| One of the true laments from management today is | | | | you want to give? |
| that employees cannot express themselves with the | | | | If you are hiring for a position that requires writing skills, |
| written word. Owners and stockholders have the | | | | ask the applicant to write several paragraphs about |
| same complaints about management. Today in the | | | | what attributes they will bring to the company. For |
| age of the paperless office the importance of the | | | | assessing writing skills what they write about is not as |
| written word is increasing especially as direct live voice | | | | important as how they write it. |
| contact becomes more and more problematic. | | | | For managers this is more important since written |
| If you want to communicate, you have to write. The | | | | reports are part of a manager's job description. Never |
| written word, whether digital or etched into stone, | | | | hire a manager before you clearly know their writing |
| remains the primary means of relaying data, | | | | skills. |
| information, thoughts and ideas. | | | | To write well it helps to read. Read whatever interests |
| Many businesses lack the ability to generate a well | | | | you and read as much as you can every day. If you |
| written business letter or well scripted marketing | | | | read a newspaper; look how style and syntax relay |
| collateral. Not having this ability puts these businesses | | | | the message. |
| at a competitive disadvantage. | | | | By reading well written material the rules of grammar |
| Who wants to consider a business proposal that is | | | | and syntax become more formalized in your brain. |
| awkward and full of errors? What impression does a | | | | Simply put, the more you read, the better you write. |
| homepage with spelling errors project? Good business | | | | Clearly writing practice makes for improvement if not |
| writing is not just a nice frill -- it is a necessity. | | | | perfection. Good writers write everyday and take |
| Every text that is written by your business is a | | | | pride in each piece they write. Good writers make |
| reflection on your business. Misspellings, poor grammar, | | | | sure the intended meaning is the meaning expressed. It |
| awkward syntax and weak logic project a negative | | | | is not only challenging to write well but fun if one |
| image. These weaknesses can relay the impression | | | | develops positive attitudes about writing. Besides, |
| that you are uneducated, unsophisticated, lack personal | | | | what's not to like about writing well? |
| pride, are lazy, ill or all of the above. | | | | Only basic common sense should tell you that anything |
| Since the consequences of poor writing are | | | | that is written or in text, such as a webpage or a |
| surprisingly severe, it is better to not write anything | | | | handout brochure needs to be reviewed thoroughly |
| than to write poorly. No writing leaves the issue up in | | | | before posting or printing. If you dare put out 'junk' that |
| the air; poor writing tells the world just where you | | | | is full of holes, you will be shooting down your efforts |
| establish your standards. | | | | before you start. So don't even try. |
| Pick up three or four pieces of written material from | | | | Review all of your written materials to see if they |
| your company. How does your company rate? Do | | | | need to be improved or rewritten. Be your own editor |
| you require employees use spelling and grammar | | | | first and then have some "outside eyes" look at it. |
| checks before sending out important letters or email? | | | | Take all criticism constructively and use that criticism to |
| A spell and grammar checker can act as an editor | | | | improve. |
| and prevent simple typos and oversights; a first line of | | | | Look in the mirror when you come up with excuses |
| defense against poor writing. | | | | for poor writing. Excuses such as lack of formal |
| Or do you or your people have difficulty clearly | | | | education do not count in the marketplace. Some with |
| expressing themselves? If so, take a step back and | | | | little or no education have excellent writing skills while |
| look at your capabilities. You can either send | | | | many university graduates cannot write a simple |
| everybody to Adult Ed and Junior College to learn how | | | | sentence correctly. |
| to write or hire someone that already can. | | | | If you write poorly your message will be muted and |
| For your people that can write having their own writing | | | | not accomplish what you intend it to do. Good writing is |
| style is fine as long as it is correct and in good | | | | a challenge and not something one can fudge or |
| business taste. You don't have to go to military speak | | | | postpone. |
| but neither is this the time to wax poetic and verbose. | | | | If you can't do it, hire someone that can. Always |
| Using slang in a memo to a company CEO may look | | | | remember that for better or worse you and your |
| cool at first but be perceived as 'low rent' when the | | | | company are what you write. |
| CEO reads it. Always think first, what impression do | | | | |