by Dwayne Phillips It may come as a surprise to many, but laws against libel and slander still exist. I write this five days before the 2015 Super Bowl. The big topic of conversation in the football world is about under-inflated footballs (yes, western civilization has come to this). What surprises me (at least a […]
Entries Tagged as 'Writing'
Libel, Slander, and Deflate-Gate
February 12th, 2015 · No Comments
Tags: Communication · Writing
Too Many Words
February 9th, 2015 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Yet another reason for brevity: the more the words, the more the mistakes. There must be some statistic somewhere that shows the number of mistakes per 1,000 words that writers make (is it a mistake to end a sentence with the word “make?” Did I put my punctuation marks in the right […]
Tags: Brevity · Clarity · Communication · Writing
When You Write Something (Anything)
December 22nd, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips When you write something (anything), also write your name and the date. This is pretty simple, but usually neglected. Always write your name and the date next to anything you write. If you are writing in a notebook with your name on the cover, it may be sufficient to write just the […]
Tags: Communication · Writing
Communicating
December 15th, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Communicating can be reduced to one simple question. Answering that question is the pursuit that inspires me. I have an idea in my head; I have a feeling in my heart. Here is the crux of communication: How can I affect the other person? I love to try to answer that question. […]
Tags: Communication · Consulting · Writing
A Writing Hierarchy
December 11th, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Writing, like most endeavors and systems, has a hierarchy. There is a trade-off between resources spent and quality. I have a writing hierarchy. It has something to do with a trade-off of time and quality. My hierarchy is basically: jot on a napkin note in my journal my daybook blog posts paid […]
Tags: Writing
The Describe-a-Picture Method of Writing
December 4th, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips One method of writing that has worked for me is to sketch a picture or diagram and then describe it. I have used this method of writing for years. I needed the assistance of others to understand that this is what I was doing. Here is the method: sketch a picture or […]
Tags: Communication · Writing
The Question and Answer Method of Writing
December 1st, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips One way to write is to first write a list of questions, set the questions some place you can see them, and answer all the questions. I continue to work with college students on their writing, and they continue to teach me. A recent assignment the students were working involved answering a […]
Tags: Communication · Education · Writing
The Limits of My Authority
September 8th, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips I have unlimited authority over very few matters. Recognizing all those items for which my authority is quite limited makes my life easier. A few years ago in a prior universe, I had some authority over matters at work. I played a role in some relatively important decisions. I soon recognized that […]
Tags: Writing
The Perfect Time to Write: When I Don’t Feel Like It
August 11th, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips The perfect time to write is one of the less expected. I write a lot, everyday, day after day. I am writing now. There are times when people like me don’t feel like writing. Those are the perfect times to write. Here is why. I write a lot because I like to […]
Tags: Writing
Writing with My Eyes Shut
July 31st, 2014 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips I relearn that with hands on the keys, I can shut my eyes and still write. Several years ago, I was trying to write in the evening after a long day at work of reading and reading and reading and a little writing. My eyes hurt. I had to shut them. So […]