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A Writing Competency Model for Business

 

I spend a lot of time talking about good writing, writing competency, if you will.
As a writing teacher, I assume everyone knows what that looks like. But methinks I think wrong.

Let’s spend a few looking at what I’ve put together as a basic writing competency model.

A competent business writer is able to do the following:

• Present information that is audience appropriate – it has the right tone and level of complexity.
• State the purpose of the writing clearly.
• Present the information in a format (letter, memo, email, report) that meets the needs of the audience and the purpose of the message.
• Demonstrate a style (language, organization and layout) that considers audience, purpose and format.
• Prepare a message that is well-organized and easy to understand.

In order to “look” like a competent business writer, what skills must an individual possess? First, what I call the Key Competencies are:

• Analytical Thinking: Makes sense out of information
• Critical Thinking: Applies original thinking and interpretation to communication, as opposed to regurgitating information without any real thought
• Knowledge Management: Keeps track of the reams of information required to do the job
• Organizing Data and Information: Takes that information and organizes it into meaningful messages
• Rhetorical Theory and Application: Applies good grammar, structure, and persuasive writing that is audience appropriate
• Technical Knowledge: Adult Learning, Layout and Design, Grammar,
• Technological Knowledge: Uses the necessary software application, networks, and Internet tools
• Project Management: Handles a variety of tasks related to the ultimate communication outcome
• Interpersonal Relationship: Demonstrates good people skills both in written and verbal communications

Before I leave you, let me give you a few examples of what a competent business writer can do.

• Select proper communication media (email, memo, instant message, face-to-face) and prepare communication to deal with sensitive issues such as poor performance, critiques, or difficult interpersonal matters.
• Prepare audience-appropriate reports that accurately portray a specific issue.
• Demonstrate professionalism and writing competency in all communications – email, memos, reports, etc.

Feel free to contact me for more information.

Tags: business communication, Poor Communication, Poor Writing, Writing Quality

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 1:08 pm and is filed under A Writing Competency. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.