Communication is paramount for leaders. Many people in leadership positions speak well and use communication techniques, such as the Power of 5, to get their messages across. Bravo to all of you who are nodding right now and thinking, “Yup, that’s me.” There is a dark side to communication, however. It is known as the written word. While many of you are terrific or at least competent writers, some of you are not. Let’s face it, most of us can improve our ability to wield the written word. So without going too in-depth, I wanted to share five tips with you that can elevate the level of your writing skills.   

1. Write often. Every day sounds about right, even if it is just 100 words
2. Write voluminously. Just think about it as practice
3. Dust off that old grammar book and read 10 pages a month. Hey, if you have insomnia it could come in handy
4. Work with an editor, or at least have someone review/critique your writings. It could be someone at work, a friend, or a loved-one
5. Be open to your editor’s feedback and criticisms. Thicken your skin and acknowledge that feedback is the only way we can quickly improve our writing skills