Communication

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Show that you are actively listening by using empathy. You have probably heard empathy described as “feeling someone’s pain”, but what if that is not helpful or possible? Empathy is an important skill to improve your active listening and make those around you feel heard. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain and practice empathy by noticing body language, voice, and tone. You will learn to communicate an awareness of what someone else is feeling and be a better active listener using empathy. Brain Bites micro-learning courses are information-rich and convey important topics with an engaging mix of video and animation. With 5-minute video lessons and 30-minute-or-less courses, Brain Bites are the perfect tool to educate today’s busy workforce.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define empathy and explain the difference between empathy and sympathy
• Explain the importance empathy plays in developing emotional intelligence
• Develop a list of emotions typical to the environment
• Recognize and communicate an awareness of what someone else is feeling using empathy
• Define cyber-disinhibition and identify methods to reduce its impact on empathy
• Focus on active listening by noting body language, voice tone, and words

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Send the message that you are listening to understand. The truth is, it’s easy to not listen. We are surrounded by distractions and the list of reasons we don’t listen well is long. So we have to work on listening to make others feel heard—especially at work. By the end of this course, you will be able to describe how to become a better, more active listener through focusing your attention on the speaker and clarifying their message. You will learn to build trust and become more approachable. Brain Bites micro-learning courses are information-rich and convey important topics with an engaging mix of video and animation. With 5-minute video lessons and 30-minute-or-less courses, Brain Bites are the perfect tool to educate today’s busy workforce.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe why it’s easy to not listen and why it’s important to work at being a good, active listener
• Convey that you are listening using short statements (verbal cues) and body language
• Seek agreement and understanding using a simple clarifying statement formula
• Build trust by providing a safe and distraction-free listening environment
• Use appropriate questions to understand the speaker’s message
• Focus on the speaker by paying attention to body language
• Express empathy and provide input to help the speaker better understand their situation

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Employees, projects, and even entire businesses fail because they don’t communicate effectively. Communication can mean the difference between a raging success and a catastrophic failure. Examine the difference between truly successful businesses and those that are just average, and clear communication is part of the foundation. A great communicator can explain, motivate, unite, and inspire teams to achieve more than they thought possible.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss how communication works
• Describe how body language and tone attribute to communication
• List three elements of active listing

Duration: 1.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

All communication is persuasion! This course teaches you to communicate well and persuade effectively. There are many reasons why we communicate – to inform, to share our viewpoint, to educate, and to sell. Communications guru Barbara Evers would argue that all these forms of communication are in fact forms of persuasion. In this course Barbara Evers and Wofford Jones walk through tips and techniques to take advantage of when you need to communicate and persuade.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the relationship between Persuasion and Communication
• Discuss the elements of Persuasion
• Identify the use of Framing in communication

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Discover the four stages of conflict and the impact that unresolved conflict can have on an organization.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

All communication is persuasion! This course teaches you to communicate well and persuade effectively. There are many reasons why we communicate – to inform, to share our viewpoint, to educate, and to sell. Communications guru Barbara Evers would argue that all these forms of communication are in fact forms of persuasion. In this course Barbara Evers and Wofford Jones walk through tips and techniques to take advantage of when you need to communicate and persuade.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the appropriate settings for engaging meetings.
• Share a presentation from a desktop, laptop, or tablet.
• Use the Whiteboard to promote attendee participation and community outcomes.
• Poll your attendees to encourage active participation and elicit feedback.
• Assign attendees to breakout rooms for small-group collaboration and discussion and then communicate with or visit the rooms.
• Create a fun, engaging, and effective virtual meeting environment.

Duration: 0.20 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

It’s natural to chat with colleagues at work and there’s not necessarily anything wrong with a little back-and-forth about political issues. However, those conversations have the potential to go wrong pretty quickly if everyone does not stick to some basic standards. This lesson provides five rules to help keep things civil when having political discussions. These rules can help your team keep from creating an uncomfortable atmosphere when the topic of politics comes up.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify ways to have civil political conversations at work
• List 5 rules to keep political conversations from being heated and uncomfortable.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Employees, Projects, and Even Entire Businesses Fail Because They Don’t Communicate Effectively. Communication can mean the difference between a raging success and a catastrophic failure. Examine the difference between truly successful businesses and those that are just average, and clear communication is part of the foundation. A great communicator can explain, motivate, unite, and inspire teams to achieve more than they thought possible.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss how communication works
• Describe how body language and tone attribute to communication
• List three elements of active listing

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

From a Frustrating Chore to a Powerful Tool – Learn How To Make Email Work For You More than ever before people rely on email in the workplace – but we dread the amount of time it takes to read through and respond to all our messages. This course will give you the skills you need to tame your email mountain and use it as the effective tool it’s meant to be. Brain Bites micro-learning courses are information-rich and convey important topics with an engaging mix of video and animation. With 5 minute video lessons and 30-minute-or-less courses, Brain Bites are the perfect tool to educate today’s busy workforce.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• List three goals of an email management strategy
• Describe the two types of bad email strategies
• Identify the five primary built-in email folders and their purpose
• Discuss the benefit of the “To Be Sorted” and “To Do” folders
• Describe the five-step sorting process for managing emails
• Discuss the differences between Gmail and other email programs
• Identify how to convert emails into calendar appointments or tasks in Outlook and in Gmail
• Describe how Flags, Stars, Mark Important, Categories, and Delegation can be used in an effective email management strategy

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Cell phones have become a standard part of everyday life. They allow us to call or text, find directions, take and share pictures, schedule our lives, deposit money, listen to music, and keep up with social media. While cell phones have many positive aspects, there is a time and place for their use. Using a cell phone improperly at your job site can pose dangers to you and your coworkers. This course will cover these dangers as well as best practices associated with cell phone use.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the dangers of improper cell phone use
• Describe common techniques for avoiding distraction
• Identify best practices for cell phone use
• Describe proper text message etiquette

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

In this day and age, it is becoming nearly impossible to focus and be productive because people are being pulled in so many different directions. Recognizing high leverage tasks can help you become organized and productive as you prepare and plan your day. In this interactive, online course, you’ll be given actionable strategies for increasing your productivity on a day-to-day basis including tips for effective email management.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Plan your day using an 80/20 Chart
• Explain the importance of delegating effectively
• Explain the importance of eliminating clutter in your workspace
• List ways you can effectively manage email so it won’t dictate your schedule
• List ways you can minimize interruptions to your workday

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Whether you’re presenting at a conference or at a lunch and learn, visual aids can be a powerful tool to catch and hold your audience’s attention and reinforce the message you are trying to get across. This interactive online course will outline different types of visual aids and how to use them effectively. Additionally, you will be provided with strategies on how to effectively build a slide deck that will powerfully transmit your message to the audience in an engaging way. Attention spans are low in today’s world, but after this session, you’ll have the tools needed to hold attention with eye-catching visual aids.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the different types of visual aids
• Recognize when it is appropriate to use visual aids
• Recall important points to remember when preparing your visual aids
• List strategies for effectively designing visual aids
• Identify ways to create consistency in your visual aids

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Video, 

Professionals of all ages are faced with career and life changing decisions every day and in order to create an extraordinary A/E/C career you must make the right decisions for you, while supporting the organization you work for and the clients you serve. This interactive online course will walk you through a goal setting process, that you can utilize to help make critical career decisions and will also serve as a credential planning process. Furthermore, at the end of this course, using the process provided you will be able to identify the right credentials for you, so you can start to pursue them and change the course of your career forever.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the differences among types of credentials
• Create a long-term career plan through goal-setting in 3 steps
• Describe how to create SMART goals
• Recall the ways to stand out when your credentials are the same as everyone else’s
• Differentiate among graduate degree options, both technical and managerial
• Determine how to select credentials that will build your credibility
• Determine which credentials will build your credibility

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video 

Almost 145 billion emails are sent every single day. They are easy to send and virtually instantaneous. Emailing has become one of the most common ways for people to communicate with friends and family, as well as co-workers and customers. While email is simple and familiar, there are important rules to follow to ensure that messages are clear, polite, and effective. This course will outline those rules so that every email sent is a professional one.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Differentiate between an email that should and should not be sent
• Describe effective email time management skills
• Describe the importance of subject lines
• Describe how to write appropriate greetings, sign offs, and signatures
• Describe how to use CC and BCC properly
• Identify the most effective tone, font, and style
• Describe how to write professional emails utilizing proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Explain how to write emails with clarity and brevity
• List the general rules of email etiquette, or netiquette
• Describe when to use attachments
• Describe how to use out of office messages
• Explain possible privacy concerns when using email

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video 

This two part course discusses Smart Customer Service. Part One is designed to help you understand how to present yourself well at all times. You’ll learn how to conduct yourself in first impression situations, speak and act courteously at all times, maintain a positive attitude, and act ethically and fairly with every customer you meet. Part Two is designed to help you improve your listening skills so that you will be able to interact well with all your customers, whether you handle them face-to-face or by telephone.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the components that make up a good first impression, including appearance, attitude, and body language
• Discuss the importance and impacts of practicing basic courtesies that will convey respect and consideration toward your customers
• Identify the elements that make up a good attitude, such as showing appreciation, believing yourself, and being open-minded
• Explain the importance of conducting yourself in an ethical manner
• Identify external and internal barriers to communicating with your customers
• Discuss techniques, such as listening actively and attentively, to help interpret customer requests correctly
• Describe nonverbal listening strategies to communicate attentiveness and interest to the speaker
• Explain ways to check for understanding, such as recapping, asking questions, and summarizing to ensure you interpreted the customer’s message correctly

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

In the litigious atmosphere of today, professionals are often asked to be expert witnesses in civil suits, or to simply provide services for mediations and forensic investigations. In this interactive online course, you will learn what to expect when asked to participate in legal processes or forensic investigations, how to prepare, and how to minimize your business’ exposure to possible legal actions. We will discuss ethical conduct and the role of the expert witness as a non-advocate. We’ll explore what is expected behavior throughout the process, how to handle oneself under pressure, and how to prepare for mediations, deposition and trial. Additionally, this course will outline how to conduct yourself as an expert witness during depositions and trials representing yourself as a competent witness who is in control, reputable, believable, and most of all, an unbiased knowledgeable witness.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• describe the procedures of the court process
• discuss the psychology of the court process
• identify contradicting questions
• explain how to interact with your attorney, the opposing attorney, the judge and the jury
• state opinions and conclusions according to a prescribed format

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, WebCast, MobileReady

Who is an Authority Having Jurisdiction? How should you communicate with them? Anyone associated with building design and construction will eventually interact with a building official or inspector. This includes Fire Marshals, Health Departments, Planning Departments, local gas and electric companies and water and sewer departments. Having a positive and professional relationship will go a long way in creating a cost effective, timely and safe project. This interactive online course will present a number of techniques to use to ensure a productive outcome including: knowing the applicable codes, being professional, first impressions, understanding the role of the local AHJ, knowing when to appeal an unfavorable ruling, knowing when to accept an unfavorable ruling, and establishing your credentials.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the primary role and responsibility of the AHJ
• List at least five types of building officials and inspectors
• Identify the important factors in determining the codes of the local jurisdiction
• List the most effective communication methods
• Identify the qualities that can be assessed upon first impressions
• Explain the factors that may affect the decision to appeal an unfavorable ruling

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

LinkedIn® is an avenue you can use to help you build your reputation in your field and become better at marketing and business development. This interactive online course will teach you ten action steps to take to build a strong LinkedIn® profile. Additionally you will learn who you should connect with on LinkedIn® to maximize your exposure. You will also learn the do’s and don’ts of maximizing your usage in LinkedIn® groups.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• List the 10 action steps to take to build a strong LinkedIn profile
• Describe who you should connect with on LinkedIn to maximize your exposure
• Describe the most appropriate way to request recommendations
• List the Do’s and Don’ts of maximizing your usage in LinkedIn groups

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Team projects often result in conflicts that have to be resolved between different parties. Learning to resolve a conflict is a very valuable skill that can be used in all endeavors of business and life. This interactive online course will teach you five strategies for dealing with conflicts. Additionally you will learn two core skill that are necessary to successfully resolve conflicts. You will also learn about emotional awareness and how it can help you in certain situations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define interpersonal conflict
• Select the best strategies of the five from the Thomas and Kilmann’s conflict mode instrument for dealing with conflict when presented with this scenario
• Name the two core skills that are necessary to successfully resolve conflict
• Describe emotional awareness and how it can help you in certain situations

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Poor email management can kill productivity and cause you to be stressed. Implementing a proper email system will help you be more productive, more billable, and give you more time to do deep meaningful work. This interactive online course will teach you email processing and management steps to help you simplify your email filing system. You will also learn 7 steps to writing more productive emails.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• List 5 steps to effectively manage emails
• Describe how to process emails in your inbox to reduce stress
• Sequence the 7 steps to writing more productive emails
• Describe the appropriate times to use the “Reply All” feature

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

A mentor is someone who can guide you toward reaching your career goals and ultimately your definition of success. This interactive online course will teach you how to find a mentor using five specific considerations. Additionally you will learn how to become a mentor and then benefits mentoring will have on your career success. You will also learn strategies for getting the most out of the mentoring relationship.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define and describe the benefits of finding and becoming a mentor
• Describe how to find the perfect mentor regardless of your age using five specific considerations
• List ways to become a mentor at any stage in your AEC career
• Identify strategies for getting the most out of the mentoring relationship from both sides of the relationship

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

We have all been through the interview process, either through applying for a job/promotion or chasing a project. We also often follow established templates that almost everyone uses which result in eye rolling by the interviewers. This online interactive course can help you get out of this rut so that you can develop a fresh look for your next interview in pursuit of a project. You will learn what to research before the interview, how to observe and analyze the environment of the interview location, a strategic sitting layout and how to use all of this to your advantage prior to the interview. This course will show you how to manage the pace of the interview and how to answer tough questions. Finally, you’ll learn how to elegantly end the interview and which follow-up activities will help you standout amongst the thundering herd. Learn what to do and what NOT to do to subtly manage your client interview to ensure you and your team members shine!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe your team to your advantage
• Define the steps to prepare for the interview
• Explain your agenda and the flow of the meeting
• Craft the close of your interview

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Regardless of how much effort an organization puts into creating an efficient and respectful work environment, challenging circumstances always arise. Rather than perceiving these problematic situations as a reflection of a personal or organizational failure, it is more effective to focus on establishing and following clear guidelines to resolve problems and appropriately handle workplace challenges. Whether your organization is currently facing a serious problem, or is seeking to put policies and procedures in place for the future, this interactive online course will guide you in handling the different challenges your organization might face. Instances for intervention including hostile behavior, substance abuse, and criminal activity will be discussed, as well as prevention and mitigation strategies for violation of workplace policies. While the types of challenges encountered in the workplace are too diverse to be discussed in one manual, this interactive online course will cover common types of problematic work situations most employers are likely to encounter. **This course is intended for managers in policy-making roles.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the situations that comprise a hostile work environment, including bullying, discrimination, and harassment
• Explain the consequences of substance abuse in the workplace, and the benefits of implementing a Drug-Free Workplace
• Discuss the different types of criminal behavior in the workplace, and functions of criminal background checks and credit checks
• Describe prevention and mitigation strategies that an employer can take to ensure a healthy and safe work environment and protect employees and others from workplace violence

Duration: 2.00 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

The most important resource available to any organization is people. Organizations are made of people, and an organization cannot fulfill its intended mission without good employees. These employees need effective leadership to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. A good leader knows how to hire and keep good employees by following the rules and regulations that govern employment. This interactive online course will discuss several personnel issues of interest to all organizations. Whether you have 10 employees or 200 employees, just about every issue discussed in this SmartTeam course will, in some way, apply to your business. Issues discussed in this course include:

• Personnel Administration (Management and Leadership, Hiring and Firing Practices, and Employee Manual/Handbook)
• Sexual Harassment
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
• Drug Free Workplace
• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Including 2008 amendments)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss federal rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment
• Explain Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and how they pertain to employee hiring and promotions
• Describe the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and it’s purpose in the workplace
• Discuss how to develop a drug-free workplace program

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Identify the medium, frequency, and amount of detail needed to successfully communicate with your manager.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Learn and apply the five-step process for communicating to your boss or supervisor.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Practice Communicating Up in a full scenario situation.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Test your ability to apply Communicating Up concepts in this skills-based scenario assessment.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Use Reflecting, Probing, Supporting, Advising to demonstrate active listening to others.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Make verbal and nonverbal communication congruent to reinforce the intent of messages.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Provide the rationale for your feedback, whether to reinforce or improve performance.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Practice the skills learned in Essential Skills of Communicating in a full scenario situation.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Learn the background key concepts to effective communication to your boss or supervisor.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Utilize an empowering and dynamic communication process to increase team members’ motivation and commitment.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Construct and express clear and concise messages in both written and spoken communication.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Deliver messages that address the interests of the listener.

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Frustrated with boring meetings that waste time? Never fear! This pivotal course will teach you how to shift from boring, ineffective meetings, to strategic meetings that get results! Through application exercises and a rich multimedia process, learn the specific components that make meetings worth the time and effort of everyone involved. But what if you are not in charge? Not a problem! This course will also take you through the steps and options to make meetings effective even when you are not the one conducting!

Duration: 1.28 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

In LearnSmart’s Negativity in the Workplace Video Training, you’ll learn how negativity serves as an enormous obstacle toward a team’s success — and how this feeling manifests itself in your employees’ actions and attitudes. As a supervisor, it is up to you to help prevent negativity from spreading. By dealing with it head-on, and not waiting until it becomes a bigger problem, you put yourself in a better position to avoid a potentially devastating outcome.

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Audiences decide if a presentation is worth paying attention to in the first 1-2 minutes. To be an effective presenter, there are multiple factors to consider and skills to develop. In this course, through the use of application exercises and a rich multi-media process, you will learn the key skills to creating powerful presentations that get results.

Duration: 0.75 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Good business writing is imperative to achieving success, no matter what business you’re in. Effective communication will help you grow more confident in your ability to express yourself clearly. This course deals with the importance of being able to express yourself clearly through the written word. It also explores the fundamentals of grammar, the importance of finding and defining your personal style, and how to improve upon it as you grow in the business world.

Duration: 0.75 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English, Portuguese, French, Polish, Russian
Capability: Video

In the business world, effective communication is an essential part of getting things done – specifically, getting things done right, the first time. Memos, letters, presentations and meetings are the means by which we communicate. This course deals with how to develop them – what to include and what not to include – for that’s what dictates how well we communicate.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

In LearnSmart’s Effective Presentations video training, you will learn how to clearly convey your intended message, while overcoming fear and anxiety. You are provided with an essential overview to successful public speaking. This training highlights the skills needed to make presentations, and the necessary changes involved in presentations to blend personality with clear communication. The video will focus on the following topics: dealing with fears and anxieties, elements of a presentation, nonverbal communication, and how to prepare for a presentation.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the ABC’s of public speaking and presentation
• Identify ways to overcome anxiety by understanding your audience and practicing
• Identify ways to prepare for a presentation, including organizing and preparing handouts, visuals, and practicing positive self-talk
• Identify ways to make presentations more effective including suggestions for delivery methods common mistakes to avoid, and how to handle audience questions

Duration: 2.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

Email has long since replaced postal “snail” mail as the preferred method of communication, and this course provides the complete training you’ll need to become an expert on the proper usage and terminology that goes along with personal and professional email communication.

Duration: 7.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English, Portuguese, French
Capability: Video

LearnSmart’s Facilitating Meetings and Groups video training course demonstrates the extensive range of skills and tools needed to organize meetings that are both productive and time efficient. Through this course, viewers learn how to take charge, how to lead, and how to move groups towards their goals.

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Video

This interactive online course is presented in two modules: How to Write Powerful & Persuasive Emails Tackling the Technical Proposal This course covers the need to capture your reader’s attention immediately and then hold it by arranging the details in a logical sequence, and helps you avoid common pitfalls like a careless subject line and lax grammar and style conventions. The second lesson discusses writing business and technical proposals and focuses on the Pyramid writing method as a foundation for written communication. Using the Pyramid method means you create a solid writing foundation and then build from the ground up – which is key to effective communication and a more credible and convincing proposal. The clearly defined parts of a pyramid make proposals easier for writers to write and, as a result, far easier for the readers to read.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize the components of the Pyramid Writing Plan
• Discuss efficient, error-free e-mail
• Define short informal proposals
• Discuss longer semiformal proposals

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

If the skills you’d acquired by the time you wrote your last book report for school aren’t cutting it for you in the business world, this course can teach you what you need to know. Almost every professional has to write a short report at some point in his or her career, and despite the fact that it doesn’t have to be “long,” it can still be daunting – especially if you don’t like writing. This interactive online course will teach you to use the simple and extremely effective Pyramid method of writing to create the most common types of reports professionals will be faced with in their careers.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Understand how to plan and write Informative Short Reports
• Know how to create a Persuasive Short Report, designed to convince the reader to take action
• Implement the Pyramid Method of writing in all of your correspondence
• Identify the five sections of an inspection report

Duration: 1.00 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Some people thinks that in the grand sceheme of things, excellence in writing isn’t all that important as long as you get the General idea accross. But the sentence above is a perfect illustration of why that simply isn’t true: Did it make you wary to see that the first sentence of a course intended to teach you writing tips was full of errors? Good writing gives you and your ideas authority, visibility, and stature. Bad writing, on the other hand, can make readers question your credibility and/or expertise, can be costly to a business, and can even damage the career of the writer. Inefficient, unclear, misleading, irrelevant, sloppy or deceptive written communication costs companies across the board billions each year. This course will help you improve your skills and avoid careless errors by focusing on four stages of writing: preparing, planning, drafting, and editing (revising and finalizing).

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss writing with confidence
• Describe how to communicate messages professionally in a useable and readable fashion
• Recognize common writing mistakes that distract from the message
• List the four stages of effective writing

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Writing an email is the same as any other form of correspondence, only faster and a lot less formal, right? Wrong. Almost every professional today is faced with the seemingly simple task of writing emails but there are specific considerations that apply to email that we should always consider before we hit “Send.”

This 1/2-hour online interactive course from SmartTeam teaches you the specifics for using electronic mail to focus and present information effectively. It covers the need to capture your reader’s attention immediately and then hold it by arranging the details in a logical sequence, and helps you avoid common pitfalls like a careless subject line and lax grammar and style conventions. You’ll also learn what the differences should be between composing an email that “tells” information and email that “sells”; how to use the Pyramid writing plan for maximum efficacy in getting your message across, and perhaps the single most paramount rule in email writing: Pause before you hit Send!

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize the components of the Pyramid Writing Plan
• Define poorly-written vs. well-written emails
• Describe effective, appropriate e-mail messages
• Discuss efficient, error-free e-mail

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

Proposals are an integral part of the professional world. Proposal topics can range from a request for more department funding to a plan for redesigning a highway. Regardless of the subject, proposals are intended to persuade. A poorly written or dull document that doesn’t present the critical components in logical order can mean your presentation or request is brushed aside or not taken seriously.

This 1/2-hour interactive online course on writing business and technical proposals focuses on the Pyramid writing method as a foundation for written communication. Using the Pyramid method means you create a solid writing foundation and then build from the ground up – which is key to effective communication and a more credible and convincing proposal. The clearly defined parts of a pyramid make proposals easier for writers to write and, as a result, far easier for the readers to read. Once you have successfully completed this SmartTeam course, you will have the tools to significantly improve your proposal writing skills and help ensure the success of your company.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Define short informal proposals
• Discuss longer semiformal proposals
• Identify the properties of formal proposals
• Describe visually-pleasing documents
• Explain how to write more effectively and persuasively

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, MobileReady

As a frontline employee you are the primary source of communication between your company and its customers. You can improve your ability to interact well by developing listening skills. When you hear and interpret a message correctly, you will be able to understand your customers’ requests and that is the key to handling each and every customer successfully. This interactive online course is designed to help you improve your listening skills so that you will be able to interact well with all your customers, whether you handle them face-to-face or by telephone.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify external and internal barriers to communicating with your customers
• Discuss techniques, such as listening actively and attentively, to help interpret customer requests correctly
• Describe nonverbal listening strategies to communicate attentiveness and interest to the speaker
• Explain ways to check for understanding , such recapping, asking questions, and summarizing, as to ensure you interpreted the customer’s message correctly