You Are a Brand. Protect and Reinforce Your Professional Brand With These Two Invaluable Tools When Writing Anything.

⬆️ Mindset Shift:

As elite-level Operators, our standard is excellence, especially with our written communications. Avoid the trap of thinking there is not enough time to proof written communications properly. Our brand is directly tied to how our communications are received over time. This post provides an efficient and effective failsafe, self-proofing workflow leveraging AI. 

📋 Why You Should Care More About Your Proofing Workflow:

Whether editing AI-generated content or tuning your own wording, how you edit can either build or chip away at the value of your personal brand.

Speaking of personal branding in a professional context, here  is how I define ‘Personal Brand Equity:’

From the definition of personal brand equity, let’s zero in on ‘effectively communicate.’

According to this study, employees are sending 200 Slack messages per week on average. On top of instant message demands, another study shows that an average employee sends about 40 email messages daily. That’s a high volume of communications.

If you are like many, before hitting send, post, or submit, there is a good chance you didn’t consistently review and proof your written communications to a standard of excellence, ensuring your message delivers the intended meaning.

Why do we often shortchange ourselves when we know we need to proof our communications better? 

We often get into a non-productive rhythm of convincing ourselves we don’t have enough time to review our digital communications properly before sending them. This pattern leads to branding hits and increased misunderstandings that require more back and forth, wasting time and energy for everyone involved.

And…there is an easy solution. 

I remember when Microsoft released their ‘Read Aloud’ feature in Outlook.

I immediately started to experiment with the new functionality. It was surprisingly powerful when I realized I could easily ‘hear’ how others would read my emails.

Often, poorly written communication will boomerang back with questions and clarifications. A well-written communication, on the other hand, has good ‘stand-alone value’ and effectively communicates the intended meaning the first time.

I noticed that using Read Aloud in Outlook for my emails profoundly impacted the quality of messages, resulting in significantly fewer clarifying replies, saving me time and energy and serving others better. A double win.

As email communications comprise only a part of my digital communications, I realized I needed the same read-aloud functionality in my browser. This way, all of my communications could benefit.

The answer was the Read Aloud Chrome extension. As there are security risks to weigh when installing any browser plugin, the Read Aloud extension has earned its place as a ‘Featured’ extension by Google. It is being used by 4 million, including me.

Like in the lead image above, all you have to do is highlight the text and select the Read Aloud extension, and you will hear your message read out loud. I encourage you to try it.  

Going from average to elite.

I am often tempted not to stop and proof my written communications, but after seeing how much time I was saving and how I was better serving others, I realized I needed to be a little more disciplined. I set a rule to run 100% of my communications through Read Aloud. Since setting this target, I have rarely missed and have seen the benefits of much sharper communications that deliver on the first round.

One of the best examples of using AI as a Co-Pilot.

The free Grammarly Chrome extension is a must in your proofing arsenal. 

A close friend years back recommended I invest in going ‘Pro’ with the paid version of Grammarly. I have the Premium plan. 

The bottom line is that the combination of Read Aloud with Grammarly Pro is an unbeatable productivity combo pack. 

As Grammarly Pro leverages the best in AI, the extension gives me real-time writing coaching experience, helping to ensure my communications hit the mark.

When I have others proof important content, I have seen the editing demands being reduced by around 80%. Why? It is because I use both Read Aloud and Grammarly Pro in tandem. 

⚡ PRO TIP: One of the best copyediting tips I have heard in my career is only proofing yesterday’s content. A day or more later, it is extra powerful when I return to content using Read Aloud and Grammarly Pro. If you need to send something more urgent, the next best version of this advice is to go for a short walk before sending. I am amazed at the insights I gain after walking that improve my communication. 

In summary, we all know we need to proofread our communications. Why not proofread using the most efficient and effective means possible? For me, and I hope for you as well, it will be with the combination of Read Aloud and Grammarly Pro. 

The approach will improve your confidence, knowing you are communicating at a level of excellence. 

💥 Operational Action:

Consider installing the Read Aloud browser extension and Grammarly extension, and consider purchasing Grammarly Pro (no commissions are paid to me). 

💡 What Do You Think?

Do you have any proofing advice to give? Consider leaving a comment or a question so others can benefit and learn. 

🛠️ Tools Mentioned:

• Read Aloud Chrome extension

• Grammarly Chrome extension

• Grammarly paid options (no commission are paid)

☁️ AI Content Disclaimer:

Bard offered some help with part of the subject line. Grammarly Pro was used throughout to improve the content. Everything else is 100% human-created content.

✅ Mind Break:

Since you made it this far, to wrap up on an unrelated note, check out this black bear taking on a blown-up reindeer. Hilarious. Refresh your browser if you don’t have a TikTok account to view the short video easily. 

🗓️ What’s Coming Up Next:

Next week, learn why I don’t have an open-door policy and why I believe you shouldn’t either. 

Here’s to your higher level of personal brand equity,

Steve Kahle |  ELITE OPERATORS

🔵 P.S.

P.S. If you find value, consider signing up for The Elite Operator Report if you haven’t already. I encourage you to share my content with others, which is a great way to help me build a growing community of elite operators. Also, check out my no-cost resources, like the Ideal Recurring Week Mini-Course. You can also apply for my next Productivity Accelerator, become a paid subscriber, or recommend me for executive coaching, operational and technology consulting, or speaking opportunities like this interview called Time Architecture, Transition from Stressed, and Distracted to Focused.

You can also contact me directly on LinkedIn or through this contact form.