ThinkAbout Writing™

Module summary

Writing can be the worst form of communication there is.  Words alone carry 7% of any message.  The majority of any message is usually sent through non-verbals and tone of voice.

Writing relies on the words only.

The business world is full of examples of miscommunications.  Business relies on the written word.  Be it an email, a fax, a letter, a text message or an internet page, business writes things down and sends it on.

This program will change forever the effectiveness of a person’s writing.  It helps them think about why they are writing something in the first place.  It shows the power of structure in writing.  It develops the skill in planning what you are going to say.  It shows how to analyse what you have written to ensure the clarity of the message.

Who should attend?

• Anyone who wants to enhance their writing communications—managers and supervisors
• Anyone who needs to communicate effectively using the written word
• Sales and marketing people
• Professional writers, copy writers, web designers, instructional designers, trainers, facilitators

Prerequisites

Participants need to have attended the Start Thinking workshop or have received an in-depth debrief of their HBDI® Profile.

Typical time investment

5 hours

Learning outcomes

At the end of this module participants will be able to:

• use the Whole Brain Model™ to plan their written communication
• recognise their own thinking and writing styles and the implications they have for the reader
• use their writing time more effectively and speed up the entire writing process
• create their own company-specific lexicon of words and phrases
• use structure to enhance reader understanding
• analyse their writing to ensure clarity
• maximise the overall effectiveness of anything they write.

Key learnings

• The power of structure
• The importance of planning
• The impact of thinking preferences
• The effectiveness of a Whole Brain® approach

Module topics

The writing challenge

• The importance of writing to the business world
• The limitations of writing as a business tool
• The problem of writing and editing at the same time

The power of structure

• Why structure works for both writer and reader
• Different structures for different outcomes

Thinking preferences and what we read

• Thinking preferences and how they impact what people read
• Thinking preferences and how they impact the way people absorb information

Think about writing

• The need to plan before you write
• The process of writing—plan, draft, review, re-write, polish
• The Whole Brain Writing Plan:  who, why, what, how
• Deciding on the content

Using structures

• Structures to use in business
• Persuasive structure

The Whole Brain® lexicon

• Thinking preferences and the words we use
• Using the right word in the right context
• Developing a company-specific lexicon

Lifting the fog

• The fog index
• Writing clear communications

Next 24 hours—from insight to action

• Reinforcing the learning
• Action planning

On-the-job application

Initiates the transfer of skills to the job, in specific situations

Module summary

• Reviews the module content
• Reinforces the key learning points