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OPINION
Are you an enemy of writing?
Managers can unintentionally hinder their team’s writing by not providing clear standards, dedicated time, and constructive feedback.
M any managers and business owners don’t realize they’re the villains when it comes to their team’s writing processes. You may be saying, “That’s not me. I’m not a villain.” Really? Let me ask you a few questions before you commit to that answer.
Are your writing standards and expectations (yes, there’s a difference) clear and codified for your team? Do your team members have time for focused writing during their workdays, or are they trying to eke out time to write in between constant distractions? Do they have to write at home? Do you expect your team members to fix their colleagues’ writing? Is your organization’s document review process hazy, confusing, or, worse, nonexistent? Don’t worry, I won’t make you say your answers aloud. The hard truth is that many enemies of writing don’t realize they’re enemies. They hold positive feelings in their hearts and intend to create supportive work environments for writing. But, you know the old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions?
So, how do you turn things around? Is there a 12-step program for reformed writing villains? Indeed, there is a path toward writing redemption. To start, you must identify what leadership mistakes you and your organization are making when it comes to writing. Here are six of the most common mistakes and their solutions: 1. No writing time built into project timelines. Project timelines are nothing new. You have the research occurring during these dates, the data analysis conducted by this date, etc. Yet, many teams don’t build in time to write the proposal, report, executive summary, and whatever else needs to be written. I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but no fairy godmother is going to come
Elizabeth Preston, Ph.D.
See ELIZABETH PRESTON, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 5, 2024, ISSUE 1548
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