3 reasons to sharpen your writing skill
You may not think you're a writer, but anyone who creates emails and other communication or collaborates on projects spends a good chunk of their day writing. By sharpening your writing skills, you can
- Improve your productivity so you can write faster and others can read and understand you in less time
- Support your organization's brand and convey a favourable personal image
- Achieve your goals, by sharing your enthusiasm and connecting with the people who matter to you.
Productivity
With so many people cranking out so many words every day, writing has become the productivity elephant in the office. In fact, studies have shown that most people spend a third of their work day writing.
They also spend too much time reading because at least a third of all email, according to survey respondents, does not get straight to the point.
Suppose an employee spends two hours a day writing and another hour reading. If a third of that time is wasted, because they're dithering about what to say or the email sender doesn't get to the point, they lose an hour or more every single work day. Ouch.
Brand
Many people whose performance is tied to writing skills can't remember the basic rules they learned in high school. They don't know when to write it's and its. Sometimes they even write its'.
This does not look good on them or the organization they represent.
Often well-educated professionals write with a rigid formality that prevents them from conveying compassion or other softer brand values. Some are so immersed in their specialty that they have difficulty explaining from their readers' perspective and their company's brand.
Success
To accomplish their organization's goals, today's employees need to do more than write clearly and concisely and support their brand promise. They need to share their energy and passion. They need to engage, persuade and connect.
Employees who are excited about what they're working on can usually accomplish this when they're talking to people they're comfortable with. But as soon as they are asked to capture this spirit in the written word, many are frightened by ghosts of rule-obsessed teachers, jargon-spouting bosses and other censors.
To help their employees champion change and meet business objectives, many organizations invest in writing training. Too often, however, the employees forget most of what they learned soon after.
From mouth to mouse
That's why I've developed workshops based on my book,
Write like you talk-only better. Because the learning principles reflect everyone's first and favourite way to communicate--talking--they are easy and natural to remember and apply.
With the worksheets and checklists to use back at the office, participants will practice and continually improve. Anyone with a job requiring written communication will become a stronger asset to their company.
You could buy my book, Write like you talk-only better for every employee.
But if your employees would get more out of the intense focus of a live, hands-on workshop, you should contact me for more information about my new options: Off the Rack, Tailored Fit and Original Design. These styles allow you to match the training with your employees' learning needs--and your budget.
Or watch this newsletter for a special offer for subscribers.
