By: Suzanne Ostrander
According to a recent publication from Time magazine, Spelling Bees across America are now requiring the contestants to not only spell the word, but to also provide a correct definition. Interestingly, America is the only country that follows the Spelling Bee tradition, most likely due to the level of difficulty that relates to the English language.
We are often enthralled by the adorable, yet perspicacious youngsters who participate in these competitions. I often wonder why we limit the competition to children though. For starters, many of their words would stump me!
How can we make spelling and grammar more of a priority in the workplace? The key is to raise awareness in your working environment. Offer annual refresher courses, and require all employees to participate. Most importantly though, don’t be pretentious. You may be more educated, wittier, or competent than another person, but knowledge is wasted if it is not used with humility.
In short, don’t “brag” about your superior intelligence. Chances are, you fall within the category of being human and eventually, your gloating will come back to bite you in the rear!
As always, I encourage each and every one of you to encourage excellence in all that you do.
For direct access to the Times.com article, click the link below:
http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/16/why-americans-need-spelling-bees-and-vocabulary-tests/
Bryan E. Wilson 