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Think about it: So much seems to have changed since 9/11/2001; could the way we express ourselves in writing and what we choose to express somehow be exempt? I don’t think so. In fact, linguists tell us our language is in constant
ferment. Ordinarily, it’s difficult to track those changes over less than a year—except perhaps in this case. The human tragedy was so overpowering, the changes it triggered around the world so pervasive and deep-rooted, that
in the case of 9/11, perhaps it’s not too early to speculate on communication changes wrought. Thus, this issue of the ExcitingWriting Advisory addresses some trends I detect and some advice based on those trends.
Trend #1: The new importance of ethics. I believe that 10 years from now, we will look back at this moment in our history and realize the lesson of 9/11 is not directly about Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. It is about telling the
truth and acknowledging other peoples’ truths. It is about finding ways not to become a victim of the truth. Doing the right thing is suddenly all the rage. (Hey, wait a second—wasn’t it always?) The applications to
corporate governance and communications are many:
Advice: Communicate! Don’t hide under a rock. Forests are being chopped down to supply the paper that will be used in next year’s annual reports explaining the numbers and attesting to their veracity. You must
communicate! I give credit to the Dallas International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for the theme they chose for their upcoming awards presentation, “The communication imperative: Now more than ever.”
It’s right on.
Advice: Be forceful and decisive, but don’t overdo it. Talk about your values. Mention the importance of integrity and public confidence in our markets. Attest to the veracity of your numbers or operations descriptions in
forceful terms, but don’t belabor the point. Otherwise, you may be open to Hamlet’s observation, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
Advice: Tell the truth. Pay scrupulous attention to the smallest detail. Get it right the first time. You don’t want to have to issue corrections later. An impatient public paints many companies with one brush.
Advice: Write short, clear sentences in active voice. Accountants, lawyers and many executives will place enormous pressure on communicators to accept passive voice:
“Poor performance was worsened by the following conditions…”
Don’t give in. Stay active!
“Many problems contributed to our poor performance…”
Active voice lets the subject of the sentence take responsibility for the action of the verb; passive voice sweeps it under the rug. But it’s about more than just active voice: It’s about writing short, clear sentences in
active voice that let the company take responsibility for what happened—both good and bad. Let the company be the subject of the sentence wherever possible.
“Company XYZ had difficulty growing its share of market for the following reasons” or “We had difficulty growing our share of market…”
Trend #2: Universal recognition that our time on this earth is short. Who could live through 9/11 without a renewed sense of the preciousness of life? That explains why so many people are getting married, divorced or changing jobs
or professions. What does this have to do with writing?
Advice: Get to it! In your writing, don’t beat around the bush. Remember, your audience is hoping you’ll say it in fewer words, not more. So, get in, say it and get out. Readers will thank you for your brevity.
Trend #3: Step-changes are out. Quantum leaps are in. With the pace of business faster than ever and profit margins still down, business people are looking for bold new approaches that skip the incremental improvements and get us
where we want to be in one fell swoop. The imperative is “Connect the dots,“ a very popular phrase just now.
Advice: Don’t just edit. Reconceptualize. When you have a communication that’s running long and ponderous, totally rethink the piece in a shorter form, for example, a case study rather than a success story. Find a new
entry point to tell the story. Try radically reorganizing. Look closely at your story/brochure organization. Analyze what you’re “spending” your words on. Is this where you want to spend them? Is there a way to
simplify? Stop trimming words. Start reconceptualizing.
Trend #4: A new belief that many people and things are interrelated in ways that are not obvious. If Afghanistan could play such an important role in our destiny, what does that say about the smallest, remotest operation in your
business? Or the least experienced person on your staff? As communicators, our job is to look for these not-so-obvious interconnections.
Advice: Write for a global audience. Remember the phrase, “Think globally, act locally?” Well, since 9/11 there is no “local.” Use an international style of writing that takes into account many languages,
values, religious beliefs, cultures and customs. Mention words in other languages, using phoneticized English, of course. Talk about religious traditions, values, cultural beliefs and customs, if they’re part of the story. If
possible, source opinions from around the globe. Only two years ago, I would have said this approach is only necessary for large companies in their website content. Now I believe it applies to everyone at all times—because
everything is on the Web and the Web is everywhere.
Advice: Find meaning in small things. Notice the badge in the wreckage, the starfish in the sand. Pick out the smallest details. In a world where everything is related, the smallest detail can tell the largest story. I think
that’s why, since the 9/11 attacks, we’ve seen the words emblematic and symbolic used so often—a small detail can be emblematic of a larger theme. I think we’re all looking for ways to tell a story that is still
too big and horrible for us to comprehend.
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