How confident are you in your written communication skills?

Our reader poll today asks: How confident are you in your written communication skills?

• Extremely: I convey thoughts clearly and compellingly 30.36%
• Very: I’m an above-average written communicator 47.96%
• Somewhat: I do an OK job expressing written thoughts 15.57%
• Not very: My writing skills aren’t what I want them to be 4.84%
• Not at all: My writing skills are severely lacking 1.27%

Are you really clear? Almost 80% of you state that you’re extremely or very clear in your written communication but 80% of people being “above average” doesn’t work mathematically. Ask yourself if you’re as clear as you think you are. Better yet, ask someone else. Take some of your writing samples, give them to a trusted colleague who isn’t closely familiar with the topic you’re writing about. Ask them to review your communication then tell you what it means. Ask them what questions they have. Ask them how you might be clearer and more concise. We can all stand to improve our written communication skills. Don’t be satisfied with thinking you’re “above average” when you actually might not be. For those who are challenged in their writing skills, invest time in getting editing feedback. Read articles and take classes on effective written communications. While great writing skills won’t necessarily advance your career, poor writing skills will definitely hinder it.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 240,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.