Craig Harrison

Monash University physiology lecturer Dr Michael Leung describes his team’s unique “flipped learning” classes as “live theatre”. There might be costumes, wigs and fake blood, as well as crime scene tape, video and scripts. It’s unusual, but in terms of student engagement, it works.

Are people seemingly ignoring your emails? Are your memos not registering with your team? Are you waiting for recipients to respond to written requests with deadlines? There could be a simple explanation: TL;DR. If your missives are misfiring, it’s likely they’re too long (TL), and your audience didn’t read (DR) them. Consider these approaches in your challenge to earn the attention of your readers. What’s In It for Them? Just like an effective speech, your writing needs to engage right from the start.