Forum - April 2009

BRAINSTORMS

unique and original to them. As an executive, Shelton recommends these steps:

• Find your own voice. Don’t use a ghost-
writer or “collaborator” who brings all
the substance and style. Speechwriters
and other assis-

tants should take more than a cue from you — they should get the essence, if not the full text, out of you from interviews.

• Enhance your ability to think and write clearly. If you fail to express your insights appropri-

ately and regularly in speech and writing, you forfeit influence. Your ability to express yourself will fade, as will your ability to feel and think deeply. So record your insights and feelings, especially as they relate to mission, vision, people, performance and direction.

• Establish your identity as an author. Your leadership authority is linked to your identity as an author. So write your own script. Revise it, refine it, publish it, distribute it. Get feedback on it.

• Separate your writing from others’. Always recognize and attribute sources properly. Acknowledge and reward collaborators, contributors and counselors. Credit your sources in all forms of communication. If you use other people’s material as your own, you compromise your integrity.

How to Become an Author

• Appoint someone on staff to assist in capturing, transcribing, editing and publishing your material. Leverage your time. In your line of duty, there are few things more important than publishing your vision and values, principles and life experiences.

• Find or create a suitable medium in print or audio/video format. Create in the medium and format that are most comfortable and natural to you, but also learn to adapt to other formats. This often requires some coaching, constructive and objective feedback, and capable editing.

• Schedule creative periods and submission deadlines. Organize thoughts around these times. Be accountable to someone for meeting deadlines.

• Develop a system for capturing your insights and other important communication; then for organizing; storing and filing; and publishing.

• Keep a journal — otherwise much may slip through the cracks.

Benefits of Authorship

• Identity. Publishing your own material and ideas helps you and your organization gain identity and position — to be seen and known as original sources.

• Philosophy. Moral philosophers are needed as much today as they were at the time of our nation’s founding. Even if you are rich in profitability, you cheat your organization if you are poor in philosophy.

• Authenticity. You can gain a sense of true identity, legitimacy and integrity because of heightened awareness of who you are and what you believe in and stand for.

• Authority. Much of your potential management authority lies outside the confines of your office and position. It must be earned through authorship and authenticity.