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Organizing ideas and communicating clearly
By susan | March 27, 2009
A recent survey of 120 blue-chip American companies found that a third of employees wrote poorly, a problem businesses spend more than $3 billion a year to correct.
- ad for “The Harvard Business School Guide to Better Business Writing.”
Those stats may be understated, if you include all that goes into communicating with documents, emails, and proposals. But let’s take that as reported. The one-third of your employees who do not communicate well in writing have other valuable skills. That’s why you hired them. That’s why you keep them around. (If not, you should not be keeping them around and let them find a better path.)
I’m not a big proponent of forcing skills on those who do not show a natural aptitude; rather, I’m a fan of encouraging people to serve according to their aptitude. And supporting them in doing what they do best. Yes, for those who show in interest in developing better writing and communications skills - support that desire. Buy them the HBS guide, send them to seminars.
For the rest, team them with people who *do* know how to write (if that will be required on the team). Let each serve your organization according to what he or she does best. And, if at all possible, do not devalue any of what they do. Whether it’s the ability to pick up the phone and make friends (and potential new business) with anyone under the sun, or whether it’s having an amazing memory for the details of other employees’ lives - and lifting the mood of everyone around them, or just about any other natural talent that holds up your organization; find a way to reward that.
If you need help with documents, proposals, presentations, or marketing communications, there’s an entire industry to support you with that. (Call me; drop me an email.)
Meanwhile, if that stat holds up, may I recommend supporting public education in any way that you can? I don’t know if the literacy statistics in America today are tragic, or simply indicators of new forms of communication emerging. There is more to communicating than just words.
But I have noticed over the years that some of my favorite people to work with, not to mention the C-suite level of corporate titans, did not get there with good writing. If it matters in your business, you can always get help and support with that. Reward everyone who helps you grow, no matter what they do. And you will keep growing.
Topics: customer experience |