In the competitive world of business, communication is more than just exchanging information; it's about being strategic with your word choices to ensure clarity and professionalism.

One effective tool often utilized by successful professionals is the passive voice. This approach is particularly valuable in formal business settings, where the focus should be on the action rather than the doer.

Understanding Passive Voice

Passive voice occurs when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For example, "The report was completed by the team" focuses on the action of completing, rather than who completed it. This structure is beneficial in business communication for several reasons.

Why Use Passive Voice?

1. Emphasizes the action: In business, the outcomes often matter more than who performed the actions. Passive voice highlights what was done, which can be especially useful in reports, formal documents, and presentations where the results are more significant than the individuals.
2. Maintains a formal tone: Passive constructions lend a formal and sophisticated tone to your communication. They are a staple in professional environments, enhancing the perceived professionalism of the speaker or writer.
3. Provides anonymity: When it’s unnecessary or inappropriate to name the person performing the action, passive voice comes in handy. It allows for descriptions of actions and decisions without assigning direct responsibility, which can be diplomatic in sensitive business contexts.

Crafting Passive Voice Sentences

Creating passive voice sentences is a skill that, once mastered, can add a layer of sophistication to your business communications.

Understanding how to form these sentences will allow you to use them effectively when the situation demands. Here’s a simple guide to help you craft passive voice constructions:

1. Identify the Action and the Doer

Start by identifying the verb (action) and the subject (doer) in your sentence. For instance, in the active sentence "The manager approved the project," the action is "approved," and the doer is "the manager."

2. Rearrange the Sentence Structure

In passive voice, the object of the action in an active sentence becomes the subject of the sentence. The original subject either follows the verb or is omitted if it's not necessary for clarity or emphasis.

Using our example:

Active: "The manager approved the project."

Passive: "The project was approved by the manager."

3. Use the Correct Form of "To Be"

The verb "to be" is essential in forming passive sentences. It should be used in the same tense as the active verb in your original sentence. For example, if the active sentence is in the past tense ("approved"), the passive sentence should also use "to be" in the past tense ("was").

4. Include the Original Doer, if Necessary

After the passive verb, you can include the original doer preceded by "by." This is optional and usually depends on whether that information adds value to the sentence. If the doer is either obvious, irrelevant, or should be deliberately omitted, you can leave it out. This helps in maintaining anonymity or focusing solely on the action in professional documentation.

5. Check for Clarity and Precision

Once your sentence is constructed, review it to ensure it remains clear and precise. Passive voice should not complicate the sentence but rather serve a specific purpose such as emphasizing the action or maintaining formality.

6. Putting it all together

Example 1: Business Report Submission

Example 2: Client Proposal Approval

Examples in Action

Let’s convert a few active sentences into passive:

• Active: "The team achieved the targets."
• Passive: "The targets were achieved by the team."
• Active: "Human resources conducts the training sessions."
• Passive: "The training sessions are conducted by human resources."
• Active: "The company will launch the new product next month."
• Passive: "The new product will be launched by the company next month."

Conclusion

Mastering the use of passive voice can significantly enhance your business communication skills. It allows you to convey messages with the required formality and focus, crucial for professional growth and effective information delivery.

As you prepare your next business presentation or document, consider how the strategic use of passive voice can help achieve your communication goals. Remember, the ability to adapt your language to suit the formal business environment is an invaluable skill that will set you apart in your career advancement.