People learn in different ways. Howard Gardner has written several books on multiple intelligences, and people may play to their strengths, learn the way they were forced to in school or feel left out.
Various business books (written in fictional/fable format or fact-driven format) appeal to different kinds of learners. Stories usually employ visual stimuli, and the majority of people are visual learners; therefore, stories appeal to them. However, folks need to have options; they need to have opportunities to find the style that best suits them and the way they process information.
Since I teach learners of various age groups and backgrounds, I have found multiple approaches to material give learners the opportunity to get the information the way they need. The analytical folks will skip to the end of a story to find the posted moral, like one would find with Aesop’s fables. Visual folks will look for pie charts and graphs. Musical folks will “listen” to the book and see if the information “sounds” true. Tactile learners will need to “feel” the information, work it with their own hands, and experience it.
If the information in the various business books weren’t valid, they wouldn’t be selling–unless they have amazing marketing people. Folks need to find the style of book that works for them, but they should also be aware that the people with whom they work may learn in a different way and may need the information presented in a format that best appeals to them.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
After the storm . . .
After the brainstorm come clear skies . . . at least one can hope, right?
After you have generated ideas about your purpose and ideas to explain that purpose, your paper should look like a bloody mess. This unorganized randomness may bother you; however, this part is like cleaning out your garage. Once everything is down on paper, you can decide what to keep, what to discard, and what ideas group together.
Do not ever throw these ideas out since you may need them later for a different project or later on in this project. Since you don't want regrets or wasted time, keep all brainstorming sessions with your notes on projects--at least until the project is completed. Then you can keep the final product and toss the notes that lead to its completion.
At this stage, you can either get a clean sheet of paper to group ideas or use a different colored pen to circle what you want to keep and draw lines between connected ideas. This is similar to mind mapping where you have a main circle in the center (hub) of the page and spokes out from the hub are related ideas. . . . like this: o--O--o.
For example, if you are planning an event, you may have the name/type of the event in the center. Then you would have sent out one line to a circle for budget, another for invitations/guests, another for decorations/theme, another for presentation/speakers, another for food, and another for staff. You may need more later or related to each of the topic points listed. However, this format will allow you the opportunity to see what you need to do and review. You can work up a checklist for each of these sections and a person delegated to head each part.
Once you have the items and ideas organized, you can see what you're missing, if you're missing anything. This step will give you a chance to step back and review what you need to do without your head being muddled with ideas and no clear direction. Once you have the ideas organized, you can then work up a rough outline that will keep you focused as you put together your document.
After you have generated ideas about your purpose and ideas to explain that purpose, your paper should look like a bloody mess. This unorganized randomness may bother you; however, this part is like cleaning out your garage. Once everything is down on paper, you can decide what to keep, what to discard, and what ideas group together.
Do not ever throw these ideas out since you may need them later for a different project or later on in this project. Since you don't want regrets or wasted time, keep all brainstorming sessions with your notes on projects--at least until the project is completed. Then you can keep the final product and toss the notes that lead to its completion.
At this stage, you can either get a clean sheet of paper to group ideas or use a different colored pen to circle what you want to keep and draw lines between connected ideas. This is similar to mind mapping where you have a main circle in the center (hub) of the page and spokes out from the hub are related ideas. . . . like this: o--O--o.
For example, if you are planning an event, you may have the name/type of the event in the center. Then you would have sent out one line to a circle for budget, another for invitations/guests, another for decorations/theme, another for presentation/speakers, another for food, and another for staff. You may need more later or related to each of the topic points listed. However, this format will allow you the opportunity to see what you need to do and review. You can work up a checklist for each of these sections and a person delegated to head each part.
Once you have the items and ideas organized, you can see what you're missing, if you're missing anything. This step will give you a chance to step back and review what you need to do without your head being muddled with ideas and no clear direction. Once you have the ideas organized, you can then work up a rough outline that will keep you focused as you put together your document.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The Writing Process: Brainstorming
To begin the writing process, the writer first whould have a goal in mind. Think about your written communication like a road trip. Would you jump in your car right now and just drive, without supplies and without direction? That seems rather silly, right? This haphazard attitude is often used by people when writing.
First, get an idea in your mind as to what you hope to accomplish. Having your destination in mind helps plot your path. Then you won't be distracted by by extraneous materials. Those other items may be wonderful, but are they really going to help move your reader on the designated path to reach the intended destination? If not, put that data aside for another time, a more appropriate setting or sommunication.
For example, if you are plot a drive from Dallas to Houston, TX, you only going to talk about the sights and cities between Dallas and Houston. Colorado, El Paso, New Orleans, and Niagara Falls may be lovely places to visit; however, that information is irrelevant in telling a person how to move from Dallas to Houston. You will only want to talk about potential rest stops, sights to see along the way, and possible warnings, like not picking up hitchhikers by the prison in Huntsville and the towering statue of Sam Houston in the Piney Woods region. These details are relevant for a new driver to the area. Your job is to navigate the new driver through unfamiliar territory so he/she safely arrives at the designated destination.
How do you do this? Brainstorm first. Think of all the items and words that covey your message. Write everything down. Do not discard anything at this point. Like a storm that has rain falling indiscriminately, your ideas should fall indiscriminately on the paper. No judgments yet. You can sort through the ideas later.
Take 2-10 minutes to write down everything you can about the topic, your intended goal, and your intended audience. Once this material is on paper and out of your head, you will have an easier time assessing the material and determine relevance and organization.
First, get an idea in your mind as to what you hope to accomplish. Having your destination in mind helps plot your path. Then you won't be distracted by by extraneous materials. Those other items may be wonderful, but are they really going to help move your reader on the designated path to reach the intended destination? If not, put that data aside for another time, a more appropriate setting or sommunication.
For example, if you are plot a drive from Dallas to Houston, TX, you only going to talk about the sights and cities between Dallas and Houston. Colorado, El Paso, New Orleans, and Niagara Falls may be lovely places to visit; however, that information is irrelevant in telling a person how to move from Dallas to Houston. You will only want to talk about potential rest stops, sights to see along the way, and possible warnings, like not picking up hitchhikers by the prison in Huntsville and the towering statue of Sam Houston in the Piney Woods region. These details are relevant for a new driver to the area. Your job is to navigate the new driver through unfamiliar territory so he/she safely arrives at the designated destination.
How do you do this? Brainstorm first. Think of all the items and words that covey your message. Write everything down. Do not discard anything at this point. Like a storm that has rain falling indiscriminately, your ideas should fall indiscriminately on the paper. No judgments yet. You can sort through the ideas later.
Take 2-10 minutes to write down everything you can about the topic, your intended goal, and your intended audience. Once this material is on paper and out of your head, you will have an easier time assessing the material and determine relevance and organization.
Why write clearly?
Many times, folks think they can just sit down and crank out something and hope for the best. However, miscommunications and loss of customers happen here.
Your job as a writer is to communicate your message efficiently and effectively. If you slap something together and hope for the best, what message are you really sending? That the customers don't deserve your best work and full attention? That you're too busy to proofread your own work? If you cannot take the time to write a good message (e-mail, flyer, report, etc.), what does that say about your work ethic? Are you going to be so sloppy on other aspects of the project? Misspelled or missing words or awakward wording or fuzzy logic will not impress a customer to do business with you.
Take the time to work the process. Work on the written communication in small (short time frame) stages. Before you know it, that little extra time will create a well-worded document that will impress your customer (client, boss, employee, or others).
View your communication like a country drive. The organization and development (details, analysis, examples) are like the scenery and weather. This is where you want your customers to focus. However, they will have problems seeing the scenery if they are jostled around with bad grammar and mechanics (fragments, run-on sentences, misspelled words, and other errors). Your grammar should be like the rood--so smooth it goes unnoticed.
If you take the time to write clear, effective communications, your customers will give you the time of day . . . and the project.
Your job as a writer is to communicate your message efficiently and effectively. If you slap something together and hope for the best, what message are you really sending? That the customers don't deserve your best work and full attention? That you're too busy to proofread your own work? If you cannot take the time to write a good message (e-mail, flyer, report, etc.), what does that say about your work ethic? Are you going to be so sloppy on other aspects of the project? Misspelled or missing words or awakward wording or fuzzy logic will not impress a customer to do business with you.
Take the time to work the process. Work on the written communication in small (short time frame) stages. Before you know it, that little extra time will create a well-worded document that will impress your customer (client, boss, employee, or others).
View your communication like a country drive. The organization and development (details, analysis, examples) are like the scenery and weather. This is where you want your customers to focus. However, they will have problems seeing the scenery if they are jostled around with bad grammar and mechanics (fragments, run-on sentences, misspelled words, and other errors). Your grammar should be like the rood--so smooth it goes unnoticed.
If you take the time to write clear, effective communications, your customers will give you the time of day . . . and the project.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Write the Right Words
According to Proverbs, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Brian Tracy takes this to discuss a personal vision of the future and directing where a business grows and operates.
Individuals must have a vision when they write--usually called the purpose. What are you writing? Why? What is your goal? Are you informing, persuading, illustrating? What do you hope to accomplish? Once you have the intended outcome in mind, then you can start creating your piece. Much like an artist must have an idea (physical or emotional) for the creative piece before touching the medium, you should have an intended outcome before you put pen to paper and use this vision as you work through your draft.
Later, once you have a rough draft, you will want to work on a revision: re-vision your piece. Look over what you wrote. Do those words convey the meaning you have in your head? Could those words be misinterpreted? How? By whom? Are there better, more efficient words?
Think of the word "blue." Now look around you. How many shades of blue are there in your vicinity? Words have shades of meaning. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to check your words. Work crossword puzzles and read items outside your field to see how words can have different meanings. Especially if your intended audience operates outside your field, make sure you understand how people in that field use that word.
Your job is to communicate effectively and efficiently. Use simple direct language. No one wants to read pages when three lines will suffice. Get to your point. Be care of the words used so the reader understands your point quickly.
Emails are short and to the point. Business letters have more room for explanation. Advertising quickly sells a point.
Next time you sit down to write, envision your purpose, your voice, and your audience. Write your draft. Then re-vision, become the reader, check your words.
Taking a few moments in this writing stage will save you time later having to explain yourself and your words. You don't want to lose a prospective client or partner or job simply because you weren't clear or you offended with the mis-use of a word.
If your business (personal or professional) is important, so should all your communications. Have a clear vision and take time to re-vision.
Individuals must have a vision when they write--usually called the purpose. What are you writing? Why? What is your goal? Are you informing, persuading, illustrating? What do you hope to accomplish? Once you have the intended outcome in mind, then you can start creating your piece. Much like an artist must have an idea (physical or emotional) for the creative piece before touching the medium, you should have an intended outcome before you put pen to paper and use this vision as you work through your draft.
Later, once you have a rough draft, you will want to work on a revision: re-vision your piece. Look over what you wrote. Do those words convey the meaning you have in your head? Could those words be misinterpreted? How? By whom? Are there better, more efficient words?
Think of the word "blue." Now look around you. How many shades of blue are there in your vicinity? Words have shades of meaning. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to check your words. Work crossword puzzles and read items outside your field to see how words can have different meanings. Especially if your intended audience operates outside your field, make sure you understand how people in that field use that word.
Your job is to communicate effectively and efficiently. Use simple direct language. No one wants to read pages when three lines will suffice. Get to your point. Be care of the words used so the reader understands your point quickly.
Emails are short and to the point. Business letters have more room for explanation. Advertising quickly sells a point.
Next time you sit down to write, envision your purpose, your voice, and your audience. Write your draft. Then re-vision, become the reader, check your words.
Taking a few moments in this writing stage will save you time later having to explain yourself and your words. You don't want to lose a prospective client or partner or job simply because you weren't clear or you offended with the mis-use of a word.
If your business (personal or professional) is important, so should all your communications. Have a clear vision and take time to re-vision.
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