When I first left the corporate world and started my own business, back in the early nineties, the thing I missed most was the IT department. The first time I had a technology problem, I realized I could no longer just pick up the phone and someone from IT would show up and fix it — welcome to the world of the self-employed!

All these years later, I have (of necessity) become more tech savvy and self-sufficient when it comes to technology. However, I still can’t always figure things out, and I need help. Here’s what I’ve found: although most software and computer services offer support either online or by email, they still make certain assumptions about my knowledge as a user. Often that assumption is wrong, making it difficult for me to follow their instructions. But if I have the opportunity to sit down with the expert, preferably at my own computer, and work through the problem, I find that not only do I solve the problems but I often understand enough to prevent it happening again.

As a Mac user, I make full use of Apple’s “One to One” program, which gives me access to the experts at the Apple store for an hour at a time to solve my problems. It works wonders to have someone just explain how to do things, instead of those long email exchanges that often just add to my frustration. (Sometimes I feel as if I’m living at the Apple Store, but it works for me!)

If you are working in an organization that has an IT department, that’s great and you are lucky to have this support. However, if they tend to try to sort everything remotely and you still don’t understand what’s going wrong, do what you can to make them speak to you in person, not just by email and preferably not just by phone. If it makes things easier for you and helps prevent future problems, it’s a win for everyone. But it doesn’t come naturally to most IT people, so the initiative needs to come from you.

I received an email from someone who had read one of my articles online. Anthony Padilla’s subject line was “Damn It Helen!” — that got my attention! Here’s what Anthony wrote:

“Why I like my lawyer: He/she always returns my phone calls.
Why I don’t like my lawyer: He/she never returns my phone calls.

NOW EVERYONE IS GOING TO KNOW! This was my only tactical advantage — and now it’s no secret — and all your fault.

Actually, I NEVER understood why Atty’s don’t return calls right away — IT’S A DAMN CUSTOMER! What else could be more important?”

What indeed? Thanks Anthony — keep returning those calls!

As this is the first Communi-keys post of 2012, let me begin by wishing you all the best for a successful and happy year, whatever that means to you.

I’m writing this while on vacation, visiting my family in Scotland. Once again it strikes me that although people in Canada and Scotland both speak English, there are big differences in the way they use the language. As a student of language, I am fascinated by this and my ear is always attuned.

When I first began studying French in high school, my father told me you only really know a language when you can understand and use the slang, and I believe that’s true. After all, if you don’t know any slang expressions in a language, a large part of everyday conversation will go completely over your head.

What is interesting to me is how the slang in Scotland has changed so much over the years since I left. I easily slip into those funny expressions of my youth, but my brother has pointed out to me that he hasn’t heard many of them for years. Now, of course, there are new ones to take their place. Just as in Canada, many of those new slang expressions have their origins in the technology, mass communication and culture of the early 21st century. So I think the lesson here is that we need to keep our ears open and our powers of observation tuned up if we want to communicate effectively in all areas of our lives.

As always, communicate and succeed!

At the end of each year lists of overused words and phrases pop up on various publications. This year I noticed a variation on this idea: words that have been so overused on social media profiles and online resumes that they have lost their value. Here are some of those cited by LinkedIn:

Creative, organizational, effective, extensive experience, track record, motivated, innovative, problem solving, communication skills, dynamic.

They don’t give any suggested alternatives, however, so I thought I’d throw out the challenge to you. First, I suggest you check your own profiles to see if you are guilty (I found a few on my own). If you find better words, I invite you to help everyone out by putting them in a comment.

No doubt this year’s good ones will show up on next year’s overused list, but at least we can start the year with some fresh ideas.

This being the last Communi-keys post of 2011, I take this opportunity to wish you Happy New Year and a very happy, healthy and successful 2012.

All the best
Helen

As my regular readers know, I don’t usually post much personal news or information, but this is an exception. It’s actually professional rather than strictly personal, but I’m so pleased I wanted to share it with you.

For several years I have been an active member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS), the last two years as a board member of the Toronto Chapter. Last night at our monthly event, I took over my new position as President of the Chapter for 2012.

It is such a delight for me to be honoured by my peers, and I can’t wait to get to work and see how much we can accomplish in 2012.

I know this news won’t change your life, but I hope you will share the happiness it gives me.