You’re a businessperson. You may not think of yourself as a writer, but you know that writing well can boost your results and your career. Naturally, you want to do better. Every week I point you to one or two pieces that I think will teach you something or spark an idea or two. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on choosing the right word and storytelling.
From Mike Figliuolo: 5 Phrases that Make You Sound Ridiculous
“Word choice matters. We spend countless hours in meetings with colleagues discussing big, important ideas. We write hundreds of documents making our case for one initiative or another. We write thousands of emails. We give dozens of presentations. And you know what? We sound ridiculous. Using buzzwords can make us sound like hypereducated idiots who swallowed a thesaurus.”
Wally’s Comment: Mark Twain said that “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” This post is about a much bigger difference.
From Carolyn O’Hara: How to Tell a Great Story
“We tell stories to our coworkers and peers all the time — to persuade someone to support our project, to explain to an employee how he might improve, or to inspire a team that is facing challenges. It’s an essential skill, but what makes a compelling story in a business context? And how can you improve your ability to tell stories that persuade?”
Wally’s Comment: This post is about storytelling in the context of leadership, but there’s a lot of good advice in it, no matter what kind of story you’re telling or what context you’re telling it in.
Sources I Check Regularly
I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writer’s Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.