The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership

Chapter 8: Communication and presentation 183

the style and content of a few paragraphs, scan (if still interested)

selected parts and then read that which you decide you are interested

in. In reading carefully, you should be aware of the need to:

• be clear about your purpose of reading any piece of writing


• have questions in mind


• keep the questions firmly in mind and seek answers to them


• read for main ideas


• test the evidence, explanations and conclusions critically


• make notes as you progress


• test the writer’s experience against your own


• consider whether or not to re-read


• discuss the material with others if appropriate


• reflect on what has been read.

Writing skills

Communicating in writing is an essential part of your job. There

are three key elements in communicating on paper:

• Structure and lay-out


• Content


• Style and tone.

Writing should be thought of as talking to a person on paper and

the six principles of good spoken communication apply – and they

are:

1 Clarity

2 Planning and preparation

3 Simplicity

4 Vividness