Effective Writing For Leaders Or Managers. Part 1

The leader/manager is expected to be an effective writer. Forms of written communication include memos, letters, minutes of meetings, proposals, and reports. He oe she must be able to convert his or her thoughts into readable form. In addition to achieving understanding on the part of the reader, the manager often is attempting to motivate the reader to take certain actions. Therefore, effective writing, that which produces results, is an essential skill for the manager.

A number of barriers are associated with written communication. The most common is lack of clarity. The reader simply does not understand what the writer is trying to say. Another is lack of focus. The diversity of ideas in the document prevents the reader from grasping the central message. Still another is dullness. The written material is uninteresting and boring.

A concerted effort on the part of the manager, which includes planning the writing and rewriting preliminary drafts, can help overcome these barriers. Even though written communication is different from interpersonal communication, the writer nevertheless can focus on dialog.

Here are some practical guidelines for effective writing:

1. Write in the language of the reader. More than 2,000 years ago Aristotle suggested that, "When talking to the carpenter, use the language of the carpenter." This bit of advice is as valid today as it was then. Before you begin the writing, think about the reader. Reflect on the person's education, experience, and interests. Then write accordingly.

2. Focus on the key idea. Whether it is a one-page memo or a 20-page report, your written material should have one central idea. Perhaps there are a number of secondary ideas, but these should be in support of the main idea. In planning your writing, give attention to the one principal idea that you want to convey to your reader audience. Then organize the entire document to support this idea.

3. Organize your material in coherent manner. Readers will understand your material better if it is organized in "chunks." According to the information scientists, the maximum number of chunks that most people can grasp is seven; for many kinds of writing, however, the number of chunks, or major points, should be limited to three or four. These major chunks can then be subdivided into smaller chunks. Once you have identified the major points and the supporting points, arrange them in a logical order. Here is where you will realize the importance of outlining the material before you begin the actual writing. This will give your document coherence: there will be a logical flow.

4. Be as concise as practical whilst still getting your message across. Avoid any padding that may bore or confuse the reader.

5. Undertake a course in selling if you have not already done so. We are all selling something or other be it a product, our time, or our ideas. When writing or otherwise dealing with others we are often selling our ideas or point of view.

6. Remember the WIIFM approach from the point of view of the recipient when writing. What's WIIFM I feel you asking? It stands for What's In It For Me? This is why you need to learn about selling so that you can provide benefits or other incentives for recipients of your letters to convince them to adopt your recommendations etc.

7. When writing a formal report, such as to senior management, identify the problem that you are addressing; suggest several alternative solutions and their merits and shortfalls to show that you have adequately researched the problem; then make your recommendation and provide the reasons for the recommendation.