Driving double-digit growth, driving innovation, driving good health outcomes—these are commonplace ways the business community uses the verb drive.
If you look up drive in the dictionary, you’ll find eight definitions with usage examples as diverse as driving cattle across a prairie (to prod), driving a hard bargain (to carry... (Read More)
I’m pretty sure when I need a comma; I’m not so sure about a semicolon.
I hear that a lot.
The semicolon is easy to explain because it does two specific things (unlike the comma whose use is wide and varied and can sometimes be subjective). The first thing the... (Read More)
Did humans evolve from apes?
That’s a legitimate question and a legitimate use of the word evolve, which means to develop gradually.
Too often in business, however, companies use evolve to describe some sort of change, instead of just saying they’ve improved or updated whatever it is they’re changing.
Our stores offer curbside pickup, bringing even more convenience to your visit, read the email from a favorite retailer.
Is convenience something you bring? And how exactly would you bring it to a visit?
I had a similar thought when Facebook said they’re bringing more transparency to their political ads.... (Read More)
Anthony Fauci—God bless him—was talking the other day about the new, stronger variant making its way around the world and how to stem its spread. Get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible was his message.
“The less people that get infected, the less chance you’re going to give... (Read More)
I recently saw an email that talked about the eminent retirement of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The writer should have said imminent instead.
Eminent, used mainly to describe people, means famous and respected, whereas imminent means something is about to happen.
I mused that the writer could have referred to the... (Read More)
A new year—at last!—is just two weeks away and with it lots of opportunities to wish one another well. Putting those wishes to paper, however, can be tricky. Is it Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year or Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year? If you chose the... (Read More)
A well-known healthcare company recently hired a diversity and inclusion officer who announced in a press release that he was going to magnetize and incubate diverse talent to fuel innovation at the company.
Who actually says I’m going to magnetize talent?
Would a grown person really want to be incubated?
... (Read More)I received an email from Citibank the other day that started like this: We’re working as quickly as possible to reopen the branches that remain closed – you can find the latest information about the branch nearest you at Citibank.com/locations.
The dash is incorrect. It should be a period or... (Read More)
Senior-level women—tough, tested, ambitious leaders—are being pushed to their limits and beyond.
That’s what Sheryl Sandberg wrote in a cautionary editorial about the number of women leaving the workforce or taking less stressful jobs because of the pandemic. Sandberg’s concern is legitimate, but I paused at and beyond. Why not... (Read More)
