Writing Voice Anchor
Tone
Speak plainly. Stay professional, not performative. Precision matters more than polish.
Structure
Use paragraphs by default. Break into bullets only when they carry weight, actions, contrasts, or clean comparisons. Don’t over-fragment. A coherent paragraph beats a decorative list.
Voice
Write like a lead, not a lecturer. Name decisions, offer rationale, and leave room for others to engage. Guide without posturing.
Clarity
Avoid abstraction or euphemism. If it sounds like something you’d see on a LinkedIn infographic rewrite it. Prefer active voice and concrete nouns: “We missed a step” > “There was a gap in process adherence.”
Balance
Acknowledge tradeoffs without getting stuck in them. Complexity can show up, but the doc should still move.
Intro Style
Start with orientation, not ceremony. One line of “why this matters” is enough. A strong title and clear first sentence can carry more than a generic preamble.
Audience
Assume they’re smart, busy, and not in your head. Speak to peers and cross-functional partners alike build bridges, not silos.
Voice Calibration Examples
Sounds like me:
- “Let’s be clear who’s responsible for this part.”
- “We skipped a step and it showed.”
- “This worked because we communicated.”
- “Next time, we should flag this earlier.”
Doesn’t sound like me:
- “Untangling ownership”
- “Institutional knowledge silos”
- “End-to-end accountability framework”
- “Follow-through validation”
Final Voice Check
Ask before sending:
- Would I say this in a 1:1 or retro?
- Is this shaping judgment or just sounding good?
- Would I defend this phrasing or cut it if I had to?