Communication tone — How to say it better

Tone is present in all written communication, whether it is a choice or an accident. By choosing a positive tone, you will build and maintain positive relationships, project a professional image and more readily accomplish your goals.

Three choices for tone include:

1. Positive tone: Positive tone is always your best choice. It’s not just about being nice — positive tone is clearer and helps us get things done because its phrasing is simpler, and it uses fewer words. By phrasing messages positively, you encourage people to buy into your ideas and establish good relationships for the future. Positive tone is a credibility builder.
2. Negative tone: Negative tone tends to make the reader feel angry and defensive and may damage your professional image.
3. Neutral tone: Neutral tone is the absence of positive or negative language. Neutral tone has no feeling — just the facts. While this might seem innocent enough, neutral tone carries a risk of being interpreted negatively, depending on the mood of the reader. In fact, neutral tone can come across as cold, or even chilling.

In business writing, positive tone is always your best choice — even when the message is negative. Always write with a focus on trying to help the reader and build the relationship, even if you are annoyed.

CREATING A POSITIVE TONE:

Here are some tips for writing in a positive tone:

1. Avoid using negative trigger words e.g. argue, careless, complain, defect, debt, doubt, difficult, error, fail, fault, however, liability, mistake, wrong, unfortunately etc.
2. Use positive words instead e.g. effective, easy, focused, powerful, simple, strong, please, bonus etc.
3. Use the positive form of the sentence. Instead of “Don’t forget to book a meeting room”, deliver the message positively: “Remember to book a meeting room”.
4. Rather than focusing on the problem, focus on the solution or action. For example, change “I’m sorry we cannot discuss a cap on selling prices because the key decision maker is not available until Monday”, to “We can discuss a cap on selling prices on Monday, when the key decision maker is available”.
5. Avoid long explanations and focus on the solution. Instead of “I will be out of town from February 13 until February 18 and will not be able to meet with you until after that”, simply say “I can meet with you after February 18”.
6. Use antonyms to remove the word “not”. For example: instead of “they were not present, use “they were absent”; instead of the office will not be open, use “the office will be closed”.

Remember, tones are conveyed through your choice of words and phrases, your viewpoint, and how you put words and phrases together.