In today’s fast-paced business environment, writing with clarity and persuasion is a much-needed skill. The goal of this virtual learning experience is to improve participants’ business writing so readers can grasp the intended meaning easily. The focus is on making writing clear, concise and impactful.

The live course can be delivered in various formats (virtual, face to face or hybrid). Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, an interactive collaboration software platform.

A hands-on approach ensures a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of activities allowing everyone to practice revising and editing writing samples customized for the organization’s business.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Save time in writing emails, reports, documents, and procedures
• Improve their existing skills by learning new tips and techniques  
• Enhance their ability to be clear, concise and correct
• Show their professionalism through their writing
• Avoid the confusion created by miscommunication

Course Highlights

• Pre-work--understanding the writing experiences and applications of each participant
• Writing for today’s ‘skip and scan’ reader
• Removing wordiness
• Punctuation and grammar tips for clarity
• Making more paragraphs and creating more bullet lists
• Avoiding casual writing

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

3

Knowledge Level:

Basic

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who spend a significant part of their workday writing on a screen. The course content can be customized for different business groups or applications within an organization by reference to everyday writing samples.

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on writing samples submitted by client (optional)
• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session
• Facilitation of live virtual learning experience
• Job aid for reference and immediate application
• E-book of key slides

Course Authors

Bob Dean

Curt Peoples

See separate author bios at https://deanpeoples.com/meet#

For all our complaints about emails, they continue to be an essential part of our professional and personal lives. The typical worker spends 12 hours a week writing, reading, sorting and deleting email. This business writing program introduces and reinforces techniques to help you write emails that are easy to read, professional and concise.

This live course can be delivered in various formats (virtual, face-to-face or “lunch and learn”). Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, a collaboration software platform.

A hands-on approach ensures a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of activities enabling all participants to practice editing and re-writing sample emails.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Write and edit emails to make them clear, concise and correct

• Adopt techniques that will ensure email professionalism

• Save time when writing email

• Identify personal action items for improving emails

Course Highlights

• Pre-work – understanding the time spent on email and email applications and challenges

• Engaging today’s email reader

• Capturing attention

• Being clear and concise

  • Avoid overwriting

  • Start emails with “straight ahead” sentences

  • Add bullet lists and line breaks for faster reading

• Writing emails that are both conversational and professional

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

2

Knowledge Level

Basic

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who spend a significant part of their workday writing on a screen. The course content can be customized for different business groups or applications within an organization by inclusion of company writing samples.

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on email writing samples submitted by client (optional)

• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session

• Facilitation of live virtual learning experience using collaboration software technology

• Job aid for reference and immediate application of key concepts

• E-book of key slides

Course Authors

Bob Dean

Curt Peoples

See separate author bios at http://deanpeoples.com/#meet

This course starts with a concept expressed in the book On Writing Well by William Zinsser: “Clear writing is the result of a lot of tinkering.” You will learn techniques professionals use to spot embarrassing mistakes in grammar and usage. You will learn how to spot problems that result from flawed and unclear writing.

This learning experience is delivered in a ‘live’ virtual classroom, making it easy for remote groups in different locations to come together at a convenient time to attend. The course can also be delivered in a connected classroom environment. In both cases, participants access the course activities on their own laptop computers using XLeap, a collaboration software platform.

Learning Objectives

• Develop a habit of proofreading to make a positive impression on your reader

• Edit your writing in ways that help readers more easily grasp your ideas, content and facts

• Improve your efficiency when self-editing

• Be more helpful when editing the work of others and giving them feedback

Course Highlights

• Knowing what it takes to be a good editor and proofreader

• Proofreading perfectly for quality work

• Catching surface errors such as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and typing errors

• Editing for correctness

• Focusing on word choice to ensure you express a business-like tone

Designed For

• Business professionals who review and edit the work of colleagues to ensure a high-quality written deliverable

Prerequisites

• None

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

2.5 hours

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on e-mail writing samples submitted by client (optional)

• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session

• Facilitation of live virtual learning experience

• Job aid for reference and immediate application of key concepts

• E-book of key slides

Course Authors and Facilitators

Bob Dean

Curt Peoples

See separate author bios at http://deanpeoples.com/#meet

For all our complaints about PowerPoint, it continues to be an essential part of our business and professional lives. We have used PowerPoint for many years as a presentation resource and more companies are now using it for client “deliverables”. These include reports, proposals, business plans and research findings. This business writing program introduces techniques and tips to help you write PowerPoint slides that are easy to read, professional and memorable.

This live course can be delivered in various formats (virtual, face-to-face or “lunch and learn”). Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, a collaboration software platform. A hands-on approach ensures a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of activities enabling all participants to practice editing and re-writing PowerPoint slides.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Write or edit PowerPoint slides that are easy to grasp — whether shown on a projector or presented as a “deliverable”

• Structure and write slides so they convey the right facts, explain ideas clearly and tell a convincing story

• Increase consistency and professional appearance of PowerPoint slides

• Identify personal action items for improving PowerPoint slides

Course Highlights

• Pre-work – understanding the effectiveness of and applications for PowerPoint slides in your organization

• Follow guidelines for good formatting

• Treat slides decks as “storyboards”

• Make headings meaningful and active

• Apply the Rule of Three when writing different types of bullet-point slides

• Wrap-up and action planning

The program’s overall goal is to help you communicate compelling messages and achieve results in PowerPoint.

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

2

Knowledge Level

Basic

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who use PowerPoint slides in business presentations and to create work deliverables. The course content can be customized for different business groups or applications within an organization by inclusion of company PowerPoint samples.

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on PowerPoint samples submitted by client (optional)

• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session

• Facilitation of live virtual learning experience using collaboration software technology

• Job aid for reference and immediate application of key concepts

• E-book of key slides

Course Authors

Bob Dean

Curt Peoples

See separate author bios at http://deanpeoples.com/#meet

Everybody tells stories—it’s one of the oldest human endeavors we have. Humans are deeply “wired” for story—we love to hear them, and we love to tell them. And they are just as powerful in a business setting as they are at a family reunion. But here’s the catch—we don’t typically tell them deliberately. Written and spoken stories are powerful tools that can be used in business to compel a reader to take an action that is important.

This “live” learning experience is delivered in a virtual classroom format. Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, a virtual collaboration platform. A hands-on approach ensures a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of activities preparing all participants to write their own “one-half page” stories during the course, using proven models and frameworks.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Recognize the power of deliberate stories in enhancing emails and other written documents

• Explain why and when we use stories in our communications

• Apply the “four elements of a well-told story” and other story frameworks

• Take action to begin writing stories in your everyday work to make you and your work more memorable

Course Highlights

• Pre-work – understanding your strengths and challenges in writing as a leader and assessing the effectiveness of a written story

• Stories—why and when

• Four elements of a well-told story

• Stories must—critical success factors

• Star model for trusted advisors, and other story frameworks

• Wrap-up and action planning

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

3-4 hours

Knowledge Level

Basic

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for business professionals who need to communicate stories as part of their day-to-day work. The course content can be customized for different business groups within an organization by inclusion of important company stories about business needs and opportunities.

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on business sponsor input (optional)

• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session

• Facilitation of live virtual learning experience using collaboration software technology

• Job aid for reference and immediate application of key concepts

• E-book of key slides

• Copies of Steven Shepard’s book The Deliberate Storyteller (optional)

Course Authors

Steven Shepard linkedin.com/in/dshepard1

Bob Dean linkedin.com/in/rhdean

In today’s fast-paced business environment, writing with clarity and persuasion is a much-needed skill. Employees are writing more emails than ever before, and often under time pressure. One of the greatest risks in writing emails is choosing inappropriate words that carry the wrong style and tone for the reader.

This “live” classroom course can be delivered in various formats (virtual, face-to-face or hybrid). Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, an interactive collaboration software platform.

A hands-on approach ensures a highly-interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of email tone activities, allowing everyone to practice revising and editing email writing samples customized for the organization’s business.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Choose the right word that carries the right tone for your reader and situation
• Avoid the risk of unintentionally miscommunicating through tone
• Create new writing habits focused on dos and don’ts for email tone
• Be aware of how your email etiquette practices affect the impression you make

Course Highlights

1. Pre-work — sharing email experiences and the consequences of communicating with the right and wrong tones
2. Choosing the right tone
3. Impact of writing style on tone
   • Understanding the meaning of tone
   • Using the power of compliments and appreciation
   • Avoiding “hot words,” discounting words and condescending phrases
4. Using questions in emails to express a curious tone
5. The tone factor in email etiquette

• Review of participant current practices
• Email etiquette dos and don’ts and job aid

6. Wrapping up and action planning

Recommended CPE Credit Hours

2

Knowledge Level:

Basic

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who spend a significant part of their workday writing emails. The course content can be customized for different business groups or applications within an organization by reference to everyday email writing samples.

Course Deliverables

• Customized course design based on writing samples submitted by client (optional)
• Pre-work — 10-15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session
• Facilitation of “live” virtual learning experience
• Job aid for reference and immediate application
• E-book of key slides

Course Authors

Bob Dean

Curt Peoples

See author bios at http://deanpeoples.com/#meet

In today’s fast-paced business environment, communication skills are more important than ever. The use of PowerPoint for business presentations has given every professional the capability to develop and deliver presentations, both with clients/customers and internally. The recent trend for remote work has increased the opportunity and the challenges in making virtual presentations, using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

This “live” classroom course can be delivered in various formats (virtual or face-to-face). Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, an interactive collaboration software platform.

A hands-on approach ensures a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of presentation activities in breakout rooms, allowing everyone to practice making short “elevator speech” presentations, customized for the organization’s business. The 3S’s “model” is intended to be memorable and actionable.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:
• Develop their presentation and communication competency
• Use techniques to help you communicate information and ideas succinctly
• Support your ideas effectively and persuasively
• Develop an engaging presentation style

Course Highlights
1. Pre-work — overview of the 3S’s model and self-assessment of current presentation skills
2. Setting the stage for your audience
3. Structure
4. Substance
5. Style
6. Wrapping up and action planning for feedback and improvement using the 3S’s model

Recommended CPE Credit Hours
3

Knowledge Level:
Basic

Prerequisites
None

Designed For
This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who make business presentations as part of their job.

Course Deliverables
• Customized course design based on consultation with the client
• Pre-work — 15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session
• Facilitation of “live” 3-hour virtual learning experience
• Job aid for reference and immediate application
• E-book of key slides

Course Author and Facilitator
Bob Dean
linkedin.com/in/rhdean

ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is an artificial intelligence (AI) application that has rapidly emerged in the business environment in 2023. ChatGPT is potentially useful as a new way to generate drafts of documents. Using ChatGPT is like adding a person to your writing team, giving you a head start in the writing process. It is important for organizations and professionals to recognize both the benefits and risks of using ChatGPT.

This “live” interactive virtual classroom course can be delivered in various formats. Facilitators deliver the course using XLeap, an interactive collaboration software platform.

A hands-on approach ensures a highly-interactive and engaging learning experience. The course is full of writing and editing activities, allowing everyone to practice creating input and reviewing output from ChatGPT examples.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this learning experience participants will be able to:

• Discuss useful writing applications using ChatGPT
• Think like a writer and an editor in using ChatGPT
• Recognize how to use ChatGPT as a research tool and optimize the results you produce
• Explain the pros and cons of using ChatGPT to help you write
• Share experiences and gain insights about the use of ChatGPT in business

Course Highlights

1. Pre-work — sharing experiences with ChatGPT and assessing skills

2. The emergence of ChatGPT in business

3. Developing quality input for ChatGPT
• Choosing the right application for the type of work you do
• Prompt engineering
• Questions

4. Auditing and editing for correctness the output of ChatGPT
• Editing and proofreading
• Word choice
• Fact checking

5. Managing the benefits and risks of ChatGPT
• Sharing experiences and examples
• Productivity and efficiency
• Personal and organizational risk

6. Wrapping and action planning

Recommended CPE Credit Hours
2

Knowledge Level:
Basic—awareness and some use of ChatGPT will be helpful in the learning process

Prerequisites
None

Designed For
This collaborative learning experience is appropriate for all business professionals who are considering applications for using ChatGPT in their job. The course content can be customized for different business groups or applications within an organization by reference to ChatGPT experiences and applications.

Course Deliverables
• Customized course design based on ChatGPT samples submitted by client (optional)
• Pre-work — 10-15 minutes online, 2-3 days prior to the session
• Facilitation of “live” virtual learning experience
• Job aid for reference and immediate application
• E-book of key slides

Course Authors
Bob Dean
Curt Peoples
See author bios at http://deanpeoples.com/#meet