Elevate Your Business Writing - The Passive Voice

Elevate Your Business Writing - The Passive Voice

Last week, we examined relative clauses and their power to add precision to professional communication. This week, we're exploring the passive voice - another important device that can transform how we communicate in the business world.

Understanding the Passive Voice: A Strategic Communication Approach

The passive voice is more than just a grammatical construction - it's a nuanced communication technique that allows professionals to reshape their messaging with strategic intent. At its core, the passive voice shifts the focus from the doer to the action, creating a powerful narrative tool in business communication.

Decoding the Passive Voice Structure 

Let’s look at an example. The following is an active sentence.

An active sentence follows the familiar structure: subject + verb + object.

This sentence is fine but let’s say that you want to put more focus on the object or action rather than the subject or who did the action.

We can rewrite the sentence using the passive voice:

The object becomes the subject of the new sentence, while the original subject becomes the new object, if needed.

The new structure becomes:

subject (original object) + form of 'to be' + past participle (+ by the doer).

In some cases, it’s not necessary to specify who performed the action. In such instances, we don’t need to include ‘by the marketing team’.

Sometimes we did not even know who performed the action:

Strategic Applications in Business Communication

1. Emphasising Results and Achievements

The passive voice can highlight achievements and important developments by emphasising outcomes.

2 Maintaining a Professional Tone

Sometimes, communication requires a delicate touch. The passive voice offers a way to communicate sensitively and formally, particularly in challenging business scenarios.

Navigating Sensitive Communications

When direct attribution might create unnecessary tension, the passive voice provides a diplomatic alternative. For instance, below is a carefully crafted statement that addresses an issue without assigning direct blame.

Test Your Skills: Passive Voice Transformation

Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice:

1. “The team prepared the quarterly report.”

2. “Management approved the new company policy.”

3. “The IT department resolved the system issue.”

4. “Our customers gave positive feedback on the new product.”

5. “The CEO announced the annual revenue figures.”

Your Communication Challenge: In your next report or email, experiment with passive constructions. Notice how subtle shifts in language can reshape the perception and emphasise key business insights.

Annual Review: Mapping My Professional and Personal Landscape

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I start my annual review and planning for the next year at the beginning of December. Why so soon? The reason is simple - I need time to reflect on several crucial areas of my life.

I approach this annual review by splitting my life into three main categories: Personal, Business and Investing, and Self-Development. This systematic approach allows me to create a comprehensive snapshot of my professional and personal progress.

Personal Reflections

In the personal domain, I conduct a detailed review across key areas:

1. Relationships - I examine connections with family and friends, identifying areas that may need more attention.

2. Health and Fitness - I assess my commitment to personal wellness, typically finding I've dedicated time to health goals, though fitness objectives often require more focused attention.

3. Property Management - I review home-related investments and potential projects. In 2023, this involved installing solar panels, while 2024 saw a comprehensive interior and exterior house repainting.

Business and Professional Landscape

My Italian business encompasses three distinct areas:

1. Teaching business English and Cambridge exam preparation

2. Project management consulting

3. Newsletter writing and content creation

In addition, I'm currently in the process of winding down my motorsport business in the UK, reflecting a significant shift in my professional focus.

Investment analysis forms a critical component of this review, I will write about this in Friday’s Financial Fluency newsletter.

Self-Development: The Continuous Growth Engine

Self-development bridges personal and professional growth. This category focuses on learning opportunities, skill enhancement, and strategic personal development.

Financial education and investment learning remain central to my self-development goals. I'm committed to continuous learning, and exploring new resources, courses, and insights that can expand my professional and financial knowledge.

Conclusion

By dedicating time to this comprehensive review in early December, I create a strategic roadmap that will guide my decisions and actions throughout the coming year. This process transcends mere planning; it’s a purposeful approach to intentional living and professional growth.

Will you engage in a similar exercise this December?

Word of the Day: Doer

Doer - noun - countable - someone who gets actively involved in something rather than just thinking or talking about it.

Practical Exercise: Passive Voice Transformation Answers

1. "The quarterly report was prepared."

2. "The new company policy was approved."

3. "The system issue was resolved."

4. "Positive feedback was received on the new product."

5. "The annual revenue figures were announced (by the CEO)."

Do you have any Business English Questions?

Please email me and I will do my best to answer them in future newsletters.

Until next Wednesday - have a great week!

Iain.

www.communicateenglish.com