June Articles 2011

The Articulate CEO

Masterchef Imitates Life

There are two reasons to watch reality T.V. – one is to regale with laughter at how little of it resembles reality in any form and the other is to cringe during the bits that are all too real.

As a general rule the bits that are all too real are those where the contestants or protagonists are put under pressure and respond in very human ways.

Masterchef Australia is a master of puting its contestants under pressure and their response is eerily similar to the way many corporates and their executives respond when they are put under pressure.

In short, everyone stops thinking, makes really bad decisions and then blames those decisions on either unforseen factors or a failure to take something into account.

The truth is that when pressure is brought to bear far too many people just panic, latch on to the first possible solution they can think of and then try to rationalise the process later.

Could Bad Grammar Be The Death Of You?

Courtesy of British funnymen Mitchell & Webb here is an indication of what could happen if you run into one of those people who take the correct use of grammar very, very seriously.

Every day in classrooms across the world, children and adults alike are instructed in the fine art of grammar, the speaking, usage, and writing of the English language in its “proper” form.

The problem is whether you label it “tradition,” “standards,” or just “the way of educated individuals,” it boils down to one group of people establishing the “proper” way to communicate for another.

Most often it results in accomplishing little more than erasing cultural identity.

Build A Better Vocabulary

Improving your vocabulary can be done at any age and any level of education and everyone can benefit.

An enlarged vocabulary has the potential to enhance spoken and written communication as well as providing a deeper grasp of any language.

What’s more there are a variety of ways to improve your vocabulary, most of which are interactive and easy.

One of the best ways to improve your vocabulary is to read more.

Fast Thinking

Why Learning Styles Don’t Help Learning

If you are in education or corporate training circles then almost certainly someone will have mentioned to you the idea of learning styles and the need to build teaching systems around the preferred learning style of the student.

It sounds so logical doesn’t it? Each of us learns in different ways and therefore it is only sensible that we should be taught in a way that matches our preferred learning style.

It sounds logical but it isn’t.

The first clue that learning styles might be the latest piece of pseudoscience gobbledygook to work its way into the world of communication is that people are making money out of it.