Why small talk is never a waste of time in America

I used to work for a large German logistics company as an in-house Business English trainer. Every morning I walked into the building and I would greet the security guard. Many of my German colleagues did this too. Not everyone learned his name though. I began to exchange daily pleasantries, talk about the weather, the weekends and would ask about his holiday when he returned back to work. Some of my German colleagues thought this behaviour was bizarre. They were surprised when I invited him to my office to share a piece of my birthday cake.

Small talk is never ‘small’

From my side I never understood why this was seen as unusual. To me, I was fostering a relationship that would make my working life easier. I know that might sound a little “mercenary” but my intentions were good. When I would occasionally forget my company identification card at home, the security guard never gave me a hard time or made me fill out the paperwork to obtain a temporary day pass (and this, of course, was not the case for other colleagues). As an American, small talk is never ‘small.’ In fact it plays quite a big role in building business relationships. It’s important, meaningful and significant.

Why is small talk so difficult?

I know that many of my clients find making small talk in English one of the most difficult things to do. My participants have told me that they are worried about saying the wrong thing, or that they don’t have the right words. I’m learning German myself, and I fully understand these problems.

However, I’ve also had German colleagues tell me that they feel small talk is unnecessary. Some have even told me it’s a waste of time – there’s time for fun when the work is done. Culturally, I find it harder to share these views.

Americans use small talk as a business tool

Many Americans approach small talk as an invaluable use of time because it can build and create new contacts and develop stronger relationships. We often don’t realize how many decisions we make based on gut feeling. And this is why small talk is so critical in America. The small talk before the job interview, at the corporate event or in the elevator with the boss can be very powerful at making a memorable impression. The person might not remember what you said but they will remember the impression you made – how you made them feel.

Of course small talk is not the sole determiner of success in American business. You must also perform the duties of your job with high quality. However, interpersonal relationships are significant in a work culture that does not have the legal safeguards often found in Germany.

3 things to keep in mind when developing your small talk skills

 “There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation.”— James Nathan Miller

The goal of small talk is not to make an overnight connection

Think of small talk as planting a seed in the garden. Making small talk once is not enough. You need to cultivate the relationship over time.

Listen and listen more

A brilliant way to strengthen a new relationship is to truly listen to the person and learn what is important to them. Once you understand what makes them tick, small talk will be much easier. Open questions are key.

It’s not all about what you can do for me

Don’t treat small talk as a one-way street. If you’re only thinking about what you can gain from the relationship, the small talk will come across as insincere and unauthentic. Small talk is not ‘how is this person going to help me?’ Small talk is about nurturing a genuine business relationship. So consider, ‘what can I offer’ or ‘how can I help?’ Additionally, the relationship will feel more personally fulfilling when you are able to give more than you take.

If you want to know more…

Then these links might be of interest to you:

And if you have another minute, let us know what problems you face when trying to make small talk in English.

What I learned about being a trainer when I was a participant

I recently took part in a management training workshop. Aside from what I learned in the two days, it was very interesting to be a participant for once and not a trainer! As a participant, I was able to experience the training from a different perspective. Sometimes I felt a little bit nervous, especially during role plays. I hadn’t expected that. It certainly got me thinking about how I could transfer my experiences of being a participant into my training.

Encourage questions and check understanding

From time to time I didn’t understand the task that was set and I was always relieved when someone else asked the trainer to clarify what we had to do. It took a while for me to get comfortable enough to ask questions when I was confused. As a trainer, I can keep this in mind and make sure to check that everyone understands their task, or give people an extra minute to ask questions.

Power to the participants

One person in my group insisted on keeping his mobile phone turned on throughout the workshop and was constantly using it. The trainer asked a few times for him to stop using his phone but it wasn’t until I got annoyed and asked him, a fellow participant, did he understand that his behaviour was impacting other people. He then put his phone away. This was interesting for me as I would have normally thought the trainer carried the most authority in the room.

Encourage learning after the session

I was encouraged to read through my notes a few days after the workshop had finished. It only took a few minutes but it really helped me to remember what I had learned. That would be my top tip for learning. It sounds simple but actually finding the time to do it is another thing. In future I think I will make an Outlook appointment with myself, even if it is just for 15 minutes. I will encourage my participants to do the same.

Short breaks

It was tiring being a participant. What really worked for my concentration was to have multiple short breaks. Even a break of just a minute helped me gather my thoughts.

jonnyroundSend me your tips and ideas

What can the participants do to make the training a success? What does your trainer do to make the training interesting and useful for you? How important is training for you? And, do you also get nervous during role plays?

 

 

 

 

 

Sequential and Synchronic Views of Time

Originally published on 20.03.2013

“Are we on time?”

The question seems simple enough but that seemingly simple question can unlock different ways of viewing time and the commitments associated with our view of time. My experience with intercultural training has made me think about that question a bit differently.

“On time” in Ghana

It reminds me of the story about a German businessman traveling in Ghana.  He set a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart for 1 p.m. Since “on time” for the German businessman meant arriving early enough for the meeting to begin at 1 p.m., he made sure he arrived at the Ghanaian’s office 10 minutes early to account for things that could go wrong.  After his arrival, he was greeted by the secretary of his Ghanaian counterpart and told to take a seat. 1 p.m. came and went and his Ghanaian counterpart wasn’t there. 1:10 p.m. came and went, and his counterpart wasn’t there. 1:20 p.m. came and went and his counterpart still wasn’t there. At this point the German businessman asked the secretary if everything was OK. Had there been an accident preventing the arrival of his counterpart? The secretary simply smiled and said she was sure everything was OK and that the Ghanaian businessman should be along any minute now. The German businessman returned to his seat and continued to wait, becoming angrier as each moment passed. As the clock struck 1:45 p.m. the Ghanaian businessman entered his office in no particular hurry, chatted with his secretary and invited the then angry German businessman into his office.  After closing the door, the German businessman could not contain himself any long and he said, “I don’t know what kind of outfit you’re running here but we clearly said we would meet at 1:00 p.m.  According to my watch, it is now 1:55 p.m.!” The Ghanaian took a seat behind his desk and said “My good man, you have the watch but I have the time.”

Sequential v. Synchronic views of time

The story above is an illustration of two different ways of seeing time, sequentially and synchronically. According to Fons Trompenaars Seven Dimensions of Culture, cultures with a preference for a sequential approach to time tend to treat time as a commodity. Time is something to be saved, spent or wasted. Time is used to bring order and set limits, like the counsellor who says your time is up even if you are in the middle of revealing a deep insight.

On the other hand, those cultures which tend to see time synchronically see time more holistically and interconnected. Time doesn’t drive the task.  If I am meeting with my manager and the meeting goes longer than expected, I probably won’t stand up at the appointed hour and leave! If he decides it is a better use of my time to meet with him than to do the other things I planned to do, then I would shift and cancel other commitments. Synchronic cultures tend to value priorities more than a predetermined time limit. They will do what is right to do at the moment, not follow a strict schedule.

When different cultural perspectives of being “on time” clash

Typically one view can accommodate the other. I can bring a book or work with me to appointments in case someone is late or add time to the appointment in anticipation of the other being late. On the other hand, I could clear time before an important meeting, account for what could go wrong and leave in plenty of time to be there at the appointed hour.  If I’m early, so be it. Reconciliation is something different than simply tolerating and accommodating the tendencies of others. In reconciliation we can negotiate with each other to find a way that works for both of us. Being aware of our different tendencies and caring about our relationships leads to solutions beyond compromise.

For example, if I am more synchronic and you are more sequential, instead of you needing to bring a book with you to our meeting, I’ll commit to a longer time together and provide you with a meaningful activity before we meet. If we need less time, you will have saved time and if I am delayed you still can do something worthwhile and productive before we begin. No time is “wasted” and you will have my undivided attention during our meeting until our goals are met.

More Intercultural

The focus on reconciliation is why Target Training integrates Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s experience and research into our solutions.  Through reconciliation, clients will find better solutions to the intercultural  problems they face.  Target Training is a licensed supplier of  Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner’s  Intercultural Awareness Profile and Cultural Competence Online Products. Target Training provides intercultural training based on the Trompenaars’ Seven Dimension Model alone and as part of business communication skills training.

More intercultural insights…

Softening your phrases in business communication

English is much less direct than German. If you say “Ich kann nicht am Treffen teilnehmen, da ich zur Zeit beschäftigt bin”, your German colleagues will have no problems with how you communicated that information. However, using that sentence (I’m too busy to come to the meeting) with your English partner/colleague may cause problems in your business relationship. Non-native speakers often use the shortest sentence possible to pass on information. Because you’re communicating in a different language, you want to be as clear as possible and avoid ambiguity. Here are a few things you can do to soften your phrases when you are communicating in English.

Ask, don’t tell

In English, expectations often come in the form of a question. Here are some examples:

  • Would you mind helping me with this? (I really hope that you will.)
  • Could you please send me the information by Monday at the latest? (I expect to have the information by Monday.)
  • Would it be possible for you to attend the meeting next week? (We would appreciate you being there.)

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Include please and/or thank you

This sounds very simple and easy to do. You’re right. But you would also be surprised how often this is forgotten about, neglected because of time or not considered important enough to include. However, these little words really make a big impact on the message that you give the recipient. Consider the differences in the following examples:

  • The teleconference starts at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. vs. Please remember that the teleconference starts at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.
  • Leave the documents on my desk before you leave tonight. vs. Please leave the documents on my desk before you leave tonight. Thank you very much.
  • I got the report last week. vs. Thank you for sending the report last week.

Send the right message

Sometimes writing a little bit more helps the recipient understand your intent. Apart from what you would like them to do, emotions can also be communicated in a message like this. Take a look at these two examples:

Ms. Lansing,

The report you sent me last week has a few inconsistencies in it. Please check columns two and three and send me an updated version as soon as possible.

Many thanks in advance,

Gerhard

Ms. Lansing,

Thank you very much for the report that you sent last week. The information you provided will help us greatly during the next stage of the project.

We have, however, come across a few inconsistencies in the figures. Would you mind double checking columns two and three to make sure that they are correct? Please contact me as soon as possible with the results.

Best regards,

Gerhard

More communication tips and phrases

Here are a few posts from our blog that you might find interesting:

Do you use softening phrases when communicating in English? Let us know in the comments box below. We’d love to hear from you.

Leading interactive virtual meetings

What strategies can be used to make virtual meetings as effective and engaging as possible?

One of my clients recently asked me to listen in on a virtual meeting and give feedback to the chairperson of the meeting. This person wanted to make the daily meeting more interesting, interactive and motivating for the participants. Regularly scheduled meetings with topics which may or may not be completely relevant to all of the participants can lead to boredom. The temptation to multi-task and read emails, mute your microphone and tune out completely are high. Afterwards, we discussed the possibilities. Below is a summary of the ideas we came up with.

Know and use the virtual tools available to you

Do you know which tools are available to help make your meetings interactive? There are other tools you can use apart from just sharing your desktop. If you don’t know the system which your company uses very well, find out by doing some research or asking others. Or perhaps taking formal training is the most effective way to learn more about it.

Insist that participants dial in with their name or department

It is very helpful to have some way of identifying exactly who you are speaking to about a certain point. People often feel more inclined to answer or respond when they are addressed by name. Plus encouraging people is also more effective when you use their name!

VTchecklists

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Clearly identify (and stick to) the topics for the day

If possible, identify the people who need to be involved before beginning to speak. If this isn’t possible, clearly identify the topic and ask those people involved to give you some sign that they are listening.

State expectations and rules for participation in advance

Does this mean that you want people to orally respond when spoken to? Should they raise their hands using the virtual feature? Should they do nothing? Sometimes people do nothing simply because they don’t realize that you want them to respond at a given moment. Setting expectations beforehand can make participants more willing to engage.

If participants aren’t very motivated, ask yourself if the meetings are being held too frequently

Sometimes frequency leads to apathy. Are people starting to think that it isn’t important if they come or not or if they actively participate or not? Perhaps having fewer meetings might make them pay more attention and give the event a sense of importance again.

Consider having an assistant

This person could take the notes for you, prepare information, moderate chat sessions for big groups or help motivate people to respond by using pointed questions to individuals by using the chat feature. This will leave you free to concentrate on other matters.

Which strategies do you use?

There are certainly many other ideas which can be helpful for leading online meetings.  If you would like to share, feel free to use our comments area below.

 

 

Being effective in 2015 – 2 time management tips I know will make an impact

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I’m not the most structured and organized of people. Like many managers I’ve got multiple roles – some I enjoy, others are a “necessity”. At the end of last year I was, quite frankly, ready for a break. Over the holidays I walked the dogs and reflected on the causes and possible solutions – and, like many of us, I’ve resolved to make a few changes this year. Drawing on the techniques we share in some of our seminars, these are two concrete time management tips I’m going to focus on going forward, and I know from past experience that they’ll make an impact. Maybe they can support you too.

Time management tip #1 – Talk with people about how they communicate and interact with me

Identifying why I seemed to be so busy was a first step. I then split these reasons into “time sins” , “time thieves” and “time wasters”. Time sins are things I do to myself, for example getting easily distracted, poor planning etc. Time thieves are things that others do which mean I’m not as effective as I could be, for example sending me too many emails when a phone call would be more effective, not preparing for a meeting which means everyone loses time, pushing problems up to me that they can and should be dealing with themselves. Time wasters are those things that just happen and are out of my immediate control e.g. delays caused by traffic, IT issues etc.

I’ll address time sins in the tip below – but in my case time thieves are also clearly a problem. So, going forward in 2015, I’ve resolved that, as and when time thieves reappear this year, I’m going to take (or make) the opportunity to talk with my colleagues. I’ll try to understand how they see things and why they are working like this, explain how I see things and then together agree to build new routines and habits. I know that time thieves won’t just disappear by themselves unless I talk with the “thief” directly. These conversations won’t always be easy but having them is important.

Time management tip #2 – Eat my frogs

Do you ever have that feeling that you just don’t know where to start? Everyone procrastinates at some time, and Brian Tracy’s “eat that frog” technique is an approach I’ve relied upon time and time again when things are getting a little too crazy at work and I don’t know where to start. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, it goes something like this…

Your alarm goes off, and you roll over, turn it off and rub your eyes. Another day has begun and it’s time to get up and get ready to go to work. However before you get out of bed you sit up, reach across to your bedside table and pick up that big glass jar you keep next to you. You unscrew the lid, put your hand in and pull out … a frog. A living, croaking, slightly slippery frog. You then open your mouth, push the frog in, and start to chew it. Bones crunch, you resist the temptation to throw up, and then you swallow it. You then get up feeling relieved that this dreadful task is over. That was probably the worst thing that’ll happen to you all day .

Got your attention, right? Obviously this is a metaphor – eating frogs doesn’t actually help you become more effective. “Eating the frog” is a metaphor for doing the task that you’ve been avoiding, delaying or ignoring – and doing this task first thing! Most of us start work with the same comfortable routine. We get into the office, start up our computer, talk with a colleague, grab a coffee (and perhaps even read the news online) and then open and read our emails. Eating your frog means the very first thing you do when you get to work is that task you’ve been avoiding, delaying or ignoring. It could be a task that you’re nervous about tackling a task that you just don’t enjoy doing, or a task that you just don’t know where you should start. But before you open your emails, before you allow yourself the luxury of perusing the morning paper, before you even start chatting with a colleague – you do the thing you don’t want to do (for me this could typically be an administrative task). Once you’ve got your frog out of the way you’ll hopefully then spend the rest of the day being more effective, feeling more effective and focussing on other challenges.

These are 2 approaches I’m going to commit to. How about you? What tips and tricks do you have to share? How will you make sure that you are effective in 2015?

Building business relationships with the Chinese

One of the companies where I train recently opened a plant in China, so doing business with Chinese people has become a topic of great interest for a lot of the participants in my training program. Some of these participants recently had the chance to attend an intercultural training session that highlighted some of the key differences between German and Chinese business people. As this topic is also useful for me as a Business English trainer, I asked for the highlights of the training. While there were many more interesting points, these stood out the most:

Age

While this is a broad generalization, Chinese people can roughly be split into three categories: those born before 1950, those born before 1980 and those born after 1980. Most of us will likely have no business contact with older Chinese people, but the cultural distinction between those born before and after 1980 can be significant. A person born before 1980 is more likely to have traditional Chinese attitudes to certain business topics. These can include giving more respect to older people over those younger – regardless of experience, emphasizing consensus over making decisions quickly to avoid anyone “losing face”. The younger generation, however, has generally had much more exposure to other cultures – through the internet, movies and other media. This will frequently mean that they are more likely to react in the same way a young person from the US, Germany, France etc. might react.

Yes and no

Another generalization is that Chinese people “never say no” when doing business. While this obviously isn’t true, it might be helpful to keep in mind that the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’, which are very straightforward for those of us from many European backgrounds, can be used differently by our colleagues, customers or suppliers from China. Here are some quick equations:

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the other articles in our Intercultural series:

Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Let us know!

More about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

“Yes” + concrete days, times and details = yes.

Keep in mind, however, that unless you are speaking to the CEO of a company, it is likely that any important decisions will only be made after consultation with other stakeholders in the company. Pressuring someone for concrete details, promises or a definitive “yes” can put them in a difficult situation and any “promise” you force from them may well be negated by someone further up the hierarchy. Likewise an agreement that has been made without the consent of the bosses further up the line may not be considered binding as it was made without consulting them.

“Yes” + phrases like, “I’ll see what I can do,” “I’ll speak to my manager,” or “I’ll have more information for you later” = maybe.

For many cultures, including the Chinese, saying “no” can be considered impolite or an admission that you are unable to help the person asking. For this reason, a “yes” or “maybe” is often qualified with another phrase allowing the respondent to avoid making promises he can’t keep.

“Maybe”, “It’s possible” = “I don’t know” or “no”.

In some situations, it can be difficult for any of us to say “I don’t know”. This seems to show a lack of knowledge or authority on our part – and in certain types of social or business interaction, we don’t want to give that message. In Chinese culture, the situations where this happens can be different to many European cultures but the reaction is still the same. Forcing the respondent to admit they don’t know or that they don’t have the authority to make that decision will be embarrassing to them and may cause resentment which, in the long run, will be bad for you.

High context and low context communication

An example of a high context sentence might be, “Could we open the window?” An example of a low context sentence might be, “You smell bad.” Low context communication, or the “direct approach”, can make Westerners appear clumsy and unsophisticated, or even impolite to their Chinese counterparts. This can also come across in what might seem to a European or American to be a simple statement, e.g. “You have to do x”. “That’s wrong” or “You can’t do that”. When you are writing an email or speaking to a Chinese person (or any other culture for that matter), listen to the phrasing they use and word your requests, suggestions and advice in a similar way.

More intercultural

The information presented above barely scratches the surface of the cultural differences that we can be faced with when working with Chinese counterparts. However, it highlights some key things we can think about when it comes to building business relationships with the Chinese. It also, hopefully, minimizes misunderstandings.

If you are interested in learning more, take a look at these blog articles:

Brainstorming in English

Contributing ideas in English is a common problem for both native and non-native speakers of English. Brainstorming requires you to speak spontaneously and multi-task which can be both stressful and demanding – especially in a foreign language. Participants often have to listen to a lot of people speaking at the same time which can push listening and language skills to the limit. However, brainstorming also gives you a chance to solve problems, listen to new ideas and also develop your team – so don’t avoid them if you’re worried about getting stuck or your English failing you.  The following phrases look at some of the most common language you can use when brainstorming to avoid getting stuck.

Phrases for brainstorming

 Identifying objectives

  • Let’s define today’s objective.
  • Do we agree on the goal of the session?
  • So today we are…..
  • Let’s first describe our aims of the session.

 Making suggestions

  • How about we…?
  • Let’s try…
  • Why don’t we…?
  • Why not try this?

 Recording ideas

  • Let’s put that on the board.
  • Can we note that down?
  • Could we stick that idea to the wall?
  • Let’s post that on the flip chart.

Analyzing contributions

  • Let’s look more closely at…
  • Can we summarize these ideas together?
  • How about evaluating idea 1?
  • Let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of …

Using fillers (to give you more space to think)

  • I wonder…..
  • Hmmm, that’s interesting.
  • Let me think for a moment.

 More on meetings

Our blog authors have plenty to share!

We also have a number of seminars that might be of interest to you.

Helping out the non-native speakers in the room

Advice on how to improve your business communication skills is often directed at helping the non-native speakers communicate better, but what about the native speakers? What could/should they do to have a more successful outcome? Below are two considerations for native speakers preparing for meetings with mixed language ability colleagues. The examples shown below are from the observation of English native speakers, but the advice holds true for any meeting with different nationalities present.

Reformulate

It’s hard to cross-check yourself as a native speaker, especially when you are in full-flow and a strong, educated talker. It may be worth, however, trying to reword what you have just said- especially when you do catch yourself seeing some blank looks. The following expressions are taken from an actual meeting. Consider how difficult they might be to understand for a non-native English speaker. One way to evaluate this is by asking yourself: “Have I ever heard the other people in the room use this expression?” If the answer is “no”, then you should consider reformulating.

  • It’s all a bit clunky
  • We didn’t want to go there (not referring to travel, but a topic)
  • It didn’t go down very well
  • One-upmanship
  • That does seem a bit steep

Reduce excess words

English native speakers are especially good at using ‘softeners’. Softeners are words used to modify the potential force/impact of the message. For non-native speakers, the use of softeners can be ambiguous or confusing. Extracting the important information from someone’s speech is not always a simple task for a non-native English speaker. Take a look at the following example:

“We need some sort of decision probably by the end of the week”

This sentence could be interpreted as meaning, ‘I only need to think about part of the decision and I have no firm deadline to do so’. Non-native English speakers sometimes view softeners (the words in bold) as indicating that the real information they support is not that important. For a native English speaker, softeners are very hard to eradicate. On a simple level, however, you can see that softeners increase the number of words in a sentence and therefore might make comprehension of key facts trickier. This is not to say that softeners aren’t a useful tool, but factor in when it might pay to simply not use one.

More on meetings

Our blog features a number of posts on meetings.

Using the 3 dimensions of customer service in business communication

In a previous post, I talked about the 3 dimensions of customer service and how balancing the needs of your customer in each of the dimensions is a large step towards customer satisfaction. This post focuses on how you can use the 3 dimensions of customer service in your day-to-day business communication.

A quick reminder of the 3 dimensions

  • The business dimension – the reason for contacting you
  • The human dimension – the personal need of your customer (assurance, empathy, understanding)
  • The hidden dimension – everything that is going on behind the scenes

Read the full post

Focus on the person, not on the problem

Regardless of how the customer query ends up on your to-do list, and regardless of the type of query, the person most likely contacted you with a business problem. More often than not, you can tell how the customer is feeling by the tone of their voice, or the tone of their email. If you spot something in the tone of the conversation, you need to address it. You can’t ignore it.

Even if there’s nothing in the call or email that explicitly displays emotion, you should be able to address how you think the person is affected by the problem. Of course you need to solve the problem as soon as you can, but it shouldn’t be your first focus.

Here’s an example.

 

Customer query

Dear John,

When can we expect delivery of the replacement parts? Note that the order was placed almost 7 weeks ago.

Regards,

Bruno

 

John’s reply to the customer

Dear Bruno,

I understand that the delayed delivery will start causing problems for your end-client if the parts aren’t delivered soon (1). As you know, these parts are normally dispatched within 4 weeks of ordering (2).  I tracked your order. The problem lays in the manufacturing department. I have just spoken with a colleague there, and she said that the parts should be dispatched within 7 days. (3)

Leave it with me (4). I will follow up with my colleague on Monday and contact you to let you know if everything’s on schedule and when you can expect delivery of the parts (5).

My sincere apologies for the delay (6).

With regards,

John

What John did

  1. John starts the mail by saying that he understands the impact this has. (Human/business dimension)
  2. John reminds the customer how it “normally” works. (Business dimension)
  3. John tells the customer what he has done to find out about the order. (Hidden dimension)
  4. John takes responsibility for the query, assuring Bruno that someone is taking care of his problem. (Human dimension)
  5. John explains how he will follow up. (Business/hidden dimension)
  6. John apologizes for the service breakdown. (Human dimension)

 

Try it for yourself

Use the comments box at the bottom of this post to reply to this email, using all 3 dimensions:

I recently sent you a fax to cancel my contract with you. I have received no confirmation and my bank account shows that I’m still paying for your service. When I contacted your customer service department, they told me that I’d receive a confirmation within 6 weeks.

I’m still waiting.

Please let me know the status of my cancellation asap.

Thank you,

How do you measure the success of training?

More specifically, how do you measure the success of training when learners don’t have a test to pass? The goal of our training is for participants to be able to do their job better. How easily can that be measured, taking into account all of the other variables that can affect job performance?

When we look at the success of our on-the-job training, we use the Kirkpatrick Model as a guide. The Kirkpatrick model has four levels. When you measure each of the four levels, you have an overall impression of the success of the training. By looking at all four levels, it gives us the chance to make sure that what is learnt can really be implemented. Each level can individually help, but looking at all four levels together gives the real story. If you’re not familiar with the Kirkpatrick Model, here is a short summary:

Kirkpatrick’s four levels

Reaction

Are the learners/participants happy with the process?

Learning

Did the learners acquire the knowledge, skills or attitude that they were meant to learn?

Behavior

Have the learners changed the way they do something when they got back to the job?

Results

Has the training helped to achieve certain results?

An example of the four levels in practice

A group of phone operators in a help desk take English training. Following the training, they fill in a feedback form (reaction) about their satisfaction with the training. They could be tested either during or after the training to assess their new knowledge (learning). Once back on the job, they can be observed to see what they are doing differently (behavior). Finally, some sort of job-performance indicator can be used to see if the actions of the learners are having the desired effect (results), e.g. the time it takes to resolve a problem or a measure of customer satisfaction.

When looking at all four levels, we can not only measure success of the program, but we can also pinpoint potential problems. For example, if we only measure the end result and we don’t see any change, it may be possible that some other variable is responsible for the situation. Maybe the learner is learning and is satisfied with the training but is not given the opportunity to implement their new skills.

More on the Kirkpatrick model

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Keys to doing business with India

Over a period of eight years, I’ve worked in India in various multinational companies. I’ve had the opportunity to experience Work-Life-Balance of normal working class people, both in India and in Germany.  I believe that success in business ultimately boils down to understanding different cultures beyond the surface.  Doing business with different cultures can be difficult especially if you look at it in the light of your own culture.

Building a good, business friendly relationship with your Indian colleagues is one of the keys to successful business.  Indians are more relationship oriented than task oriented and tasks are completed faster, if you have the right contacts.  In this post, we’ll look at some important cultural differences.

The time factor

Being punctual is extremely important in certain cultures where “time is money”. Business in India is often relaxed; you always have time to listen to people, make time for unforeseen situations and work long hours. It is key to understand the importance time is given as it directly affects how we meet deadlines, start and end work, schedule appointments, etc.

How can you handle this cultural difference?

  • Set expectations: Always set clear deadlines – not imposed, but agreed upon by both parties.
  • Buffer time: Always have some extra time planned in case something goes wrong. Schedule a realistic deadline.
  • Follow up: Set up a meeting to get a regular update about the project. If the deadline is five days away, you may want to follow up on day three. However, if the time period is long, you may want to set up multiple meetings spread out evenly and realistically.

Saying no is a big NO

While some cultures can say “no” without much hesitation, Indian cultures find it extremely difficult to do so.

Are you looking for cultural insights?

Read the other articles in our Intercultural series:

Do you have specific questions about how to deal with international colleagues or partners? Or, have you gained cultural insights through your work in different countries? Let us know!

More about our intercultural seminars or the IAP.

 

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“No” is considered to be negative, blunt and rude. “No” means not even trying. “No” could also mean showing incapability. Very often these cultures try to sound optimistic by saying “yes” or “I’ll try” even if they are certain the answer is a “no”. Building a friendly business relationship and trust will encourage your Indian colleagues to say “no” when needed. Assure them that a “no” is really appreciated instead of a “yes” or “I’ll try” when actually the answer is ”no”. Encourage them with examples of your own when you had to say no and things turned out better as a result. This is a BIG cultural difference, bigger than you think. It will take time, but once it works, doing business will be a lot easier.

Be sensitive about the situation

Society as a collective plays a very big role in India. “We” works a lot better than “you” or “I”. People’s opinions are more important than what an individual thinks about himself. Mistakes, big or small, are seen as failure. This doesn´t mean that if you notice a mistake, you let it go or don’t breathe a word about it. It just means that you have to be sensitive while pointing out mistakes.

  • Don’t use: “You made this mistake last time.”
  • Use: “The mistake was made last time.”

Don’t focus on what’s wrong, focus on how you can correct it.

  For example

“Anup, if you remember we spoke about this software issue last time. We noticed the software wasn’t working as expected because of XYZ. We should eliminate this problem so it doesn’t happen again. Could you please make a note of it? You will be in charge of this issue, ok?”

 Vocalize appreciation

Indian culture needs to be told verbally “everything is ok/good.”  Show people you notice good work and appreciate it. Certain cultures need more motivation than others. Just a simple, “good job” or “well done” can make a big difference. Say it like you mean it. Remember your tone says more than your words.

 More tips on doing business with India

  • When you meet an Indian business partner or colleague in person, the men are usually comfortable shaking hands but some Indian women may just say hello with a nod and a smile.
  • Food is extremely important for Indians. If they are invited out to a business lunch, food similar to Indian food will be greatly appreciated; however Indians are very polite and will not complain or voice their preferences. It is also important to keep religion in mind when ordering meat. Some Indians are vegetarians and some avoid beef and pork for religious reasons.
  • If alcohol is offered in a business celebration/outing, the women usually won’t drink. The men might. Drinking alcohol isn’t very common in India, especially with people older than you or in higher positions in your company hierarchy.

Getting the tone right in your emails – part 2

In part 1 of this blog post, we looked at how the way your email sounds (the tone), can lead to unexpected and undesirable consequences. So how do you make sure the tone in your emails is right? Here are 8 practical tips that our trainers share with our clients:

Be careful with humour

Tone is everything when it comes to humour. In particular irony and sarcasm just don’t work in emails. Emoticons can be useful for clarifying your intent – but it’s best to only use them when you are being informal with people you know well.

writing emails that people read

Choose how formal you want to be

Because we send and receive so many email we tend to think that emails can be less formal than traditional letters. Keep in mind though, that the way you write can be seen by strangers and colleagues alike as a reflection of your own professionalism, intelligence, values, and attention to detail. A good guideline, shared by a manager in Luxembourg is “not as formal as a letter on paper, but still not as friendly as I would be with my colleagues or peers when I’m talking with them”

Be polite

Being polite sounds easy, right? It’s important however to keep in mind that what is seen as “polite” is highly dependent upon your cultural background. What may sound polite to one culture may be considered less so by another ( i.e. German engineers sending mails to colleagues India). Likewise a “polite” email, can be misread as being too distant, indirect ,insincere or non-committal (i.e. English managers writing to Dutch counterpart). So what can you do? Looking to find a more respectfully neutral professional tone is a good start, and if you have received mils from them, take a minute and study their approach. If you aren’t sure, my advice is that it’s better to be too polite than not enough (but then again I’m British so this is culturally biased J)

Don’t type in all caps

EVER! It’s the same as SHOUTING at someone.

Don’t overuse punctuation!!!!!!

And be cautious about using bold, underlining and color.

Be careful when using cc’s and bcc’s

People can interpret them in different ways and read meaning into who was and was not copied, and why. Proactively deal with this by simple techniques such as  @ Miguel –fyi, no need to do anything.

Think about how it all fits together

Your choice of words, sentence length, punctuation, letter case, sentence length, opening, closing and capitalization. Take a look at the mail below….

Scott –

I need the dates confirmed by 5 p.m. today.

Thank you in advance!

Martin

Does Martin feel tired, annoyed, or just fine? The truth is, we just don’t know. Much of our interpretation depends upon our previous emails with Martin, our current relationship with Martin – and how do we feel at the moment – are we tired or frustrated?

 

Now look at the same email, written differently

Hi Scott,

Could you get me the dates by 5 today? I’d like to send them on to the client before I leave.

Thanks

Martin

Most people would agree that, in comparison to the first example, Martin is feeling friendly enough here. The differences are small – but important. There’s no single difference between the two mails – it’s a combination of opening, punctuation, phrasing , content and closing.

 

Ask somebody you trust to read your email first

If you are not sure about the tone of an email you are sending, have someone else read it and give you feedback before you send it.  If no one else is available, save the email in your draft folder and come back and re-read it later.

More on emailing

You can find lots more emailing tips on our blog. There’s also our latest Ebook for you to download.

Getting the tone right in your emails – part 1

Email remains the most pervasive form of communication in the business world. Yet a recent study discovered that 64% of professionals feel that email has caused tension, confusion, or other negative consequences for them and their colleagues. Much of this tension and confusion comes from the way an email “sounds” to the reader – in other words, the tone of the email. However getting the tone right in an email is one of the hardest things to do – and if you’re writing in a foreign language it’s even harder. So what’s the problem exactly?

The biggest problem with emails

When we talk to each other, we subconsciously rely on valuable non-verbal information like facial expression, body posture, gestures, and voice tone to interpret and predict other people’s behavior. If you are communicating via email, this non-verbal information is missing. Without these important non-verbal cues, we fill in the blanks when we aren’t sure what the person sending the message intended. Strangely enough, we generally don’t fill in the blanks with positive intentions. In fact studies show that the majority of us do tend to assume negative intentions. This can lead to misunderstanding, frustration, damaged relationships, and poor business decisions.

Scary, isn’t it?


Writing emails that people read: Free eBook download

I didn’t mean it that way – 4 simple steps to minimize this

More often than not you are writing your email and hoping that the reader will understand it in the same way you meant it. If you still doubt this, just take a few moments – have you ever had a situation where the writer tells you they “didn’t mean it that way”? Have you ever thought or said this?

Accept that emails always have a “tone”

Your reader will remember the emotional tone of an email much longer and more vividly than the content. Now with this in mind…

Consider that your reader may not be in the same mood or emotional state as you

Try to think about how the reader could interpret your email. If you think there’s a chance your intentions or emotions could be misunderstood, find a less ambiguous way to phrase your words. Then rewrite any sentences which you think may be potential problems – or, even better….

Know when to pick up the phone or meet face-to-face

If an email is likely to raise emotions the don’t email. Face-to-face or at least phone contact is far better (unless you are consciously hiding behind your screen).

And finally…give the sender the benefit of the doubt

This is especially important if one of you is working in a foreign language

More on emailing

Next week we’ll look at 8 practical tips for hitting the right tone when writing your emails. In the meantime, you can find lots more emailing tips on our blog. There’s also our latest Ebook for you to download.

Linking your emails will make them more reader-friendly

Love them or hate them, emails are part of working life. We have probably all dreaded the moment we return from our holiday because we knew we were facing a mountain of emails. Or maybe we have a colleague who has a gift for writing emails that seems like coded messages – except that you don’t know the code.

When emails are not ‘stand alone’ messages

Emails often form part of longer conversations. There are ways we can help the reader, and ourselves, to ‘follow the conversation’ in an email. In this post, I’ll outline three situations where you might have to link your reader to previous conversations or information, with examples of language to use included:

  • Linking to another paragraph.
  • Linking to an attachment.
  • Linking or referring to a previous email.

writing emails that people read

Linking to another paragraph

Let’s look at each situation briefly. We’ll start with the most common. When you’re linking to another paragraph, you’re often referring the reader and reminding them of something that has already been said, usually in the same email. These simple phrases at the beginning of your sentence will alert your reader and focus their attention on a previous point.

“As I mentioned above, your shipment should arrive by the end of calendar week 23.” or

“As discussed at the beginning of this email, we will meet at 10:00”

Linking to an attachment

If you have to attach an image, a document or some other kind of file, there is a standard phrase that you see a lot: “See attached.” This is ok, but it’s not very personal or friendly. Remember, friendly does not necessarily mean informal or impolite. You can easily make it friendlier by changing up the language a little. Instead of simply “See attached” try this:

“In the attachment, you will find…” or

“For your convenience, I have attached the…..to this email.”

Linking to a previous email

Finally, you may have to link to a previous email. This can be the trickiest, because we deal with so many emails and referencing other emails can easily lead to confusion. The best way to minimize this confusion is by referring to a specific email stating the date of the email you are referring to and then make your point, especially if the conversation is ongoing and there are several emails in question.

“As I mentioned in my email from (date)….”

“Regarding my previous email, sent to you on (date)…”

More on emailing

Our emailing theme continues next week, with a two-part post about tone in emails. In the meantime, you can find lots more emailing tips on our blog. There’s also our latest Ebook for you to download.

Saying goodbye via email

Originally published on 10.02.2014

We need to say goodbye a lot. It sounds like a really easy thing to do, doesn’t it? But there are different situations in which we need to write emails for saying goodbye. Do you say the same thing to the colleague who is going on maternity leave as you do to the colleague who has just been made redundant? What about someone who is moving on to another department, or someone who has been promoted? Does how you say goodbye change according to how much you like the person? Each situation needs to be handled slightly differently and with an appropriate tone.

Email structure and phrases for saying goodbye

writing emails that people read

1.  Congratulate them (when appropriate)

  • Congratulations on…
  • Well done….
  • I hear congratulations are in order.

2.  Tell them you’ve enjoyed working with them / that you’re going to miss them

  • It’s been great / nice / a pleasure working with you.
  • We’re going to miss you around here.
  • The place won’t be the same without you.

3.  Say you hope it goes well for them

  • I’d like to wish you all the best for…
  • Good luck with…
  • I hope everything goes well with…

4.  Ask them to remain in contact

  • Keep /stay in touch.
  • You know where I am if you need anything.
  • Don’t be a stranger.

Examples of saying goodbye in business situations

Promotion

Hi John,

I just heard you got the Senior Analyst job in France. Congratulations on the new position. We’re going to miss you around here. I’ve really enjoyed working with you and wish you all the best for this new challenge. Keep in touch.

Kate

Moving to another department

Hi Luis,

I just heard you’re moving over to marketing. Well done. That sounds like an interesting move. Good luck and don’t be a stranger.

Kate

Leaving the company (not by their own choice)

Hi Rob,

I was really sorry to hear that you’ll be leaving us. It’s been great working with you and I’m certainly going to miss having you around. All the best for the future.

Take care,

Kate

Going on parental leave

Hi Lena,

It can’t be long now! I hope everything goes well for you. Send us a photo and see you when you’re back. We’re going to miss you. Enjoy your last few nights of quiet!

Lots of luck,

Kate

You can change your level of warmth by adding more information, adding words of emphasis (really, very), and by taking out some steps. By using the structure and phrases above, you can make saying goodbye less awkward. Want more help with emails or to improve your writing overall at work? Download our latest Ebook “Writing emails that people read.”

A 6 step guide to writing email apologies

Writing apologies requires tact and a careful choice of words. An apology that accepts too much blame can lead to problems in future business dealings with that client. Equally, an apology that doesn’t go far enough, or doesn’t sufficiently demonstrate your understanding of the mistake, can also lead to future problems with trust.

Before apologizing to a customer, ask yourself these questions

  • How much of the problem are you going to tell the customer?
  • Are you accepting responsibility? How much?
  • If it wasn’t your fault do you accept some responsibility anyway?
  • What is a reasonable compensation to offer for the problem? Might this set a precedent?
  • Is the problem one that is still ongoing? (And therefore can you promise it won’t happen again?)

writing emails that people read

Once you have answers in mind for these questions, how do you ago about phrasing and structuring your apology? The following acronym and phrases should help.

 

TAP CAP

 

Thank them for taking the time to contact you

  • Thank you for your recent email / call.
  • We appreciate you taking the time to write/ speak to us about….

 Apologize for the problem

  • We are extremely sorry for….
  • Please accept our apologies for…
  • Our sincerest apologies……

 Problem is briefly explained

  •  We were forced to…..
  • We regret that…..
  • This was a result of….
  • I’m afraid we were unable to…..

Compensation or a compromise is offered in some form

  • May we offer you….
  • We would like to offer you……
  • Would you like…..?             

Apology is repeated*

  • We apologize once again….
  • We assure you again that this problem has been resolved
  • We hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience….

*Don’t overdo it. Skip this stage if the problem is small.

Promise to keep standards as high as they were previously and reassure the customer

  • We will take steps to ensure that the high level of service you expect continues….
  • Thank you for your continued business during this time
  • We appreciate your understanding during this period

An example of using TAPCAP in an email

Dear Mr. Chambers,

(TA)

Thank you for your email dated April 15, 2008. We would like to formally apologize for any delays to your shipments which have occurred since the start-up of our new loading dock system in Barcelona.

(P)

Operational delays are occurring which are then being compounded by the roll-out of new delivery schedules. Customs has also had to adapt to the new situation which is currently set up only for part of the new system.

(C)

We ask you to excuse these delays. As part of attempts to help you during this period, we have asked that a hotline is set up to give you up-to-date information on any potential disruptions. If required, we will also provide an extra truck delivery per day at no further expense.

(AP)

We expect that from the upcoming week an interference free operational sequence will once again be in place. We apologize once again and promise to maintain the high level of performance you have come to expect from us in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Turner

 

Emails with effective subject lines

How many emails do you get a day? Too many, right? For good or bad, emailing surpassed telephoning as our primary method of communication in the workplace years ago. Yet today we still receive poor, confusing and ineffective emails – and worst of all we still write them too! If you want to improve the quality and impact of your emails, there’s no better place to start than at the beginning – start by writing an effective subject line.

The email subject line is where writing effective emails begins. It is often the first thing that your reader sees, and plays a key part in whether they open the email immediately, later or not at all. And it’s pretty simple to do. Here’s how …

writing emails that people read

 1) Write your subject line first

Too many of us either just hit reply, forward or even write nothing at all in the subject line. An email with a blank subject line isn’t going to get the attention it deserves, may go unread and will certainly be difficult to find later on. Obviously you’ve planned your email before you started writing, so write the subject line before you write your email.

2) Keep your subject line simple, clear and honest

An effective subject line should be simple to understand, clearly convey why you are writing, and accurately summarize the email’s contents. This helps your reader prioritize the email’s importance without having to open it. It also help you to build trust with your reader , as you’ll quickly be seen as somebody who is clear, open and reader-oriented.

3) Keep your subject line short, with key words at the beginning

A typical inbox reveals about 60-70 characters of an email’s subject line. That’s about the length of the last sentence. HOWEVER today more than 50% emails are ready on mobiles. This means you’ve got 20-30 characters to get it right. Place the most important words at the beginning!

4) Help your reader (and yourself) by using obvious keywords

Your reader, and perhaps you, manage the flood of emails via search functions, filters and folders. That’s why it’s important to include keywords related to the topic of the email that will make it searchable later.

5) Don’t cry wolf too often

Think carefully about how often you want to use words such as URGENT, NEED HELP, PRIORITY etc. If you use them too often in your subject lines, you should be prepared that when you really need to draw attention to your email, your reader won’t be interested.

6) Make sure you reread the subject line before you click send

Once again, check that your subject line accurately reflects what you wrote, that the key words are at the beginning and your subject line will be easily searchable.

A very short, practical exercise

  1. Open your inbox and look at received emails. Based on the simple guidelines above, how many of the emails in your inbox have effective subject lines?
  2. Now open your own sent mails folder. To what extent would you describe your own subject lines as effective? Can you anticipate the content of your own emails based on the subject lines you wrote? Give yourself a score out of 10.
  3. Now set up a reminder in your calendar to repeat step 2 in 14 days time.

Happy Birthday emails

What do you say when you wish a colleague a happy birthday?

In the modern business world, we have contact with a lot of people on a day-to-day basis. We all have one thing in common: birthdays! Wishing a colleague a happy birthday is a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship with them. Regardless of the company or the culture, it is nice to be wished a happy birthday.

I am sure you have had that sinking feeling when you realize that you have missed someone’s birthday. As a manager, I feel that it is important to wish my colleagues (this includes people that report to me and people I report to) a happy birthday. If I didn’t do it, I would be concerned that people would be offended and my relationships would suffer.

It is easy to wish your friends a happy birthday but how do you do it professionally to colleagues?

We don’t tend to say “congratulations” to people on their birthdays. The only time we might say it is when someone turns 18 or 100!

 writing emails that people read

Some example emails you could use:

Formal

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to wish you a happy birthday. I hope that you enjoy the day.

Many happy returns!

Kind regards,

Jonny

Informal

Hi Phil,

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to wish you a very happy birthday!

I hope you have a great day.

Take care,

Jonny

Belated (nachträglich)

Hi Phil,

I just wanted to wish you a happy belated birthday. I am sorry I didn’t contact you yesterday, I was on a business trip in Poland and didn’t have internet access or network on my phone.

Did you have a good day?

Let’s catch up soon,

Best wishes,

Jonny

 

Happy birthday to you

It makes people feel valued if you remember an important day in their lives. A simple wish as happy birthday strengthens relationships and can avoid potential offence. I have found it useful to keep a record of people’s birthdays on my Outlook calendar. That way, I don’t have to worry about forgetting.

Want to improve your emailing skills?

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