Email and Report Writing Skills

Email & Report Writing Skills

Workshop Dates: 7 – 8 December 2020  (Mon-Tues)

Course Fee:  RM 1,600/person

Most executives send many emails every day.  We tend to assume that since we write so many emails everyday, we must be quite good and effective at email writing just because we get a lot of practice. However, even the smartest person can write emails which are ineffective.

Writing skill is the least developed skill among executives compared to speaking, listening and reading. An email that is written well saves time, reduces confusion and increases productivity.  In many cases, a carefully worded email and appropriate tone and choice of words can help us advance the progress of our client engagements and projects. This increases client satisfaction and helps us to elicit the responses we desire.

When each email sent internally and externally is written to elicit a response, organizations run more efficiently. Time lost due to incomplete information or vague instructions is eliminated. Your team will know how to ask and how to respond by email in a way that ensures progress.

The focus of this workshop is on short form written communications like e-mails and memos and also long form communications conveyed as reports.

This workshop is intended for people who are trying to craft effective e-mail communications in a world filled with ineffective and offensive e-mails which offend or confuse your target readers.  In addition it helps people to write structured reports, which their intended readers can skim to obtain the information they require.

Learning Objectives:

√ Understand the Impact of Audience Requirements on Communication;

√ Help your audience find their requirements by using structured communication;

√ Share required information by applying effective communication principles.

Learning Outcome:

Upon completion of the workshop, participants should be able to:

• Appreciate that each form of communication such as e-mail has its own unique rules;

• Leverage on the strengths of each form of communication to convey the message effectively;

• Organize your message in a way that makes sense to your target readers.

 Workshop Topics:

Module 1: Basics of Business Communication

• The nature of business communication
• Common Principles
• The importance of understanding your readers

Module 2: Media Rules – Short Communications

• Unique features of E-mail
• Forwarding
• Attachments
• To, From, CC, BCC
• Impact on readers

Module 3: Crafting an E-Mail 

• The 3 stage writing cycle of planning, writing and checking e-mails.
• E-mail constraints (subject lines, limitations of screen space, emojis and acronyms, the critical importance of tone)

Module 4: Matching E-Mails to Business Scenarios

• Scenario Exercises 

Module 5: Report Blueprints & Foundations

• Report Types
• Report Components

Module 6: Report Writing

• The 3 stage writing cycle of planning, writing and checking reports;
• Developing Report Flow

Module 7: Recommendations

• Reader Expectations of Conclusions and Recommendations
• Development of Conclusions
• Development of Recommendations

Module 8: Completing The Report

• Completion (Review Report Objectives, Alignment of Components with Objectives, Check Report KPIs)7