Image Source: Flickr. Crystal Ball/Hands/Person.

Personal mission statements are a way to begin answering those questions. Personal mission statements help us tell others about who we are, clarify goals and chart a course of action (at least for now!).

Do You Know These Corporate Mission Statements?

Corporations use mission statements all the time.  Mission statements are one way businesses can separate themselves as unique.

Here are some mission statements for some very familiar businesses:

To refresh the world...

To inspire moments of optimism and happiness...

To create value and make a difference

To bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy people's desires and needs.

When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. 

It's about enjoyment at the speed of life - sometimes slow and savored, sometimes faster. 

Always full of humanity.

How Do I Write My Own Mission Statement?

What does it mean to write a personal mission statement?  According to Ronald S. Hanson in The Five Step Plan for Creating Personal Mission Statements:

"Writing a personal mission statement offers the opportunity to establish what's important and perhaps make a decision to stick to it before we even start a career."

Steven Covey (in First Things First) refers to developing a mission statement as "connecting with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction that comes from fulfilling it."

We can ask ourselves: What is my unique purpose?  What kind of person do I want to be?  What kind of "personal brand" would I like to create for myself?  What am I good at?  What makes me different?

When I am old, what do I want people to say about me?

Personal mission statements are less about the things we want to do, and more about the kind of person we want to be.

Think Different.  Be Different.

Sometimes when we write personal mission statements we veer too close to cliche.  Cliches are those statements that people repeat over and over, causing them to lose any real meaning.

Plus, cliches are boring and unimaginative.  Here are some common cliches:

I want to be happy.

I want to make a difference.

I love people.

I want to be a leader.

I value family and friends.

I want to live life to the fullest.

How do we avoid cliches? By being very specific.  By thinking hard about what is really different about ourselves.  And by writing with flair.

Image Source: Flickr. Morning Cigarette.

Heather Holleman, Ph.D, is a successful author, blogger and Penn State writing instructor.  Here is what she says is the key to successful writing - writing with flair. 

Five Ways to Write with Flair

By Heather Holleman, Ph.D.

Most of us will have thousands of occasions for writing in the next year: emails, text messages, resumes, blog entries, cover letters, articles, love letters, essays, reports, memos, or our next big novel. How do we make our writing interesting to our audience? With flair!

It's easy. I know 5 tricks. Ready?

1. Choose a verb with flair. Eliminate feeble verbs (am, is, are, was, were, has, have, had, seems, appear, exists). These verbs don't show anything happening. Use exciting verbs. I love verbs like grapple and fritter. Grapple with strong verbs to fritter away the feeble ones.

2. Toggle between the Big 5 punctuation marks: When you want to create complexity and voice in your writing, try using the Big 5: semicolon, colon, dash, parentheses, comma.

Here's how:

• To highlight a part of your sentence--like this one--use dashes. Dashes shout. On the other hand, if you want to whisper and share a secret with an audience (like this one), use parentheses. Parentheses whisper.

• Semicolons confuse most; they unite full sentences that belong together because the second sentence explains or amplifies the first.

• Commas help the reader along by following introductory clauses, or they combine two sentences when you want to use a conjunction like and, but, for, or, nor, so (commas can be really hard unless you had grammar instruction as a kid).

• Finally, the colon designates that a list or definition will follow. So the Big 5 include: semicolon, colon, dash, parentheses, comma.

Do you feel smart?

3. Vary the length of your sentences and change the way they start to create rhythm. See sample paragraph above.

4. Garnish your paragraph with some clever wordplay if you can. Common cleverness in writing includes: puns, repeated first words, self-answering questions, understatement, just being funny, just being YOU. However, avoid overused expressions and clichés.

5. Engage your audience. Establish rapport by talking to them. Are you wondering how this works? Just notice them in your writing (like I just did). Make it obvious that you are talking to people.

Try these simple things to create some flair in your writing today. Enjoy some written flair.

• PSU Copyright Perspectives.  A comprehensive site for information on copyright, fair use, public domain and more.  This site even has a page where current copyright issues are in the news.
• Media Commons Free Media Library.  Images, music and video you can use for free.
• Dan Hickey's Free Media and Copyright Handout.doc.  More free stuff, plus how to download, document, etc.

                                                                                                                       Image Source: Flickr. GirlieMac.

As some of us have learned already, Angel has fairly restrictive size limitations for uploaded files.  Since our Technical Definition and Description documents are image-heavy (and should be), some of us are bumping into those limits.

If Angel tells you your Technical Definition and Description is too large, try any or all of the following:

• Convert pictures to JPGs.
• Compress pictures in Word.  On a PC, this is as simple as right-clicking the image, clicking Format Pictures, then Compress.  If you know how to do this on a Mac, please comment below.
• Save entire document as a PDF.  I can't comment on PDFs, but you can always bring your document to me for verbal comment. 
• Upload your document to Dropbox.com, then post a link in the Angel dropbox.  This tool is the best (free) large-file uploader I have found.  Again, if you know of a better one, please comment.

If at all possible, please do not email assignments to me.  The Angel dropbox works best for grading.

                                                                                               Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

As useful and necessary as graphics are, it is not enough to just plop them into a document.  Here are the steps you must take to correctly incorporate a graphic into your work.

Step 1: Label, number and title every graphic.  In technical writing, all graphics are either Tables or Figures.  Use Tables for tables (duh) and use Figures for everything else. The graphics should be numbered according to when they appear in your document (Figure 1, Figure 2 - or Table 1, 2 etc.).  Also, every graphic should have an informative title that helps the reader understand the content. 

Step 2: Place the graphic in the right spot.  Usually, this means as close as possible to the text that refers to it.  If the graphic is not directly relevant, or if the graphic is so large that it interrupts the flow of your document, place it in the appendix (and reference it in the text).

Step 3: Introduce and explain every graphic.  Don't force your reader to do the interpretive work - explain what your graphic is doing and what the content means.  Use legends, arrows, captions - anything that will help your reader understand.  Also reference every graphic in the text - either before the graphic appears or, if you are wrapping text, next to the graphic.  Avoid referencing a graphic for the first time after the graphic has already appeared.

Step 4: Document your graphics.  If you didn't create the graphic yourself (and your company doesn't already own it), be sure cite the source.  If you are publishing your work and the graphic is protected by copyright, you will have to get permission and possibly pay a fee.  Most style guides recommend you cite the source in both a references section and in the caption of the graphic itself.   

Step 4: Make your graphic stand out.  Most graphics stand out anyway, but consider adding rules or boxes or additional spaces to distinguish your graphic from the text.  If you are writing a document with several types of graphics, consider using colored screens or filters to separate the, say, marginal glosses from the charts and graphs.

Step 5:  Make it easy to find your graphics.  If your document includes 4 or more graphics, include a list of illustrations just after your table of contents. 

See the  2011 Credit Suisse Report on Global Wealth.pdf which illustrates almost perfectly how to incorporate charts and graphs.  It also includes some pretty awesome visuals.

There are a couple of things this report does that we try to avoid, like right-justification and indented paragraphs.  These "infractions" probably occurred because the document was likely published in print format.  

I also noticed that, once, a visual was introduced after the visual occurred - a no-no, most of the time.  Of course, this also illustrates the importance of referring to visuals by their labels - saying "See Figure 1" instead of "See figure below" - because sometimes we are just at the mercy of publishing and layout restrictions.

Graphing in "Right Place Right Time" - How I Met Your Mother

Marshall Loves Data Visualizations. 

And who can blame him? 

Studies repeatedly point to the importance of data visualization in helping us understand and remember information.  Think of your own experience - have you ever tried to understand a difficult concept without the use of a visual?  Have there been times when a visual was essential to your understanding of the information? 

Can you think of an instance where you remembered a concept or idea because of the visual that accompanied it?

Not only does data visualization aid in understanding and remembering, but most of us just like visuals over text alone - kind of like Marshall.

The Power of the Visual

Check out this short video by Column Five on the power of data visualization.  It shows how simple techniques, like the use of color, orientation and animation can make data pop.

The Value of Data Visualization from Column Five on Vimeo.

You may not have thought much about typography before, but consider how fonts can carry certain connotations that can help reinforce (or contradict) your visual argument.

And yes, you are making visual arguments, even if your text doesn't technically include a "visual."

Font Attitude

Fonts have "personalities."  These personalities can help reinforce the message you are sending.

Font choices can help increase your ethos as a professional, serious student, or as a fun-loving artsy type, depending on the image you want to project.

Font choices can also increase the ethos of the technical document you are writing.  Font choices should be considered along with all the other discourse choices you make, like organization, design, color, etc., according to your audience and purpose.

The Sinister Side

But beware: font personalities that are incongruous with your message can obscure your message and destroy your ethos. 

Some fonts, regardless of the context, have developed bad reputations.  Comic Sans, for instance, seems to consistently appear on many worst fonts lists.

College Humor has produces a couple of videos that illustrate the personalities that come with some fonts: 

                                                                                                                              Photo: Flickr. oops?

Have you ever made a mistake in a job interview?  Said something you wish you could take back?  Answered a question, well, wrong? 

Oops!

Happens all the time.  But, according to Beth Braccio Hering, there are things you can do to recover from embarrassing mistakes, including apologizing and avoiding the deer-in-the-headlights paralysis that can happen when you've said the wrong thing.  

But what if you don't realize the mistake till after the interview is over?  That's when she says you can use your thank you or follow-up message.  If the mistake is fairly serious (no need to bring up a minor mistake that the interviewer may have missed anyway) you can try to correct the error - but use positive language.  There's no need to simply remind your interviewer of the problem.

Adding Value

Of course, the best thank yous are ones where you don't have to apologize.  Thank you messages should be timely (within 48 hours) and polite - and should be sent even for interviews that may not have gone so well.  According to Don Straits, CEO and Dragonslayer of Corporate Warriors, the BEST thank you messages are also value-added:  that is, they add something unique to the conversation, expanding on a topic that was mentioned during the interview.  

Value-added thank yous are the way to go.  But if you find yourself in a situation where you want to salvage an interview after it's over, consider thanking the interviewer and correcting the mistake at the same time. 

There are no guarantees when it comes to interviewing and followup messages, but leaving a positive impression is always a good idea.  

Here is an opportunity to get some Professional Blogging comment credit.  Read on:

LOL

According to an article published by Business Insider, a super-ambitious summer analyst applicant has some of the biggest names on Wall Street in stitches.  And not in a good way.

In his cover letter to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he wrote (in part):

"I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement. I have always felt that my time should be spent wisely, so I continuously challenge myself ... I decided to redouble my effort by placing out of two classes, taking two honors classes, and holding two part-time jobs. That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups."

A Challenge

The hiring director sent the cover letter to Morgan Stanley, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and more.  He offered to buy drinks for "the first analyst to concisely summarize everything that is wrong with" the note.

I'm willing to offer PRB comment credit for the same.  Click here to see the entire cover letter.  On your mark, get set, GO!

Thanks to Sidra Maryam who brought the article to my attention.

Image Source: Flickr. by Ahd Photography

                                                                                                                                  Photo: Flickr. Aphrodite.

Or, "How to get someone to read my work when they may not want to."

As you write your blog entries and consider new text for your e-portfolio, keep these facts in mind. 

 People don't like to read entire documents on the Internet.
 Wonder why?  Most of the time, we use the Internet for bits of information or entertainment.   If we can't find that information quickly and easily, we move on.   There's so much more there.

Medium over Message?
Make the appearance of your entries as interesting and inviting as the content of your entries.  In fact, how your e-portfolio looks may be more important, at least initially, than what you have to say. 

Think about it.  If you are reading on the Internet, and are faced with a text that is one long paragraph, in a hard-to-read font, how much time will you spend trying to decipher what it says? Thought so.

So How Do I Get People to Read My Stuff? 
Here's how you make your entries inviting and increase the chance others will read them:

Keep Paragraphs Short.
For your blog entries, 25-35 words should do it.  For additional impact, use a one sentence paragraph every now and then.  As more and more people use the Internet for work and other purposes, paragraphs are getting longer but keeping them short is still a good general rule.

Use Headings, Bullets, Boldings.
Headings are wonderful things.  They break up text and signal a hierarchy of information, which will increase readability for your readers.   But they ALSO help YOU, as a writer, because they facilitate a logical organization of your text.

Take Advantage of the Medium
Link out to sources instead of adding information.  This allows readers to choose what they are interested in and also builds trust, portraying you as someone who has done your research

And don't forget your visuals!  The Internet is a very visual medium.  Plus people like pictures!  Include pix, charts, graphs and videos.

Make Big Points First

Think "upside-down triangle."  State answers before questions, summary before details, conclusions before discussion.  This is also called the "direct approach," and it works very well with online blog writing.  

"It's Just You and Me, Kid"
Talk to your reader.  Use you and we to form a connection.  No need to get too formal here.

Check out this article by CopyBlogger on the Art of the Paragraph.  It not only gives some excellent information on how to write rockin' paragraphs (ones that people will want to read) it also models all the information mentioned here about how to write for the Internet:  Writing for the Internet.doc

We want to make sure that students and instructors using our technology (from free sites like Exercise Central to e-books like Mike Markel's Technical Communication) have a good experience... please feel free to call or e-mail me if there are any questions or issues. 

Of course the first place to call  if there are technical problems is our tech support group (see below). It's best to call rather than e-mail, if you are trying to reach them during the hours noted below.  

Tech Support

If you have any questions about registering, purchasing, logging in or using our technological supplements, call toll free 1-800-936-6899 . Hours are from 9:00 AM - 3:00 AM Monday-Thursday, Friday 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Saturday 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM and Sunday 11:30 AM - 11:00 PM EST, or email us at techsupport@bfwpub.com

Here is where I will post announcements and updates.  I  will also occasionally write blog entries on subjects that are important to our class.  

Sometimes I write "lesson" blogs on topics that will help us with our coursework. 

And sometimes I post blogs on stuff that's happening in the world, especially if it relates to what we talk about in class.   

Please, feel free to comment on anything I post.  Some comments may count toward your PRB assignment (I'll let you know which ones.).     

I'm looking forward to working with you!