You schedule a meeting, then hear of a last-minute schedule conflict. A round of rescheduling e-mails only leads to confusion. Locations change, people forget to show up … the list of common problems goes on. But if you’re a Microsoft Outlook (2002/2003) user, you can rely on Group Schedule to check schedules, fill out meeting requests and send group e-mails.
Say you’re trying to use an Excel spreadsheet to track weekly wages for office employees. It’s simple enough to create a formula (hours x hourly rate) that calculates wages for someone who works 40 hours or less. But what if someone works 45 hours one week?
Using PowerPoint visuals that only Einstein could decipher doesn’t make the presenter look smarter. Complicated visuals will cause an audience to focus less on what the presenter is saying and more on trying to figure out the images. Here are seven rules for keeping visuals clear and powerful:
Starting off a letter or an e-mail message with a drab opening (“This is in response to …” or “Enclosed please find”) is a sure-fire way to put your readers to sleep just in time to miss your most important points. Add variety—and persuasiveness—to your messages by starting sentences with words that grab readers. Here’s […]
Even professional writers sometimes struggle with organizing their thoughts, and find themselves stuck for an opening line. When you’re in the same boat, use one of the techniques the pros use:
You’re admired for having the memory of an elephant and the innate ability to put people at ease. But are your skills the ones that employers consider top priority? Do they mesh with changing economic and work environments? If not, hone new talents that will set you apart from the crowd. Start by asking yourself […]
The meeting’s over. Within moments, everyone is scurrying back to check voice- and e-mail messages, quickly forgetting about the action items they just took on. Your mission? To produce minutes that remind everyone what needs to happen next, and assure them that their meeting time was well spent. These five suggestions will help you write […]
Any Word feature that can save time and make you look good is worth tapping into, right? One such feature: Word’s built-in reviewing tools, which let you and others track all the changes you make as a document is written and edited. With the Track Changes tool turned on, you can track each insertion, deletion […]
Never forget a person’s name again. Sound like a pipe dream? Not if you use Gary Small’s Look/Snap/ Connect technique. “The major reason we forget people’s names, sometimes only seconds after being introduced, is that we are not truly paying attention,” says Small, author of The Memory Bible: An Innovative Strategy for Keeping Your Brain […]
You’ve finished a key document draft. Now, it’s time to edit for clarity, conciseness, accuracy, visual design and tone. Use this guide to refine and polish your draft.