Want to Sound Smart? Avoid These Five Mistakes.

Face it. We live in a very judgmental world. In a business setting, people make snap decisions about us all the time. Close on the heels of our outward physical appearance, our communication skills are constantly under the microscope. Make one wrong verbal move and we run the risk of others assuming we're not anywhere near Mensa material.

Plenty has been written about some of the more obvious methods of self sabotage like filler language (um's, you know's, like's, etc). Those are common afflictions many of us constantly need to work on in order to eradicate them from our speech patterns. But if you want to play in the corporate big leagues, and I presume most of us are aspiring to do just that, there are some subtler mistakes people make that might forever relegate them to Triple-A ball, denying them access to the Majors.

In my work as a communications coach, I hear the following five mistakes committed by really accomplished people. But when I hear them fall into these linguistic traps, a little suspicion creeps into my mind that maybe they're not quite as accomplished as I originally suspected. I want to steer you clear of these potholes, because getting them right can do as much good as getting them wrong can cause harm to your reputation.

Less vs. Fewer: My hometown baseball announcer on radio John Sterling gets this one wrong every night on his Yankee broadcast. He says that a pitcher has given up "five less hits than innings pitched." That may sound right but it's actually wrong. When you are referring to something that can actually be counted, you use fewer. "We have five fewer clients than our main competitor," is correct. When you are referencing something that cannot be counted, use "less." "Their company is less strategic than we are." The exception to the rule is when you're dealing in a single unit. "There's one less item on the agenda." You would never say, "there's one fewer..." I can't begin to tell you how many people get this one wrong.

Further – Farther: This is a simple one: if you're referring to actual distance, use "farther." For example, "that building is farther down the road than the other one." If you are talking about advancing something more abstract, use "further" - "Let's develop this idea further." Usually I hear people use "further" when they should be saying "farther." Rarely do I hear people making the mistake the other way around.

Among - Between: This is another numerically dictated rule. "Between" can only be used if you're referring to two things: "this conversation will be just between you and me." The minute a third party enters the equation, "between" becomes the wrong choice. "Let's have a conversation among the three of us."

Irregardless: This word, although uttered constantly, actually does not exist. Don't believe me? Write it in a document on your computer. You see that little red line under the word "irregardless?" That says it all. Stick with the simpler, "regardless."

Anecdote – Antidote: Because I am constantly stressing the importance of storytelling among our clients (not between our clients) this mistake comes up... A LOT! An "antidote" is something you take if you've been bitten by a poisonous snake. An "anecdote" is a story. That's all you need to know on that one.

These are not necessarily the most common mistakes I encounter but they are among the most telling. Get them right every time and you will be assured of putting your best linguistic foot forward.