I’ve been working with executive teams, CEOs, and other C-suite executives for the past few years. Leaders place a high value on writing abilities. I sometimes have to study many documents to express myself succinctly or even deliver a presentation.
I must stress that there is no business development, leadership, or funding for your enterprise if you don’t have writing and speaking abilities.
Communication is the backbone of everything in life and business.
Everyone knows Warren Buffett, the legendary investor. Warren Buffett’s net worth is more than $114 billion as of today.
He repeatedly mentions speaking and writing abilities as his secret weapon for dominating the corporate world.
The one easy way to become worth 50 percent more than you are now — at least — is to hone your communication skills — both written and verbal. — Warren Buffett
Let’s get into the learning part: how may these two skills be improved?
Public speaking
I was terrified of public speaking when I was in high school and college. — Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett took a public speaking course at Dale Carnegie to hone his public speaking skills when he was young.
A few years ago, I took a Dale Carnegie course. It was really practical training. Recently, I also attended a workshop to refresh my approaches and abilities.
Dale Carnegie training centers have always provided highly qualified teachers who make learning a delightful experience. My lecturer was an expert in the field of public speaking and made the class a lot of fun.
You should be expecting to stand up in front of the group to polish your public speaking skills. It’s one of the best courses in North America to overcome your public shyness.
Dale Carnegie training is not cheap, but affordable options are available, like Toastmasters clubs. Amid pandemic, you can join an online club to hone your public speaking skills.
However, I highly recommend joining the club and participating in person. Therefore, you can have the opportunity to stand up in front of the class to deliver your speech.
I actually have the diploma in the office. And I don’t have my diploma from college, I don’t have my diploma from graduate school, but I have got my Dale Carnegie diploma there because it changed my life. — Buffett
Writing skills
If you can’t communicate, it’s like winking at a girl in the dark — nothing happens. You can have all the brainpower in the world, but you have to be able to transmit it. — Warren Buffett
The National Commission on Writing study shows that American businesses spend $3.1 billion per annum to train their staff to write effectively.
These are the couple of industries that require writing as one of the requirements to apply for the job: finance, real estate, and insurance.
Warren emphasizes mastering both skills: speaking and writing. Maybe your success is hiding in written communication like Medium top writers.
English is my third language, and I am learning a lot about conveying my message through writing. Writing is not an easy fix, and it takes time to polish writing skills. Maybe it will become one of my secrets to success.
I must say the Medium platform is helping a lot to polish my writing skill. It’s the best decision I made in the past three months to start writing on Medium. There is a lot to learn from highly accomplished writers.
Writing is a maker of high-skill, high-wage, professional work. People unable to express themselves clearly in writing limit their opportunities for professional, salaried employment. — Bob Kerrey, Chairman
The report also analyzes that employers proactively reject candidates if they show poor writing skills during the hiring process. Always double or triple-check your cover letter and resume before submitting for the job to ensure no spelling or sentence error.
Key takeaways
Invest in yourself! Use simple English to hone your communication skills. Make sure you can properly communicate your message both speaking and in writing.
- For speaking, I highly recommend Dale Carnegie training and Toastmasters
- For writing, as you are already a reader, maybe start to write on Medium to share your life experiences and polish your writing skill
- Hiring managers want more than just job-specific skills. To impress your potential employer, show your writing skills.
