Compelling communication paired with convincing presence is rightfully equated in most cases with personal appearance in front of others - in conversation, during presentations, negotiations, sales, leadership, ...
However, convincing appearance in the sense of "I represent my company" also includes written communication. Often, little thought is given to the choice of words in numerous business letters and emails sent to customers and business partners. And even the so-called "out-of-office assistants" in email correspondence show how the author of the text "ticks" and thinks. Unfortunately, just as bad as frequently recited phrases from hotlines, impersonal and formulations revealing little interest in the recipient (e.g., customer) can also be found in written communication. Rhetoric is the art of speech. And a "speech" is not the same as "writing." So far, so good. Nevertheless, some rhetorical devices and tools of speech can also be used for writing letters and emails. Because here as well as there, it's about communication between people. And in both cases, we tend to react more interested and openly to certain formulations, while some words and phrases almost invite us to close ourselves off to the sender's request. What could be more obvious than using appropriate rhetorical tools in written communication as well? It's about how to address or write to the recipient of a message in a way that makes them feel truly personally addressed and open, rather than receiving the impression of being treated generically and closing off. This involves more than just writing their name in the address field, in the salutation, and possibly somewhere in the text. How can we achieve recipient-oriented written communication? At the forefront of this is the rhetorical technique known as the "YOU perspective." You may have already read about this in some of the previous "Thoughts for Practice." And all readers who are my clients are familiar with this powerful tool from individual training, seminars, workshops, and lectures. Examples of common yet unappealing phrases are "We will send you ...", "We refer to ...", "We provide you with ...", "We expect you to ...". They emphasize that the writing primarily stems from and is based on the company's perspective. The recipient is left on the periphery, although they should be at the center. More engaging and opening alternatives in the YOU perspective include, for example, "You will receive from us ..." or "Please send us ...". The author of the following footnote in a mobile phone email also had the recipient in mind: "Sent via mobile, hence kept brief." It recently reached me and positively surprised me. However, sending via mobile does not mean disregarding all language rules. The following texts from out-of-office assistants come from the keyboards of people who primarily think in their own work world, rather than providing the recipient with engaging information: "I am out of the office from ... until ... and will be reachable again from ...". A better version would be: "You can reach me again from ...". The "what," the information content, may be identical in both versions, but it is the "how" that determines whether words are received and processed benevolently and openly, andwhat subconscious reactions they trigger in the recipient. The following text is completely off-target, even though it is adorned with a YOU perspective in terms of wording: "During my absence, feel free to contact Ms./Mr. XY." - without providing the contact details of Ms./Mr. XY. Just because the author knows Ms./Mr. XY from the colleague circle and their contact details, it does not mean that this is the case for external parties. Often, internal routines simply lead to forgetting that external individuals have a different perspective. Adequate training usually works wonders in such cases. Just as in speaking, the words of Peter F. Drucker also apply to writing letters, emails, and out-of-office messages: "See the world through the eyes of your counterpart." I wish you much success, always the right perspective, and an opening communication. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about the insights mentioned here and beyond.
