LET ME UNDERSTAND YOU

"Words are the money of fools."

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) British philosopher

Like so much money down the drain.

Be careful not to spend more than you can afford.

UNDERSTAND?

"He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close, and rendering it portable."

Thomas B. Macaulay

19th century English politician/essayist/poet

We often say more the less we say.

FAR, FAR MORE NUMEROUS. FAR FAR!

"Far more numerous are those as such who think too little and talk too much."

John Dryden 

17th century British poet/dramatist/critic

"Elevator pitch" what you say and write and you will communicate much more effectively.

ENOUGH SAID

"I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity."

Marcus Tulius Cicero

1st century BC writer, politician, Roman orator

Me too.

Learn To Write Well

"I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil."

Truman Capote

20th century American author

The most important skill in business:  The ability to communicate effectively in writing.

The least prevalent skill in business:  The ability to communicate effectively in writing.

You Will Be What You Do

"Vocations which we wanted to pursue, but didn't, bleed, like colors, on the whole of our existence."

Honore de Balzac

Early 19th century French novelist

This suggests to me that Monsieur Balzac yearned to be something other than a writer.

If so, ironic in that there are many non writers yearning to write.

Memo to all just starting your career:  

Sooner than you think you will "be" whatever you "do.  

Choose your career path carefully.

What Do You Know?

"The learned fool writes his nonsense in better language than the unlearned, but it is still nonsense."

Benjamin Franklin

18th century American statesman

Another exhortation to not confuse education with intelligence, or certainly common sense.

What You Have To Say As Much As How You Say It

"Good sense is both the first principal and the parent source of good writing."

Horace
1st century poet

In business, having the sense to know what is and is not worth writing about is critical.

This blog is example of that.

Sometimes I do while other times I don't, and in some cases, what is not said is more important than what is.

Writing: Thoughtful Communication

"The skill of writing is to create a context in which others can think."

Edwin Schlossberg
Founder/Principal ESI Design

Exactly!

Actually all forms of communication should have the primary goal of creating more communication, which ideally would come as the result of more thinking.

Does yours?

Communication: The Importance of Writing

"Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light."

Joesph Pulitzer

Pulitzer was no doubt talking about literature but these recommendations apply to business writing as well.

We don't need Pulitzer Prize level writing in business but we do need people who can put clear, concise sentences down on a page.

What writing skills grade would you give to those you work with including those above you, your peers and subordinates? If low, do you see it as a problem?