The document discusses how business writing has changed dramatically since the 1990s due to the rise of email. It notes that the formal writing rules taught in school are now obsolete. While email was initially seen as just a new format, it has permanently changed expectations around business communication to be more informal and focused on achieving goals quickly. Sticking to outdated writing practices risks becoming professionally irrelevant.

2. There’s a
fairy tale
that they
taught
you at
school

3. It helped
you a lot

4. ... back
then

5. But now,

6. But now,
this
fairy tale
is not
much use
to you!

7. What WAS this
fairy tale?

9. “There’s a
language
called
English”

10. “If you
learn the
grammatical
rules,
and the
meanings of
enough
words”

12. “Then you will
be able to
communicate
perfectly!
For the rest of
your life!”

13. (I’m afraid
it’s not
really
true!)

15. You see, languages are organic.

16. You see, languages are organic.
They grow

17. You see, languages are organic.
They grow
They evolve

18. You see, languages are organic.
They grow
They evolve
They constantly change

20. Wanna know the ONLY
unchangeable fact about
communication?

21. communication
always
CHANGES

22. BECAUSE
YOU
CANNOT
SEPARATE
COMMUNICATION
FROM
REALITY

24. I know what
you’re
thinking!

25. I know what
you’re
thinking!
But I’m
absolutely
serious
about this!

26. Want me
to prove it?

28. Where
are
you?

30. He’s
at
home
Einstein!

32. Where
are
you?

33. SUCCESS!

35. Where
are you?

37. He’s
at
the office
Einstein!

39. Where
are
you?

40. SUCCESS!

41. Got a question?

42. Why don’t you google it?

43. Why don’t you google it?
Google (ˈɡuːɡ ə l)
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: to search for information on the Internet,
esp. using the Google search engine
Example: We googled the address before we came.
Etymology: trademark Google
Usage: googling noun

45. Since 1998

46. And
finally,
here’s a
personal
example

47. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
January 1997

48. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
January 1997
This is an executive training seminar which I
created just 13 years ago.
Guess what type of writing I was teaching?

49. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
January 1997

50. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
December 2010

51. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
December 2010
This is an executive training seminar which I teach
today.
Guess what type of writing I was teaching?

52. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
December 2010

53. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
December 2010
Mind Reading

54. Just
kidding ☺

55. Business Writing
A 2-Day Management Communication Seminar
December 2010

56. So why
should
you
care?

57. You should care,
because the way
we need to
successfully
communicate in
business writing
has
TOTALLY
changed

58. Here’s an example from my
1997 Business Writing seminar

59. Here’s an example from my
1997 Business Writing seminar
“Might I enquire as to whether you
would be able to transmit the
information to me within a week?”

60. Here’s an example from my
1997 Business Writing seminar
“Might I enquire as to whether you
would be able to transmit the
information to me within a week?”
t sound in
How w ould tha
an ema il today?

62. Dude, that sounds
like something
out of Jane Austen,
right?

63. So that
fairy tale
they
taught
you at
school

64. Those
words?

65. Those
words?
Those
sentence
forms?

66. Those
words?
Those
sentence
forms?
Those
writing
rules?

67. Most of
them are
now
extinct!

68. BECAUSE
YOU
CANNOT
SEPARATE
COMMUNICATION
FROM
REALITY

69. Formality is no
longer the KING of
business writing

70. Email has changed business writing
dramatically
... and permanently

71. We’ve got NEWER
and BIGGER
problems to deal
with now

72. And a true
email master
needs to deal
with the reality
of today’s
business writing

73. Being seen in the everyday
mountain of emails

74. How many emails
are sent every day?

75. How many emails
are sent every day?
200 billion

76. Receiving
the action
you
requested

77. Getting
your
goals

78. And what if
you stick
with the
old ways
you learnt
at school?

79. Then YOU
may just be
risking
professional
extinction!

80. Andy Kovacs
Managing Director
ELC Owner
An expert linguist from University of
London with over 14-years experience in
management communication in the
banking and finance sectors.
Interested in intercultural communication
competence, universal politeness theory
and the impact of new technology on
training and communication.
Responsible for creating and managing all
of ELC’s training and consultancy projects.

81. e: andy@elc.com.tr
w: www.elc.com.tr
t: 0216 467 5460
Linkedin:
www.linkedin.com
Andy Kovacs
Twitter:
www.twitter.com
@AndyatELC
SlideShare:
http://www.slideshare.net
ELC Consultants