Written communication is an integral part of most modern professions as it is a way of quickly transmitting the information. In addition, written communication and documentation helps to capture facts, data, and numbers to track major trends or find errors and improve the performance of organizations. As a logistics technician, I also need written communication skills to work with multiple stakeholders, and although my knowledge has developed significantly during the course, I will improve them to achieve success in my career.
Assessing my current writing skills, I can say that they are pretty high, and I feel confident in writing, although I still face some difficulties that need to be corrected. For example, I almost always write a wordy and vague thesis in the first draft of my essay. However, I am aware of this problem after completing the lessons; hence, I reread and rephrase the thesis several times until it becomes sufficiently informative and concise at the same time. Therefore, I do not think that I make a mistake, since the final version of my essay has a well-developed thesis, but I would like to spend less time on this detail.
Furthermore, I have some strengths that help make my writing more professional. For example, in my opinion, I am good at structuring the essay and its paragraphs so that the reader understands the main and supporting ideas. At the same time, this ability to structure also applies to e-mails and memos, which is helpful for professional communication. In addition, I believe that my work has an appropriate academic or formal tone as I have a sufficient vocabulary. However, this strength may not apply to reflections, since it is more difficult to maintain academic writing while self-criticizing. Nevertheless, while these skills are my strengths, I intend to improve them and develop my writing skills.
Written communication in logistics is as important as verbal communication as it is used to clarify all the details of supplies and routes and also helps track problems and improve the industry. For example, my job as a Traffic Management Craftsman systematically processes all inbound and outbound items from any installation in the military. Daily, I review and award government contracts; moreover, I collaborate with industry partners such as FedEx, UPS, amongst many other companies, to coordinate timeframes and movement for each item. Some of these operations require verbal communication; however, most of the details and final plans are generated by written communication via e-mail, memos, and official documentation. This approach is a mandatory requirement in logistics as written messages can be read and cross-checked by the parties. In addition, written communication using established terminology helps avoid misunderstandings caused by the poor quality of internet or phone connection or distraction by one of the parties. Thus, logistics professionals must be able to politely, clearly, and concisely formulate any requests and messages to effectively organize the pre-planning phase and the process of delivering people or goods.
The academic literature has not sufficiently studied the importance of written communication in logistics, although it is essential in most employees’ work. However, research in similar areas of business operations provides a general understanding of the specifics of the field. For example, Khruawan et al. (2021) note that writing e-mails is a routine business activity as they reduce the likelihood of misunderstanding and help deliver information to several people at once. In logistics, e-mail is often utilized to clarify details, form inquiries, and send final route details. However, in the internal work of the company, memos are also often used, which allow a company to record all processes and inform the employees involved in time. In addition, one of the responsibilities of a traffic management specialist is preparing and processing transportation documents, which are necessary for reporting and confirming product quality and operations (“Traffic management specialist,” n.d.). Thus, written communication is essential for both the external and internal operations of logistics companies.
For this reason, I intend to improve my writing skills in several ways. For example, active reading will help me remember the details of various forms of communication and put them into practice. In addition, I will expand my vocabulary using notes (Connell, 2018). I will also analyze all my mistakes and consider a recommendation to improve my writing style. However, the most important thing is a constant practice, which will help me develop my professional writing skills at a sufficient level.
In conclusion, written communication is one of the critical skills for me as a logistics manager; therefore, I will improve them to develop my career. Written communication is necessary for logistics as it allows employees to contact many parties in a short time, as well as avoid misunderstandings and keep company records. I know that my current skills are sufficient for the job due to some of my strengths, but I still face some challenges that need to be addressed. For this reason, I intend to use different methods to develop my writing skills, including active reading and practice exercises.
References
Khruawan, M., Khaourai , P., Sangthakeong, A., & Chanpermpoonpaul, S. (2021). English business email writing problems of 4th year logistics and supply chain management students of the faculty of business administration at Huachiew Chalermprakiet University. Liberal Arts Review, 16(1), 59-69.