How do you make sure you write productive and efficient emails? Have you struggled with receiving poor emails in the past? How have you coped?
Check out my thoughts on improving your emails over at Fuel Your Writing.
While perusing Toastmaters International‘s website – an organization I admire – I read their article “The 10 Commandments of Communication: How to Speak like a Leader.”
Speaking and writing effectively have much in common – both require knowing your audience, the purpose of your speech, letter or article, and allowing your personal voice to shine. Writing poses several challenges that speaking doesn’t: when writing you have to engage readers more quickly, be more concise and convey your understanding of the audience creatively. Here are four tips to help you write like a leader:
1. Write to be understood. Just like with speaking, the purpose of your e-mail, article, brochure, booklet or report is that your reader will understand – and absorb – certain information. Take the time to organize and structure your writing. Use simple sentences and emphasize your central points.
2. Write for your readers’ benefit. Address your readers’ interests and concerns as openly as possible. Use “we” and “you” often, and “I” and “me” as infrequently as possible. You must do your research and know your audience to do this.
Use phrases like “From discussing your thoughts on ___” or “We’ve developed strategies to improve ___.”
3. Write authentically. When giving a speech, it’s much easier to tell jokes and show your human side. When writing, make sure you emphasize this part of you with concise jokes (but remember, sarcasm usually doesn’t read well), anecdotes or highly human language. An easy way to infuse e-mails with your human side is to add a short note about yourself and the reader outside of work, such as, “Jim and I had a great weekend at the beach. Have you and Sarah had time this summer to enjoy the beach? It must be hectic (but fun, of course!) with the new baby.”
Remember, nothing cultivates trust like authentic conversation.
4. “Listen” in writing. Your writing is only one side of the discussion – make sure your readers know that you understand their interests and concerns, and that you value their input. Instead of dictating information or listing what needs to be done, ask questions and invite them to share their perspective.
This is easier within e-mails, where you can ask questions freely, such as “We thought your performance on the last project was outstanding and would love to put your organizational skills to greater use. Is there a specific project or task you’d like to join?”
“Listening” in writing is more difficult in white papers, reports or brochures. Articulate your readers’ viewpoints and concerns that’s pertinent to your information. Only by beginning this way will readers feel that they can benefit from reading on. Conclude with a “call to action” for the reader to share their input – you’ll continue the conversation and learn valuable ideas.
Image via Wikipedia
Many corporations now have large intranet portals so all employees can access and share information. A corporate intranet is fundamental for internal communication, collaborative work and sharing successes.
Why worry about this writing? Only your employees and colleagues view it – and they base their opinion of you on your contributions to projects and technical knowledge, right?
Nope. Appearances – including intranet copy – matter. In fact, employees learn most about their company through its written communications.
Employees absorb the intranet’s messages and tone, and this profoundly impacts their engagement, perception of the company’s stability and belief that their work is valued.
When the writing is sloppy and riddled with mistakes, employees may believe the company doesn’t care about details. When the writing and design are outdated, they may think that the leadership resists the change required to move forward.
Your employees and colleagues deserve a well-organized and high-quality intranet. Show them that you respect their time and hard work by creating an intuitive intranet portal that includes engaging and insightful writing.
Want to improve your writing? Want to raise the bar on business writing at your organization? 
Sign up for my free e-zine Better Writing in Business!
Each issue is full of tips and strategies to write better and faster, along with quick quizzes to test your proofreading skills and e-mail intelligence. Write with more creativity, confidence and effectiveness!
Image via Wikipedia
“The overall tone of a written message affects the readers just as one’s tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges.”
-Scott Ober in Contemporary Business Communication
Striking the right tone can make or break a piece of writing. By creating a certain tone, we as writers influence how readers perceive our message and even how they respond to it. Crafting the right tone can be challenging – especially when you have bad news, an urgent deadline or need to give feedback – but it’s vital for cultivating an affable work environment and motivated employees. Fortunately, the same tone works well for most business writing.
How can you make sure that your e-mails, reports and other messages all have the appropriate tone? Here are some key points to keep in mind:
Professional writing must always be just that – professional. Avoid excessive use of explanation points and emoticons. Many writers rely on these to convey happiness and excitement, but they can be read easily as insincere. If you want to highlight a detail, write it in a short sentence and bold the text instead of using CAPS. Capital letters are often read as yelling or extremely urgent.
Be confident. You’ve done the work to write this message, so demonstrate your expertise.
Example: (Confident) The research I’ve conducted throughout this year clearly shows that we should alter our current strategy.
(Not Confident) You must agree that my research shows that a change may need to be made.
Be motivating. Inspire others to do their best work by recognizing their skills and leadership.
Example: (Motivating) Thanks for your leadership on this project. Your ability to bring our team together is such an asset in getting things done – and enjoying the process!
(Not Motivating) This project will be challenging so I need you to do your best to keep our team united and engaged.
Stress the benefits for the reader. Convey your interest and dedication to your reader by making them – and their concerns – the subject of your sentences.
Example: (Reader-Orientated) Your request will be processed tomorrow.
(Not Reader-Orientated) I’ll process your request tomorrow.
