by Barbara McNichol

Business authors have great expertise to share with the world. Their most recent book often represents their seminal work.

That’s true for Robin Speculand’s Excellence in Execution. As part of Robin’s authorship team for more than 10 years, I’ve witnessed how he has brilliantly brought together myriad elements he’s developed to teach leaders how to implement strategies. Based on years of research and training, this new book delivers the H.O.W. (How Organizations Win) of strategy execution.

In nonfiction books especially, the value of clear, consistent writing comes through. With a little help from his editor, Robin has reinforced this in his current and previous award-winning books, his website, and throughout his Implementation Hub portal.

Across these platforms, two effective techniques can be adopted by all writers:

1. Relying on bulleted lists to complement points made in prose
2. Making sure all bulleted phrases follow a clear, consistent style

What’s a clear, consistent style? This bulleted list provides the answer:

• Use bullets often. People skim more than they read word for word.
• Keep the number of words to a minimum (i.e., take out unneeded adverbs and adjectives).
• List the shortest line first and the longest last whenever possible so the bulleted list looks attractive on the page.
• Start each bulleted phrase with the same part of speech (e.g., all nouns, all gerunds, all verbs, and so on, but never a mixture).

That last point is key. Consistently use the same part of speech to prevent the reader’s brain from flying in a variety of directions. In the following two lists from my WordShop, you’ll see how using the same part of speech makes the second one easier to follow than the first.

This first list—points for formatting a manuscript—has a mixed bag of bullet points:

• Single (not double) space between sentences
• Change any straight quotes to curly quotes
• Ending period goes inside a quotation mark (U.S. style)
• Subheads if appropriate
• Bullet points indented 5 spaces

This second list uses the same part of speech to start each bullet:

• Use a single (not double) space between sentences
• Change any straight quotes to curly quotes
• Put ending period inside a quotation mark (U.S. style)
• Add subheads if appropriate
• Indent bullet points 5 spaces

Challenge: Look at your own bulleted lists. If you haven’t started each point with a same part of speech, change them. When you do, your writing will gain clarity and consistency.