Bnenin - stock.adobe.comPoor Judy Johnson, my high school English and writing teacher. It is fair to say that high school was not my golden age of writing, though Ms. Johnson worked hard to help me understand its importance.
A lot can be learned about a person by reviewing their writing. Temperament, degree of empathy, intelligence, emotional state, intent to deceive and thinking style are just a few attributes writing can reveal. I am certainly no expert in writing analysis, but there is no need to be. Even a casual observer can pick up many of these qualities intuitively.
Writing is an effective way to express thoughts, emotions and ideas. If we do it well, writing will help us convey information clearly and improve both our effectiveness and personal brand equity. Good writing benefits us well beyond the contents of a specific document.
At the bottom of almost every management problem is a communication problem, which often includes poor writing. The communicator’s job is to ensure a message is transmitted correctly, which is not always easy.
But writing seems simple, right? We do it all day. In a digital age that requires frequent texting, emailing or communicating on one of many apps, we are writing constantly. However, most people don’t realize how much poor writing hurts their effectiveness. For many people, their writing hurts both their ability to function well and their career. If we don’t write well, the consequences can be devastating.
We should all be intentional about continually improving our writing. Some ideas that have been helpful to me regarding this include the following:
• Write as you speak After writing something, read it aloud and ask yourself, Is this how I would make the same point verbally? If your writing sounds awkward or choppy, it probably is.
• Identify your purpose before writing Often, I have read something and thought, What are they trying to say? Be clear in your own mind regarding the purpose before you begin writing; it will help you make points crisply and effectively. Creating this clarity before writing will significantly improve the odds that the reader will understand what you are trying to communicate.
• Be clear on your call to action As in the previous point, I have often finished reading a note and thought, What do they want me to do? Writers can fall into the trap of thinking that after explaining the situation it will be obvious what the reader should do. That idea is a big mistake. No matter how clear you believe your writing is, specifically state what you want the reader to do with your message.
• Keep it short The best writing makes its point in the least possible number of words. Always ask how you can make the same point with fewer words. Concise writing is not about sacrificing content but expressing it efficiently.
• Write simply Related to the previous point, complex writing does not demonstrate intelligence, but making complex ideas simple does. Don’t inject words and phrases you would never use in conversation; don’t treat a letter as a display case for big words or high-minded phrases. Keep it on the bottom shelf, where everyone can reach it is an excellent concept to remember when writing.
• Think of the reader’s perspective After writing, try to review your document from the reader’s perspective. Attempt to consider the biases of those who will be reading the letter. What you intend as a harmless phrase may be explosive from the reader’s point of view.
• Proofread your work In the spirit of transparency, I admit this is my challenge. I am often very busy and can easily send a document to someone without reviewing it as closely as I should. However, this is no excuse. It’s embarrassing when I realize I have sent someone a document with a typo. You will be judged on the accuracy of your writing regardless of how busy you are. Take a minute to carefully proofread.
For many years, the bulk of most leaders’ writing has been through email. Unfortunately, writing emails has many unique challenges. Several years ago, an industrial psychologist told me that most people naturally read emails more negatively than the writer intended. That’s why if you get an email from me, I almost always start it with a positive tone, such as, “Dear Joe, I hope you are having a great day.” There are many nuances related to email that are beyond the scope of this column. Those who want to learn more should read the book Digital Body Language by Erica Dhawan.
Developing this article inspired me to reach out to my high school English and writing teacher, and it was fun to reconnect with her after a few decades. I am very thankful for her influence on my life, though I wish I had paid more attention to her. None of us can go back in time, but we all can commit to being better writers. It is a commitment that will make us both more effective and successful.
Every leader should be intentional about improving communications, including their writing. With commitment, better writing can be mastered, allowing you to better connect with and influence your readers while inspiring them to new heights.
Bill Yeargin is president and CEO of Correct Craft and has written five books, including the best seller Education of a CEO.
This article was originally published in the March 2024 issue.
