Writing with lipstick

(197 words, 46-second read)

A colleague asked me, “I always get positive comments from the students about you. But this term was off the chart. What’s the one thing you do that causes that?”

Sidebar: I actually have a point. And I am not telling you this to brag. Buuut…¯\_(ツ)_/¯

One thing: It’s my fault that she said one thing because she knows I constantly bang on the one thing drum.

Not one thing: I told her, “In this case, it’s not one thing. It’s a combination of all the things.”

  • From the first-day phone calls.
  • To the announcements.
  • To the discussion boards.
  • To the non-judgey texts that are sincerely meant to check in with them and make sure everything is cool.

Reality check: For some, maybe the only thing you have to make yourself likable is your writing. Which is another reason I am here.

Gut punch 🥊: But for most, I’ll bet you have LOTS of points of contact. So, you might be a persuasive – or even likable – writer.

  • But if you’re a tool everywhere else. You’re writing with lipstick.

Take action🎬: Check yourself. Are you being congruent in all your channels of communication?

Fun fact: The first draft of this was 473 words. Yeah. A lot was lipstick.