Writing for work: When to keep it to yourself

Writing about your profession and sharing it with others is one of the best ways to develop your thinking, grow professionally, and connect with likeminded others.

What it’s not for is sending coded messages to your colleagues. No one who works with you should have to wonder, “Is she talking to me?” Or worse, “Is he talking about me?”

Before I hit ‘publish’ I ask myself: Would I say this to a teammate, or in a meeting? I might not have actually said it – but would I?

I try to keep what I write on evenings and weekends consistent with what I say in the office. As a consequence, my file of draft posts contains thousands of words that will never see the light of day. Useful for working out my thoughts, but that’s all.

If you need to get something off your chest, save it for your diary.