3 Reasons Every Leader Should Be A Good Writer

Being a good writer doesn’t get much attention these days.

The compelling content seems to be exclusively audio and video. I agree that those forms of communication are highly valuable. But, I want to encourage us as leaders to remember the value of good old-fashioned writing.

Here are 3 reasons every leader should continuously hone his or her writing skills.

Writing is the foundation

Several months ago, I listened to an interview with Michael Hyatt. I was considering creating a podcast and, at the time, had little interest in creating a blog.

But, Michael Hyatt changed my mind. As author of five international bestselling books and former CEO of a $250 million dollar publishing company, he knows a thing or two about the value of writing so I listened to him.

In the interview, he explained that writing is the foundation for nearly every well-prepared communication even if that communication is not in written form.

For instance, if you are going to create a podcast, which is obviously in audio not written form, what are you going to do to organize your thoughts and be prepared for the podcast episode? You’re going to, most likely, put pen to paper and create an outline.

You are going to write.

The same is true for videos. You may not create a formal outline, but you will surely jot down a few notes.

Again, writing is the foundation of communicating well regardless of the format of the final products.

Michael Hyatt’s advice, which I followed, was to invest the time to write a blog. The act of writing will cause you to think more deeply about your material. The result will be more valuable content for your audience.

So, if you want to create outstanding audio and video content, continue to improve as a writer.

Even if your final product is not in written form, writing well is critical to being successful.

Writing is essential in any industry or organization

As an engineering student at Kansas State University many years ago, I often heard other engineering students say something like this.

“Those English courses aren’t that important. I’m going to be an engineer.”

I’m sure this comment has been made by countless young people in a variety of fields as they prepare for their career whether in a university setting or other type of education.

It doesn’t take long for all of us to realize that there is no escaping writing. In nearly every industry and organization a person who wants to perform well must be a good writer. This is especially true for those wanting to lead well.

While it’s true that it is easier and sometimes better to “just pick up the phone and talk to someone”, written documents are used everywhere. And, I can’t imagine them going away any time soon.

Consider just a few of the essential documents that guide our work and our lives.

This very short list doesn’t even start to capture the actual number of written documents in our world.

Remember, someone wrote each one of those documents. These written documents hold significant power over every one of us.

So, if you want to lead well and influence the lives of people, learn to be a good writer.

Being a good writer is good for your career

Since writing is the foundation for almost all the content we consume and it is essential in nearly area of our lives, every leader who wants to have a positive impact through a successful career should continuously hone their writing skills.

I appreciate the Twitter feed of David Perell, who regularly shares content I’m able to use to improve my writing. Whether in my blog posts or in my emails, I’ve found ways to incorporate his wisdom as a writer.

He said this in a podcast titled “David Perell on The Power of Writing – Modern Wisdom”.

“If you can write well, communicate your ideas effectively,  and share your unique perspective on the world in a way that’s both engaging and entertaining, you have a MASSIVE, massive advantage in this world”

David Perell

I agree with his position.

Writing well will help you be a better leader regardless of your position or field.

Want to lead well? Be a good writer.

These 3 reasons every leader should be a good writer are only a glimpse of the many benefits that come from writing well.

We could talk at length about the clarity, alignment, decisiveness, and many other positive outcomes of taking time to write things down.

Even writing meeting notes has many benefits to the teams you lead. I write more about this in my post, “How To Unlock The Power To Lead In A Role You Probably Don’t Like“.

So what do you think?

Maybe you love writing or maybe it’s not your thing. Either way are you willing to continue to improve as a writer?

I’m confident that if you do, you will become an even more effective leader and serve your team well.

Let’s lead with kindness and confidence.

Greg

Discussion Questions

• Is writing something you enjoy or something you endure?

• How do you continue to improve as a writer?

I’d like to hear your strategies and tips for improving as a writer. Please share your experiences in the comments section so we can learn together.

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