Hi Heather

Your training technique, coupled with your personal work experience and natural inspiration, gave the speedwriting course great value, personally to me. Now that I have the tools, I just need to practise! practise! practise!

thnk u v m_c
 

My best wishes
Heidi

 

Heidi Tradelius-King, Executive PA to CEO, Louvre Group

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Dear Heather

Thank you very much for this.  I found your presentation very thought provoking and I’m hoping that my emails are becoming much more business-like as a result.  I thought your presentation style was very easy to listen to, engaging and it clearly showed that you were passionate about the subject.

Thank you again

Gemma

Gemma Masingiri | Supporter Development Officer

Refugee Action

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Hi Heather 

I just wanted to thank you again for the brilliant session you ran yesterday.  It was very informative and enjoyable  and everyone I spoke with said how much they enjoyed it.  I feel sure everyone will feel more confident in the future when asked to take minutes.

Regards

Ann
 

Ann Errington, Regional Co-ordinator for the North West Institute of Professional Administrators (IPA)
Executive Secretary at BAe Systems

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“I found the session incredibly helpful, it was just the right confidence and motivational boost that I was in need of! I felt really comfortable that it was a small group, which enabled me to talk in a relaxed manner and it didn’t feel like a ‘formal’ training thing. I felt that what I said was really listened to and the issues/ questions I raised were addressed until I felt satisfied. The emphasis on keeping it on personal experience was very helpful in helping me think about and address the issues or problems I had.. I definitely found your use of drawing on personal experiences and stories interesting and helpful to listen to. Your sense of humour injected that extra little bit more interest into those stories!

All in all it proved to be a very useful, motivational and confidence-boosting experience. “

Khwan Bu, PA to Chief Executive, Directors UK

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“Thank you so much for your interesting training. It really provides us an insight to how we can communicate more effectively with our bosses.”

Charine Tan, Executive Assistant to COO

Asia Capital Reinsurance Group, Singapore

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“I gained a lot of knowledge from your 2 days’ training and I am working on starting a new system at work.”

Karen, Singapore

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"It was really pleasant to discover you were also giving the seminar, which I enjoyed in all senses. Listening to your perfect pronunciation and how you managed to show us the tips for better writing and communication skills was one of the best parts of the session...... It was great meeting you, Heather,
Warmest regards x
.. PS: and thanks for your presentation !"
 Sonia Cal
PA to MCP
AstraZeneca, Spain

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“Heather was very helpful. She listened carefully to my individual concerns and provided the correct advice and training to overcome them. All my questions were answered, in fact, having anticipated a lot of them, she was very well prepared. Heather is extremely personable. I always felt comfortable with her and found her methods and comments encouraging. She is extremely professional, a good role model.”
Bespoke PA coaching for Liverpool Football Club

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“Heather has a unique quality, she not only is highly knowledgeable and technically competent, but almost more importantly she totally understands and enthuses the delegates. Great results always.”

Dave Spinks, Consultant at JDSpinks Limited

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"Heather was brilliant, she is a very knowledgeable, helpful and calming lady.
Heather is lovely, her pleasant nature and personality made the course more interesting.
The day was very well organised and managed."
Bespoke reception skills
Bev Marsh, University of Salford

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"It was a really clear, structured course. Good pace (kept to the agenda!!). Good to leave a course and feel like I can truly apply what I've learnt to my role."
Minute taking for the National Audit Office

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“Heather and I have worked together for the same clients, and she provides an excellent service. Her depth of experience and friendly personality mean she delivers a first-class product. We have worked together in the Middle East, and Heather has an understanding of cultural differences as well as her core business skills.”

Peter Foreman, Chief Executive, Traprain Consultants Limited

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“Heather is a true expert in her field with a thorough knowledge of her topics but also with a flexible approach to pitch the content appropriately to her delegates. Always delivers a valuable learning experience and would wholly recommend her as a training provider.”

 

"I had a real phobia about minute taking and was dreading today, but you've really taken away my fear. It's all fallen into place."
Minute taking
Beverley, Leeds

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"This was a genuine workshop that taught skills and you came away knowing more than when you went in. Heather was keen to assess our expertise and worked with the group accordingly. Good to see someone presenting without constant reference to notes."
"One of the best facilitators ever - quite clearly Heather had an extensive knowledge of the skills needed and she wanted to share best practice. She was keen to hear of other experiences, mixed the group up well and interacted with everyone. Everyone had a part to play and felt confident enough to ask and contribute whatever their level of expertise. Heather was very approachable."
"This was an excellent workshop which clearly met all of its objectives. The course was well planned and the subject matter presented in a clear, logical and interesting way."
"Heather had very good subject knowledge and is a very good trainer. She used a number of different teaching methods and was excellent at putting the group at ease; everyone joined in."
Committee servicing and minute taking for Leeds Metropolitan University

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“The course gave me a boost of confidence that shows I am capable of drafting letters ……Heather was extremely helpful and friendly. She knows what a PA does and requires - it was great to have a trainer who knows what we want ……. A thoroughly delightful time!”
Business writing skills for Manchester United Football Club

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"Heather was excellent - really enthusiastic and engaging. Good audience participation made it interesting."
"Very interesting approach to the material. I got a lot more out of the day than I expected."
Telephone techniques for a London bank

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I learnt such a lot from the course, I take a bit longer over everything I write now, but it is amazing the difference if you change the ‘tone’ of the message.
The staff really enjoyed working with you, and they will be receptive toward any further training you deliver, which I thought you would be pleased to know!
Business Writing for the Accommodation Team of the University of Salford

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"I'm fairly comfortable with taking minutes, but find I write a lot of notes in the meeting which probably aren't necessary. I've learnt how to condense effectively."
"Heather was very practical and helpful; understood the reality of taking minutes and not just the theory!"
Minute taking for RiverStone Management Limited

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"The trainer was excellent, a joy to be part of today's course."

"The trainer was very good and kept the day very uplifting and interesting."

"Heather was very helpful and friendly. She made everything easy to understand."
Business writing skills for London bank

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The School has seen a vast improvement of minute taking since staff attended Heather Baker's minute taking session. This has been crucial for the forthcoming audits and we are very grateful to Heather. Staff have commented that instructions and presentation were good and it was a fun session with lots of useful material.
 Sheila Furmedge
ASIS and Staff Development Manager 
University of Huddersfield

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Dear Heather,
I took your Secretaries’ Workshop at the University of Manchester in April this year and I wanted to get in touch and let you know how much I enjoyed the course and what a great effect it had on the way I viewed my job and future career planning.
 
After the course I took myself and my role much more seriously and had more determination to improve than I ever had before.  I use your ideas on visualisation, organisation and motivation every day – next to my computer I have a note saying ‘provide solutions not problems’ because I found it such a useful tip!  I was more assertive and confident, and much more keen to volunteer for jobs and challenges because I felt I could do it. Additionally, meeting the other course delegates and having a chance to swap ideas and support each other was very helpful.  Whenever I come across any of the other women through our jobs we always update each other on our progress!
 
A few months after the workshop one of my colleagues left unexpectedly, and I was asked to cover her workload. It was gratifying to know that my manager had enough faith in me to give me this task.  I then applied for the role permanently, and after my interview last week I was accepted!  So I am no longer a receptionist, but a conference administrator, which gives me more responsibility (and more money) and much more experience.
 
I am really pleased with this development, and I want you to know that the skills I learnt in your workshop had a large part to play in giving me the confidence and motivation to take on a better job. I hope all the other people who take your course have as much success with it as I have.
 
Thank you again for running such a great course.
 
Kind regards,
Hannah

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Thank you again, you were a great teacher and made us all feel good at what we were doing.
Jackie, Salford

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I would like to thank you for the Secretaries Workshop, which I have found very useful and most of all, empowering and I am employing some of your advice already.
I am also recommending it to other people.
Matthew, Manchester

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Heather Baker brings a wealth of experience of the commercial world to her training workshops. Her own career in a variety of senior secretarial roles enables her to empathise with many situations that secretaries may find themselves in and is able to offer sound advice and guidance.
She is highly professional yet remains approachable and personable.

I would recommend secretaries and PAs at any level to take the opportunity of spending some time with Heather.
 Secretary, London

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I recognise how much I have been able to develop my skills from what you have included in your workshops, and identify many ways that I have been able to improve my work ethic, career direction and my secretarial abilities through the courses you run.
PA, Manchester

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Hi Heather 
I was on your Secretaries' Workshop just before Christmas and just thought I would up date you, as some of the methods you taught have really paid off for me. 
So much so I went for an interview in January and, although I didn’t get the job, the Head was so impressed with me at interview that she invited me to meet with her to give me some career advice and guidance. This has resulted in a new and better job and also a great mentor in an influential position.  
I don’t think my interview would have gone so well if I hadn’t been able to mention using some of the techniques you taught us in the workshop.  Although I haven’t started the new job yet, I just wanted to say thank you and let you know how good your workshop was.
 Best
Robert, Manchester

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"This was the best course I have ever attended."
"I learnt a lot and will be able to put it into practice straightaway."
Speedwriting for the National Audit Office

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"Heather is very knowledgeable and, as I have said previously, it is good to have a trainer who we can relate to and fully understands the individual situations we experience having been a PA/secretary herself."
Bespoke assertiveness skills for RiverStone Management Limited

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“The subject more than met my expectations. It covered my main areas of concern and also many more that are relevant, and gave me a better understanding of my role as a whole …… Heather was extremely helpful and her experience and ability to provide examples of past situations in relation to my training was exactly what I needed. Her relaxed style of training put me at ease.”
 Bespoke PA coaching for Taylor Young

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"I enjoyed the course and found it relevant to my needs. The trainer was helpful and able to answer questions. She obviously enjoys her work and conveys her enthusiasm to delegates."
"I found the course really useful and the style/delivery very easy to follow/understand."
Bespoke minute taking for Yorkshire Television

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"I found the course very useful and geared to the industry I am in. Heather was a friendly person all round."
"I feel a lot more confident using punctuation. I found the course interesting and the trainer explained everything clearly."
Business Writing Skills for ITV Pensions

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"The trainer was very helpful - encouraged participation and also assisted discreetly in the group working, clarifying and encouraging."
"Heather was very friendly and had an ability to make people see the "other side of the coin"."
"It was very constructive."
Staff Development Day for UMIST

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"Heather was an excellent trainer - 10/10 ! I found the way she recapped sections and asked us to answer questions on what we had learned to be very helpful. Heather was patient and encouraging."
"Good fun and much needed. Trainer recognised pace."
IT training for private clients

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"Absolutely loved it - would definitely recommend to any new secretary."
"I enjoyed the whole day. It was not boring and did not drag. I found the course extremely helpful and the ideas I picked up will definitely be put into use. We seemed to talk about every aspect of the job. The content was very useful. There was a nice, friendly atmosphere in the room."
Skills for the New Secretary for various companies (open course)

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