Developing excellent COMMUNICATION skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.
Gilbert Frank Amelio, (DOB: March 1, 1943) is an American Technology Executive. Amelio worked at Bell Labs, Fairchild Semiconductor, and the semiconductor division of Rockwell International. (Wikipedia)
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September, the month known for the start of vibrant fall colors, high-school football, home-coming events and L.A.M.P.’s workshop on writing excellence in business communications. After a satisfying continental breakfast, greetings all around, and other pleasantries, Mr. Holmes got right into the tasks of the day. Guiding the mentees through some of the basic principles of writing a business letter of inquiry and a baseline resume. The “this is a football” fundamentals of business communication when using the medium of the written word.
The lecture was both basic and foundational, a good reference for every letter of inquiry the mentees might write as they look towards their future endeavors. A proper format with addresses, date, subject-line, and salutation followed with some brief pleasantries included in the first paragraph.
An “ASK” written with the focus on confirming information, acknowledging one’s interest in gathering additional information and continuing the conversation in search of more opportunities. A closing paragraph with a summary and an expressed willingness to hear more, along with a “Thank-You” for efforts already extended on our behalf completed the suggested format.
With their laptops in hand, having been split into smaller groups, the mentees joined their assigned mentors in their break-out rooms with the instructions to write a business inquiry letter and possibly draft a resume by the end of the allotted period. A few questions later they were sitting, waiting with their MS- word program open and the curser blinking. . .blinking . . .blinking, as they faced the reality of that still. . . blank page.
“All good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” — Anne Lamott, (DOB: April 10, 1954) an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. ( Wikipedia)
Soon words began to appear on the screen, ideas began to mentally solidify and appeared as draft thoughts on the page. What the mentees wanted to say and most of what they achieved was a rather good first attempt letter, given the allotted time. When all had achieved their first draft and after some had volunteered their letters for a brief peer review by the group, they discussed ways to improve their writing effort, agreeing that effective writing is a must have developing skill for their future careers.
You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere. Lido Anthony “Lee” Iacocca (DOB: October 15, 1924) was an American Automobile Executive best known for the development of Ford Mustang and Pinto cars, (Wikipedia)
No matter what job you have in life, your success will be determined 5% by your academic credentials, 15% by your professional experiences and 80% by your communication skills.” — Anonymous
