JOHN ADAMS - ACROSS THE CENTURIES

I just finished reading the biography of John Adams by David McCullough. What a fascinating read! I discovered that Adams was more astute than I thought and Jefferson was no saint. The country struggles today with the same issues that plagued us at our birth.

In light of our current political climate, I was impressed by Adams’ statement, "There is nothing I dread so much as a division of the Republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader and converting measures into opposition to each other." Political parties, he also said, are to be "dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution."

Even as two political parties were forming and the struggle for domination of our country began, Adams communicated his concern in such strong words that they reach us more than 200 years later. Our founding fathers were mere mortals and as subject to the allure of great power as politicians are today.

How do we know this? Because we have their letters. Much of the McCullough biography is based on the letters the Adams family wrote and received. We also have Adams’ books and essays about various topics he felt were important.

In an earlier post, I alluded to the loss we will suffer because people no longer write to one another. Adams’ biography is a perfect example. What I now know about our second president would not have been possible without his written correspondence.

Somewhere a future president is happily texting her friends or parents. Centuries from now, Americans will not know much about her because her thoughts will be lost in cyberspace. I hope that changes. I enjoyed getting to know Mr. Adams and I think future generations will want to learn more about their leaders, too.

Thinking Clearly

During a Charlie Rose PBS interview on July 7, 2008, David McCullough, writer of best sellers about some of this country’s most interesting history, said, “To write well is to think clearly.”

That struck me the moment I heard it. There is magic in words that are on target and that exactly convey the message. As readers, we recognize good writing even if we don’t always agree with the statements it contains.

Thoughtful contemplation is rare in these times. We rush to communicate, tapping out text messages, grabbing our cell phones and firing off emails. However, the more instantaneous the words, the less meaning they seem to carry.

I once taught a business communication workshop in which a young man complained that his emails prompted cubicle visits from angry colleagues. As we examined his process, we discovered that he replied immediately to emails. Instead of taking a moment to digest what he had read and organize his thoughts about it, he responded right away because he thought that is what he was supposed to do. Unfortunately his desire to be high-speed was promoting tension in his department and jeopardizing his career.

Taking a few extra moments up front saves time later. For our intent to be clear, we must understand what we are about to say. We must examine every word for its true meaning and we have to consider how our words will be interpreted by our readers. By being precise in what we say initially, we don’t have to restate it later.

McCullough is right. I write my best when I am knowledgeable about my topic and when I have carefully considered what I will say and how I will say it. In other words - when my head is clear.