Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, has a zero-tolerance approach to poor grammar among his employees. While I believe his approach may be a bit harsh, I whole-heartedly agree with his core messages:
Good grammar is credibility, poor grammar reflects poorly on your intelligence and company.
“Good grammar is credibility, especially on the internet. In blog posts, on Facebook statuses, in e-mails, and on company websites, your words are all you have. They are a projection of you in your physical absence. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can’t tell the difference between their, there, and they’re.”
Good grammar shows attention to detail, a quality we all hope to find in an employee.
“Grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to remember high school English. I’ve found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing — like stocking shelves or labeling parts.”
Take the extra time to proofread your email. And Lord have mercy, don’t let anything go to print without at least 3 sets of eyes reviewing it. I am guilty of rushing a job before a thorough editing, and I’ve paid for it with both my pride and the cost of reprinting the document. Save yourself the time, embarrassment and money and check the AP Style Book.
