Book Review: Communicating effectively

Review by leongal

by Garry Kranz

This is a useful book for people who writes and speaks for a living. It provides helpful guidelines to the readers on what they should do and should avoid, to achieve a more effective way of communicating to another party. The guidelines not only include writing tips, but also speaking, presenting and writing emails and memos. Some of the important points are summarized in boxes that attract readers to re-read.

Some of the relevant points are:

The act of writing itself tends to stimulate ideas or concepts you had not previously considered.

Seeing ideas in front of you makes it easier to sort out the most essential details and organize them in a logical order. Keep similar items and ideas together.

You should always aim to write with clarity and simplicity.

Keep it short and to the point. Always use correct grammar and accurate language.

Commas can be used as pauses between major ideas in sentences. If possible, keep them to a minimum.

Using “that” indicates the clause is essential; it is vital to the sentence’s meaning, providing specific information.

Introducing the clause “which”, offset by commas, indicates the clause is “nonessential”.

Writing to request

State the specific reason for writing in the first sentence of your document or letter. Be sure to supply identifying information of special relevance to your reader.

While sending an email, keep in mid that it is a medium in which the tone of a message can be easily misinterpreted as sarcasm or disrespect.

Connect your purpose in writing with the interests and needs of your reader.

A journalist seeking information could let prospective sources know her intentions by writing, ‘Urgent media request/ Story on…/ Your input requested” in the subject line

Responding to emails in a timely fashion is not only good manners – it could be critical to the success of your job or business.

Letting people know your door – and more important, your mind – is always open encourage trust and candor