We know of Stephen Hawking probably not because of his science but more because he wrote ‘The Brief History of Time.’
To illustrate — how many of us know Andre Geim Konstantin, a Nobel laureate who is no less brilliant?
Hawking gained a fan-following primarily because he could lucidly explain complex ideas and tell stories.
The same holds for Warren Buffet. Finance enthusiasts await his annual letter to shareholders much like movie-goers await the new James Bond releases.
Buffet’s investing prowess is legendary but his brilliant writing may have played a bigger role in creating his fandom.
Whether you are a scientist, a businessman, or a dairy farmer, if you can articulate well, you can have great influence.
However, articulation is not just about influence — it is also about thought clarity.
At McKinsey, I used to wonder, why such obsession with writing? But gradually, I realized that writing forces you to structure and clarify your thoughts.
Clear articulation forces clear thinking.
Our schools and colleges understand the importance of hard subjects like maths, science, and programming. But they are terrible at teaching our kids how to articulate — written or spoken.
I often see knowledgeable youngsters fumble and ramble when they have to talk. The fault is ours — we never trained them.
Articulation skills are not a luxury or just for liberal arts majors — we all need them. Desperately. Now.
– Rajan