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Mastering Written Communication - Stories and Lessons from the Trenches (S4E045)
Join hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome as they feature enlightening stories and discussions on effective whiteboarding, email etiquette, and nuanced communication techniques. Additionally, Merv and Tim share personal experiences and lessons learned from working in various industries, emphasizing the importance of clarity, context, and relationship-building in successful project management.
Main Take-Aways
Stories are powerful teachers. Today’s story lessons are about enhancing your written communication skills:
- practice effective use of the whiteboard when conducting a meeting of any kind
- ensure forwarded emails do not contain sensitive information in the chain of attached emails
- always check the complete distribution list before sending an email
- be clear in the purpose of written correspondence (e.g. avoid ambiguous emails such as the “see me” email)
- improve your writing skills continuously
- understand how to craft a persuasive message
- understand how to craft a difficult message
- write for the ear when developing a presentation and rehearse in a casual environment
Show Notes
Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Leadership Lessons from the Trenches Regarding Written Communication
00:27 Talk Story Day: introducing real life examples of the power of written communication.
00:53 Tim kicks off this episode by describing how a former manager used the whiteboard effectively to map out and brainstorm ideas. Words, pictures, arrows, squares, graphics all aid in getting your message across.
03:49 Merv recounts an experience where he was the recipient of a forwarded email that had information well down the chain of forwarded emails that were not for his consumption. Moral: always read to the bottom of an email chain before forwarding.
06:49 Merv then adds an embarrassing situation where he replied to an email but missed removing a recipient from the cc: line that should not have received the email. Moral: always check the full list of recipients for whom the email is intended.
08:02 Tim tells of the time he received the dreaded “see me” email. What is the recipient supposed to think when receiving such a terse email? Good news? Bad news?
10:24 Merv shows how years of improving his writing skills, his ability to right clearly and persuasively, earned him the honor of developing a critical funding document for his client.
12:57 Merv then goes on to describe an uncomfortable situation where he had to craft a memorandum to have an individual removed from his project – an individual who worked for his client’s organization.
15:44 Tim advises on an effective communication strategy that he used to prepare an executive for a major presentation by having an informal rehearsal in a casual atmosphere, say over dinner.
View all episodes
By Merv Jersak & Tim JeromeJoin hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome as they feature enlightening stories and discussions on effective whiteboarding, email etiquette, and nuanced communication techniques. Additionally, Merv and Tim share personal experiences and lessons learned from working in various industries, emphasizing the importance of clarity, context, and relationship-building in successful project management.
Main Take-Aways
Stories are powerful teachers. Today’s story lessons are about enhancing your written communication skills:
- practice effective use of the whiteboard when conducting a meeting of any kind
- ensure forwarded emails do not contain sensitive information in the chain of attached emails
- always check the complete distribution list before sending an email
- be clear in the purpose of written correspondence (e.g. avoid ambiguous emails such as the “see me” email)
- improve your writing skills continuously
- understand how to craft a persuasive message
- understand how to craft a difficult message
- write for the ear when developing a presentation and rehearse in a casual environment
Show Notes
Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Leadership Lessons from the Trenches Regarding Written Communication
00:27 Talk Story Day: introducing real life examples of the power of written communication.
00:53 Tim kicks off this episode by describing how a former manager used the whiteboard effectively to map out and brainstorm ideas. Words, pictures, arrows, squares, graphics all aid in getting your message across.
03:49 Merv recounts an experience where he was the recipient of a forwarded email that had information well down the chain of forwarded emails that were not for his consumption. Moral: always read to the bottom of an email chain before forwarding.
06:49 Merv then adds an embarrassing situation where he replied to an email but missed removing a recipient from the cc: line that should not have received the email. Moral: always check the full list of recipients for whom the email is intended.
08:02 Tim tells of the time he received the dreaded “see me” email. What is the recipient supposed to think when receiving such a terse email? Good news? Bad news?
10:24 Merv shows how years of improving his writing skills, his ability to right clearly and persuasively, earned him the honor of developing a critical funding document for his client.
12:57 Merv then goes on to describe an uncomfortable situation where he had to craft a memorandum to have an individual removed from his project – an individual who worked for his client’s organization.
15:44 Tim advises on an effective communication strategy that he used to prepare an executive for a major presentation by having an informal rehearsal in a casual atmosphere, say over dinner.