The value of these insights—that modern managerial and professional writing is about presenting ideas to people—should not be overlooked. For years we’ve been given all sorts of near-useless observations about what good writing looks like. They masquerade as admonitions such as “Clear Minto’s system rests on her “Pyramid Principle,” which holds that “ideas in writing should always form a pyramid under a single thought. ” This principle, expounded upon in a self- published book, is most easily learned, appreciated, and applied after you’ve tried it a few times. Minto says that we should, when we write, aim to get across one idea.
This means we must boil down a juicy mass of history and policy and strategy and financials and objectives into (egad! ) one clear recommendation. In other words, Minto insists, we must come out and say something. No hemming. No hawing. No hiding in and under and around all that empty phraseology. No, not in Minto’s book, which tells us (with some If only we had someone of the stiff-spined sternness else to write them for us? of a piano teacher whose No (but nice try).
If only student has failed to pracwe follow this or that pretice) that we may not write Most reports, memos, and business documents answer one cription? Fine. (But which what she calls intellectuof four questions. The introduction summarizes the situaone? ) Of the many availally blank assertions. “The tion, sets up the question the document addresses, and able, one approach to company has five probbriefly gives the reader the answer. business writing worth lems” is not the expression considering is “The Minto of an idea because it lacks Pyramid Principle,” named a “revealing insight. ” The (Established truth (What happened next to by and for Barbara Minto, statement “The major orgaabout the situation) trigger the question) former McKinsey consulnizational problem we face Something stops us from What should we do? We have a task to tant. Minto freely admits is the inability to delegate performing that task. perform. to being “hopeless” with authority,” on the other numbers, but she launched hand, reveals plenty. And We know the solution. We have a problem. How do we implement it? her career as a communicano dodging the irretrievtions consultant after ability of taking a stand A solution has been We have a problem. Is it the right solution? suggested. McKinsey shipped her to right there on paper, Minto Why not? Action did not work.
The Essay on Tips About Writing About Yourself
First you should gather all of your ideas.Writing is a process that involves at least four distinct steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. It is known as a recursive process. While you are revising, you might have to return to the prewriting step to develop and expand your ideas. Prewriting is anything you do before you write a draft of your document. It includes thinking, taking ...
“The purpose of this memorandum is to outline the ideas that require further discussion by the Executive Committee,” such as composition and size of the board, the roles and responsibilities of the board and Executive Committee, nd bringing in an outside board member. Minto groups these “shopping list” items into “pyramids. ” In the case of the grocery list, she groups them into “dairy products” (milk, eggs, butter, and sour cream), fruit (grapes, oranges, and apples) and vegetables (potatoes and carrots).
At Reengineered, Inc. , Minto groups the items on the list into three areas that require action: relinquishing responsibility for day-to-day operations to the Executive Committee, changing the composition of the board to include outside members, and establishing guidelines for those responsible for daily operations. The language of action
One of the most useful sections in Minto’s book is the one that describes the language of action. In a lengthy list, she shows us the difference between mealy-mouthedness and muscular writing. We should not write “Reduce accounts receivable. ” Instead, we must be specific about how this should be done: “Establish a system for following up on overdue accounts. ” Instead of “Improve finan- cial reporting,” write “Install a system that gives early notice of change. ” Writing Tips Such precise, direct writing is, of course, at odds with the tradition of business conducted in a more gentlemanly time, when critical issues Don’t start off by riting the whole document “to get it all down. ”
The Essay on Day Care And List Different Childcare
1. The subject of child day care is a controversial one. List different childcare options available to families. What form of childcare do you think will be the most beneficial for your family? Discuss the pros and cons of each option. There are three different options available for childcare; in-home childcare, day care centers and babysitters. With in-home child care, you hire a nanny to look ...
You may think you can find the structure more easily afterwards. But, says Minto, “The chances are you’ll love it once you see it typed, no matter how disjointed the thinking really is. ” Your opening sentence should anchor the reader in time and space. generated by “disturbing events” rarely arose, and sensitive, threatening topics were handled indirectly, if at all. But these days, complications and disturbing events are the order of the day. And pouncing on them and wrestling them to the ground is the work of managers everywhere.
