One year ago, things were rough. I was in grief over the death of my father, I had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and my wife was due for shoulder surgery. No matter what age you are or what stage of life you’re in, these are the moments where you ask yourself, “Can I…
If you are an author, you really should stop writing about yourself in the plural. Unless you are royalty or have a multiple personality disorder, it’s fine to say “I.” For example, “Next, I’ll explain three steps you need to follow to begin investing in bonds,” or “I’m sure you’re wondering why publishers aren’t more…
Business books are full of advice. They’re also full of pronouns — and pronoun-driven confusion — around when to use “we” and when to use “you.” Start with this: you should write directly to the reader. Compare the following two alternatives: Marketers must spend less time on SEO and more time on the creation of…
One of my simplest and most powerful tips is to use “I,” “we,” and “you” in your business writing. Now researchers at the A. B. Freeman school of Business at Tulane have proven my point. As described in the Wall Street Journal, Zhenhua Chen and Serena Loftus of Tulane conducted pairs of simulated earnings calls. One…