english communication for business · 2019-09-19 · in the english-speaking business world 2...

English Communication for BusinessTOM SCOTT, MBA

Content

Unit Title

1 Course Introduction: Fundamentals of Communication in the English-Speaking Business World

2 Written Communication in Global Business

3 Spoken Communication in Global Business

4 Personal Branding

Unit 2Written Communication in Global Business

Unit 2 Contents

2.1 Knowing the Receiver of a message

2.2 Main modes of written communication: letters, memos, e-mails.

2.3 Effective Messages: transmitting positive, neutral and negative messages

2.4 Citing Literature

Knowing the Receiver of a MessageUNIT 2.1

Who is your audience?

Things you can consider…

• Age

• Position / Rank

• Gender

• Nationality

• Job Type

How can you know your audience?

If you don’t know the person, then Linked-In is a good tool to find out who someone is, including their job and rank within theirorganisation.

If you have no information at all…

It’s best to remain formal and address someone in a polite way.

Personality Matters

https://discovermyprofile.com/miniIPIP/introduction.html

Main Modes of Written CommunicationUNIT 2.2

Emails: Key Message

A few minutes writing a good email will save hours of time clarifying

misunderstandings

www.conversari.com

Interpreting tone in Emails

13

Readers correctly

interpret tone

50% of the time

But readers thinkthey correctly

interpret 90% of the time

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Example: Before

Subject: Change of plans

Eduardo phoned to say he can’t make the meeting at 3.00. Miguel says he doesn’t mind making it later or even tomorrow but not before 10:30 and David’s secretary says that he won’t return from Atlanta until tomorrow afternoon. The conference room is booked tomorrow but free Thursday. It would seem that Thursday at 11 could be a good time. Can you make it?”

Example: After

Subject: Rescheduling today’s meeting for 11:00am

Can we reschedule today’s meeting for Thursday at 11:00am? This would be more convenient for Eduardo and Miguel, and would allow David to be present.

The 336 word email

1. Subject (≈ 6 words)

2. Friendly greeting

3. Lead-In

4. Intention

5. Key Message

6. Call to Action

7. Body

8. Attachment & CC

9. Closure

10. Signature>30 words

>300 words

7. Body:

Scroll300 word

MAXIMUM

21

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AqC9A3ZNWRKqgrV_z-rBPTYe7ziPYA?e=M2LeuB

The Question-Answer Structure

22

Goal

Sell my idea without making the audience work hard to understand it

How?

Anticipate their questions and answer them in logical order

1. Subject Line

What the email is about

Why it is important

What you need the reader to do about it

1. Subject Line

Examples: Meeting (or Videoconference) on Tuesday: please confirmAnalysis best practices: next stepsNew process implementation: additional requirementsX product: request for quote/proposal

2. Establish tone in greeting (groups)

Formal Informal

For close colleagues

3. Lead-ins: establishing context

General: I hope all is well with you.

Contextualized: It was a pleasure to meet you last weekThank you for speaking with me yesterdayThank you for your email/ your timely response

4. Intention: Why are you writing this mail?

–Request…

–Clarify…

–Follow-up on your request/email about…

Clear Statement of Intention

I am writing to …

The intention of this email is to…–Express my concern about…

–Share with you…

–Confirm that…

–Propose…

5. Key Message: Your “take-away”

• The deadline for this report/implementation/phase was X and we haven’t heard from you…• The project is delayed (more formal)• The report is late (less formal)• This plan/project will provide the following X benefits:• This is an opportunity I want to make sure we take advantage of…

6. Call to action: What needs to get done?

Firm but polite:• Please let me know by (day or date).• Please confirm as soon as possible.• Please let me know as soon as you can.

• Please confirm ASAP (careful, connotation is authoritative)

• Please respond with your opinion/feedback/recommendation by (day or date)

• Please call to discuss

6. Call to action: What needs to get done?

• I would like to meet to discuss/make a decision/arrive at a consensus. Please let me know when would be a good time for you. I’m available ….

• Please ensure that these new policies/procedures are implemented by (day or date).

• Please look into this issue and get back to me by (day or date).

• Please let me know if you approve of this plan/proposal/action so that I can begin the next steps.

• I expect to hear from you by (day or date). (use with care, this is strong)

7. Body:

Scroll300 word

MAXIMUM

The closure is one sentence and repeats your call to action:

Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.

Please let me know if there is any further information I can provide.

I look forward to meeting with you.

It’s a pleasure to work with you and I look forward to our next meeting/project/call/.

Thank you again for your help.

8. Closure:

9. Signature:

Regards,

Best regards,

Kind regards,

Best,

With best wishes,

Informal Formal

Take care,

Talk to you soon,

See you soon,

Be in touch,

Keep in touch,

We’ll be in touch,

See you later,

Sincerely,

Look forward to hearing

from you soon,

Emails: Protocol

• Double check that attachments are attached

• Avoid emoticons

• Attachments: PDF or original?• Protect your formatting

• Be sure the attachment is visible on mobile phone screens

• Be careful about the piracy and manipulation of information

Emails: Protocol

• BE CAREFUL WITH CAPITAL LETTERS!

• Include signature with professional contact info

• Take care to answer all mails

• Subject: change this when the subject of the mail changes

• Be careful with the email chain (erase)

Email Protocol: “CCing”

• Explain who you are CCing and why

• Bcc: Protect addresses vs. transparency

• Useful phrases:◦ I’m copying John on this email so that he is aware of…

◦ Lisa is copied on this email so that she can follow-up on the next steps.

CC:

• When the recipients need to know who is involved in the conversation

• To share email addresses among participants

• To help generate a collective conversation

BCC:

• To guarantee recipient privacy

• To avoid a group conversation thread (“Reply All”)

• Large databases or very large groups

• To give yourself a copy (you can also use CC for this)

Email Protocol: Attachments

If the complete information you are presenting is longer than 300 words, the remaining information should be included in an attached document.

Useful phrases:◦ I’m attaching the full report…

◦ Please find attached…

Strategic Email writing (TEAM)

1. Read the Network Down email case on pg. 8.

2. In your teams, write a response using the 336 word email model.

40

Pg. 8 tomscott@conversari.com

Effective Messages: Transmitting Positive, Neutral and Negative MessagesUNIT 2.3

42

Finance Engineering

$ 1 # 3

% 4.7

43

Español

EnglishA B

A B

A

B

A

B

A

B

44

From each row, choose ONE word that best describes you.

Fill in these phrases with each word:

How …….. is my communication?

How ………am I?

45

Calculating Your Results:

Add the number of:

Informal characteristics circled: ____

Formal characteristics circled: ____

Subtract the smaller number from the larger.

Example: 12 I – 8 F = 4 I

Calculating Your Results:Add the number of:

Assertive characteristics circled: ____

Receptive characteristics circled: ____

Subtract the smaller number from the larger

Example: 18 R – 2 A = 16 R

INFORMAL

FORMAL

ASSERTIVE

RECEPTIVE

20

20

10

10

101020 200

Plot your points!

The 4 basic styles

Promoter

Facilitator

Controller

Analyser

Promoter High energy Enjoyable to be around Creative imagination Initiates relationships Motivating Competitive spirit Goal oriented

Facilitator Dedicated and committed Loyal team member Good listener Patient Good at reconciling factions Dependable Cause-oriented

Controller Task accomplisher Bottom-line results Self-motivated Forward looking Fast decision-maker Initiates activities Disciplined Likes to control others

Analyzer Objective Conscientious Defines, clarifies Concerned with accuracy Gathers needed data &

information Tests data Maintains standards

INFORMAL

FORMAL

ASSERTIVE

RECEPTIVE

20

20

10

10

101020 200

PROMOTING

CONTROLLING

FACILITATING

ANALYZING ANALYZINGCONTROLLING

PROMOTING

PROMOTING

CONTROLLING ANALYZING

PROMOTING

CONTROLLING ANALYZING

FACILITATING

FACILITATINGFACILITATING

Step 11. Go to the corner of the room marked with your primary

style

2. In your corner, share what this style means to you

52

Step 21. Go to the corner of the room marked with the style that

is diagonally opposite yours

2. In your corner, discuss challenges interacting with this style

53

Step 31. New groups, with 1 representative of each style

2. Discuss strategies for overcoming the differences in styles

54

Write like your career and business depend on it — because they do!

Why it is important to write well?

• Executives are writing more than ever.

• Writing is time consuming.

• Writing needs to be more strategic, concise and persuasive than ever.

• Globalization requires simpler text that is easier to understand across cultures.

• In the digital era, written communication leaves a permanent record and can be massively distributed.

The ROI of Writing

Credibility and image: Writing positions you,your area and your organization as a leader andauthority.

Effectiveness: Writing persuades readers to act.

Productivity: Good writing practices save time.

Features of Good Business Writing

• Easy to understand

• Interesting and relevant

• Clear purpose and message

• Logical structure

• Concise with appropriate balance of detail

• Right tone and feel for audience

• Free of errors

Communication options and when to use them…

1. Strategic objective: Organization

61

2. Strategic objective: Individual

• A long-term vision of what I want to achieve

• Requires a sequence of communications

• This communication is one step toward me achieving mylong-term goal

62

2. Strategic objective: Individual

To achieve my long-term objectives, I need to (in thiscommunication):

Take advantage of the opportunity to…

Get something particular

Position myself as…

63

3. Personal agenda

Examples:

Gain confidence

Win appreciation

Protect yourself

Save face

64

SMART Objectives

65

Specific

Measurable

Actionable

Realistic

Timed

66

At the end of this explanationthe participants will be able towrite a SMART objectivefor their next important presentation

Timed

Action

Realistic

Specific

5. Official Purpose

Official Purpose ≠ Objective

The official purpose is explicit. The objective is personal

The purpose will be shared with the audience in the communication

67

6. Call to ActionCommon examples:

Attend a meeting

Apply or implement a new procedure or policy

Share information

Take corrective measures

Review, accept, or revise

Fill out a form

Give feedback

68

6. Required Action: Urgency

Benefits for the audience

Consquences for not replying or taking a required action

69

How

Anticipateaudiencequestions and answer them in a logical order

Objective

Sell my idea in waythat does notrequire my audienceto work hard to understand it

The question-answer structure

70

Strategic Email writing (Individual)

1. Read the New Offices email case on pg. 9.

2. Individually, write a response using the 336 word email model.

3. Email to:◦ tomscott@conversari.com

◦ www.mondotalento.com

◦ (About)

71

Pg. 9

Application Cover Letters

An application cover letter is a single-page document you would attach to a job application.

It’s purpose is to draw attention to your CV and invite the reader to consider your application.

What’s in a Cover Letter?

1) Introduce yourself

2) State the job you are applying for

3) Demonstrate a match between your skills and experience and those required for the job

4) Give the reader a reason to read your resume / CV.

5) Finish with a call to action (e.g. ask for an interview)

What is a CV?

What is a CV?

A brief summary of your professional identity in one or two pages.

What is a CV for?

• To establish professional credibility though form and content.

• To get an interview.

What do you think?

How long does a recruiter spend looking at your letter/CV?

2-3 minutes

30-40seconds

15–20 seconds

¿Sabías qué?

Un reclutador pasa un promedio de 15-20 segundos viendo un CV.

Readers makeimpulse

judgementsMinimum infofor maximum

impact

You need to be memorable

Focus onimpression

management

First 15-20 seconds

Today’s reality…

Keywords

¿Howfrequently are these in yourCV / coverletter?

Why a Cover Letter?

For graduate jobs, it is often the case you won’t have much experience working, thus a cover letter gives you an opportunity to let them know more about you.

A cover letter can guide the reader to see what you want them to see.

Avoid in cover letters

• Using ‘I’ too much

• Spelling mistakes

• Long wordy sentences

• Restating your whole CV

• Talking about other applications

IkegaiA balancedperspective foryour career.

A Japanese concept of “to be/ ser”

Actividad

Team Activity

Write a cover letter. Use the template as a guide.

Business Proposals / Reports

Main Types of Reports

- Sales Proposals

- Internal Project Proposals

- Progress Reports

- Final Reports

C. Progress Report

D. Final Report

Writing Reports and Proposals

Use the Active Voice

Active vs. Passive

Active: Tom kicked James

Passive: Tom was kicked by Itzel

Activity: Rewrite from Passive to Active

1) The report was handed in late by the project manager and the project was delayed.

2) We had found a number of errors in the email so it was rewritten by the expert

3) The manager will have been in the role for 12 months by then, so he will be experienced enough to make the right the decisions.

Verbs not Nouns

Activity: Rewrite

1) It is the presence of too many nouns that can lead to misunderstandings within business documents.

2) Students were to referred to the study guide in order to prepare effectively for the content that would be included in the mid-term.

3) The teacher warned the entire class group that if there was any cheating in the test that they would a disciplinary proceeding against them.

Avoid Redundancy

Style and Tone to fit the Audience

Example…

Correct and Proof

False Friends

Citing LiteratureUNIT 2.4

Help with referencing

The internet has many sources of help.

You can actually find tools that help you with the reference list. https://www.refme.com/uk/referencing-generator/harvard/

If in doubt, come and ask.

Mid-term study guide

Unit 1

Unit 2

Email Guide

Cover Letters