In our previous article, we discussed the spoken aspect of communication. In today’s
the article, we will share with you some ideas on enhancing your written communication
skills.
In today’s digital age, one’s handwriting may not matter, however, what still matters is one’s command over the language and the ability to use words in the right manner. Your writing ability gets evaluated in the form of any documents you make, the emails you send, and the PowerPoint presentations that you may create.
What makes writing skills so important is the fact that what you speak may be forgotten in a short while however, your written content stays as a matter of record, virtually always. This makes it all the more important to ensure that you communicate carefully and effectively.
Grammar and punctuation
Learning the basic conventions of language is a skill required to master the art of writing. The syntax, correct use of commas, articles, prepositions, and other basic grammar is the very first step towards making your communication clear. In fact, if your
grammar is incorrect, you also risk losing your professional credibility. As you move ahead in your professional journey, your accuracy in terms of spelling and grammar assumes even more importance and becomes an indicator of your professional stature.
Clarity and Conciseness
The content you create must convey the exact message or information that is desired, using just the right words. The concept of ‘clarity refers to using the appropriate words that convey the required meaning. ‘Conciseness’ refers to avoiding using unnecessary verbiage that tends to confuse the audience. Let us understand this through an example. Suppose you are working with your teammate on a project and you want to
request his inputs on the presentation.
Your email can read: “I have created an initial draft of the presentation on the material that
was received. Would request you to please go through the same and provide your inputs.”
As you can see above, the message has been conveyed using just the right words without using any extra words.
Tonality
Just like our spoken words, our written communication to has a certain ‘tone’
or flavour that must be fine-tuned on the basis of the audience and purpose of
communication. For example, consider the difference between the following two
statements.
“The timeline for this project is tomorrow. Please make sure it is done well in time”
“As you are aware, the timeline for this project is tomorrow. Let’s work together
and ensure that we don’t miss the timeline”
As you can observe, the previous statement has a tone of authority and may
be read in a slightly negative manner. On the other hand, the second statement has
a polite tone and is more expected to fetch the desired results.
Flow
This is another important aspect to consider in the case of lengthy pieces of communication such as project reports, essays, articles, or long emails. Flow refers to the logical sequence of thoughts and ideas in any piece of content. Having the flow in place not only makes the content interesting to read but also conveys the desired message in an effective manner.
By polishing your capability in all forms of communication including spoken, written, and non-verbal, you can not only improve your career prospects phenomenally but even work towards having meaningful relationships in life.
By: Sumeet Pal Singh, Content Professional LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumeet-pal-singh-506744175 #mentorship #SumeetSingh #SCG #Coaching #SikhCareerGrowth #Lifemantra #words #mantraoflife #successmantra #interview #jobseekers #CV #Communication #success
Disclaimer: Kindly note that the above blog has been submitted by members in their individual capacity.