Booher BanterBusiness Communication Consultant

Suppose you are CEO and your VP of sales says to you, “The client rejected our proposal, and you may also be surprised to discover that our name has been removed from the bidders list.” You’d probably be wondering who removed your name from the client’s bidders list.

The sentence doesn’t provide that information. And therein lies the problem with passive voice. (Definition below) Does your VP have “an attitude” and just not want to be forthcoming with the information? Is the VP protecting someone? Or is she just a careless communicator?

Passive voice can become a way of life—or at least a bad habit of downplaying mistakes and shirking responsibility.

Politicians use it: 
“Mistakes were made in that situation.”

Managers use it: 
“The decision has been made to stop reimbursing employees for those expenses.”

Spouses use it:
“Your note got misplaced somehow. I didn’t see it.”

Here’s a brief refresher on passive voice: If the subject of the sentence acts, the verb is active. If the subject of the sentence receives action, the verb is passive.

• Active:  Judd hires a new salesperson each month.
  (The subject Judd acts.)
• Passive:  A new salesperson is hired each month.
  (The subject salesperson receives action—gets hired.)

Active-voice verbs generally make writing crisp, clear, and concise. Passive-voice verbs also have a place and purpose: They add variety, slow the pace, and focus on the results of the sentence if the doer is unimportant.

Passive-voice verbs often remove the doers or actors altogether from the sentence. The result is much like a theatre, with a voice-over and no characters visible on the set. Generally, who does what is important in business. That’s why passive voice often leads to clarity problems.

• Passive:  The negotiated deal has been rejected.
  (by which side?)
• Active:  The prospect rejected our proposal, and the evaluation team removed our name from the client’s bidders list. (clear)

Unless you have an “attitude,” don’t create mysteries when you write. If passive voice doesn’t serve a specific purpose, put people in your prose.

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Posted at 10:51am in Communication—Interpersonal, Communication—Oral, Communication—Sales, Communication—Written, General Communication, Grammar | Permalink | Add Comment » |