Check Your Writing Squad
- chloeknox30
- Sep 15, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4, 2022
Learn to write strategically by utilizing your squad!
No matter what you do in business, you will always have to work with someone else. You might be working with a boss or an employee. You might just be dealing with a customer. In all instances communication is present, and almost always there is some type of written communication in that mix. That being said, you NEED to learn to UTILIZE your resources of people. Here are some helpful tricks to squad up in your strategic messaging:
1. It's YOU
When you're writing something for a business purpose, who is the author? You are. It sounds like a silly question, but you need to keep that in mind. Most likely there are going to be a lot of other voices adding to the conversation. Know your goal of your communication, and make sure to keep that in mind among everyone else's suggestions. Say you are writing a purpose statement for the organization you created. Would you ask the janitor of the building what they suggest you make your purpose statement? You probably would not. So, when the rest of your executives are giving you different directions and things to include, remind yourself you are writing this for your original purpose. Don't lose sight of your initial idea or reason behind the content you're creating. If something someone suggests doesn't sit right with you, you aren't obligated to add it. If you are the one creating the specific content for a business, you most likely are in the job role for a reason. Be confident in your abilities. Take suggestions, but don't be afraid to tell someone no if it doesn't align with the goal of the communication.
2. Know Your People
You will almost always be a part of a group in your professional capacity. When it comes to writing for an organization, know your group, the dynamic and, utilize them. If you have the resources, utilize editors and reviewers. They could be co-authors, editors, project managers, researchers, fact-checkers, gatekeeper reviewers, and more. Find out what people are in your corner and are willing to help you craft your message. They "exist to reveal what you cannot see, not to tell you what to do." Having an editor for example, can help you determine what your message objection and aspiring reactions are. Oftentimes you might have to be a couple different titles in the process. If you aren't working in a large corporation, you might not have the access to a project manager to oversee your reviews, so you will have to monitor the process and timeline. These people behind your strategic writing communications are there to help and give suggestions, but at the end of the day it comes down to you to take those suggestions. Figure out what people can fill those roles, and then take the help they are willing to give you.
Find out what resources are available to you.
Ask them to help with your process.
Finally, be willing to take advice and listen to criticism.
3. Utilize Effective Platforms
As we have witnessed this last year, almost everything is available in a virtual capacity. That means you can communicate and share everything through a platform that is built for that virtual situation. When producing content or written material for an organization, it's smart to have a cloud based storage system. Having storage that is not just tied to a physical device not only allows you to share a document with another person's device, but it can combat losing data. Grow your platform knowledge of programs such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Zoom. By using a program like Google Docs, you can edit a document live while someone else is adding suggestions. Zoom and other similar programs are beneficial in getting to know your writing squad. Put a face to the name. Build a relationship with your contacts, because if you know your writing support system you both are more likely to enjoy the process and they are going to want to help you more.
Don't be afraid to learn new technology. It will make your life easier!
People are valuable resources. Remember you are one of those people. Learn to utilize your writing squad and the technologies available to you. If you do those simple things, your writing will be better and clearer for your audience, and the writing will be an easier process to piece together with others.
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” – Henry Ford.
*Post written for Strategic Message Design Course*
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