The Economist is my favorite news magazine. It has comprehensive coverage of the world, a unique “outside of the US” perspective and it is beautifully written.
That last point is not inconsequential. To be a good communicator, you must have a firm grasp of language. The Economist exemplifies the three elements I most admire in excellent communicators. The writing is clear, vivid, and concise. The test of its excellence? You can read its articles aloud and they sound as good as they look. Often, written text sounds stiff when vocalized because we use much higher standards of grammar and more sophisticated words when we compose language for the page then when we speak.
The Economist manages to maintain impeccable standards of grammar and word choice without being stilted and overly formal. It is my gold standard for both oral and written communication – a rare feat.
If you are interested in learning from what I consider to be the best writing out there, you can access The Economist Style Guide – available for free on-line. For a taste of its wisdom, take a quick look at this segment on unnecessary words.
Link: The Economist Style Guide – Unnecessary Words
My friend and colleague, LeeAundra Keany, of Keany Communications (nee Temescu, the Contrary Public Speaker) is an award-winning executive communications coach. Her excellence lies not just in her experience training her clients in public speaking, but in her strategy helping them understand their goals, their next choices, and how to achieve them through positioning and presentation in public.
