Category Archives: Robert’s posts

Notes on Mentorship, I

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Robert Basil

Erin Dick gave a superb talk, and then led an illuminating discussion, on the topic of “mentorship” today, the last day of the IABC’s world conference. Inspired by the speaker and my discussion attendees, I will be posting on this topic … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged Mentorship, relationship, work | Leave a comment

International Association of Business Communicators: World Conference 2013

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Robert Basil

The IABC’s 2013 world conference has been quite a success so far. The presentations have been amply tweeted at the hashtag #IABCWC13. (My tweets about this event and other things can be found at @thebasil.)

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged professional development | Leave a comment

The Art of Scolding, cont’d.

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Robert Basil

“We have somehow not successfully received your professional-development documentation,” a Dean’s Office colleague wrote me in an email early in my career at Kwantlen. The sentence both charmed and alarmed me, especially the phrase somehow not successfully received, which seemed … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged clarity, language, words, work | Leave a comment

The Art of Scolding

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Robert Basil

In 1987 I promoted a story about “Secular Organizations for Sobriety” [SOS] that appeared in the Buffalo News. SOS was one of those secular humanist initiatives promulgated by Paul Kurtz’s publishing enterprises out of Buffalo, in this case “Free Inquiry,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged conflict, courtesy, friends, relationship | Leave a comment

Academic Blogging

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Robert Basil

My new favourite blog is by a Ukrainian-born scholar of Hispanic Literature named “Clarissa” – she doesn’t reveal her surname or some other would-be identifying information, like her university’s name – whose work I first encountered on Jonathan Mayhew’s Stupid … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged academic writing | Leave a comment

It’s Usually Not Mother’s Day

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Robert Basil

Are there any people other than mothers who ever truly know that they have been the most important person in the life of someone else? I like this question, and ask some variant of it in most of my professional … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged audience, courtesy | Leave a comment

Complex Communications Solutions vs. Perhaps a Simpler One

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Robert Basil

From Paul Constant in The Stranger today: Chris DeRose published an article at Business Insider addressing the fact that McDonald’s is failing at customer service, with a vice president of the company openly talking about the “rude or unprofessional employees” … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged courtesy, customer service | Leave a comment

No More Memos

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Robert Basil

Delivered to my house this week was the instructor’s edition of Daniel G. Riordan’s stalwart textbook Technical Report Writing Today, 10th edition. I was thrilled, I have to say, having used the 9th edition of Riordan’s text in my upper-level … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged for educators, for students | Leave a comment

Make Room for Working

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Robert Basil

“Of the three goals to which all aspire – success in love, in society, and in profession – only two are plausible simultaneously: you can’t have a smooth love life, a rich social life, and still get your work done. … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged mental hygiene, personal development, work | Leave a comment