Despite spending the last 30 years as a deal-maker in the technology services industry, at my core I have always considered myself a writer. That has helped me in doing deals because people drawn to writing tend to be storytellers, and storytelling has emerged as one of those important “soft skills” in business.
In my first career, as a newspaper writer and editor, I was fortunate to encounter several mentors who goaded me, then patiently guided me, on how to improve my writing. (The goading was my perception because I resented their criticism; the guiding reflected their professionalism as they patiently tolerated my young arrogance.)
Writers harvest chestnuts from teachers, mentors and other writers, and I was reminded of one of those this week. Zay Smith, one of my journalism professors at Northwestern, emphasized the importance of an impactful lede in getting the reader’s attention: short sentences; active voice; and share the news immediately.
“If you are writing a story about a bear,” he said, “don’t talk about something else in the lede and then introduce the bear two paragraphs later. Bring on the bear.”
Whether that was a Zay Smith original or he borrowed it from somewhere, it has always been my own guide when communicating in writing. Proposals. Emails. Working through a dispute. Don’t beat around the bush with a long setup on what you want to say. Bring on the bear.
In an “I-wonder-whatever-happened-to” moment, I searched Zay’s name online and was saddened to learn he had passed away in 2020.
His wisdom lives on as a bright piece of my mosaic.
