Innate talent counts, of course, but there is another, more important factor: Putting the time and effort into consistent learning and practice. The writers we admire most have typically invested thousands of hours honing their craft and refining their voices.

Let’s face it—some people are born with superior language skills and get early exposure to literacy that enables them to use their inborn capacities to their advantage. These people might become the glittering literati of their generation. Yet even they put hundreds of hours into developing their craft before they gain the limelight. If they write at work, their reports are the ones that get kudos from top management, while other docs languish in the “unread” pile.

What about those of us who may not write the great American novel or even the great American email? The good news is that writing isn’t an all-or-nothing game. Each of us can improve our communication abilities, regardless of where we start. The question isn’t whether you can become the next Hemingway, but rather how much you can make the most of the talent you have through training and preparation.

Of course, no law says that you have to become a better writer. If you decide that putting in the hours to become your best writing self is not worth the effort, that’s your choice. However, if you are not improving your skills, you are losing ground. You might have to resign yourself to a lifetime of emails and phone calls asking you, “What did you mean?” or saying, “I didn’t understand what you wrote.” Or prepare to be ignored. The price of poor writing is a painful one.

Great athletes put in thousands of practice hours before TV commentators call them “naturals.” When you persevere in the effort to be a better business writer, you, too, can feel like “a natural.” By sharpening your skills, you will gain these advantages at work:

• People will be happy to hear from you.
• People will understand you the first time they read your words.
• People will be more likely to agree with your proposals.
• You are more likely to be promoted to ever more significant positions of responsibility.

If you decide to invest in superior writing, many resources are available to you — books, classes, blogs, apps, AI algorithms. You simply need to open the treasure box of tools to take the next step in your writing journey. Good luck!

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Did you miss last month’s Writamin on The Human Advantage: Improving Business Writing in the Age of AI? See it here.​

To read my recent Inc.com columns:

​This Strategy Helps Humanize Your AI-Generated Content​

​Include a Call to Action to Get the Results You Need​

​4 Ways to Tame the Email Tsunami in 2025​

​3 Essential Writing Tasks that AI-Assisted Writing Programs Cannot Do For You​

Read my article in Harvard Business Review about how to move your business writing from “average” to “great” by using the Three P’s.

The post Why Are Some People Better Business Writers Than Others? appeared first on Worktalk.

​Technology Contributor Content

To say that artificial intelligence (AI) has become vital to business workflows might be an understatement. Many companies today rely on AI to create marketing copy, draft emails, create reports, and more, taking advantage of its speed and efficiency. Given the degree to which businesses lean on AI, the question lingers: Can AI truly grasp the nuances of communication?

Elizabeth “Liz” Danziger, founder and president of Worktalk Communications Consulting, argues that AI hasn’t completely solved businesses’ writing problems. Yes, it’s undeniable that this technology excels at surface-level tasks such as proofreading or generating ideas. However, it can’t replicate human intuition or strategic thinking. Acknowledging this, she applies her framework called “The Three P’s” to help professionals improve their business communication.

Statistics reveal how AI adoption in business communication is accelerating. Approximately 70% of companies are using or experimenting with AI for primary use cases such as customer communication. Many use ChatGPT or Jasper AI to produce output rapidly at reduced costs. The benefits are vast; this is why Liz believes businesses can leverage AI as a tool. However, she emphasizes that individuals must continue developing skills that AI can’t replicate. If they don’t, organizations are likely to struggle when competing against businesses that continue to develop their human edge.

Liz can attest to this, as she has helped numerous businesses and professional service firms improve their written communication. After pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Pomona College in Claremont, California, she started her career as a freelance writer. She later attended UCLA’s Anderson School of business. Now, Liz is a highly acclaimed author of four books, including Get to the Point!, a business writing guide originally published by Random House. In addition, she serves as a columnist for Inc.com. Her articles have also appeared in Harvard Business Review.

This extensive writing experience differentiates Liz from others in the field, who mostly have a background in organizational development. Moreover, it has given her an all-encompassing perspective on the challenges of written communication. Through a unique lens, she assists clients in increasing their productivity, building their brand, and boosting their sales.

Nearly forty years of being a communication expert has enabled Liz to identify three essential writing tasks that AI can’t perform. First, AI can’t determine the intentions behind a document. AI is a tool: it needs a human to set it on its course. That means that even companies that rely on AI need staff members who are skilled communicators. Liz stresses that writing begins with understanding the purpose of your communication. What a piece of writing is for, what it’s meant to accomplish, is something only a human being can choose.

Secondly, although AI can mimic styles, it produces writing that feels unnatural. “AI will never give you a consistent, authentic voice, at least for now,” Liz emphasizes. This can damage customer relationships. Lastly, AI can’t predict objections and comprehend context. “Writing is more than just stringing words together,” she says. “It’s the thought and strategy behind a text that makes writing effective.”

Liz developed the Three P’s framework (Purpose, Person, and Point) to help individuals fill the gaps AI can’t. Purpose reflects the intention of the message. It guides the writing process toward a specific objective. In business documents, the goal is usually to inform, request, or persuade.

The founder encourages writers to begin with the end in mind, inspired by the second habit author Stephen Covey discussed in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. She urges them to ask themselves: “What should the reader do after reading this? Is the document intended to prompt action or simply provide information?”

Person pertains to understanding the audience. Liz believes that a writer must comprehend the audience’s needs, questions, and emotional triggers to communicate effectively. This means tailoring language to the reader’s expertise level and interests. For example, it’s best to use technical terms when addressing a chief technology officer. When talking to a chief executive officer, however, using words that focus on outcomes might work better.

Point, the third aspect, is the essential message the document conveys. The audience may struggle to understand the writer’s intent without it. Liz shares an analogy: “If the Purpose sets the direction and the target is the Person, the Point is the arrow itself.”

Overall, effective communication hinges on authenticity. Writers who communicate with sincerity and purpose build stronger connections with their audience. “Authenticity is what creates trust between the writer and the reader. Now that we live in an age where AI-generated content risks breaking this trust, authenticity is what gives businesses a competitive advantage,” Liz remarks.

AI-generated content might appear adequate at first. It’s fluent and functional, after all. “But it doesn’t make a business win,” says Liz. She argues that allowing AI to fully take over writing tasks can normalize mediocrity.

Liz frequently hears from business leaders who trust their AI tools to handle communication tasks because they’re confident that their language models (LMs) are well-trained. She warns that overly relying on AI can dilute a company’s brand and damage its credibility—a valid claim, given that AI tends to create generic, impersonal communication that doesn’t resonate with customers and stakeholders.

Poor writing costs businesses nearly $400 billion annually. What are the repercussions? Unclear internal communication leads to employee disengagement and turnover. It also affects productivity, sales, and relationships. A single customer service email that lacks clarity and empathy can drive customers away. In high-risk industries like transportation or healthcare, vague instructions can lead to accidents and liability issues.

“AI can be a helpful intermediate step, especially for those who have limited writing skills, but it should never be the final word,” Liz notes. The expert shares an instance when she trained a company’s customer service team and reviewed their writing samples. A customer reported receiving the wrong merchandise, and instead of addressing the problem empathetically, the representative responded with a terse email containing only a new order number. In this instance, AI might have generated a more polished response. But only a human’s oversight could ensure that the tone was appropriate.

Danziger established Worktalk to help businesses improve their written communication. The company offers customized training programs, webinars, and coaching services that cover business writing, email effectiveness, technical writing, persuasive writing, leadership communication, and more. Today, in a team-driven environment, soft skills such as communication are the lifeblood of organizational effectiveness. Good writers elevate organizations by creating clear, empathetic, and purpose-driven messages.

Ultimately, writing with clarity, strategy, and authenticity is even more crucial today than in previous decades. AI can streamline tasks and offer valuable assistance, but it can’t replace the nuanced human judgment needed for meaningful communication. Elizabeth Danziger’s insights, as well as her Three P’s framework, provide businesses an edge in building trust, enhancing reputation, and strengthening connections with their employees and customers.

The post The Human Advantage: Improving Business Writing in the Age of AI appeared first on Worktalk.

When we can type at lightning speed and send messages in a nanosecond, who needs handwriting? As it turns out, we all do. Handwriting shows people we care about them, makes us think more carefully about what we write, and proves that AI didn’t compose our letter. Moreover, brain research shows that handwriting builds connections in the brain that cannot be accessed by typing.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the first personal letter on record was written by a man called Arrianus to his brother 2,000 years ago under Roman rule. The content would be familiar to us today – comments on friends and family, inquiries about his brother’s wellbeing, and topical chat. From that ancient beginning, the art of letter-writing bloomed, reaching its apex in the 18th century, when gentlemen and ladies penned long, thoughtful letters to one another (think Jane Austen).

With the advent of the typewriter, handwritten letters became less common, although many people still wrote social and personal letters by hand. Fast forward to the 21st century, when handwriting began to seem like an anachronism. Schools’ recent abandonment of cursive writing signals the establishment’s assumption that typing is the way of the future.

However, there are benefits to writing by hand, especially when writing to someone we feel close to – or someone with whom we seek a closer relationship. Research and common sense indicate that we should rethink capitulating to the allure of nimble-fingered digital communication.

Here are three reasons why, the next time you want to convey a personalized, important message, you dig your fountain pen out of the box it’s been sitting in since high school, pull out a notecard or clean piece of paper, and start writing.

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​Writing by hand shows that you care.

Handwriting requires more time and effort than typing. Your readers know this; they appreciate that you cared enough to put the extra effort into reaching out to them. I recently sent a handwritten holiday card to an important client. A week later, I received a beautiful handwritten card from her, and she said how much she appreciated receiving a handwritten card. That card cemented me into her memory in a way that a holiday greeting by email could never do.

2. Handwriting makes you think more about what you write.

Who among us has not dashed off an email to a key business contact, only to read it later and rue our rush? When you write by hand, you have to slow down. You see every word as it emerges from your pen. You may even write out a full draft before you copy it into your card. While handwriting will not entirely protect you from writing something you’ll regret, it makes you more conscious of your words.

3. Handwriting proves your message was not written by AI.

AI-composed writing is everywhere. When we read emails and articles today, we might be hard-pressed to know whether the document was written by a human or a machine. When you write by hand, your reader knows the message came from a living, breathing human, who put the effort into communicating, rather than outsourcing your relationship to an algorithm.

All these reasons speak in favor of writing by hand, but there is more. When we write with a pen or pencil, our brains process information more effectively. Research indicates that students who take notes by hand understand and retain lessons better than their iPad-toting peers. Writing by hand truly engages us in the communication process – something many of us rarely experience.

So if you’re thinking of sending a Valentine or love letter, write it by hand. If you want to show a customer you appreciate their business, send a handwritten thank you.

The rarity of handwritten letters makes them stand out from the email onslaught that barrages people every day.

P.S. This Writamin was written by hand with a favorite fountain pen while sitting in a cafe in Venice, California. Ah, the bliss of being away from a computer.

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The post Show You Care: Write By Hand appeared first on Worktalk.

Many writers plunge into their work without a clear destination. They don’t stop to think about their goals, but hope their reader will manage to decode the message about which they themselves are unclear. But this approach wastes time and is unlikely to achieve results. Successful writers think about their desired outcome before they even touch the keyboard.

Start by asking: What should readers think, feel, or do after reading this piece? Your answer shapes everything that follows.

• Writing an email to set up a meeting? Don’t vaguely request “Let me know your availability.” Instead, write “Can we meet Thursday at 3 p.m. to discuss project updates?” This specific request drives action.
• Writing a memo about new fire safety protocols? Your goal isn’t to have readers stash the information away with other non-relevant emails. “Please read the following carefully and confirm receipt of this email after you’ve read it” will alert readers that the email is relevant. Then format the content to make it easy to follow and understand.
• Writing a persuasive proposal? Imagine the decision you want readers to make. Then build your argument to lead them there. Address their concerns early. Present your solution clearly. Support it with evidence. Create a path that guides them toward agreement.

Once you clarify your goal, organize your message to achieve it. Map out main points, anticipate objections, and craft a compelling call to action.

For example, you could break down a proposal for a new marketing initiative into the following sections: an introduction to the need for the initiative, the proposed solution, supporting data, and a closing call to action that encourages the decision-maker to approve the plan. By clearly mapping out these sections ahead of time, you ensure that the document remains focused and persuasive from start to finish.

When you start with clarity about what you want to achieve, you create a document that resonates with readers and leads them to the action you desire.

In the end, writing isn’t just about stringing words together; it’s about shaping an experience for your readers, guiding them through your ideas and encouraging a specific result. Whether you’re seeking to inform, persuade, or request, your message will always be stronger when you begin with the end in mind.

So, the next time you sit down to write, ask yourself: What do I want the reader to think, feel, or do after reading this? As you continue in your writing life, remember to think about the end result you are striving for. Focus on that as you organize, plan, and write your document. You will be amazed at the outcome.

copyright 2025 Elizabeth Danziger

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​Call Worktalk When:

• Companies lose customers due to poor messaging from sales and customer service teams;
• Clients complain about communication from professional service firms’ staff members;
• Employees need to humanize the output of AI-assisted writing programs so it doesn’t sound fake;
• Employees need help developing the right prompts for AI-assisted writing programs to generate more effective outputs;
• Employees waste time repeatedly emailing one another because their messages are unclear.

Contact me at lizd@worktalk.com or 310.396.8303.

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The post Begin With the End in Mind: The Key to Purposeful Writing appeared first on Worktalk.

Henry, a fictional CEO of a mid-size software company, needs his team to generate creative ideas for a new project. At the team meeting, he sits behind a large desk. His mouth is set in a tight line, his shoulders slightly hunched, and his arms are crossed in front of him. In a flat tone, he says, “Okay, everyone, I want you all to feel free to float your ideas to the group.”

Compare Henry with Eleanor, a CEO of a different fictional software company. She also needs her team to brainstorm. As each team member enters the room, she smiles warmly and thanks them for coming. She is standing straight with her shoulders slightly back. Her palms are open as she welcomes people. In a confident tone, she invites her team to brainstorm their ideas.

Which CEO’s team is more likely to come up with the big idea that transforms the company?

While the examples are exaggerated, it’s clear that team Eleanor will win. Other factors being equal, Eleanor’s nonverbal behavior bespeaks a leader who is self-assured, open-minded, and likely to succeed.

As a speaker, your body communicates as much as your words. Your facial expression, vocal tone and inflection, posture, gestures, and even attire have a powerful effect on your audience. Body language, also known as nonverbal communication, is a key element of impression management at work because people form snap judgments of your personality and professionalism based on the nonverbal cues they perceive.

Where Do Body Language Habits Come From?

Nonverbal communication has three primary sources. First is instinct. Facial expressions like smiling, grimacing, and crying are universal. Even toddlers understand them. You can greet an audience from any culture with a smile and they will know you wish them well (as long as the smile is sincere).

The second source of nonverbal behavior is the repetition of actions you have seen in the past. Deborah Shames and David Booth, cofounders of presentation and communication training company Eloqui, note that you might have been told to put your hands behind your back or you unthinkingly imitate a beloved teacher who always counted on his fingers as he taught. Whatever the source, once you have internalized other people’s ideas about appropriate gestures, you tend to mimic them.

A third source of nonverbal communication derives from unresolved emotional issues. Perhaps you want to look happy and relaxed, but deep inside, you feel anxious and sad. You can only fake it for so long before people begin to get a sense of the person behind the mask. Until you resolve the internal issues that drive your body language, you might find it challenging to bring your nonverbal cues up to your desired level.

“You can have the most beautifully written speech, but if your body language doesn’t sync, it’s all for nothing.”
—Eden Gillott

Given the strong impulses that drive nonverbal communication, how can you unlearn body language patterns that no longer serve you? Shames recommends that you videotape yourself giving a presentation and watch the video. You might be amazed to see that you are flapping your arms like a bird or staring down at the floor when you thought you were speaking straight and strong. You can also ask a trusted friend or colleague to watch your presentation and give you frank feedback.

Another way to transform your body language is to cultivate greater self-awareness. Note that this differs from self-consciousness, which is an unhealthy focus on yourself and what you might be doing wrong. Self-awareness is a nonjudgmental perception of your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. When you practice self-awareness, you develop the “observing self” that simply sees what is happening. Once you become conscious of your mind and body, you create the space in which you can change.

How Does Body Language Impact Business Presentations?

When CEO coach and keynote speaker Glenn Gow works with business leaders who present their company’s data to stock analysts, he tells them to stand up straight, smile, and say out loud, “It’s showtime!” before they take the stage. He notes that if a leader is hunched over, disheveled, or sour-faced, employees might doubt the future of the company. He refers to research about body language and the brain: “The smile muscles create positive neurochemicals. If I use these muscles, my brain says, Oh, something good is happening here. A similar thing happens when we gesture openly with our hands.” There is a feedback loop between our bodies and our brains: When we smile and stand up straight, we have a real effect on our brain function.

Crisis public relations consultant Eden Gillott has seen business leaders both succeed and fail at using body language in high-stakes situations. She recalls an executive trying to reassure her team that the company was doing well while pacing rapidly back and forth across the room; her body language contradicted her words. Gillott notes, “You can have the most beautifully written speech, but if your body language doesn’t sync, it’s all for nothing.”

Gillott likens body language to the volume knob on an amplifier. Your posture and motion can raise the amplitude of your words from a five to a 10 or even, as in the classic film This is Spinal Tap, to an 11. In other words, your actions can make the difference between a ho-hum speech and a blockbuster.

Body Language Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

• Allow your gestures to emerge naturally. As speaking coach Shames points out, “If you don’t gesture naturally, you don’t bring oxygen into your lungs. When you gesture freely, you will breathe easier.”
• Adapt your body language to your audience. As in all cases, understanding your listeners is paramount. If you are speaking to a conservative crowd, keep your hand gestures smaller than if you are pumping up a team of sales representatives.
• Stand tall but don’t be rigid. Good posture brings oxygen and energy into your body. Booth, the presentation coach from Eloqui, advises, “Avoid standing with your legs crossed.” This creates a defensive position and detracts from your professional image.
• Speak conversationally, with a well-modulated, varying tone of voice. Avoid “upspeak”—inflecting upward at the end of each sentence.
• Wear comfortable clothing. Communications consultant Gillott suggests that speakers practice their speech while wearing the outfit they plan to wear on their big day. She says, “Make sure you can raise your hands without ripping your jacket.”

Don’t:

• Don’t hide your hands; allow them to move naturally in conjunction with your words.
• Don’t script your body language and gestures. Avoid telling yourself things like, When I say this word, I will move my hands. Let the words guide your gestures.
• Don’t obsess about whether you’re doing everything right. The more self-conscious you are, the more likely you are to commit a gaffe. Keep breathing. Keep your posture open. Be natural. And remember that if someone in the audience does not like what you say, it’s not the end of the world.
• Don’t strive to be formal. As Booth and Shames recommend, focus on being authentic, whether you’re talking to 10 people or 1,000.
• Don’t freeze. If you notice you’ve been standing in the same position for a while, move around. Stand up. Sit down. Step toward the audience. Let your face relax if you’ve been striving to look suitably serious.

The best way to improve your body language is to create opportunities to practice. Volunteer to give presentations at work, even if the prospect terrifies you. Stay loose and have fun. When you learn to master your movements, the impact of your speaking will soar.

Click here to read more articles on how body language can benefit or hinder your message.

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