The Writing Workshop

Bank of The West invests in John Sturtevant's Business Writing Training for its senior managers.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:00:00 GMT

California-based Bank of The West recently hosted a full-day Business Writing Workshop for senior managers at its Fresno, California headquarters.

The management team is primarily responsible for Bank of The West’s agricultural banking activities. The bank supports the agribusiness community through financing for crop production, Farm equipment, Permanent crop development, Herd and feed, loans and lines of credit to support inventory expansion, and crop/hail coverage.

“This is the best writing workshop I’ve ever attended,” said Senior Financial Analyst Maria Tan. “John taught be how to be an active writer, and get my ideas across without the business jargon I’d been using for years.”

“Interactive, informative, and very helpful. I was engaged for the full day,” said Jay R. Dibble, Regional Vice President.

“This is a great class…I recommend it to anyone in our business!” added Credit Analyst Joanne Samache. “I will definitely use the techniques I learned.”

Bank of The West is one of the top 25 commercial banks in the nation, with assets of more than $63 billion. The bank serves more than 4 million customers in 19 Western and Midwestern states.. The bank is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, one of only four banks globally now rated AA+ or stronger by Standard & Poor's.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com

SunGard Energy generates new ideas and insights on clear writing with The Writing Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

SunGard Energy Systems recently hosted two, full-day workshops on clear thinking and persuasive writing for its Houston staff.

Participants included staff from all areas in the company including marketing managers, financial experts, business analysts, and administrative professionals.

SunGard develops software and solutions for global energy companies. Most of those who attended the workshop are expected to produce persusive marketing material, detailed documentation for their system users, and extensive industry reports that track usage and trends in their markets.

“This workshop helps take the fear out of writing!” said Shannon Hugetz, Systems Analyst “John opened my mind to the value of questioning and brainstorming…the exercises, assignments reinforced the learning.”

Frank Sun, Lead Technician added, “We need classes like this more often! I learned how to be clear with my ideas…everyone can use these skills.”

“Very informative,” said Biju Jose, Website Administrator. “John brought out so many new ideas and concepts I didn’t realize were important. He had great examples to help us apply the learning….plus he’s very funny!”

“Not what I expected!” said Deborah Feliciano, Financial Manager. “I was pleasantly surprised. The concepts were presented in clear, common sense ways. I enjoyed it very much and will use what I learned.”

SunGard Energy Systems provides software that helps energy companies in North America and Europe trade and market energy, process transactions, and manage risk, physical operations, transportation, storage, generation, and financial functions. SunGard Energy Systems' customer roster includes British Energy, Exelon, and the energy services operations of Louis Dreyfus.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com

The Writing Workshop prescribes clear thinking and persuasive writing for Elan Corporation.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:15:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently led group of scientists, researchers, and managers through a two-day workshop at Elan’s research facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Elan’s staff is responsible for generating extensive, detailed documentation about the research, methodologies, and rationale for the drug delivery systems the company develops at this facility. Joost Strasters, Associate Director of Analytical Sciences said John did a great job of reinforcing the importance of perspective in our work. He gave us a fresh look at a number of tools to improve our writing skills. I strongly recommend this workshop for people in a technical field, said Dieu Tran, Analytical Scientist. People will walk away with a refreshed mind, and the skills they need to know their readers and be clear in their writing! Bill Devorick, Project Leader said John does a great job of supporting each participant. He helped us increase our awareness of how best to communicate in different situations and...

British Columbia Transmission Corporation generates new insight on clear thinking and persuasive writing.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

The British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) recently contracted The Writing Workshop to provide a series of eight workshops for analysts, engineers, managers from BCTC and its sister company British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro). BCTC and BC Hydro handle power generation and distribution of electricity throughout British Columbia. The staff is responsible for researching often complex topics and writing persuasive reports on the company’s activities. These reports are intended for a variety of readers – government regulators, local communities, Canada’s First Nation tribes, and business interests. The BCTC staff must clearly define their purpose and expected outcome and logically present their ideas, often in several ways. This was an excellent workshop, said Wah Shum, Regional Systems Manager. It helped me understand how to think, how to organize what I want to communicate, and how to write clearly! BCTC Senior Engineer Robert Pan said, Clear communication is...

The U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command recruits John Sturtevant's Two-Day Clear Communications Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently delivered a two-day Clear Communications workshop for staff at the US Army base in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey.

Day one of the workshop focused on analytical thinking and persuasive writing skills. Day two gave participants the confidence and skills they need to develop their own presentation style, create engaging stores, and deliver compelling presentations.

The 35 staffers rated the workshop as “very good to excellent” based on the Army’s rigorous evaluation criteria.

Kathy Clarke, Army Program Analyst said “ The workshop was interactive and though-provoking. I especially liked John’s style and humor. Plus, I’ll definitely use the handbook to reinforce the ideas and skills I learned.”

“A much-needed exposure to tools and tips on speaking and writing” said Jane Watters, Contract Specialist. “The process of change begins with a determined mind!”

“I will apply the presentation techniques John taught us,” said Marissa DeLuca, DoD Logistician. “I feel confident now that I can put together a great presentation!”

Daisy Yavrez, Management Analyst added, “Great material…John taught me so many writing skills that I will use right away at work.”

The US Army base at Fort Monmouth is the center of gravity for the development of the Army's Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Sensors and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. Much of the Army's research and development of these hi-tech systems is done at Fort Monmouth by members of Team C4ISR.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

Singapore's largest real estate developer builds management communication skills with The Writing Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Far East Organization, one of Asia’s largest real estate companies called on The Writing Workshop to present a full-day business writing workshop for 120 of its top managers in Singapore. Far East Organization together with its Hong Kong-based sister company, Sino Group, is one of Asia's largest real estate groups. Far East Organization and Sino Group have a combined annual turnover of US$5.5billion and total assets valued at over US$40billion. Together, Far East Organization and Sino Group employ over 13,000 staff worldwide. This is an essential workshop for staff who communicate with clients. You’ll learn how to think and how to simplify your ideas to communicate clearly, said Anna Koh, Assistant Manager of Far East Management. This was a wonderful workshop, added Joy Lim, Far East HR Manager. I learned through sharing ideas and exercies on how to write with my reader in mind to achieve my purpose. I love John’s story-telling method. I highly recommend this to senior...

John Sturtevant develops two-day Clear Communications workshop for Weatherford International.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMT

A group of thirty-five scientists, engineers, technicians, and managers from Weatherford's Houston facilities, recently participated in a two-day workshop designed to give them the confidence and skills they need to think clearly, organize their ideas, and deliver compelling presentations.

The Clear Communication workshop teaches people how to uncover the real value of why they communicate; how to understand their audience’s perception and expectations; and how to speak with confidence to an audience.

John Sturtevant uses of principles of acting and acellerated learning to teach participants how to use their own strengths and experiences when they develop and deliver presentations.

“John is a fantastic instructor with great material,” said Rustum Challa, Production Manager. “He taught me an accurate approach to getting my message to my audience, how to tell a business story, and how to keep my audience in focus.”

“Excellent material and more importantly, an excellent instructor,” said Brent Rennick Production Manager. "I started using what I learned immediately."

Jason Hall, Manufacturing Lead, added “John created a relaxed atmosphere that allowed us to participate. I learned how to convey my ideas without the complexity and confusion I have done for years.”

“For the first time ever, I feel I can convey my ideas to my engineers and peers in a way they can understand…thank you!” said Kevin Wilkinson, Manufacturing Manager.

Weatherford International is one of the world’s largest diversified upstream oilfield service company. The company has $6.1 billion in annual revenues, approximately 33,000 employees in over 100 countries, and 87 manufacturing facilities supporting 730 service bases. The company provides one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of services and products: drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

Pearl Meyer & Partners chooses The Writing Workshop for a full-day business-writing workshop at their 2008 annual conference.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant led a full-day business-writing workshop for a group of 50 senior consultants at Pearl Meyer & Partners’ recent national conference in Nashville TN.

More than 150 consultants, analysts, managers from Pearl Meyers & Partners’ offices around the country attended the annual conference. The 3-day event also featured workshops on building client relationships, deferred compensation strategies, project management, and round-table sessions on project-specific topics.

“John’s session was excellent,” said Matt Depp, a Pear Meyer & Partners Associate. “I learned a great methodology for arguing ideas to generate action, that exactly what I need every day in my job.”

“This session was perfect…well-taught and engaging,” Added Bryan Roberts, a Senior Consultant.

“I agree,” said Mark Mundey, “It was highly-entertaining and eye-opening. I’ll be making changes to my writing process the minute I get back to the office!”

“I found the workshop active and very informative,” said Matthew Griffin. “I was engaged and focused on what I was learning throughout the day.”

Another Houston-based speaker, Karen McCullough, presented a concurrent full-day session called: Presenting Techniques: Creating your personal brand building rapport and delivering effective presentations.

Pearl Meyer & Partners is an independent compensation consultancy. For nearly 20 years, PM&P has been a recognized leader in executive and Director compensation strategy and governance. PM&P has guided the philosophy and implementation of executive reward programs at hundreds of organizations helping them link pay and performance to deliver maximum return on their compensation investment.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

The Writing Workshop generates new thinking about clear writing at Exelon Nuclear.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently led another two-day workshop for technical staff at the Exelon Nuclear Quad Cities Power Generating plant in Cordova, Illinois.

“Great presentation…upbeat and challenging with invaluable lessons to help me improve my writing skills.” Oran Turner, Exelon Process Analyst.

“This class was focused on the real application of communication and language,” said Jeremy Bries, Senior Operations Instructor. “It gave me the tools I need to be a successful writer on the job.”

“John made me think about what I do in a new way,” said Jack Zick, Work Planning Specialist.“ That’s exactly what I need to move beyond the kind of writing I’ve been stuck in doing.”

“Really great!” said Gary Bohms, Front Line Supervisor. “John showed us lots of ways to improve, but also what not to do. That was valuable for me.”

Exelon Nuclear is headquartered in Warrenville, Ill., and is a business unit of Exelon Corporation. It operates the largest nuclear fleet in the nation and the third largest fleet in the world. Exelon’s ten stations – with 17 reactors – represent approximately 20 percent of the U.S. nuclear industry’s power capacity.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

John Sturtevant lands a series of full-day business-writing workshops for the City of Houston.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:00:00 GMT

The City of Houston’s airport operations division, known as Houston Airport System, has contracted The Writing Workshop to run a series of full-day persuasive-writing workshops during 2008.

Based at Houston Intercontinental Airport, Houston Airport System (HAS) employs more than 1600 workers who run the city’s three airports.

HAS hired The Writing Workshop to give airport staff the skills to think clearly and write persuasively. Participants represent all areas of HAS operations, from the airport superintendent’s office, to mechanics, financial analysts, and administrative staff.

“I really respect the HAS approach to training,” says Sturtevant. “Training Director Stephen White recognizes the value of including people from all departments throughout the organization. I might have five or six guys who turn wrenches all day sitting beside a handful of executives in suits. The beauty is, both groups bring an incredible amount of insight combined with a raw desire to learn. The exchange of ideas that happens between them is inspiring.”

“It’s a great class with a great instructor,” says Chad Windsor, HAS Facilities Inspector. “John is very informative, he taught me to really look at how other people will read what I write.”

“John has a fresh style of teaching,” says Mickey Solomon, Management Analyst. “This training gave me the ability to focus and simplify my writing.”

“This workshop taught me a simple approach to making my writing clear. I’m going to use what I learned this very day!” says Jacqueline Pruitt, Contract Compliance Supervisor.

Houston Airport System is the fourth-largest airport system in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. Considered a primary gateway to Latin America, HAS supports over 151,000 regional jobs and contributes over $24 billion to the local economy. HAS does not use local tax dollars and is entirely self-supporting through user fees and lease agreements

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

The Writing Workshop designs a two-day communication skills workshop for MacTec Environmental Engineering.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:00:00 GMT

MacTec Environmental Engineering recently hosted a two-day workshop for 35 staffers in its Portland, Maine office. Despite a blanket of fresh snow, MacTec’s scientists and engineers gave up a Saturday of skiing to learn new ideas about what it means to communication with clarity and purpose. It was a breath of relief! said Annette McLean, a MacTec Industrial Hygienist. I’m going to think before I write now, and I’ve learned how to simplify my ideas so they’ll make sense to my reader. Sara Wright, Project Engineer said, This was refreshing, out-of-the-box thinking about technical writing. My attention never wavered from what John was telling us. I’ll definitely use what I learned. I received valuable insight into the process of planning and brainstorming prior to writing, said Peter Hall, a MacTec Principal. Marketing Coordinator Ferah Ileri said This is a highly-interactive workshop. I was constantly interested in the material. I learned the value of simplifying my...

John Sturtevant presents again for American Productivity and Quality Center.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Houston’s innovative research and benchmarking organization, American Productivity and Quality Center recently hosted another in a series of full-day business writing workshops for its staff of researcher and business analysts.

APQC provides analysis and research on business and social trends for companies and governments around the world. Their researchers and analysts rely on clear communications to communicates complex topics and detailed analyses so companies can use the knowledge to improve their operations and plan their business strategies.

APQC Senior Economic Analyst Monica Taylor said, “I was reminded about the importance of questioning the purpose of why I write.. This workshop teaches how to think. John offers valuable insight on business communications and specifics about how to improve the way I communicate.”

Marketing Analyst Laura Reed said, “The first email I sent after the workshop was to a customer. Instead of sending her our template covering the features of our study, I wrote her a personal letter describing the benefits of the study we’d done for her company. She thanked me! That was very unusual, but just what we both wanted!”

Sergi Bruin said, “I found value in reframing the purpose of why I write…the workshop is a fun and exciting learning experience with immediate actionable take-aways.”

About APQC
Headquartered in Houston, APQC (www.apqc.org) is a non-profit business research center founded by Jack Grayson. For 30 years, APQC has been working with business, healthcare, and government to help these sectors restructure and improve. Today APQC's 80 employees conduct research, offer training, provide technical assistance, and publish reports on productivity, quality, benchmarking, knowledge management, and other areas of expertise.

The Writing Workshop provides onsite business writing training and communication skills training to organizations worldwide.

John Sturtevant presents another in a series of business writing workshops for Total Petrochemical.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Employees from throughout Total Petrochemical’s Houston operations recently participated in a full-day business writing workshop. Attendees included accountants, chemists, marketing staff, researchers, and administrators.

Total’s Sandra Martin said the workshop was the first she’s had that taught her to focus on making sense in her writing. “This is a great workshop,” she said. “Everyone here should take it.”

“It was definitely NOT boring!” said Lorraine Jones, accountant. “I appreciate John’s organization of writing methods. I am already using what I learned…active voice!”

“This was a great class,” said Tonya Thornton, Training & Development Staff Assistant. “I learned how to think clearly and write what I mean so others can understand my ideas. It seems so obvious now, but like most people, I struggled with that.”

Headquartered in Brussels, Total Petrochemicals is the world’s fifth largest petrochemicals producer.

With over 7,000 employees, Total Petrochemicals conducts its operations in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. Its products serve a vast number of consumer and industrial markets, including packaging, construction and automotive.

As part of the Total Group, Total Petrochemicals draws on strong synergies with its refining activity, particularly in Europe and the United States, as well as with its exploration and production activity, in particular in the Middle East where the Company is now a major ethylene producer using ethane feedstock.

The Writing Workshop provides onsite business writing training and communication skills training to organizations worldwide.

John Sturtevant delivers half-day business writing workshop for Child Health Corporation of America

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

CHCA children’s hospitals represent more than 20,000 physicians, 100,000 employees, $14 billion in revenue and $1.8 billion in overall medical, surgical and pharmaceutical products.

CHCA’s Claudia Mills said the extent of their service offerings and complexity of the healthcare profession requires that CHCA’s analysts, researchers, and administrative staff must be able to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively. “When I read through John’s website, I knew he had the right approach for us. And when I watched his video clips, I saw he had a delightful presentation style too!”

“I have highly recommended John as a speaker for other CHCA forums,” said Kim Lewallen, who manages CHCA’s executive programs. “His ideas and techniques go far beyond writing topics, they are relevant for strategic planning, marketing, human resources, customer services…he reaches a broad spectrum of the business.”

“This was excellent!” commented Monique Trojacelc, CHCA’s Solution Manager. “John has great ideas and examples…and he presents them in a way that makes them easy to remember and use.”

Christie Walsh, LMS Director said, “Very informative and fun…makes me realize how the ways to write that I learned in high school and college don’t work in the business world.”

Child Health Corporation of America provides a range of programs and services designed to improve the performance of children’s hospitals. CHCA programs help reduce hospital costs, increase revenue, strengthen the competitive position of children’s hospitals, and improve the quality of care for children. CHCA Owner Hospitals are widely known for their excellence.

Through CHCA, Owner Hospitals have access to a range of member forums and services including quality measurement and improvement programs, research and development, group purchasing services, insurance services, education, training, and market intelligence.

The Writing Workshop provides onsite business writing training and communication skills training to organizations worldwide.

Devon Energy explores new ideas about business communications.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Thirty communications professionals from Oklahoma City based Devon Energy Corporation recently gathered in Denver for a three-day off-site planning session, which included a half-day business writing workshop.

Vince White, VP Communications and Investor Relations first heard John Sturtevant speak at the 2005 NIRI Southwest Conference in New Orleans, and the ideas he learned stuck with him. White invited John to present a longer session at the off-site.

“John is entertaining, funny, very informative,” said White. “He has a great perspective on what’s important in writing.”

Devon’s Supervisor of Internal Communications & Community Investment, Nadine Pettman said, “This was valuable time spent…it will pay off exponentially in time save and increased quality of communication. John pushed me to break the habits that have become so ingrained in my writing and my communication style in general.”

Communication Specialist, Alesha Leemaster agreed. “John’s tips and techniques are great for the sales writing and proposals I do.”

“Skip the jargon and start writing like a real person…how simple a concept, yet one that is so often not used in business,” said Amanda Pendergrass, a Public Affairs writer. “The workshop is full of practical and easy-to-use ideas about how to become a better communicator.”

Devon Energy Corporation has approximately 5,000 employees worldwide. The Company is one of the world's leading independent oil and gas exploration and production companies, and one of North America's largest processors of natural gas liquids. They produce oil and natural gas in select areas around the world.

About 88 percent of Devon's production is from North America. The company's production mix is about 60 percent natural gas and 40 percent oil and natural gas liquids, such as propane, butane and ethane. Devon produces over 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, about 3 percent of all the gas consumed in North America.

The Writing Workshop provides onsite business writing training and communication skills training to organizations worldwide.

Continental Carbon dedicates a full day of The Writing Workshop's Clear Communication Training for its Houston staff.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Houston-based Continental Carbon recently dedicated its staff to a full day of training in clear thinking and persuasive writing skills. Effective writing is an important skill, said Continental Carbon President and CEO Kim K. T. Pan. Unfortunately, most people are not taught how to think and write effectively. I was pleased to find in John Sturtevant a resource that’s both insightful and practical. It was extremely entertaining, said Tamela Smith. John keeps your attention throughout the entire day. You’ll leave wondering how in the world you learned so much and still had fun! Tom Carrol, Continental Carbon’s CFO thought The Writing Workshop provided excellent insight on how to get a message across and communicate clearly. I learned to think less about the mechanics of writing, he said, and focus instead on how to best deliver a powerful and effective message to my readers. John taught me that writing is not about the words, it is about the ideas, said financial analyst...

Atwood Oceanics explores clear thinking skills with The Writing Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 02:00:00 GMT

More than sixty staffers recently participated in two full days of business writing training in Atwood Oceanics’ impressive dedicated training facility in Houston.

The participants represented nearly every department at the fast growing exploration and drilling company.

“This workshop is a necessity for everyone in business,” said Patricia Morih, Document & QA Administrator, “Especially for my boss!”

Human Resources Manager David Armstrong said, “John really hit home ideas about how to communicate to a specific audience using language and style they understand and appreciate.”

“This is the best training we’ve had,” said Asher Khan, Application and Database Administrator. “ I especially liked John’s teaching on turning my technical information into knowledge for the reader. That was a profound idea for me.”

“I was reminded to stop and think,” said Marine Operations Manger Mike Koenig. “This is an excellent course in how to simplify the writing process.”

Andrew Podley, Manager of Administrative Services said, “The method, content, and presentation style were new and refreshing. It’s a very informative course, with a different slant on how to write effectively.”

Atwood Oceanics provides drilling and support for international offshore exploratory and developmental oil and gas wells. Atwood has operations in most of the major offshore exploration areas in the world including the: Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Black Sea, Australia, East and West Africa, Southeast Asia, China, Far East, Papua New Guinea, India, Mediterranean Sea, Central and South America and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The Writing Workshop provides onsite business writing training and communication skills training to organizations worldwide.

John Sturtevant delivers a full-day clear writing workshop for the City of Los Banos, California

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:00:00 GMT

The City of Los Banos California is a small, progressive community located in the expansive farmland in California’s Central Valley. Los Banos City Manager Steve Rath invited The Writing Workshop to present a full-day workshop because he recognizes that clear communication is an essential skill for city employees.

Rath is an insightful and dedicated community leader who cares deeply about the City’s customers – its citizens. Rath says Los Banos citizens rely on city employees to communicate clearly about often complex or critical issues.

“This was a well-done training session,” said Rath. “I received very positive comments from my staff.” The forty-five participants from every city department included the Police Chief, police detectives, crime analysts, the Fire Chief, City Clerk, city planners, and city engineers.

“A great workshop!” said Redevelopment Manager Elaine Post. “John’s presents very well…clear visuals, good stories…excellent material and handouts. He reminded me to look at my ideas from various angles before I start writing.”

Crime Analyst Cassie Wolf said she learned three valuable lessons. “Ask more questions when I don’t understand; review my writing before sending it; and listen actively to learn more about my readers.”

“Very interesting,” added City Planner Stacy Souza. “It broadened my perspective on how to write so readers really understand my ideas.”

The City of Los Banos, population 32,380, is situated on the west side of Merced County and is the county’s second largest city. The City is in the center of California, about two hours from San Francisco, Sacramento, and Yosemite National Park.

Property & Portfolio Research Analyzes the Value of Clear Communication Training

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:00:00 GMT

A group of senior analysts at Property & Portfolio Research recently participated in a full-day Clear Writing Workshop at their Boston office.

These analysts specialize in qualitative and quantitative research into real estate markets throughout the country. They put their research to work in highly-detailed market reports that reveal trends and predict changes that affect real estate investors and developers.

They rely on their ability to clearly communicate a variety of often complex statistics, attitudes, habits, and trends, and translate that data into insightful knowledge their readers can use to make effective decisions.

Business Analyst Laura Barreiro said, “This workshop showed me that good writing is not about the words, as we’ve been taught since we were kids. Rather, it’s about thinking first, writing mindfully, and communicating for the reader’s perspective.”

“Insightful. This is a great tool for learning how to think, and specific ways to improve how I communicate,” said Real Estate Economist Mathew Morell. “I learned the value of stepping back and planning before I put my ideas into sentences.”

Property & Portfolio Research, Inc. www.ppr.info is an independent real estate research and portfolio strategy firm that provides leading institutional real estate market participants with objective research on real estate cycles and their implications for investment strategy. We help clients apply our cutting-edge market research, analytics, and strategic thinking to stay ahead of market trends and maximize risk-adjusted returns.

John Sturtevant is America’s Expert on Clear Writing. He provides onsite Clear Communication training at companies in nearly every business sector. He is also a top-rated speaker at conferences and association events worldwide.

Marathon Oil calls The Writing Workshop the best training we've ever had.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:00:00 GMT

Managers from Marathon Oil recently participated in a full-day Clear Communication Workshop at their Houston location.

The participants came from Marathon’s Gas Utilization Group, Reservoir & Well Performance Group, and Technology Services.

“This was the best workshop we’ve ever had!” said Systems Analyst Shawn New. “We are too often restricted by word requirements and business jargon. It’s refreshing to think of my writing in this new context.”

“I found tremendous value in the in-depth discussions,” added Technology Services Manager Kaye Kahlich. “John gave me lots of great new idea to help me understand my audience and focus on how to get them to act on my recommendations.”

Bruce Smith Resources Manager, Gas Utilization said “The best value I received from the workshop was understanding the value of not writing for myself, but for my audience, and how to turn my topic into benefits for the reader. This program would be beneficial no matter what discipline or management level you are.”

Marathon Oil is among the world’s leading integrated energy companies. The Company has extensive refining, marketing and transportation operations concentrated in the Midwest, Upper Great Plains, Gulf Coast and Southeast regions of the United States. Marathon ranks as the fifth-largest crude oil refiner in the United States and the largest in the Midwest.

John Sturtevant is America’s Expert on Clear Writing. He provides onsite Clear Communication training at companies in nearly every business sector. He is also a top-rated speaker at conferences and association events worldwide.