Effective Report Writing

Participants learn: 

• How to take notes effectively in a political/civil service setting 

• How to select, analyse, itemize, process and prioritize information and develop their individual report information storage matrix (RISM) 

• How to draft texts (e.g., conclusions, notes, summaries)  

• How to write reports, as accurate, focused and timely reporting is paramount to guarantee effective communication between front-line delegates and their back-office. 

• How to gain an appropriate situational awareness (topics and issues, institutional and political backgrounds, roles of persons involved, assessing the need for action) 

• How to convert information into a concise, encompassing, and unbiased basis for decisions to be taken by others (superiors, politicians etc.) 

• Participants will also get insights into the appropriate use of political and “diplomatic” language and will learn to avoid pitfalls when using high-context and low-context language terms. 

An important restriction and clarification 

This seminar must not be mistaken for training in journalism or media work and will not cover or discuss the use of social media in political communication. 

The training is addressed to “practitioners” 

Franz Gundacker – Senior Negotiation Consultant & Trainer, CENAD Associate 

After his studies in Innsbruck (AT) and Glasgow (UK), Franz’s professional career continued with the Federal Civil Service of Austria from 1979 to 2008, punctuated by international assignments described below. Franz spent the latter part of his civil service career “keeping ministers happy”. 

He led senior management functions at Land as well as at Federal levels and became Executive Secretary to the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES). At the Federal Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (1999-2003) Franz was Deputy Director General of EU and International Affairs. International postings: OECD, Paris (1992-1994), 1997-1999 Brussels as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Representation of Austria and chaired actively a Working Group during the Austrian Council Presidency. In 2004-2007 Franz was Senior Advisor at the ILO Sub-Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe (Budapest), covering transnational policy development projects in 11 countries in Southeastern and Eastern Europe). 

Since 2004, Franz gained extensive training experience as a CENAD Associate specialized in International & EU Negotiation as well as Report Writing seminars for the following: 

• EU Negotiations and Council Presidencies (Brussels as well as in-service/in-country for the post-Lisbon Council Presidencies of the Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Romani and Portugal), and which included Minister coaching:

• Public Administration / Civil Society / Business: DE, CH, Jordan, Kazakhstan 

• Diplomatic training: Bern, Brussels, Prague, Yerevan 

• Central bank training: Frankfurt, Riga, Copenhagen, Rome 

• U.N. and Intergovernmental Organisations: Geneva, Quito, Pretoria, Cancun, Manila 

• Academia: Geneva