quick click, the message is sent on to shock the writer - frequently someone she doesn't even know. Needless to say, there have been repercussions. She has lost business and even friends, just because she doesn't take time to cool down before sending.

This is one of the great perils of our electronic age - the gut response. Now we can react to anything immediately, through e-mail, blogging, and social media such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and the rest, all promoting - nay, encouraging - instant communication with no muss…no fuss…(no brains). We have become doers in lieu of thinkers, sometimes in the worst way. And in the process, we risk embarrassing ourselves and alienating others.

When communicating with people - especially in business - we need to slow down and think a little more. Before hitting "send" on that irritated e-mail, consider the possible results. Do you want that client to believe you think he's an idiot? Probably not. Yet even the smallest negative word can carry big consequences.

Therein lies the crux of the matter: Even small words carry power. They can hurt, insult, and destroy; or they can compliment, placate, and inspire. So choose your words with great thought, and weigh them with utmost care. Let your message sit for an hour. Take a break and come back to re-read your words with a fresh mind. Only after you are certain you are sending the message you really want to convey should you click "send."

- Joyce Lee

Photo by Zinaad

Writing in Cars with Boys

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:46:00 GMT

Have you ever bought a used car?

Recently my youngest daughter asked me to look over a used car she was considering buying. The dealer's salesperson smiled and walked us over to it, saying, "Great body. Not a scratch on her." I got in, started the engine, looked over the interior - all in good shape. I got back out, opened the hood and looked at seals, hoses, and so on, then bent down to look at the tires and underbody. The wheel wells were rusted completely through. When I asked the dealer's mechanic about repairing them, he took a look and replied, "The whole underbody is rusted out. I wouldn't feel comfortable selling this car to your daughter."

Now for the other side of the picture. One of the first cars my wife and I owned was a used Buick. Mechanically, that car was wonderful. Cosmetically, it was a mess. The paint was peeling off the roof. The hood had been replaced, and its color didn't match the rest of the car. The rear bumper was falling off and had to be held up with a rope tied inside the trunk. My wife was embarrassed to be seen in the thing, but I loved it: Good on gas, dependable starter even in the coldest weather, a smooth ride, and so on.

Those two cars represent different attitudes about business writing.

Writing teachers often focus on grammar training, punctuation practice, spelling, and correct word usage, as if these were what make writing perform. But this is like paying attention to how a car looks without considering how it runs. A great paint job and leather upholstery do no good if the underbody has rusted through or the engine is broken.

Business leaders often focus on content to the exclusion of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and correct usage, arguing that the only thing that really matters is communication. But this is like driving my old junker back and forth to work. Other people really do care how your ride looks.

Having been a writing teacher, I understand that grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word usage are easiest to grade. Ideas, organization, and voice require more expertise and energy. Working in business, I also understand that communication and delivery speed are essential. Devoting time to proofreading can seem counterproductive. (And maybe we still have some slight resentment toward those teachers who marked up all our papers in school.)

The truth is, of course, that we need both. A piece of writing must be well designed and mechanically sound to communicate. It must have sound ideas, a logical organization, and an appropriate voice for its audience. But it must also look good if we are to be taken seriously. This is where editing and proofreading become important - to ensure correctness in spelling, punctuation, grammar, word choice, and sentence construction. Page design (use of headings, columns, lists, graphics, and so on) is also important, of course, to help readers quickly comprehend your message.

You can find tips about all of these things by using the search box on this site, and more in-depth information in our print publications. You might consider these your toolboxes. Here's wishing you the best on your writing journey.

- Lester Smith

Photo by Ross Griff

No Passion in the World...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:44:00 GMT

Do you often have to write for a supervisor? Or are you, perhaps, a supervisor for whom other people have to write? In either case, it's worth noting that not every textual change is a judgment of the writer's ability. Often, changes are made because of a sense of voice. And voice is something unique to each of us.

In my own work, sometimes I receive and edit text from other writers, and sometimes I have to submit my own writing to superiors. In both cases, textual changes occur. Sometimes it's a matter of correcting errors. (No one can write, edit, and proofread all at the same time. That's why publishing companies have writers, editors, and proofreaders, each focused on a different step.) But just as often, a technically correct piece may be adjusted for tone, perhaps to better match the company's voice.

Certainly it can be exasperating to pour your best work into a piece of writing and then have it changed - perhaps dramatically. We often hear from office writers worried that their jobs might be in jeopardy because of how much their text gets edited. My best advice comes from the Tao te Ching, "Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity." Do your best. Let it go. Fretting never makes things better. Calm - on the other hand - definitely does.

For supervisors reviewing other people's writing, I'd point out again the H.G. Wells quotation above. It hangs above my own desk as a reminder not to change things just for the sake of change. If you do make changes to a draft, be aware of how it reflects upon the writer who submitted it. If the changes are to correct errors, make sure the original writer understands those errors, to avoid them in the future. (This may mean firming up your own understanding of the grammar or punctuation rule involved. I work full time in publishing and frequently have to look things up again.) If you can't explain why a change is being made, ask yourself whether it's really necessary.

I suspect that's what H.G. Wells would ask about my red pen marks above.

- Lester Smith

A Contest Can Make Your Business a Winner

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:39:00 GMT

Looking for a creative way to drive traffic to your Web site, maybe introduce your product to new customers? Of course you are. One idea might be a contest or sweepstakes, offering the chance to open your product to new markets.

The advantages of having a contest are many, including driving people to your Web site where they will learn more about your company. Most contest entries require an e-mail signup as well, giving you an expanded list for marketing purposes. A contest also humanizes a company and can lend it the rosy glow of being fun. It establishes your brand and gives you a wider audience.

To prepare, consider the type of contest you are running, and the prizes being offered. Your contest should be related to your product, of course. For example, if you manufacture vacuum cleaners, your main prize might be cleaning related and might be anything from your top-of-the-line vacuum to a month of cleaning service. Naturally, your budget will determine the size of the prize, and your company's purpose will determine the audience. If you run a family theme park, for instance, your prize should be family oriented, but if you are a prestige liquor distributor, your prize would be geared more toward adults.

Next, write the text to announce the contest on your Web site. This shouldn't be just an explanation of the rules. Use it as a chance to project your company's personality. A contest or sweepstakes should be exciting and fun! Your Web copy should capture that excitement, while also providing the essential facts about how to sign up.

Follow that friendly information with any legal requirements and contest rules, such as requiring winners to participate in advertisements. You'll want to establish those rules before you post the contest, so that there isn't any confusion later on. Fortunately, the Web is full of contest examples both good and not so good, so that you can best prepare your own text. Oh, and check with your IT people to make sure your system is set up to receive the responses and the increased traffic.

Remember, too, that a main purpose of having a contest is to spread your brand awareness and draw more people to your site. So make sure the rest of your site is inviting, that menus and text links make visitors want to explore and learn more after they've submitted their contest entries. In effect, your contest is a Welcome mat, but your true goal is to show visitors around the rest of your home. If you need to do a bit of "housekeeping" to prepare your site before launching the contest, that's time well spent.

Finally, when you do launch your contest, keep the duration short, or people will forget about it or lose interest. Announce all winners and make sure the prizes are delivered in a timely fashion. Generally it's better to run several small contests at intervals than to attempt one long one—even with a bigger prize.

Here's hoping your contest goes well. Let us know!

—Joyce Lee

Photo by jma.work

Power to the Pointer

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:17:00 GMT

The first time I created a PowerPoint presentation, I went a little crazy. I overdid all those neat little bells and whistles - animations, colors, patterns, sounds - so my presentation ended up like a carnival midway.

And my message was lost in the tumult.

Learn from my mistake. When preparing a PowerPoint presentation, don't get all caught up in the technology. Animations and such are great, but only if they serve a purpose.

Now you might ask yourself, so what's the attraction of features like animation anyway? Think about a time you sat through a long, boring lecture that was nothing but a single speaker reading from notes. Do you remember anything from that presentation? Chances are your brain shut off from monotony. Now imagine if the same speech had been presented in colorful bites with movement that woke up your brain. The benefits of a colorful, zesty presentation include grabbing and holding audience attention and connecting main points to visuals so that they can be remembered.

The trick is to not go overboard and dazzle your audience with so many pyrotechnics that they lose the point of your presentation. Choose interesting but subdued backgrounds for your slides. Make your transitions practical and cohesive, allowing them to signal a wake-up without getting the listener off track. And most important, follow the standard pattern of a good speech: "Tell them what you're going to tell them; then tell them; then tell them what you told them." Using attractive, muted colors, start with a quick overview; give your main points and supporting details; and then wrap it all up with a crisp and efficient listing of your main points.

That's it. When it comes to PowerPoint, opt for interesting instead of dazzling, and let your message show through.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Oh Those Meetings...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:53:00 GMT

I recently sat in on a meeting the made my eyes droop and my toes curl. The purpose of the meeting was clear—it was the regular assembly of a civic organization with established goals—yet it dragged on, veering from topic to topic and back again. One member was consistently breaking into the discussion with information, relevant or not, and what could have been a one-hour meeting was doubled.

This isn't an isolated incident, of course. All too often meetings fall prey to the random commentator, eating into the other attendees' time (even extending their workday). However, when calling or chairing a meeting, there are a few things you can do to avoid it crumbling into a disorganized, inefficient mess.

First, decide on a clear purpose for the meeting. This might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many meetings wander into nether regions, failing to work toward specific outcomes. Decide what actions should come out of the meeting for each subject, and don't let a topic go by unresolved. Focus on those outcomes, and you can steer rambling speakers back on track.

Next, prepare an agenda. This includes a listing of each topic to be discussed, from most to least important (the way a news story is written). This ensures that should the meeting have to break up early, you will at least have covered the essentials. If possible, distribute the agenda to attendees well before the meeting, and allow them to suggest additions to be added where appropriate. A clear agenda, reviewed beforehand, will help to focus attention item by item, preventing disruption by off-topic comments.

At the beginning of the meeting, set a time limit on discussion per topic. This can help to keep the more talkative from rambling on. You might even bring a timer to help the group stick to that limit. By the way, this is also a good idea for any speakers invited—let them know beforehand that you would like them to work within a specific time frame. With this done, stick to the schedule as closely as possible. The participants will thank you.

For a regular meeting of an ongoing civic, charitable, or non-profit organization, you might consider adding the topics “old business” and “new business” at the end, allowing participants to bring up their topics in an orderly fashion. Otherwise, you'll find random topics thrown in throughout the meeting. This way, you can simply defer non-relevant discussions until you get through your main business.

Finally, and most importantly, if you are in charge of the meeting, Take Charge. Tactfully steer non sequiturs and off-topic comments back to the subject being discussed. That is the true role of a meeting chairperson—the ability to keep things on track.

If you have further questions on how to run a meeting, you can't do wrong by referring to Robert's Rules of Order, the quintessential reference for any meeting. Although developed in 1876 by Brigadier General Henry Martyn Robert, who was disgusted with the lack of order in military and governmental meetings, it is still excellent and has been revised to reflect modern meeting practices. You can check the official site, www.robertsrules.org, for some basics.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by Brett Jordan