SEMINARS

In-Depth Training Sessions
Half-day and full-day sessions for up to 25 participants, delivered virtually or in person.

Delivering Constructive Feedback, Half day (3.5 hours)
Leaders have to provide feedback to build effective teams, but few have been taught how to do it in ways that support growth. This session shows how to use language to give clear, objective feedback that encourages positive conversations and supports development.
Specifically, participants will learn to

• Organize feedback conversations

• Deliver constructive feedback orally and in writing

• Effectively document feedback

Advanced Communication Skills for Managers, Half day (3.5 hours)
Managers communicate under pressure: fast decisions, competing priorities, and teams that need to stay connected. This session shows how to communicate quickly and respectfully to build cohesion within teams and across departments.
Specifically, participants will learn to

• Assess communication pressures, values, and challenges

• Understand and apply directive and collaborative communication

• Use language that encourages empathy and respect for others

• Build processes for themselves and their team that support effective communication

Writing with (& Without) AI, Half day (3.5 hours)
AI can help professionals write, but it can’t write for them; it can only write with them. Like a calculator, AI requires knowing what goes in and how to evaluate what comes out. This session covers prompts for better rough drafts and what to revise in the AI output.
Specifically, participants will learn to

• Determine when and whether to use AI for writing activities

• Craft and refine prompts for AI output

• Edit AI output to match human trust and connection goals

• Revise AI output for purpose, organization, clarity, and ease of reading

Email: Write for Results, Half day (3.5 hours)
Email is how business gets done. This session covers every part of an email, from subject lines and greetings to closings and signature blocks, so messages are easy for readers to understand and act on, even when they only skim.
Specifically, participants will learn to

• Decide when to use email (and when not to)

• Write a strong subject line

• Open, organize, and close a message appropriately

• Write concisely and positively

• Write audience-focused messages that get responses

Write It Well: Shorter & More Positive Messages, Half day (3.5 hours)
Since writing doesn’t have a face or a voice, managing tone is much harder than in person. By analyzing examples and their own samples, participants practice organizing messages for a clear purpose and choosing words that sound positive and polite.
Specifically, participants will learn to

• Place critical information where readers will see it

• Format messages to emphasize important information

• Use sentence structure, vocabulary, and punctuation to improve tone

• “Translate” from speaking and thinking to writing

Clear, Concise, & Nice: Strategies for Business Writing, Half day (3.5 hours)
The way a writer structures a sentence builds an idea in another person’s head. The specific sentence-level strategies covered in this session improve the reader’s understanding and build trust so messages get the response the writer wants.
Specifically, participants will learn

• 3 strategies to ensure clear writing

• 4 strategies to eliminate excess language

• 5 strategies for crafting audience-focused and positive sentences

Writing Habits for Success, Half day (3.5 hours)
Professionals spend much of their workday writing, so strong habits pay off. Research-based writing habits lead to faster drafting, clearer messages that reduce back-and-forth, and more confidence in getting the desired result.
Specifically, participants will learn

• The overall writing process

• 7 questions to ask yourself before you write anything

• Guidelines for drafting effectively

• Tips for effective proofreading

Effective Business Writing, Full day (7 hours) or 2 half days
Most professionals learned to write for teachers in school, not for busy colleagues and clients. This session covers the habits and strategies that make them more efficient (fast!) and more effective (clear! concise! nice!) writers at work, from planning to proofreading.
Specifically, participants will learn

• 7 questions to ask yourself before you write anything

• 3 tips for writing clearly

• Strategies for keeping messages concise

• Specific techniques to create positive tone

• Principles of formatting for easy reading

• Keys to effective proofreading

We also provide several writing courses through Employers Council:

• Communicating Effectively with Email

• Business Writing for Professionals

Session Fees (up to 25 participants)

All sessions include the initial consultation, instruction, materials, pre-assessment, and local travel time (up to 1hr). All sessions are interactive: discussion, activities, and applications. Customized sessions can be delivered on request.

Pre-Assessments Included

Each seminar includes the option for participants to send the course instructor up to 3pgs of writing for review before the course. This allows the instructor to tailor the course more specifically to the group and provides participants with more individual feedback on their writing. Samples must be submitted one week prior to the seminar date.

Customization

Options in addition to the standard course offerings are available:

• Significant course customization

• Course design for a particular group or need

• Template analysis and/or revision

• Communication process analysis and/or revision

• Supplementary texts

Please contact us at seminars@appendance.com or set up a meeting with Dr. Jenny Morse to discuss your team’s needs and goals.