Text-messaging shorthand is spreading beyond cell phones and Tweets into email messages and other more formal communications.
Are you leading, following or resisting?
Regardless, you should take a leadership position about abbreviations in your business communications so you’re setting the rules of the road rather than finding yourself left in the dust.
This isn’t SEP (Somebody else’s problem) or WOMBAT (Waste of money, brains and time).
NetLingo, which tracks texting abbreviations, says more than 2,000 are in use with new ones being added daily.
Texting abbreviations have been popular with teens and young adults for awhile now. The latest surge is due to the popularity of social networking sites, especially Twitter, the micro-blogging site that limits messages to 140 characters. Also, text messages on cell phones often have limits as well as charges related to the number of characters used.
Being pithy is a benefit. But not if you’re misunderstood. That’s the best rule of thumb to use in a business setting. You want to MYL (Mind your language). Yet, you don’t want people asking WTF (What the f***?) whenever they try to read messages.
So if it takes more time to figure out the abbreviation than to type it out or if somebody takes the wrong action based on what they thought the message said, you should avoid abbreviations.
Some other rules of thumb to follow in business communications:
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For text messages on cell phones between co-workers, let them decide what to do. Yes, this may be AYOR (At Your Own Risk) behavior, but is it worth the time to be the TMA (Too Many Acronyms) police?
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For email and other communication though—especially messages to customers, vendors and others outside the organization, drop the jargon and abbreviations.
This applies to company-specific acronyms that are totally undecipherable. (Would you translate “CHR” as “Contact HR”? One of my clients uses that acronym regularly in its merger communications. Not exactly welcoming to their newly-acquired employees.)
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For any type of recognition or appreciation, use language and gestures that the individuals you’re acknowledging welcome. For example, having KUTGW (Keep up the good work)show up as a text message or email doesn’t seem warm, friendly or motivational to this curmudgeon.
This curmudgeon/The LEAN Communicator) does believe that less is more. Just as long as your customers understand what you’re saying and value it and you.
TAF! (That’s all, folks!) WDYT? (What do you think?)
Liz Guthridge is a consultant, author, and trainer specializing in strategic change communications. Department leaders of Fortune 1000 companies hire Liz and her firm Connect Consulting Group LLC when they need their people—who are confused, angry or in denial—to adopt complex new initiatives so they can quickly change the way they work. For more information, contact Liz, liz.guthridge@connectconsultinggroup.com or 510-527-1213. Follow Liz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/lizguthridge.
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