Learn about Randy’s new “Mastering Microsoft 365”
Video Series (In Production Now)
Programs
Randy can deliver the programs below as keynotes and breakouts at conferences, live webinar sessions, company training sessions, and can combine content to create longer “workshop style” programs. Randy also does have recorded video content on many of these programs, which may be suitable for posting to education websites and/or LMS sites for professional groups and private organizations for a fee. Contact Randy for more information.
Randy’s “flagship” program: his most popular program for 20 years (updated regularly)
Taming the E-mail Beast Using MS Outlook and/or Gmail:
Key Strategies for Managing Your E-mail Overload
Every day, managers and professionals are getting buried under a continuing stream of both useful and useless e-mail. Without a system for getting “control of the beast”, professionals spend much of their work (and personal) time spinning wheels and feeling highly unsatisfied. If you would like to get control of your e-mail “beast”, you should attend this program. Learn a proven system for taming your e-mail account, with strategies for keeping your inbox efficient and under control by building and administering a personal “e-mail infrastructure”. Reduce the mess in your inbox by having “natural” places for your e-mails to go. Learn how to get rid of all those “quick little” e-mails once and for all, as well as how to mitigate or even eliminate much of that annoying junk and spam. Learn several key technical tips for better managing your e-mail using market-leading software like MS Outlook and/or Gmail. Finally feel on top of your e-mail and related activities, rather than feeling it is on top of you.
See why one client found that the average attendee saved 2+ hours per week PER EMPLOYEE, and other attendees have reported inboxes with thousands of less e-mails a few days/weeks after taking the program. Note that recent webinar replays of this program, with specific versions for Gmail, “Classic” Outlook, and New/Web Outlook, are available. If you, are a meeting planner or training manager and would like a complimentary viewing of one of these videos, please contact Randy directly at randy@randalldean.com and share a bit more about your upcoming event/training program.
Note that this course can be combined with several of Randy’s other courses: Optimizing Your Outlook, Finding an Extra Hour Every Day, From Distracted to Productive, Taming the E-mail Etiquette Beast, and/or Time Management in “The Cloud” Using Gmail/Google — to make a solid half- to full-day training program. This program also works very well in a live webinar program format.
1-Minute Read on why e-mail training for your staff/team is an “ROI No Brainer”
Contact Randy for program options.
Use the “Contact Randy” link above to also get a complimentary copy of Randy’s recently-updated e-book on Taming the E-mail Beast. You will also be automatically signed up for Randy’s monthly e-news, Timely Tips, which gives you one tip a month (usually tech-related) to save time. You can unsubscribe anytime.
NOTE: This e-book can be provided as a complimentary gift for your program/event attendees when you bring Randy to speak at your company meeting, conference event, or webinar. Use the “Contact Randy” link above to request more info.
Popular Conferences Sessions:
Finding an Extra Hour Every Day:
Time Management Tips and Tricks for Busy Professionals
Description: In this popular quick-hitting program on “finding an extra hour of productivity” every day, Randy Dean, MBA, the “Totally Obsessed” Time Management/E-mail Guy uses humor and high energy as he goes into many of the most common areas of productivity loss (and possible gain!) afflicting many busy professionals today: managing multiple projects, maintaining “traction” when dealing with tasks and interruptions, managing your e-mails more efficiently, clearing the clutter in your mind for better focus and attention, keeping staff on task, tracking “who owes you what” and getting that information on time, and better managing your calendar and contacts for better time and relationship management. He even now shares a few time-saving tips for those using the new AI tools like Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT. His goal is to help stressed out performers learn several new and immediately useful strategies for finding a few minutes on tasks, activities, and actions you are already doing, leading to at least an extra hour of productivity every day, as well as a better way to start and manage your day so more time is devoted to your key projects, clients, and activities with less distraction.
Download a PDF Info Sheet (with key learning bullet points) here
Note that this course is a very popular conference/event breakout/keynote, typically of 60-90 minutes, but can be expanded into a half- or even full-day session, incorporating segments of Taming the E-mail Beast, Optimizing Your Microsoft Outlook, and/or Time Management Using Gmail/Google. This program also works very well in a live webinar program format — please contact Randy at randy@randalldean.com for program options.
From Distracted to Productive:
Finding Your Focus in a Hyper-Interrupted, e-Distracted World
E-mail. Texts. Interruptions. Project Transitions. Office Clutter. Social and Other Media. Your Smart Phones and Tablets. Even Family and Friends. How do you manage all of these “squirrels” that are driving you crazy? These key “distractors” sometimes make it almost impossible to get anything done. It sometimes seems like there is always at least one SQUIRREL getting in the way of what you really need to do. But with some forethought and effective strategies, as well as some personal discipline, it is more than possible to find your focus once again, even in a hyper-distracted world. As a matter of fact, those using these strategies will have a long-term competitive advantage — both professionally and personally. In this new program by popular time & tech management speaker Randy Dean, MBA, we’ll look at each of these key areas of distraction and define strategies for enhancing long-term focus, productivity, and performance. We’ll share “game plan” ideas for getting and keeping your distractors (SQUIRRELS!) under control, and finding critical “focused productivity” time each and every day, leading to not only performance but also clarity of mind and purpose.
Download a PDF Info Sheet with Program Description and Bullet Points here
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available. If you are a training manager and/or conference education/webinar scheduler and would like to see the replay, please contact Randy.
Smart Phone Success & Terrific Tablets:
Getting More Productivity (and Fun!) From Your Smart Devices
You know which apps are fun, but what apps, services and functions will help you turn your Android, IPhone/IPad, and/or Windows device into a productivity workhorse? In this session, we will discuss the apps and peripheral devices that help take your Smart Phone (and tablets) from “cool” to “critical” when it comes to productivity, time, project, people, and e-mail management as well as “remote” productivity. We’ll even show you a new configuration of apps and services that could allow you to potentially consider using these devices in lieu of more traditional laptop/desktop computers (with specific guidance for those using Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 and/or the Google Workspace productivity tools), and how these devices might actually be even more powerful from a productivity perspective right now. A highlight to this program is when the presenter, Randy Dean, opens up the floor to program participants to share their favorite apps, allowing people to gain knowledge from all program attendees.
NEW PROGRAMS
Quick Basics on Workplace AI Productivity (Featuring Microsoft Copilot & Google Gemini)
Using Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Personal/Professional Productivity
We’ve had access to leading AI productivity tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot for a while now, but most haven’t started integrating these tools into their day-to-day activities to save time and enhance productivity. In this session, led by Randy Dean, MBA: The E-mail Sanity Expert(R), you will learn immediately-usable tips for integrating popular AI tools into your suite of productivity tools, with a strong focus on Microsoft Copilot (although many of these tips also work with Gemini, ChatGPT, and other popular AI tools).
Learn how to draft e-mails and documents in seconds; summarize incoming messages, files, and even full books in seconds; enhance and improve project/task planning, improve staff management and coordination, conduct topic-based research, generate images — even make your messages more polite and professional! You will also see how Copilot integrates directly inside of popular 365 tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to enhance productivity right in those programs. We’ll even share a few important “watch outs” to help reduce some of the risks and dangers of using these AI tools. Finally see and understand what all of the hype is about and start using AI to enhance your personal and team productivity today.
Download a PDF Info Sheet on this program (with key learning bullet points) here.
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available. If you are a training manager and/or conference/event education session scheduler and you would like to see the replay, please contact Randy.
Microsoft Moved My Cheese! (Google Did Too!)
You may have seen the many changes that Microsoft and Google has been making to a number of their most popular software tools, especially Microsoft Outlook and Gmail. Not only has the onboard “local client” (formerly Outlook 2016/2019) changed the home screen and some of the key features, but now there is also “Web Outlook” and “New Outlook”, and Gmail keeps changes settings and features. How do you find your stuff, keep your productivity, and just keep your head from spinning with all these recent changes?
That’s where Randy Dean, MBA: The E-mail Sanity Expert ® comes in – in this session, he’ll help show you where both Microsoft and Google moved your cheese, and get you back to focused productivity as well as show some of the cool newer tools available in Outlook, Gmail and possibly some of the other 365 and/or Google Workspace tools. Hopefully now you can find that cheese!
Download a PDF Info Sheet on this program (including key learning bullet points) here
Please Note: depending on number of attendees, I could possibly do one session specifically for Microsoft Outlook/365 users and another session specifically for Gmail/Google Workspace users. The concept of each session would be the same — how to take best advantage of these tools to be more productive while also being fully aware of the many recent changes in each platform.
And, I do have a recent webinar replay available if you are an education/training manager and would like to preview the session.
Time Management Regardless of the Tech
Perfect for an audience of mixed users – from paper to high-tech devices and apps
There are so many choices and options for managing your time, projects, tasks, people, and more — cloud-based tools like Microsoft Outlook & 365, Google Workspace, smart phones & apps, newer AI assistants like Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT, and even still “old school” paper options. In this program, Randy Dean, MBA, The E-mail Sanity Expert(R), will take you through these options and share what he believes are the best techniques, strategies, and routines for being an effective time and project manager, regardless of the tech you decide to use. He will also “cruise” the different software platforms and options, including Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, as well as discuss synchronized set up with your smart phone & tablet devices. We’ll even talk a bit about paper — still a good option for some people! During this program, you can see your options, and following the program, pick the option that is best for you for both work and life management.
Popular Company/Organizational Workshops/Webinars:
Optimizing Your Outlook:
Managing Your Time, Projects, People, Ideas, and (of course) E-mail Using Microsoft Outlook
(This has been Randy’s second most popular program with his corporate/organizational training managers audience for inside training programs, and is often coupled with Taming the E-mail Beast for a 2-4 hour workshop program.) In this popular program on “getting the most from your Outlook” as well as “Taming Your E-mail Beast” for MS Outlook Users, Randy Dean, author of the recent Amazon e-mail bestseller, Taming the E-mail Beast, shows how to expand your capabilities with the market-leading Microsoft Outlook e-mail and professional organization software. Randy delves into Outlook-specific strategies for many of the most common areas of productivity loss (and possible gain!) afflicting many busy professionals today: managing multiple projects & tasks; maintaining “traction” when dealing with tasks and interruptions; clearing the clutter in your mind for better focus; keeping staff on task; tracking “who owes you what” and getting that information on time; and better managing your calendar and contacts for better time and relationship management. Randy will also share several tips and strategies for better managing, organizing and prioritizing your e-mail activities, including converting e-mails into tasks, calendar items, and contacts automatically, saving time by sending “auto-emails”, cutting down on CC’s, SPAM, and junk, and using “Rules” and “Quick Steps” to automate many of your e-mail processes.
Get more from all five of the key Outlook functions: Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, E-mail, and Notes; for greater productivity, sanity, and efficiency.
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available for preview for education/training managers for companies and/or professional groups/conference managers. — Options for both “Classic” and New/Web Outlook users
Beyond Microsoft Outlook:
OneNote, OneDrive, Copilot, Planner and Microsoft Teams
Five Essential 365 Tools for Enhancing Team-Based Productivity and Collaboration
In this course by Randy Dean, MBA, “The E-mail Sanity Expert®”, you will gain critical tips and strategies on how to utilize these most-essential new 365 tools as part of your productivity and team management/collaboration suite. With OneNote, you will learn how to not only “clear your mind” by having an “anytime, anywhere” creative notepad, but you will also learn advanced strategies for making those same notes team collaboration and coordination tools, as well as tools for direct management and coordination between supervisors and staff. You will gain exposure to Microsoft Teams, and how it is not only a very effective “video meeting” tool, but also a very powerful platform for team and project management planning and coordination. You will see how Planner can make your project and team planning and delegation/coordination more efficient, effective, and organized. You’ll also learn a few tips with Copilot, Microsoft’s power new AI assistant, for e-mail, document and image creation and summaries as well as research. And with OneDrive as the “back end” you will have a unified storage system not only giving you “anywhere, anytime” access to your files, documents, and media, you can open up a slew of sharing and coordination options with your team members, clients, and vendors. We will discuss utilizing these tools in a classic computer/laptop environment, but also how to use these tools quite effectively working remotely including on smart phones and tablets. Take your productivity and collaboration to a new level with this new course!
NOTE: This program can be combined with Taming the E-mail Beast and/or Optimizing Your Microsoft Outlook for a half-day to full-day in-depth Outlook/365 workshop or series of webinars.
NOTE ALSO: If preferred, Randy can lead specific and even hands-on sessions for those using these programs. Attendees can learn tips specific to that piece of individual 365 software.
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available for preview for education/training managers for companies and/or professional groups/conference managers.
Time Management in “The Cloud” Using Gmail/Google:
Managing Your Time, Projects, People, Ideas and E-mail the Google Workspace
(This program has been growing in popularity as more organizations switch to Gmail/Google productivity tools for managing their e-mail, calendar, etc.) Similar to Randy Dean’s popular Finding an Extra Hour Every Day program and his Optimizing Your MS Outlook program, this program specifically shows how you can use the “Google Suite”: Google’s web-based, cloud-based professional productivity tools as a center point for a powerful productivity and time management system. Through the use of the Chrome browser and a couple key browser add-ons on your computer, and the right apps on your phone/tablet, you can set up your Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Google Tasks, Google Keep, Google Gemini (the new Google AI assistant), Google Drive, and Google Docs to know what you need to do and when you need to do it. Randy will show several Gmail tips for enhanced e-mail productivity, as well as how to not just use your browser to manage your day, but how this also automatically syncs with your phone and/or tablet for real-time, “anywhere” productivity. You’ll see how you can manage your time, projects, tasks, people, and e-mail using this powerful suite of Google tools, and now even learn a few new time-saving tips using Gemini, Google’s powerful new AI tool!
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available for preview for education/training managers for companies and/or professional groups/conference managers.
NEW THIS YEAR!
Google Keep, Google Drive, and Google Shortcuts:
Three Essential Productivity Tools for Google Suite Users
In this program, we’ll discuss three very powerful tools readily available to Google users – Keep, Drive, and a Chrome Browser add-on – Google Shortcuts. These tools are a wonderful supplement to those using the Google Suite for productivity, and enhance the user experience and capabilities beyond Gmail and Google Calendar. You will learn how to use Google Keep to create and share notes, checklists, and more; how Drive can be your primary cloud drive for your documents and files, how to share items and documents with Drive, and how to use the Drive app on your phone as a scanning/PDF creation device. You will also learn about Google Shortcuts – a very powerful tool for your Chrome browser that allows you to put you most-used Google apps and tools at your fingertips for quick and easy access. Take your Google usage to a new level with this program!
Managing and Leading Great Staff & Team Meetings:
Moving from Boring and Unproductive to Active and Engaged Meetings
With organizational resources tighter than ever, and staff and management busier than ever, frivolous meetings are simply not an option. Yet they continue to occur more often than ever. And too many unproductive, wasteful meetings create a major drag on staff morale and motivation, thus affecting productivity, turnover, and the “bottom line”. And, if you are the organizer or leader of unproductive meetings, it certainly does not speak well for your personal management style, effectiveness, and/or competency — you simply cannot afford to look bad when you are “on stage” in a competitive or political environment. Randy Dean, MBA, will share proven strategies and best practices for making sure your meetings are more productive, more focused, and more appreciated. Use your meetings to solve problems, address issues, take advantage of opportunities, and effectively delegate and distribute work — let them be the powerful tool they can be for building your team and your business. (And, we can even do a very fun and useful exercise on how to hold a better brainstorm meeting!)
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available for preview for education/training managers for companies and/or professional groups/conference managers.
Taming the E-mail Etiquette Beast:
Finding Sanity in Your Written E-mail Communications
Join Randy Dean, MBA, and author of the recent Amazon e-mail bestseller, Taming the E-mail Beast, as he expands beyond e-mail processing, productivity, and efficiency into the realm of e-mail etiquette. We will discuss how to make your emails get attention, actually get read, and then get acted upon. We will deconstruct a good e-mail, starting with smarter subject lines that get noticed and get opened. We will move into opening instructions that make the e-mail easy to understand and make action points, delegations, and deadlines clear and obvious. We’ll cover effective body copy that helps recipients fully understand the message. And, we’ll talk about effective closes that leave the recipient confident with next actions. AND YES, we’ll even discuss how grammar still matters (yes, it does!) We will also discuss multi-party e-mails and how to help make each person’s action items and deadlines clear, assisting with team coordination.
We will of course discuss several “problem” e-mail types — those lacking clear instructions, overusing CC’s, FYI’s, and “reply alls”, emails laden with complex or emotional content, “ping-pong” e-mails (you know — those e-mails that keep bouncing around between folks) and more. We will also talk about the right way to use e-mail for critical and/or urgent communications, and how to identify and re-use successful e-mail communications and templates to increase efficiency while simultaneously enhancing communications quality.
Note that a recent webinar replay of this program is available for preview for education/training managers for companies and/or professional groups/conference managers.
Ending the Office Clutter & Info Overload:
Key Strategies for Managing Your Info Overload, Clutter, and “Stacks & Piles”
If you would like to get control of “the beast” of information overload and all of your “stacks & piles”, you should attend this program. Learn how to reduce the mess on your desk by having “natural” places for all of your papers, project folders, items to read, etc. Develop strategies and systems for effective and efficient management of your documents and workstation, as well as electronic files. Learn how to get rid of all of the annoying “little stuff” and “clutter” once and for all, and then keep it under control for the ongoing future. We’ll even discuss the possibilities and technology required to move toward a “paperless” workspace. Have a system for managing your info overload rather than letting it manage you!
We will be announcing a new public webinar on this program soon. Check back for details.
PLEASE NOTE: Any and all of the programs can be combined into combo workshops and/or a combo webinar series. Content can also be customized for your group with enough advance notice. I’m happy to discuss options to make these programs work best for your company, group, or association. Just send me a note at randy@randalldean.com to let me know you are interested in discussing options, and we can set up a time for a brief discussion.
