Helpful Hacks: Exploring Personal Productivity Tools

Businesses and organizations today are feeling increasing pressures to improve productivity, eliminate waste, and maximize efficiency.  In good times (and now in more challenging times), leaders at all levels – and employees in all roles – must increase capacity and use the technology tools we have to “work smarter,” saving time and better managing our workload.

The Performance Excellence Network — in partnership with the Wisconsin Center for Performance Excellence and the Iowa Quality Center and in cooperation with the Greater Rochester NY Quality Council — is pleased to host an online webinar discussion on Thursday, October 2: “Helpful Hacks: Exploring Personal Productivity Tools.”  The session will be facilitated by Libby Fisette of CTC Productivity, but also have an opportunity to share insights and best practices on productivity tools from attendees.

Libby will introduce six Microsoft 365 productivity/technology tools (Outlook, Whiteboard, Teams, OneNote, Planner, and Loop) and then share a scenario – a case study – that shows how these tools work together to streamline meeting planning and follow-through.  The scenario includes:

1. Scheduling meetings: Using scheduling polls and/or Copilot

2. Meeting prep and collaborative meeting agendas: Using the whiteboard feature prior to the meeting to crowdsource ideas, using the “notes” loop component for a live, editable agenda that everyone can contribute to before the meeting

3. Meeting chat and whiteboard before, during, and after the meeting

4. Meeting notes: Using OneNote (and the linked meeting feature) and/or Copilot, send post-meeting notes

5. Follow-up tasks: Adding tasks to the loop agenda create tasks in To Do and Planner – when someone completes a tasks, all place update (the loop agenda and the task itself)

6. Save the chat in a favorites section in Teams

7. Duplicate the meeting if a follow-up meeting is required

After Libby’s introduction of the tools (and a brief pause for questions and dialogue), we will head into two rounds of (optional) breakout discussions for webinar attendees to share insights, tips, and best practices related to these six tools.  We will wrap up with a quick debrief to share some of the key insights with the larger audience.

We all need to be more efficient now in managing our time and maximizing our productivity these days. Don’t miss this valuable discussion on how to improve your – and/or your team’s – productivity!

About the speaker

Libby Fisette is a seasoned Microsoft 365 business and productivity consultant with over 20 years of experience helping organizations streamline their workflows, enhance collaboration, and drive digital transformation. As a key member of the CTC Productivity team, Libby partners with clients to align M365 tools with business goals—delivering practical, people-focused solutions that improve efficiency and engagement. Her expertise spans intranet design, change management, user training, and strategic consulting, making her a trusted advisor for companies navigating the evolving digital workplace.

JOIN US FOR THIS FREE PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE NETWORK (PEN) WEBINAR

Date: Thursday, October 2

Time:  9:00 - 10:00 am (EDT)

Location:  On-line, via Zoom

Cost:  Free to GRQC members and non-members

Registration:  Click below to register.  

Can’t make it live but interested in the content?  Register anyway: all registered attendees get a link to the recording after the session!

Please direct any questions to events@grqc.org.