The Dress Code Dilemma

What kind of image do you project at work? Regardless of your level of employment or career path, it’s always a good idea to project a polished, competent image. But these days, when many offices don't have dress codes, it's hard to know what to wear to work. While a casual dress code is a nice perk, it doesn't mean that anything goes. 

Whether your office has a strict dress code of none at all, there are a few commonsense guidelines that will help you look your best and gain respect in the workplace.

1. The goal is to look professional for your work environment. Look at the highest ranking female employee in your organization and mimic her style of dress. If she’s wearing business suits to work every day, then you should consider doing the same. On the other hand, if she’s wearing jeans to work every day, then maybe a business suit is too far over the top for your office. That’s not to say that you need to wear jeans to work every day, but maybe dressing up for your organization doesn’t require the classic business suit.
2. Avoid distracting accessories. Bangle bracelets, dangling earrings and garments that are too flowing are all things that distract from a professional image. Opt for more fitted garments, studs instead of hoops and closefitting bracelets instead of charm bracelets. And while we’re on the subject, avoid too much perfume. It’s annoying -- and sometimes even toxic -- to those around you.
3. Even if your office has a casual dress code, make sure your clothes are neat, clean and pressed, your shoes polished and your nails manicured. Your hair should be clean and neat. It’s all about attention to detail and caring about your appearance.
4. Avoid loud patterns and colors. That blouse with the florescent pink and orange flowers might look great on the dance floor, but it won’t do much for you at the office. Stick to subdued tones and prints.
5. Remember this: In the workplace, you want people to notice you because of the work you’re doing, not the clothes you’re wearing.  

Tell the grammar bully where to get off...

...it is OK to use a preposition at the end of a sentence!

Somewhere deep within all of us there lurks a “grammar bully” -- the stern guardian of the language who will never let us forget a comma or allow us to meander into a run-on sentence. She means well, but sometimes you need to tell her where to get off.

If it were up to her, we would never end a sentence with a preposition, such as at, off, with or for.  Instead, we’d be twisting our words into tortured phrases to avoid it and we’d all be the worse for it. It’s time to quell the grammar bully on this subject and to do what makes sense. As Winston Churchill reportedly said when someone rewrote his words to correct his use of a preposition at the end of a sentence: “This is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put.” Happily, none of us have to put up with it. Despite what your grammar bully is telling you, it is generally fine, and sometimes preferable, to end a sentence with a preposition.

The original rule was derived from a Latin linguistic prescription to end a sentence with a strong word, and while that is good advice, you don’t have to go to extremes. A preposition at the end of a sentence is acceptable if it helps you to avoid an awkward sounding and poorly constructed sentence.

“Which table did you eat at,” sounds better to Americans than “At which table did you eat?” “He gave the audience the performance for which it longed,” is not better than “He gave the audience the performance it longed for.” If you say, “At what are you driving?” instead of “What are you driving at?” you’ll avoid the preposition at the end of the sentences, but all your friends will think you’re weird.

There is a time when you shouldn't use a preposition at the end of sentence and that is when you don’t need to. If the sentence makes sense without the preposition leave it off. “Where will you be meeting her at?” is wrong, not because it ends in a preposition, but because the preposition is not necessary. 

When the Two Become One – Ever-Evolving Compounds

Two words brought together to express a new concept create a compound. A compound can be written as two words, one word, or it can be connected by a hyphen.

Many times compounds will evolve over time. For example, a compound may start out as child care, morph into child-care and finally it’s more commonly written as childcare.  

The use of hyphens in compounds can sometimes be confusing. Here are some general guidelines for using hyphens in compounds:

• Use a hyphen when two or more words are used as an adjective before a noun.

                        over-the-counter drugs                         

                        six-year-old boy

                        one-way street

• Do not use a hyphen when the compound modifier comes after the noun.

                        The boy is six years old.

                        I bought the drugs over the counter.

                        The street is one way.

• Use a hyphen with compound numbers.

                        Sixty-five

                        Twenty-one

• Use a hyphen to avoid confusion.

An old-furniture salesman means the man sells old furniture. However, “an old furniture salesman” could be an old man who sells furniture.

On the other hand, the phrase “used car salesman” might not generate as much confusion, therefore, a hyphen between “used” and “car” might not be necessary.

As you can see, sometimes there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to compounds. Since word usage often evolves, it’s always best to consult the latest version of a good, standard dictionary. 

More on Writing in Style

A style manual will not cover all the grammatical and writing questions that you confront as someone who works for a tribal government. Even the most comprehensive guide will not tell you the proper way to address a tribal leader in a letter or which source will be used to guide you on the proper name for tribal governments.

These are questions that may require research and consultation with department heads. Once a decision is made, it should be documented in a style sheet. A style sheet is a supplement to the style manual and it should address spelling, grammar and other writing questions that cannot be answered anywhere else. It should be shared and used like any other reference.

Style sheets are fluid documents that are constantly amended and updated as needed. As with most writing style questions, there may be several correct answers. The key to a good writing style is to decide on one answer and stick to it.

Below are some useful sources that may help you in developing a style sheet for your tribal organization.

National Congress of American Indians Tribal Directory – This is updated regularly and is a good source for checking the proper spelling and preferred reference for American Indian and Alaska Native governments.

Websites for Tribal Governments

U.S. Government Web sites – These will help you with the proper titles for government officials, the spelling of names and the official names for various agencies and departments.

U.S. Department of Interior -- includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- includes the Indian Health Service

Writing in Style

Have you ever had an argument with one of your colleagues over whether this word or that should be capitalized or whether to use a comma or not? Before you come to blows with your office mates, remember this: you both may be right.

There are many questions about grammar that can be answered in several ways, for example the capitalization of certain words, how to write time, or whether to use courtesy titles. These types of grammatical questions are called style questions. In most cases, there are several correct answers. The most important thing is consistency — within all your correspondence and documents, within your department and across your organization.

Most dictionaries contain a basic style guide, but more comprehensive guidance on style questions can be found in style manuals. There are several well-respected style manuals available; which one you select may depend on the type of writing you do. Most manuals will tell you how to cite other works within your document and give you some guidance on capitalization, italicization and punctuation. If you do very specialized writing, such as legal writing or grant writing, be sure to have an additional style manual that will guide you on the standards for that industry. Below are just a few of the commonly used style books available today.

GENERAL

The Elements of Style: A Style Guide for Writers

BUSINESS

The AMA Style Guide for Business Writing

Style Guide: For Business and Technical Communication

GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

United States Government Printing Office. Style Manual.

LAW

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation

When You're Editing, Use Your Head Not Your Computer

Welcome to Tips and Tricks Tuesday, a weekly column on grammar for tribal secretaries and administrative assistants.

Despite all the technology that has made writing easier, it can’t take the place of a powerful vocabulary, a firm grasp of grammar and a good eye — and ear — for editing your own work. Yes, of course, any word processing program worth its hefty price includes spelling and grammar checks. But spell check isn’t going to tell you the difference between heal and heel or when to use that, which or who. It’s also of little use when it comes to spelling most tribal names and most surnames — Native American or not.

So here’s our first tip: Use your head first and last. Never send out anything that hasn’t been checked and double checked.

When you’re editing your own work, follow these tips:

1. Walk away from it … at least for a little while. You need to take a break between your writing and your editing.


2. Use a pencil as you read your work. Point to every word and look at it. Does it look right? Are you sure of the spelling? If not, look it up. Don’t rely on your computer’s spell check.


3. Read your work aloud slowly. Reading your writing aloud helps you look at every word and it gives you a better idea of the tone or your work, whether all your sentences make sense and whether you’ve conveyed your thoughts accurately.


4. Get a second set of eyes. Find someone in your office with a proven record of good writing and editing skills and ask him or her to read your work. This is not needy or unprofessional. This should be standard operating procedure for all business material that will be distributed to the public.


5. Remember that writing and editing is a skill. Your ability will increase with knowledge and practice.