Using more formal vocabulary at work

[Bellex]

I graduated over 5 years ago and spent majority of that time working in start ups/young companies that were less formal, direct and for straight to the point. I’ve now moved into a store at blue chip corporate company. I’m in a relative high grade for my age and they seem to be happy with my work. One thing they’ve asked me to work on is being more formal in meeting and using better words.

I’ve already made some improvement by not using certain phases that don’t seem to be seen as formal enough but how else can I improve? Is there somewhere where I can work on learning new words to use as alternatives?

Everything you've written sounds fine to me (work in a field with similar weekly calls using similar terminology). Nothing wrong with using contractions. You've already dropped the 'okie dokie'. Assuming you're not sounding casual and drawling when you talk, do you have an accent that some perceive as 'negative'?

When I had this with new grads I used to tell them to imagine that every conversation they had with a partner/senior manager or client was with the Queen. It's usually better to be a bit over formal than the opposite.

I second reading the Economist - also the Times and BBC news website - they all have a good standard of English.

@PhilCornwall1 of course you do! - but it seems the op is expected to glaze over the details, hence my feeling that this workplace is dysfunctional and she should make tracks.

[quote Dontlookdownmuch]@PhilCornwall1 of course you do! - but it seems the op is expected to glaze over the details, hence my feeling that this workplace is dysfunctional and she should make tracks.[/quote]
As you've said, if the OP is expected to glaze over the basics, which to be honest, what I've listed, are, then yes, definitely make tracks.

Thank you for the suggestions.

They’re fine with my work emails. I don’t tend to send them with a set purpose and they are very formal. I have 32 hours of meeting a week and have told my team I struggle to keep up with emails especially if they’re pointless bother and IM is the best way to get my attention. Due to the WFH arrangements it makes more sense to use emails to detail actions, record responses and to get approvals help everyone save time that way.

The person is southern and Male, he has commented a fair few times on my accent. My area doesn’t really have a specific known accent (I’m north of Manchester for reference) but where I’m from I’m regarded as well spoken.

I sue okay dokay sometimes in meetings and not over email. Because of my background I’ve always worked places that are more open and things are discussed whether directors want to hear it. From experience this quickly resolves things as well taking key lessons that are then used going forward.

I do think some of this comes down to a cultural fit and what the company thinks is the best way to work vs the now modern world. They like my direct approach as I’ve got things done, seen processes haven’t worked and gone out to find people to offer advice so we can make improvements. The programme was failing when I look over it, majorly over time and budget all of which I’ve managed to pull back and resolve. There are a few issues that I’m still working through such as process’s for getting information from the product owners to the people doing the doing but we’re getting there. I think the company is in hard place of their culture vs were they want to be. They want to be innovative and dynamic is there ways of working but don’t like discussing the issues which makes them hard to deliver in meetings.

I’ve been WFH since I started, nobody has ever met me, nor knows what I look like they only here my voice which I also thinks doesn’t help this issue.

I’m going to go back to person after Christmas and see if he can give me feedback on which words it is in particular. I’ve also been considering if I’m the right person for their cultural fit as at the moment it’s very draining trying to manage that side of the job. Im also classed as an executive

@londonmummy1966

When I had this with new grads I used to tell them to imagine that every conversation they had with a partner/senior manager or client was with the Queen. It's usually better to be a bit over formal than the opposite.

I second reading the Economist - also the Times and BBC news website - they all have a good standard of English.

I'm reminded of a conversation almost 20 years with a friend who's a Partner at a medium-sized consultancy - the Partners had to go on a training course to learn how to communicate in a more appropriate way with the Graduates - (millennials at the time) as they were causing too much upset! Nothing stands still!

I do explain the slip with detail but in way that should I have actions that are on going. Yes we have a problem but I have a resolution.

My predecessor never flagged anything up, this then lead to an 1 million overspend to build something as the issue just keep growing and growing and he tried to fix it. I’ve added in screenshots of the risk register and spun it that the new phase has contingency and I think the director should have visibility if we go near it as well as being aware of the current risks and what we’re doing to manage it.

I basically have to put a spin on everything when presenting. I’d personally prefer to be more direct and transparent and the director accept that as lessons learnt from the previous person as he also annoyed at how late that person flagged the issue.

I’ve got a subscription to the harvard business review my boyfriends dad bought it be as a birthday gift (he’s from london and hates northerners 😂)

We work with consultants that are extremely formal. They also manage to present the bar minimum and make it look they’ve actually achieved something when in reality they have produced nothing. Majority of them are apparently scared of me because I outright asked them for things and hold them accountable using dates. They guys are part of the failings of the previous phase but have someone how convinced the directors otherwise.

This southern male person who provided the feedback, is the good job that you are doing in getting the project back on track implicitly showing him up in a bad light because his action/inaction led to the delay/overspend or was otherwise on his watch?

We work with consultants that are extremely formal. They also manage to present the bar minimum and make it look they’ve actually achieved something when in reality they have produced nothing. Majority of them are apparently scared of me because I outright asked them for things and hold them accountable using dates. They guys are part of the failings of the previous phase but have someone how convinced the directors otherwise.

I am quite sceptical of consultants. Good with power point, I'll give them that. It is only when you get down to thumb tacks that you can sort the wheat from the woolly chaff. I am not surprised the consultants are scared of you when you try to pin them down to specifics because they rely on the clients being a bit dim like sheep to be buttered up and led by the nose. In the meantime, the timelines drag and they rack up overspend costs.

I basically have to put a spin on everything when presenting. I’d personally prefer to be more direct and transparent I think you need to get used to doing this as second nature - delivering bad news well is a skill worth developing - it keeps people on your side and it worries me that you don't seem to value it.

There are grammatical and spelling errors in your posts, apostrophes also seem to cause you difficulties.
"I've got things done"
"The function that I work in don’t like to point out"
"I'm in a relative high grade"
"process's"
"I've always worked places"

That could be because this is Mumsnet and you're not concentrating, it might not be. I would expect a higher standard from my team.

It is because it’s Mumsnet and not work.

I haven’t undervalued how to deliver bad news rather the expectation that it needs to look like not bad news when in the director ultimately would have to make some of the more series calls such as the budget overrunning, he’d have to find the funds for it

This is what I mean, you can’t have it both ways. Want things resolving but want it spinning to not look a problem. How can you flag something is you make it not look like an problem.

These consultants are weirder than that usual one and only get paid off benefit. Some are very good others not so much and keep apologising I feel they’re not doing something.

I've produced these packs.

First point I learned was people do not like bad news. They also have lots of competing projects, sometimes yours may not be the one that is on fire and requires their attention

Second you have to be the most diplomatic of diplomats; the recipient of a bad news report should have had advance warning of bad news and should always see a first draft

Always write the report in a style that reflects the way the budget holder writes/operates

The reports shouldn't be written as a scolding every issue or risk should have a mitigation or a plan to get back on track

Always remember you aren't the budget holder who ultimately is the person that carries the can; it's difficult not to assume more accountability than you are actually conferred with

Hi OP, I know you are more casual for mn and this is not work but I have difficulty following some of your posts as there isn't appropriate punctuation, half sentences joined up with wrong words or missing words?

Is this the tip of the iceberg in that the message you are trying to communicate gets lost in either too much waffle (I know you are downplaying to avoid finger pointing) or you are rushing and it becomes unclear what you are trying to say. It could be unfair and the person who provided feedback may have his own axe to grind but could this be what is meant by being informal.

Picking up on this point that you've written, which I see on MN and think is regional, therefore may I ask that you take this constructively in the context.

"Want things resolving but want it spinning to not look a problem"

In the workplace I would say and write:

X has highlighted this as a matter to be resolved

X recognises the issue which will be mitigated by

Take the "ing" off

@Bellex

This is what I mean, you can’t have it both ways. Want things resolving but want it spinning to not look a problem. How can you flag something is you make it not look like an problem.

These consultants are weirder than that usual one and only get paid off benefit. Some are very good others not so much and keep apologising I feel they’re not doing something.

So dh is a consultant - works with the client's program manager who is inexperienced or maybe just a bit out of their depth and was leading the project to disaster - he is the kind of person whose first reaction is to develop someone - even a client, he values their ideas but they have very rough edges - they tells people the deadlines they want, demands things from people - I assume they think, they hold them to dates - doesn't discuss what's possible and reasonable - they are not respected by their colleagues or the consultants and they get let down frequently because she uses a very direct I'm in charge so do what I say approach - it doesn't work. Following a conversation with the director, dh agreed to carefully steer & empower them, shows them how to manage a complex project - but he does not tell the director they are amazing and that had to be managed very carefully. He sees his responsibility to both the program manager and the director - the project will be a success because he will not give up and he will keep both of them on board - he is trusted as someone who gets stuff done without leaving a trail of dead bodies behind him and that is why people pay him - his clients and their staff are happy. He is very skilled at the art of delivering bad news well and fixing it.

@Dontlookdownmuch ah the classic shit sandwich gambit. Bloody works if you're good, which DH sounds as though he is.

Also play to the ego. The best PM I ever worked with used the words "concern", "guidance" and "seniors" when she wanted something done eg

"There is X risk that is a cause for concern given it's potential impact to budget and delivery, options for seniors to consider and provide guidance on are are x, y and z"

[quote 100problems]@Dontlookdownmuch ah the classic shit sandwich gambit. Bloody works if you're good, which DH sounds as though he is.

Also play to the ego. The best PM I ever worked with used the words "concern", "guidance" and "seniors" when she wanted something done eg

"There is X risk that is a cause for concern given it's potential impact to budget and delivery, options for seniors to consider and provide guidance on are are x, y and z"

[/quote]
He's a bloody master at it - but you know what - he's actually genuine - he really cares about people - even the difficult ones.

[quote 100problems]@Dontlookdownmuch ah the classic shit sandwich gambit. Bloody works if you're good, which DH sounds as though he is.

Also play to the ego. The best PM I ever worked with used the words "concern", "guidance" and "seniors" when she wanted something done eg

"There is X risk that is a cause for concern given it's potential impact to budget and delivery, options for seniors to consider and provide guidance on are are x, y and z"

[/quote]
And we also only employ consultants who are light on ego and high on brainpower and relationship building, it's a tricky combination of traits to recruit for but we find the combination of our recruiting strategy and a leadership team that believes in our approach and follows through on it means that we do not come across as ineffective expensive arseholes.
We are not formal though, we are human. We are deeply professional in the standards and quality we deliver, the PowerPoints both look beautiful and they deliver what has been asked in an easy to understand way and if a difficult message needs to be delivered you can be damned sure the presentation isn't the first time anyone in that room has become aware of it - they'll have all received a heads up - I know someone on this thread didn't like the term - they'd like to get one though.

@Bellex

I do explain the slip with detail but in way that should I have actions that are on going. Yes we have a problem but I have a resolution.

My predecessor never flagged anything up, this then lead to an 1 million overspend to build something as the issue just keep growing and growing and he tried to fix it. I’ve added in screenshots of the risk register and spun it that the new phase has contingency and I think the director should have visibility if we go near it as well as being aware of the current risks and what we’re doing to manage it.

I basically have to put a spin on everything when presenting. I’d personally prefer to be more direct and transparent and the director accept that as lessons learnt from the previous person as he also annoyed at how late that person flagged the issue.

Have you tried being more direct with issues when possible and offer solutions to the issues ?

@Bellex

I’ve got a subscription to the harvard business review my boyfriends dad bought it be as a birthday gift (he’s from london and hates northerners 😂)

We work with consultants that are extremely formal. They also manage to present the bar minimum and make it look they’ve actually achieved something when in reality they have produced nothing. Majority of them are apparently scared of me because I outright asked them for things and hold them accountable using dates. They guys are part of the failings of the previous phase but have someone how convinced the directors otherwise.

As.for the information in Harvard business.review, this was my perspectives when reading and studying some of the articles, are good from an academic perspective, and show what can be achieved, the issue I noticed is then trying.to get people.on board with the ideas and trying to get people to follow the instructions.

I'd say keep looking for another job as this is the kind of bullshit feedback that can lead to someone being ostracized/scapegoated on a failing or unpopular project. Is there anyone you can pull on, more senior and powerful than the one who gave negative feedback, who thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread? How's your line manager, are they trustworthy, do they back you up and support you? Can you ask them for more feedback, weekly one to ones etc.

Throw a few phrases in there like:
"With regards to..."
"I look forward to hearing your thoughts/hearing from you"
"Please find enclosed ... for which I would appreciate your attention at your earliest convenience"