Comments on: The Clarity Clue

By: John Jay

John Jay — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:58:13 +0000

Meh. I see the arrow of causation running in the other direction. CEOs are not stupid. They can write clearly. Not having spent much time in academia they’ve been forced to write clearly.

When the company is running well, they can afford to write clearly, in fact they must – it gives greater punch to the good news.

When things are in the crapper they try to paper the situation over with fancy words.

By: Ginny

Ginny — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:21:33 +0000

Great point. And broad application – look at 80′s and 90′s lit crit in terms of style; look at countries – and cities within US – where dictators/corrupt politicians argue their opulent life styles are not only entitlements due their skills but, more, their luxury makes their constituents happy – makes them feel respected. This is countered by a world in which Franklin bragged of being a Franklin (middle class) and Adams of the size of his manure pile.

(Forwarded this post to my friends who teach tech writing. They love it.)

By: Tyouth

Tyouth — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:14:23 +0000

I remember that investment author Peter Lynch entusiastically agrees with you Renmimbi;

He would visit corporate HQs and count fancy diggs as a definite negative indicator when evaluating a company’s stock price and potential as an investment.

By: Mrs. Davis

Mrs. Davis — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:20:23 +0000

David Mullins ended each Corporate Financial Reporting class with an exposition on how the cover of the annual report really contained all the signals you needed to make a decision about the company as valid as one based on the information behind it. But that was before LTCM

By: renminbi

renminbi — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:08:35 +0000

C.Northcote Parkinson had something to say on edifice complexes being a sign of a has been organisation. The Admiralty offices near Trafalgar Sq.(1909) and, I hope,The NY Times’ shiny new HQ opposite PA Bus Terminal.

By: David Foster

David Foster — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:55:49 +0000

Also mean to mention: in yesterday's Financial Times, Lucy Kellaway sees much present-day business jargon as descended from late-60s hippie-speak.

By: Shannon Love

Shannon Love — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:56:47 +0000

The physicist Richard Feynman said that if you really understood a subject you could explain it to anyone. He was talking about physics but I think the principle applies to any area.

I think that the clarity of the CEO letters reflects their understanding of their companies operations. If they have a handle on what is going on, they can explain things clearly and precisely. If they’re confused about the company, their writing is confused.