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Consider Work Instructions for Consistent Outcomes
In our last blog, we covered the importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in maintaining quality, protecting the public and employees, and meeting compliance and security regulation demands. SOPs are vital documents that lay out the who, what, when, and where for important procedures in your industry or organization. But what about the “how” in […]
Understand the Case for Standard Operating Procedures
Deadly fires. Massive oil spills. Although technical or mechanical failures might play parts in such disasters and many others like them, another problem shares culpability: misused or poorly constructed standard operating procedures (SOPs). SOPs are integral parts of quality control and risk reduction. From aerospace manufacturing to pharmaceutical production and customer service practices, SOPs are […]
Make Your Training Webinar Great
The webinar is an increasingly popular means of providing training. Webinars can be cost-effective because they eliminate travel and lodging costs. They can be convenient when scheduling is tight or groups are large or geographically dispersed. Many are interactive and provide the same level of instruction as traditional instructor-led training courses. But are they as effective as […]
Get Sticky: Help Employees Retain and Use What They Learn in Training
Training programs across all topics and industries have something in common: their instructors struggle for stickiness. If you’ve invested in training only to have your team members fall back into old habits or “forget” their new skills a few months after the big event, then you’ve faced the stickiness problem. When you’ve invested in training […]
Get Write to the Point
Are you a thought leader? You might be a brilliant scientist, a business leader, or a technical whiz, but there’s more to leading than ability. True visionaries and thought leaders also share a passion for informing and inspiring others. As John F. Kennedy said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” To position yourself as […]
Scientists, Your Story is Worth Telling
Storytelling is big these days. Whether it’s popular podcasts and online videos like those from The Moth or TED Talks, conference keynotes, YouTube channels, or in-house videos posted on your website, telling your story is a great way to promote your business and the expertise of your staff. Message received Humans are storytellers. It’s how […]
Get to the Point: Simplify Your Business Writing
When was the last time you wrote a 500 word essay? Most of us learned to write with the goal of meeting a word count: “Write 250 words about your summer vacation” or “Deliver a four page paper on the Louisiana purchase.” Coming up with the longest, most complicated words or phrases to pad out […]
Feel Like a Fish Out of Water Without Cliches?
How many times have you heard the admonishment, “Avoid cliches in writing?” The advice opens up a can of worms because, even though it sounds good, it’s hard to create impact, synergize, and get buy-in for complex competencies with lots of moving parts. Most business writers are inclined to rely on leveraging robust ecosystems of […]
Learn to Craft the Well Written Email
Email has become the primary means of communication for most organizations. Replacing “snail mail” and telephone calls alike, email now reigns supreme. According to the Radicati Group, business email accounts are growing by an annual rate of about 5%. By the end of next year, that means an estimated 1.1 billion plus total accounts and […]
Make Your Writing Short(er) and Sweet(er)
Ever feel like your days are spent chasing after co workers and clients in a futile effort to get information from people who’re too busy to respond? It’s a frustrating way to work, and one that too many people are familiar with. As the administrative support professional for the president of a major telecom company, […]