CEOs want information, not just words: so … write smart, simple and short

Communication World, April-May, 1997 by Richard E. Neff

One day in 1989, Chairman Martin Kallen of Monsanto Europe "flipped." He had become increasingly aware that too much paper was clogging up the company mainly reports that were too long, too frequent, too unread. Finally, he couldn't take any more - and moved decisively to cap and cut back the paper flow. He ordered that:

* Certain reports be eliminated entirely,

* other monthly reports be made quarterly,

* all reports be made much more concise.

Kallen, a tough-minded Dutchman, stopped reading any report that was not summarized in two pages.

At first, there were cries of anguish and then disbelief from staff members. They wondered if the chairman really meant it. They knew he meant it the first time Kallen fired back a memo with the handwritten note, "this memo was unnecessary." Writers were not prone to let that happen a second time.

Preceding the Kallen moves, there were no big meetings or planning sessions. No new "philosophy" was needed. The chairman just said, "that's it" - and people fell into line once they were convinced he was going to stick with his decision.

"The whole change took place in a matter of months," said one employee who lived through the experience. "The only people who really resisted were the people writing the long reports; they felt their job profile was threatened," said another Monsanto staff member.

Effects of the Kallen leadership soon spread throughout the organization. Middle managers could refer to the chairman's model as their reason for producing shorter texts. Said one manager, "I remember how much easier my life became as a result."

No major problems occurred. Throughout this period, Monsanto Europe's profits continued to break records. No major problems occurred because of the drastic change in writing habits.

However, Kallen didn't stop there. To emphasize the "war on paper," he ordered "cleanout days" when staff would come dressed in jeans and armed with plastic rubbish bags.

Their assignment: Clear out the paper mountain in their own offices or departments. Kallen also told the office supply department, "If anyone orders a new cupboard, don't give it to them."

The Monsanto chairman also found a way to track progress statistically. He asked for figures on (a) purchase of new paper supplies and (b) number of photocopies made throughout the company. These statistics were kept over a period of three years. And sure enough, the amount of paper bought, and photocopies made, dropped drastically.

The Malcolm Baldrige Example

Perhaps the most prominent businessman ever to demand good writing from his organisation was Malcolm Baldrige, former CEO of Scovill, Inc., in Waterbury, Conn., and U.S. Secretary of ' Commerce under President Reagan.

Baldrige was appalled at the quality of writing he found in the commerce department: "In a lot of letters that used to be drafted for my signature, I literally couldn't tell whether I was saying 'Yes' or 'No.' I finally brought all our letter writers together and said, 'Please write simply and directly and clearly what you want me to say. And always say Yes or No.'"

But that was just the start. He sponsored writing improvement seminars called "Just Plain English" for all writers and reviewers - and he personally signed the invitation to attend. Invitation? Well, not quite. Baldrige wrote: "Your ticket shows your date of participation." In other words, be there.

In the same memo, the secretary spelled out his goals for writing. "[The seminar] focuses on practical ways to express ideas so they are clear, complete, concise and convincing. You will learn how to adjust for audience and purpose, prune needless words and fancy language, get to the point fast, edit constructively, and make improvements last."

Baldrige took a personal hand in the editing of a 19-page style book called "Better Writing" that then was issued by his office of personnel. It stated "dos" and "don'ts" in writing, including a section on "how to write to the secretary or deputy secretary."

The issue was productivity. Not content with just streamlining the writing culture of his own organization, Baldrige carried his mission out into the business community.

He ordered publication of a volume of 12 case studies, "How Plain English Works for Business," and sponsored a business forum on "The Productivity of Plain English."

In his opening speech at the forum, he said, "We hope this will be the beginning of a joint venture that carries clear speech to all corners of the country."

The joint venture he hoped for did not survive his term at the department of commerce. But the message he left was clear: "As far as the business community is concerned, the best way to discourage bad habits is to emphasize the profits that can result from simple language...

"We are, believe me, talking about productivity. When people write letters and reports that are clear enough and simple enough and accurate enough and short enough - the time it saves the reader is immense. And that is productivity."

In Great Britain, the use of clear, simple language has become a key business strategy for the NatWest group, one of Britain's largest banking/financial services companies (81,000 employees).