Does "maintaining" lead to "fostering?"?

Question

I'm writing a code of conduct for a small government department. It is going to be chock full of punchy, actionable phrases (no real complete sentences) that seek to convey an air of positivity. Example: >Maintain a positive attitude toward our work; foster this attitude department wide. I feel that I understand what I am attempting to convey, but I am curious whether anyone else is reading this statement in the same way that I am. The department in question is having an issue with the negativity of a few individuals impacting the broader climate. My hope is to convey the idea that an individual's own attitude is part of a bigger picture—and not in a punitive way i.e., "Shape up or ship out." **My main quandary, then**: do the verbs "maintain" and "foster" accomplish these goals of tone and meaning? - Positivity - A cause and effect relationship (individual attitude *affecting* everyone's work environment) - Clarity of meaning - Implying an action to be taken by the reader - Is a semicolon appropriate here? Any alternative word choices, rewrites, or reorganizations are welcome.

Answer 1

Before responding to your questions, I want to mention that you have taken on a daunting challenge. Writing a code of conduct is in itself not easy, especially if some of the employees may not be aware of or wish to alter their negative attitude. That said, I suggest you combine foster and maintain in one brief phrase. You could, for example, write the following:

1) Foster and maintain a positive attitude.

Next, you might want to add specific suggestions of ways in which employees could demonstrate a positive attitude. These could include: Be courteous and thoughtful; help others when you can; etc. I agree your code's phrases should be brief and concise. I suggest you offer about ten points; if the list has more than ten, you run the risk that the employees might not read them.

Also, you have asked about the appropriateness of a semicolon and I am not sure where you wish to use it. In general, semicolons are used after a short sentence followed by a related one. For example, one could use a semicolon in the following example: James wanted to attend the high school's basketball game; however, I was too tired to accompany him.

Again, I admire your assuming the responsibility of crafting a code of conduct and hope my suggestions are of help. Please feel free to contact me with further questions or comments.

Sincerely yours,

Lydia V