Steve Flinders, York Associates and Ian McMaster, Business Spotlight ETAS 28 th Convention Yverdon-les-Bains Sunday, 29 January 2012 Communicating Internationally in English

Objectives of this session 1.To present the book 2.To suggest a future direction for Business English and a widening of its scope 3.To get your views and feedback

Idea for the book Origins Sub title

Objectives of the book 1.Written primarily to support intermediate level and above non-native speakers of English who are working internationally 2.Helps people to do business more effectively in English with strategic communication guidelines (not dos and don’ts) 3.Insightful and useful for business English and communication trainers of non-native speakers

Where we are The ELT 6 Presentations Meetings Telephone calls Negotiations Social situations Correspondence The dominant approach constructs ‘Business English communication’ primarily as a series of events: -differentiated stages -steps within stages -phrases to do the steps (teach language) Cultural knowledge as an add-on (focus on differences at national culture level)

6 Where we are going ‘We aim to help international business professionals to communicate clearly and with the right impact in English.’ Towards an understanding of communication as contextual: Cultural context Interpersonal context International business context Putting language in its place

Contents of the book The Basics 1. Speaking 2. Listening 3. Non-verbal skills 4. Native speakers 5. ‘Difficult people’ Face to Face Skills 6. Relationships 7. Networking 8. Trust 9. Influencing 10. Decisions 11. Conflict 12. Feedback Virtual Skills 13. s: the basics 14. s: advanced 15. Telephoning 16. Conference calls 17. Virtual teams

Listening 1.Why should we listen to other people? 2.What kind of listener are you? 3.What stops us from listening effectively? 4.How can you become a better listener? The ROI on listening effectively in the workplace Better relationships with more trust More motivated staff Higher productivity Increased creativity Improved quality More efficient information flow Fewer mistakes and lower costs Happier customers

Contents of the book The Basics 1. Speaking 2. Listening 3. Non-verbal skills 4. Native speakers 5. ‘Difficult people’ Face to Face Skills 6. Relationships 7. Networking 8. Trust 9. Influencing 10. Decisions 11. Conflict 12. Feedback Virtual Skills 13. s: the basics 14. s: advanced 15. Telephoning 16. Conference calls 17. Virtual teams

What type of decision-maker are you? 1.Directive: need to be in control 2.Analytic: more tolerant of ambiguity 3.Conceptual: information+people 4.Behavioural: prefer consensus Strategies for international meetings Adapt: to the expectations of others Blend: be flexible and mix approaches Co-create: develop a new/unique meeting culture Divide: ‘my way’ today, ‘your way’ tomorrow Enforce: tell people to do it ‘my way’

Contents of the book The Basics 1. Speaking 2. Listening 3. Non-verbal skills 4. Native speakers 5. ‘Difficult people’ Face to Face Skills 6. Relationships 7. Networking 8. Trust 9. Influencing 10. Decisions 11. Conflict 12. Feedback Virtual Skills 13. s: the basics 14. s: advanced 15. Telephoning 16. Conference calls 17. Virtual teams

From: Bill Benson To: Carole Schlautmann Subject: Jacques Sampers Carole I’ve just got back from Manchester where I had a meeting with Jacques. As Jacques’s line manager, I am becoming concerned about how much pressure you are putting him under. You know that he is seen as someone with high potential, but he seems to find working with you very demanding. I’m not sure that you understand the pressure he is under at the moment – he is managing a huge change project. Anyway, Jacques and I had a long talk today, and he is now confident that he can deliver the results you expect, although we should talk about milestones and deadlines to really make this possible. In future, I think we should communicate more openly to avoid this kind of problem coming up again. Regards Bill advanced — managing conflict

Don’t react too quickly When you judge something negatively, you are probably imposing your own values on the situation. Remember this when you feel negative emotions appearing. Start the habit of re-reading the s you receive. Read for positive intention Look for any positives, even in s that seem to attack you (or others). This allows you to respond more positively. There will always be positives if you are open enough to spot them. Think beyond the person and think about processes s that discuss problems may be a sign of organisational difficulties. Jacques is involved in two projects, which may mean that the company lacks resources. Look at the possible systemic issues behind a conflict and try not to see everything as a clash of personalities. Tips for reading s

Final thoughts Highly relevant Shift to strategic communication First step towards the future … Tried and tested