Writing matters: how to create the write impression

The ability to communicate in writing has been one of the earliest and most significant achievements of human civilisation. Indeed, the Egyptians first used postal systems in 2000 BC. Since the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, written communication enables us to disseminate ideas and information widely, cheaply, clearly and (with the advent of e-mail) instantaneously. Formal written communication within businesses include audit reports, shareholder statements, marketing and promotional materials, annual reports, technical briefs, white papers and other forms of writing that interface with services and products.1 In consequence, it absorbs a great deal of any manager’s time. One study of 60 front line supervisors at a Midwest US steel manufacturing plant2 found that 70 per cent of them spent between 8 and 14 hours per week in writing related activities. These involved producing disciplinary action reports, clarifying job procedures, dealing with formal grievances, writing memos, producing instructional documents to subordinates, drafting incident reports and writing external letters or reports to customers. In addition, managers spend significant amounts of time responding to the written communications of others. It is scarcely surprising that a survey of business departments in US universities found that departmental leaders regarded written communication as the single most important component in business communication courses for students.3