The Truth About The New Rules Of Business Writing Part 3

The study was done by psychologist Albert Mehrabian back in 1971. It tells us something important about writing: When we communicate through the written word, we're missing tone of voice and body language altogether. This absence can make it hard to know what the writer actually means. Using sarcasm in an e-mail, for example, or a joke, is risky because with only the written words to bear the message, your meaning is open to interpretation.

Truth 8. People are not the same: Write for differences.

As part of a business writing workshop for new managers, we asked the partic.i.p.ants to write a memo asking their supervisors for time off during an especially busy week. Many in the group had a lot of fun with the request, inventing caretaker responsibilities, a daughter's wedding, a sweepstakes cruise offer, and so forth. Most of the writers did a good job of stating their cases, but they all would have failed: Not one mentioned how the writer's work responsibilities would be covered during his or her absence.

They should have put themselves in their supervisors' shoes and asked, "What's in it for me-or not in it for me? Will I be inconvenienced? Have to work longer hours myself to get the work done? Pay for extra help?" The supervisors would have rejected the requests or, at best, asked, "What about the work?"

Every time you write, pause and answer the "What's in it for me?" (WIIFM) question if you want to succeed. An innovative media artist we know failed to do that when writing to several research labs, asking for access to neurological testing equipment. She described her video art and art-world credentials well, but her proposal failed to explain what was in it for the labs. Once she had thought through what she could offer them and how they might gain by collaborating, she made a good case-and was successful.

When you're writing to accomplish a goal, knowing your audience and seeing things from their perspective tells you what content will work. If your company is changing how it calculates retirement credit, for example, each different employee group might need a separate answer to the WIIFM question. If you realize that, you're one giant step ahead of the game.

Be aware of generation gaps-Dara, a 30-ish a.s.sistant marketing manager, was asked by her 40-something boss, Melanie, to attend an industry event and report back on it. Dara wrote: Hi Mel-the meeting yestrday was like totally b-o-r-i-n-g. Guys in suits dulling us to death with industry trands. But I gave out quite a lot of business cards. do you want me to go to the ABD meeting next Tuesday.

Will Dara go the ABD meeting? Has she impressed her boss?

Way beyond the obvious technical mistakes, Dara failed to consider her goals and her audience. Thinking about goals would have told her that 1) she had a chance to perform well in person and that 2) in writing she had to deliver what Melanie wanted, if she is to receive more opportunities.

Thinking about audience would have told her that she should not address Melanie as a peer. Your workplace probably has a mix of generations, and much has been written about the differences between them: * Generation Y: Born after 1982...youngest members of the workforce characterized by energy and huge ambition to succeed quickly. High degree of social consciousness and confidence with technology; global outlook; minimal inst.i.tutional allegiance.

* Generation X: Born between 1965 and 1981...typically seen as "challengers," who want to find better ways of doing things and change the rules and processes. They are prepared to work hard and expect to succeed. They tend to like teamwork.

* Boomers: Born between 1945 and 1964...come with high expectations and are driven to high levels of performance. Generally have an individualistic, sometimes self-important outlook and often an authoritarian approach to power.

Where do most of today's leaders fall? The boomers are still very much with us. Most of those you report to may be only somewhat older than you, but the significant higher-ups are probably boomers. They may not represent your primary audience, but very often they represent your secondary audience-the people beyond your immediate super-visor to whom your report or e-mail may be relayed, to your credit or discredit.

As a general rule, the older people are, the more formality they prefer in their lives and in communication. They will probably not appreciate e-mails with smiley faces, text message abbreviations, or a super-casual style. They are unlikely to respond positively to sloppy writing with bad spelling, haphazard punctuation, and no capitalization.

The higher-ups in Dara's company are probably boomers, and if her e-mail climbs into their territory, she's made an even worse impression than was immediately apparent.

What if you report to someone younger than yourself? Treat young supervisors as if they are older, as a sign of respect. Young people in high positions typically need to feel respected, even when their manner is casual. And they can be very sensitive to signs that respect is lacking.

What Dara should have written-Seeing the situation through Melanie's eyes would have led her to include the following: * Who was at the meeting (total number, notables) * Whom she spoke with and any relevant business exchange * A nutsh.e.l.l account of the presentation, noting points relating to company interests * Appreciation for the opportunity to attend This content might be a bit heavy for an e-mail, so Dara could make the report an attachment (unless the recipient is attachment phobic, something necessary to know). The cover memo might read: Melanie, here's a report on the LJA meeting you asked me to attend. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about our industry and meet some new people. Let me know when you'd like me to do something like this again.-Dara The report itself? She can now do a businesslike version that follows the content list. She can add a heading, her name, and use subheads for each section: Partic.i.p.ants; Nutsh.e.l.l Panel Discussion; Relevant Points; Contacts Made.

What has Dara accomplished if she does it this way?

She's shown her boss, and probably her boss's boss, that she is interested in the business, able to make the most of an opportunity, able to communicate in writing, and able to represent the company well. She has shown that she is trustworthy, discerning, and a good candidate for more responsibility.

Can something as simple as writing a good report do all that? Absolutely.

Truth 9. Tone makes-or breaks-your message.

One day recently, Tom received an e-mail from a man named Peter, who wanted Tom's company to hire him to give a presentation for the Human Resources department. It began, "Hey there! I'll bet your guys haven't seen this kind of show before, and you'll be a hero for bringing me in." The problem was that Tom's company is a staid law firm with many of the partners and a.s.sociates in their forties and higher. What was jarring about Peter's message? Its tone, based on the obvious fact that Peter hadn't researched his target audience.

When you're writing something that is simple and not too important, you may only need to consider "goal," "audience," and "tone" for a minute. But when your purpose does matter, even a short message should be carefully plotted out. If you're about to write something substantial, such as a proposal, get your goal and audience ideas in place with care, and the rest will follow far more easily than you'd expect.

Deciding on tone-Think of tone as the general atmosphere and "feel" of your message: Formal? Casual? Friendly? Breezy? Enthusiastic? Motivational? Inspirational?

These decisions will automatically trigger your choice of words and writing style. So how do you know what tone to use? It's usually a logical outcome of goal and audience.

Let's look at a fairly simple message that's important to the writer. Marian needs to call a meeting that will bring together her own boss, someone who reports to her, and a colleague on her own level. Her goal is clear: getting everyone to the meeting ready to play their roles well and advance the project she's running.

Marian's high degree of investment means she should think things through carefully. She has three distinctly different relationships with her recipients. So one memo will not work in this case. And the different relationships suggest different tones.

When you write to your supervisor, you naturally write in a different manner than you would to someone who reports to you, or to a friend. Marian needs three customized memos.

To her subordinate:.

Dear Mark: The Project Win meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 12, at 2 p.m. As planned, I will call on you to deliver the Section A progress report, so please be prepared and bring 10 copies of your handout. If you have any problems developing the report, be sure to let me know ASAP. In any case, let's go over the gist of your report and the handout together by Monday. Please call Martha to set a time.

To her supervisor:.

Dear Alpha: I've planned the Project Win meeting you expressed interest in for next Thursday, May 12. I consulted with Jane about the date, but the time can be adjusted to your schedule. Is 2 p.m. convenient for you? If so, we can begin with the progress report. Or, we can plan that for 2:30 or 3 if that works better. Let me know as your schedule shapes up-thanks.

To her colleague:.

Dear Joan: Can you come to a meeting about Project Win on May 12 at 2 p.m.? A progress report is on the agenda, and I know you want to hear how my department is doing with that. Alpha will join us for part of the meeting. Let me know if you'll be there, and if you have any concerns-let's talk about that before the 12th. Maybe lunch?

How do these memos differ? Obviously, the content had to be adjusted for each recipient, but also the tone (the sound of the "voice"). Which is the least formal? The message to your peer-a colleague and equal. Just as in person-to-person contact, actually. Your communication to a supervisor demands a relative formality and should show consideration for her demanding schedule; someone reporting to you also needs formality and must be presented with clear expectations. But you can relax somewhat with your peer, and adopt a more collegial tone, though not so much that you overlook what's needed to reinforce mutual support.

What's your guide?-Relationships are your guiding force to shape tone. Consider your standing with the person, add the audience-a.n.a.lysis techniques covered in Truth 8 to tailor your approach to the individual and address his or her self-interest, and you're sure to get it right. The visualizing trick, where you focus on seeing the person in your head, can be extremely helpful.

Some "nevers" (well, hardly ever)-Always beware of building in the following: * Emotional content-Anger, hostility, frustration, hurt feelings, resentment, unhappiness-they have no place in a business meeting, and they don't belong in a memo. If you write an e-mail when you're angry, save it and review it later before sending. You'll be surprised at how even a sentence or two can convey a state of mind that you're better off controlling.

* Criticism-Including personal, negative commentary in a written message is always a bad idea. This is true even if you're writing to a subordinate and have good reason to complain. Criticizing someone is a delicate human interaction that should be done face to face. If you must write, stay neutral and perhaps ask questions. ("I didn't see the report on my desk this morning. What's the story?") * Humor-Jokes, quips, and funny references to other people can all be taken wrong-or right. Most of all, avoid irony and sarcasm. These tones don't carry in written form: They demand the visual and aural cues of live interaction. Trying to use sarcasm or irony in written communication can land you in a lot of trouble.

Truth 10. Knowing your inside story is the key.

The brand new cub reporter came to work in the morning and the editor asked, "Where's the story on the church performance last night?"

"Couldn't do it," replied the young reporter.

"Why not?" asked the editor.

"Didn't see it."

"Why? Didn't you go?"

"Yes, but they didn't give the performance," said the reporter.

"Why in the world not?"

"The church burned down."

The point of this old journalism anecdote, for our current purpose: Know what the story is and what matters. You can't and shouldn't write without substance. Writing is not "a way with words" or, ever, a sleight of hand to conceal lack of substance or thought. We're not saying there isn't a ton of writing like that in the corporate world-only that's it's bad writing.

Figuring out what to say in your message is key. How to do it? Once you've determined goal and audience, you have a good head start.

Let's work backward this time with the simple example we talked about in the discussion of tone in Truth 9. Marian's goal was to get the target people to the meeting and ensure its success. If you were writing the memos, you'd ask yourself, what will that take? What must I communicate to achieve my goal?

For Alpha, the boss: Remind her that the subject is of interest to her so that the meeting is relevant...make the timing convenient, even flexible, because she is juggling so many demands...build in follow-up.

For Mark, the subordinate: He's on the spot. You need him to come to the meeting totally prepared so that he reflects well on you and shows himself off well. In fact, you'd better check out his work in advance. Build in follow-up.

For Joan, your colleague: Let her know about the meeting in which she has an indirect stake (for instance, because her department needs Section A done before it can proceed with its own work). But you don't want any surprises, so the two of you should be on the same wavelength before the meeting itself. Friendliness and goodwill are important. Build in follow-up that reflects this and further strengthens your alliance.

These are simple examples of content mapping. Do the three memos cover the territory? Do you see any missed angles?

Actually, we can point out at least one missing content piece. In the memo to Mark, it isn't necessary to paint the scene as a make-or-break opportunity for him, but including the fact that your own boss will be there to see him perform more than gets that point across. That fact, and a rundown of the other people who will be present, should probably be included in all three memos, as should location (where the meeting will take place) and timing (how long it's expected to last).

Mapping longer projects-Mapping content for a longer or more challenging piece of writing-whether it's a report, an article, a proposal, or a customer contact letter-is just the same. Simply jot down everything you can think of that will help you achieve your goal, and will work with the target audience. What points must you make to state your case? What will show the recipient that he or she should give you what you want?

Don't worry about how the points connect to each other or how to sequence them at this thinking-through stage. Trying to create a formal outline can paralyze many people.

For a complicated writing project, your list can include numerous points of information: facts, statistics, ideas, anecdotes, ill.u.s.trations, references, and so on. Figuring out what content will accomplish your goals often shows you what additional information to gather.

We're not recommending information overload-the object is always to provide what will achieve your goal in the shortest, simplest way.

Truth 11. Forget outlines-organize your thinking.

In school, your teachers probably made you create a careful outline of your essays and papers before writing. Here's the problem: If you haven't thought through your content and made the decisions suggested in the previous chapters, you'll find it horrendously hard to organize the material.

But once you've thought about goal, audience, and mapping your content, organizing your piece logically becomes a snap.

Suppose you're writing a memo to introduce your staff to a new system for reporting their work hours.

* Goal-To minimize grumbling and objections to a new system and have staff accept the new way of doing things with reasonable cheerfulness, as well as understand the basics of what they'll have to do.

* Audience-One you know well (your staff), and their responses probably run the gamut from those comfortable with change to active resistors.

* Tone-"Friendly formal" seems best.

* Content mapping-What do you need to say to this audience to get what you want?

1. Explain the need for a new system briefly.

2. Announce the start date.

3. Show how it works in practical terms.

4. Mention any advantages the new system might hold for the staff.

5. Make sure they understand that they have no choice.

6. Offer a way for them to get answers to any questions they may have.

7. Mention any negative results if they don't follow the new system.

You know what needs to be communicated. So all you have to do is organize it-or maybe just check to see whether you're satisfied with the organization that's fallen into place.

You can make choices about what order to put things in, but it wouldn't be logical to start with #3-which such memos often do-because readers won't know why they should care about a new system if they don't know that they must use it.

What's your best opening? A clear statement announcing the new system and starting date. What's a good ending? The offer to entertain questions lets you end on a positive note. The middle offers some choice-#3 and #4 could be interchanged. You can move #5, #6, and #7 around, but introducing a threat earlier may get some readers' backs up.

Try your hand at writing the memo before looking at our version.

Dear Staff Members: As of September 1, we'll all be using a new system for reporting our time. Here's how it works.

At the beginning of each week, you'll get an e-mailed form (etc., as clearly and briefly as possible).

The new system will give you your paychecks and expense reimburs.e.m.e.nts two or three days faster because Payroll can process records more quickly when the information is clear.