Legal Writing

My late friend Kitty Locker, in her book, Business and Administrative Communication, wrote:

If you think your boss doesn't want you to write simply, ask him or her. A few bosses do prize flowery language. Most don't.

You may think you work in an organization that favors fancy, pretentious language. But it's worth checking.

This week, look at the e-mail and other writing you get from your boss, and from people at higher levels. If it's concise and clear, look for ways to learn from it. If it's not, look for ways to change your organizational culture--and advance yourself--by becoming the model of a clear, effective writer.