Professionals and Writers

Over the years, I've worked with thousands of professionals in companies large and small, in government agencies, in universities, in health care organizations, and in engineering, manufacturing, and consulting firms. One opinion I've heard voiced time and again: "I like my job, but I hate all of the writing I have to do!"

The underlying attitude seems to be that the writing isn't really part of the job. Instead, it's some kind of onerous burden slapped on top of your real responsibilities by a devious or unsympathetic management.

But wait a minute. What are "professionals," anyway? Are they merely people who do for money what amateurs do for fun? That may be true in sports and romance, but not in the business world. No, being a professional means something more, something rooted in the origins of the word.

The first true professions—the law and the clergy—arose in the Middle Ages. (In spite of what you may have heard to the contrary, these really are the oldest professions.) Since then, the number of professions has multiplied, but the fundamental meaning has remained the same: A professional is someone who has mastered a complex body of knowledge and who can therefore guide, advise, and tutor others in that area. A professional is somebody who can and does profess.

What that means, of course, is that communication is the very essence of the job. It's what separates the professional from the laborer. You expect your doctor, lawyer, I.T. manager, account executive, or other professional to communicate—to explain in simple language what's going on, how it affects you, and what your options are.

Believe me, if you're smart enough to master your chunk of the business world, you're more than smart enough to write well. You can produce a good proposal, a winning proposal. You can do it! You can even have fun doing it! All you need are a few techniques and a little self-confidence.