It seems like now-a-days, even in school; kids aren’t as proficient as they should be on the subject of writing and grammar. I know from personal experience with my son. We too, often don’t remember many of the basic rules we were taught in school. In this age of technology, it is easy to rely on the spelling and grammar checking functions of our favorite word processing program to correct our spelling and punctuation errors. I am keen on the use of technology and all the exciting possibilities that exist since its emergence. However, I think we owe it to ourselves to understand the fundamentals and keep our minds engaged in the process rather than relying on technology to remember the rules for us.

One of the best ways to preserve your fundamental writing skills and to develop essential new expertise is by writing everyday. You will be hard pressed to find a professional writer who doesn’t write everyday. That’s not just because they do it for enjoyment or profit, but because they know the only way to continually improve is to practice. They sharpen their skills practicing and perfecting their craft. The old saying “practice makes perfect” is apropos, but I like to say “practice makes permanent” since nothing is really ever perfect.

Another way to sharpen your writing skills is to read. Read a lot. Absorb how great writers compose their words and dramatically construct their sentences and paragraphs, tying everything together with vivid descriptions and details. Reading will not only help you with your writing, it will also build upon your proverbial lingua franca. I derive great pleasure in learning new words and reading enables me to do just that. If I don’t know what something means, I look it up. The broader your knowledge of language becomes the more vibrant and alive your writing will be. And, as a complementary benefit, you will also develop a more expressive and verbally persuasive communicative style.

Lastly, embracing the process is fundamental to good writing. A step that is frequently skipped is the time you take to plan, outline, and organize your thoughts. Writing is rewriting. It is understood that seldom, if ever, will there be a time when you create a masterpiece on your first attempt. It is a work in progress and will require modification and fine-tuning. It is rare that a first draft is a finished high-quality product. Even great inspiration will likely require revision and refinement.

Here are just a few simple, easy to follow rules you can begin applying to your writing today. There are many, many more. These are a just a few of the common rules I frequently see broken.

• Use concrete, rather than vague language:
  Vague: The weather was of a merciless nature on the east coast.
  Concrete: New Jersey was bitterly cold last week.
• Use active voice whenever possible:
  Passive: A home run was hit.
  Active: John hit a home run.
• Avoid overusing common words like it, is, there is, there are, it was, that:
  Example: There is a case of tuberculosis that was reported in the newspaper.
  Good: A case of tuberculosis was reported in the newspaper.
  Better: The newspaper reported a case of tuberculosis.

  Example: It is important to signal before making a left turn.
  Good: Signaling before making a left turn is important.
  Good: Signaling before a left turn is important.
  Active: You should signal before making a left turn.
  (Again, use active voice whenever possible)

• Don’t use two negatives to make a positive unless you want to confuse your reader:
  Example: He is not unwilling to help.
  Correct: He is willing to help.
• Avoid the dangling modifier (A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept):
  Example: While jogging in a rainstorm, the lightening stuck her.
  Correct: While jogging in a rainstorm, she was stuck by lightening.
  Or: She was stuck by lightening while jogging in a rainstorm.

Once you master the basics, you can begin changing the rules and developing a style all your own. Who knows, you may discover you have a hidden talent comparable to the likes of Mark Twain, Stephen King, Jonathan Swift, Robert Frost, Spinoza, Thomas Paine, Jane Austen or any one of your personal favorites.

“You can change. You can live out of your imagination instead of your memory. You can tie yourself to your limitless potential instead of your limiting past.”
— Stephen R. Covey

That statement is profoundly enlightening and authenticates my own fundamental belief that you are the one responsible for making a choice, a commitment to any personal or professional accomplishment you desire to achieve in life. These are words apropos to not only personal success, but also to success in business. We all possess limitless potential or that “master aptitude” defined by Daniel Goleman in my article “Emotional Intelligence, How Do You Measure.” What we don’t all possess is the motivation or commitment to developing those abilities that are affected by that aptitude. Or do we?

We center on that which we are comfortable and familiar. We focus on what we have already carved out for ourselves from our past, what we’ve learned from our parents, our schools, our friends, our society, and numerous other influences, both positive and negative and then wonder why we achieve a result short of what was expected. We miss the mark, or we never even start aiming for it because it’s too hard or too frightening.

Fact of the matter is we must be willing to unlearn some of our history and be open to new learning and imaginative landmark ways of thinking and meticulous self exploration. Again, it all comes down to a personal choice, our own choice, no one else’s and not because of anyone else.

I started this site to nourish my passion for writing, but as I have been thoughtfully evaluating my own commitments, I find that the track is very much aimed at one for personal growth and development and how it applies to success, be it through improving your writing or to understanding your own strengths and weaknesses through scrupulous self evaluation.

This site is about writing. But it is also about improving an existing ability or aptitude you already possess, and that segues into growth and development and to the rationale I use to write about more than just writing. The written word brings the promise of commitment. When we put something to writing, we are committing to it. We are giving our assurance that you can depend upon what’s being said.

I am committed to provide more than just topics within the writing niche. Writing is one thing; writing better is a commitment to change, to grow, to learn, and to think and learn in new ways as you travel down the path of self discovery. Thoughts, choices, commitment, knowledge, development, transformation, thinking and feeling, these are measureable well defined characteristics of a healthy soul, they are there for all of us to choose, to seek at spectrometric levels outside our own characterization of ourselves.

You may never really have thought about it before but the soft skills you have developed throughout your life are an essential element to most any employment you seek. In his book Working With Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman suggests that it is not your intellect, experience or skills that make you successful; rather, it is your emotional intelligence – how well you can “read” other people’s emotions and feelings in the workplace.

“Emotional Intelligence is a master aptitude, a capacity that profoundly affects all other abilities, either facilitating or interfering with them.”
–Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, p. 80.

The term Emotional Intelligence encompasses five core characteristics and abilities that everyone possesses to some extent. Just as the ability exists to measure someone’s Intellect or Intelligence Quotient (IQ), there is the ability to measure a persons Emotional Intelligence (EIQ) or as Daniel Goleman refers to it above “master aptitude.”

Self-awareness–knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them.
Mood management–handling feelings so they’re relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately.
Self-motivation–”gathering up” your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness.
Empathy–recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues.
Managing relationships–handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations.

Your emotional intelligence (EIQ) or “soft skills” have become increasingly more important in our ever changing and fiercely competitive industrial world. More and more businesses realize their employees need to be well versed in both relating to their customer base as well as their co-workers and peers. From showing a keen sense of perspective and optimism, to extreme self-awareness and understanding for what is happening all around them.

One of the best indicators of a strong emotional intelligence is the ability to work within a team environment. But bear in mind, being a good team environmentalist involves more than bearing your share of the workload; it also necessitates being a leader when necessary and recognizing when to do so; knowing when to share your opinions and ideas or when to defer to others; and understanding how to stay on track to achieve the best possible results while minimizing conflict and tension. As with any ability, there is a broad spectrum or range. Understanding where you fit within that master capacity is a good way to develop and enhance it.

Two more important gauges of an above average emotional intelligence are communication skills. No matter how many wrinkles you have in your brain or how high your IQ sores, you are quite likely to go unnoticed if you cannot effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas to others. This is why so many job listings seek candidates with strong communication skills, especially in public speaking. Employers seek job candidates who are not going to lie down and curl up into the fetal position every time they are required to speak out loud.

A few more characteristics of EIQ include being flexible and adaptable. Often, you may be required to collaborate with individuals who possess a completely different knowledge base or tangential perceptive than that of your own. Flexibility promotes creativity and innovation and is what keeps businesses and organizations successful as they navigate tumultuous business cycles and changes in technology and industry. Having employees who are flexible, adaptable, and creative keep them on the cutting edge of business and opportunity.

Do you know your own EIQ? The internet is a great place to set out to learn your EIQ or validate what you think you already know about yourself. You can go to Google and find numerous articles and links to information, resources, and EIQ tests. Go on, give it a try and see how you measure up.

I bought three books tonight, first a book by John C. Maxwell, titled “Talent Is Never Enough” – Discover The Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent. Second, “Gung Ho!” – Turn On The People In Any Organization by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. And third, “The Power of Experience” by numerous writers over the age of 50 on the “Quest for a Lifetime of Meaning.”

All are the embodiment of so many of the beliefs and philosophies I frequently read on popular Blogs all over the Internet. They all convey the same “principles” only in their own uniqueness, which make all of them inspiring reads. But what’s even more fascinating to me is how so many people buy these books, understand their meanings and the practicality of application to their own lives but continue to fall into the same old mindsets and habits they have consistently been entrapped by. Why do we repeatedly know what to do when we comprehend the simplistic ideals laid out in black and white in these books, but after a day, a week, or a month seemingly forget about everything we just read?

It’s because these simple practices, these simple ideals are so uncomplicated it’s difficult for us as intelligent, intellectual beings to understand. We complicate and over complicate. All we have to do is consistently apply these straight-forward ideas everyday in our own lives, businesses, relationships, and friendships. They can be fundamentally applied and have a profound effect in every aspect of our lives and success. But we often “choose” to ignore them. We see those who are successful and think why can’t I be rich? Or why can’t I be that successful? Or why can’t I be that happy? Well, it’s pretty simple. You have to “choose” that THAT is what you really want.

Ultimately, everything we do is a choice. To do nothing, is a choice. So, go get a book or two, or ten for that matter. At some point you are going to figure out that it is not rocket science or some complex deep understanding or enlightenment that makes those chosen few successful. What is it? It is an extraordinary level of commitment, a relentless determination that was nurtured and grew out of one simple choice.

I worked in retail for nearly ten years for a large grocery chain, based out of California in the early 80’s.  I worked from the lowest level in the organization up though every department, up to being responsible for balancing all the income and managing the customer service and front office functions.  Working this closely with the public for such an extended period of time, I had some reservations about committing to a managerial position within the company, though I was actively pursued and encouraged by my superiors to move into formal management of the entire store.  I always had a way of dealing with difficult people, no matter whether they were co-workers or the public at large, but it was something I really didn’t enjoy doing at the time.  So, I quit my job, went to school and learned all I could about computer systems, and thusly, my entrance into the IT profession in the early 90’s.

I began my twelve year career as an IT professional, much the same way I did in retail; from entry level, working as a computer assistant, performing the most basic operations, to ultimately becoming the Director of Information Services for a relatively large resort management and timeshare company.  I discovered early on again, I had a flair and undeniable capability for communicating and dealing with diverse and difficult individuals and groups. Only this time, I rather enjoyed the challenges of dealing with so many different personalities and building productive working relationships. I also discovered that I possessed a tremendous aptitude for grasping difficult technical concepts and information; putting it all together; and relating it back in both technical and non technical laymen’s terms to develop systems and build solid relationships with people the people I worked with.  Additionally, I discovered that certain workplace cultures existed that made it difficult for me to achieve my goals as an IT professional.  I took two years off and embarked on a completely new path with a government agency who shall remain nameless as I am prohibited from blogging or posting anything on the Internet regarding my work.

I decided that serving my county in this particular capacity was a worthwhile pursuit and I began working for this agency in September 2004.  Again, I started out at the entry level.  After one and one half years I was recognized and promoted.  Which brings me to my latest disappointment and previously perceived failure.

I have now been with the agency for nearly three and one half years and was pursuing a supervisory/managerial position.  Again, I had built solid, strong working relationships with both my superiors and subordinates and assumed additional responsibilities as a certified instructor.  From the time I applied for the position, I modestly admit that the overwhelming majority opinion was that I was the de facto candidate for one of the three positions available.  My attitude was always to never presume anything and that was what I attempted to communicate throughout the very lengthy decision-making process.As with any organization, there are cultures that exist that are beyond our control.  The organization I work for is certainly no exception.  I found out on Thursday that I had in fact, not been selected as one of the next Supervisors.  I was deeply disappointed, not only in myself, but also with the selecting official ultimately responsible for the final decision.  I was given numerous assurances and validations that I was unequivocally qualified and was one of the most effective and respected leaders and communicators within our organization. As I listened to his remarks, I couldn’t help being puzzled by all the commendation specifically laid upon me and I couldn’t help but wonder why this man made the decision not to promote me. He truly seemed uncertain about the success of one candidate in particular, but was totally willing and committed to assuring everybody in his formal announcements that his selections were the best candidates for the job. During our discussion, he conveyed how the rating system was established and how it was of his own making. Candidates were rated based on their KSA’s, narrative statements government jobs require that showcase a potential candidates particular knowledge, skills, and abilities in performing the duties specific to the job; their respective resume; their performance with the interview panel; and seniority with the agency (not necessarily in that order and weighted based on catagory).

As I pondered our discussion over the next couple of days, it occurred to me that perhaps I was not selected for the simple fact that I had not been with the organization for as long a period and there was a certain measure of weight placed on how long all the candidates had worked for the agency.  I was told of the top four candidates, of which, I was number four; we were all within 1 (one) point rating of one another.  It didn’t occur to me at the time, but all had been with the agency since its inception, which meant their respective start dates were two+ years prior to my own.  So, from my point-of-view, given the weight to the various measurements the panel used, I had a little more than half the time-in-grade as the other candidates and some considerable ground to make up based upon that requirement to score where I did.  So essentially, in my view, I out performed the others candidates in one or more of the other areas to have come so close in my overall rating.  I don’t consider any system we humans define in order to be fair to be free from flaws or bias to some degree, but when you work in government, the paradigm of fairness takes on an entirely new meaning. 

The longer I thought about this, the more I had to consider my own perceptual acuity in measuring the levels of integrity others posses, especially my superiors.  I had a tremendous amount of respect for this man and a strong professional relationship based out of trust but to me, he made a risky choice and a choice he clearly had reservations about as he explained his decision.  He developed the rating system, but he also possessed the authority to make a decision outside the rating instrument.  So, either he was just delivering a line, to make me feel better in the wake of disappointment, or he truly meant what he was saying.  Either way, the measure of trust I had placed in our professional relationship has been  deminished.  Which brings me finally to my own reconciliation to controlling my own destiny.

Through all the personal history I recite in this post about my own journey though my professional development, one thing remains constant in my mind.  I am the best candidate for the job of controlling my own professional destiny with a proven track record that will lead to success!  I have discovered where my strengths and weaknesses lye, and have learned, sometimes the hard way, to adapt and grow. Initially, I analyzed the defeat as a failure, but actually, as a fellow blogger recently quoted in his article, Fear of Failure and Home Based Business, “champions are born in the labor of defeat.”  I couldn’t agree more.  I have pondered starting my own business for years and have always used fear as an excuse not to do it.  But really, there is noting to fear, because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  The options are undeniably clear to me by using my own career as an example; continue to allow others to arbitrarily determine my achievements and success based on tools or influences outside themselves; or allow myself complete liberation from the undeniable control of others by taking a ride on the wings of an eagle and soaring freely in the success and accomplishment of my very own making.  Which one would you chose?  I’ll take the eagle, I’ve come to far not to read the signs pointing me in my own direction. 

Far more to come!