Information Overload?

Did you know that if email was a country, its 1.6 billion users would make it the largest in the world. Bigger than China, or the population of the USA and the EU combined. A stonking 247 billion emails are sent each day and at least 80% of these are considered to be spam by their recipients. And one more astonishing stat – apparently phishing is successful with 5% of internet users.

Clearly email and the internet are massive in our lives. So why is it that so many seem unable to manage this resource well? We’re constantly gob-smacked (Northern English expression) at the number of emails we receive with unhelpful subject lines, rambling messages and far too many emoticons. We’re also stunned at those who don’t understand how to file their information for later, easy retrieval.

Last week we met several, highly intelligent young people who don’t understand their email programmes and find it hard to use a word processor. This is the Information Age – and it’s been here for at least 30 years. It’s not new technology. It’s everyday – and it’s time we all learned to use it well.

That's why we have recently developed an Information Overload programme to help business people manage the technology.

Contact us for details

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Report Writing

 Clare Forrest has developed a self-study module on Report Writing for People Alchemy. She says, ‘While we’re often good at communicating an argument or an idea face to face, many of us have problems when it comes to putting our thoughts in a report. But business thrives on reports and most ideas need to be written down at some stage if they’re to be implemented. So you’re going to have to write a report eventually.The reason why people usually have a miserable time when faced with the task is that they don’t use a systematic process. Instead, they just start writing and then end up in a muddle. My step-by-step process makes this easy.’

Managers can’t be expected to manage simply by watching what’s going on in their part of the business. They need reports to give them information on what’s happening and advice on what to do to move things forward. And they need to write reports for their managers, the Board and their clients.

Using a seven step process, the module shows you how to put together a report that is cogent, clear and puts forward a strong case.

Thanks to a copyright deal the module is also available to Structured Learning clients. Contact us if you’d like to know more.

Structured Learning were delighted and proud to have been appointed as one of a very few writers by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Local Government Chronicle’s Top PAs & Secretaries Annual Conference
Thursday 25th February 2010

We are proud to announce that once again we have been asked to provide a keynote session at this prestigious national conference. Following on from our sessions on Time Management in 2008 and Effective Communication and Negotiation in 2009, this year we will be considering the question ‘Why are you different from me? – understanding working styles.’ Amongst other things we’ll consider:

• How everyone works in differently and has their preferred ways of doing things - and how understanding these differences is key to working together effectively
• Different working styles - What are they?
• What are the positives and the challenges of working with difference?
• Improving working relationships – adjusting to different styles.

If this is a session you’d like to know more holding about for your own company please contact us.