Course Methodology
This course uses a variety of learning tools including writing activities, story-boarding, controlled experiments and videos. The course also provides participants with complex situations which require written interventions.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Write effective emails, memos and letters
- Use rules for organizing content in a clear and concise manner
- Match writing complexity to the modern business environment
- Apply advanced structuring techniques in writing that yields a desirable response
- Identify and talk to their reader’s interests
Target Audience
All individuals with responsibilities requiring extensive business writing in the form of emails, memos and letters
Target Competencies
- Written communication
- Business writing etiquette
- Structured thinking
- Assertiveness
- Ability to address complex situations
- Reading between the lines
Advanced techniques for effective writing
- Defining effective writing
- Characteristics of effective writers
- Understanding the hallmarks of effective communicators
- Elements of written communication
- Writing in a business context
- Understanding your audience
- Setting a purpose for your writing
- Understanding sources of miscommunication
- Tips for business writing
Organizing content
- The 3 forms of communication
- Using simple and specific language to avoid confusion
- Using positive language
- Applying rules for bullet points
- Maintaining an impersonal style
- Avoiding repetitions
- Using active verbs to promote a response
Writing style
- Adding a personal touch to business writing
- Organizing paragraphs effectively
- Using varied sentences
- The 6 Cs of effective writing
- Recognizing clichés and jargon
- Applying the gunning fox index for writing complexity
- Using visual aids to support text
- Going the last inch: proof reading your work
Logical sequencing of ideas
- Building your key message
- Organizing the introduction, body and ending
- Structuring ideas from the bottom up
- Refining the flow from the top down
- Drawing impeccable conclusions
- Summarizing ideas effectively
Responding to complex situations through writing
- Building rapport with your audience
- Managing expectations: responding to bad news
- Managing expectations: saying no
- Effectively handing difficult individuals
- Hostile: responding assertively
- Pessimist: sticking to facts
- Nagger: setting the rules
- Mr. Know-it-all: staying focused
- Egoist: getting descriptive
- Manipulator: taking the initiative
