On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, I made an approximate 5-minute presentation to Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, and the Houston City Council. My presentation was primarily about my newly released book, The Secret to Writing: 10 Secrets to Effective Communication Through Writing, as well as my doctoral dissertation and my work to help people with written and verbal communication.
I think the presentation went very well. I was well-received by the mayor and members of the Houston City Council. Though as I reflect back on my brief speech, and the message I sought to convey, I still can’t help but to wonder if the audience truly understood or could fully appreciate why I am so passionate about literacy and the value of writing skills in particular. So I thought I would take a few minutes here to share three “fictitious” scenarios which I believe illustrate why I think writing skills are important:
Scenario #1
An employee at your company writes a seemingly harmless email. As it turns out, the email is considered to be disparaging to someone or some group at your company, or even, to your organization’s core customer base. Fast forward: The next thing you know, your company is caught up on the receiving end of negative press, finds itself as a defendant in a lawsuit, and thrust into the scramble of trying to recover from plummeting sales revenue.
In this scenario #1, the employee, presumably, did not consider the impact and power of words, as well as the need to be both judicious and professional when communicating in writing.
Scenario #2
A student needs money for college, and consequently applies for a scholarship. The scholarship application states, as is typically the case, that the student must write an essay. Turns out, the student is reluctant to apply for the scholarship because the student is apprehensive about writing. Or, vice versa, the student chooses to move forward with writing the scholarship essay but the quality of the student’s writing is so poor that the student fails to advance beyond the early stages of the scholarship application process.
In this scenario #2, the student is unsuccessful with the scholarship application, and sadly, the student is unsuccessful in pursing a potentially wonderful educational opportunity.
Scenario #3
In this third scenario (unlike scenarios #1 and #2), a person who is looking for seed capital or some other form of financing, arguably, has strong writing skills. The person applies for funding and is successful in securing money. The individual now has the financial capital to pursue his or her entrepreneurial dreams, and perhaps, to fund a community program or nonprofit organization that happens to be in critical need of financial support.
What was the pivotal factor in scenario #3? The requestor, as it were, was able to effectively communicate his or her thoughts through writing.
In these three scenarios, the value of writing skills is evident, giving further credence to the universal and higher principle that communication rests at the bedrock of human relations.
As I said to Mayor Turner and the Houston City Council, and as I say now: The Secret to Writing: 10 Secrets to Effective Communication Through Writing, with its practical and time-tested strategies for effective written (and verbal) communication, is much more than a book. It is a tool that will add enduring value to your life. I PROMISE.
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