Negotiation Tips: Preparation

The motto “be prepared” might normally be associated with the Girl Guides, Scouts, and campfires, but it could just as well be adopted as a motto for a successful negotiation. Whether or not we are born negotiators, preparing ourselves for a negotiation is essential. But how do we go about preparing as simply as possible? How can we prepare if we don’t know what the other side will say, do, or want? At Target Training we tend to find it works best to divide preparation into two phases:

  1. What you do before you meet the other guy
  2. What you do when you meet the other guy

Or perhaps more elegantly, we can speak of preparation and bargaining. You may find it helpful to divide both steps into five main question areas. It may take time to work through these questions, but if you do, you are likely to find yourself in a more confident position and be prepared for any surprises.

5 Steps of preparation

1. What is your main objective?

(What do you really want to achieve?)

2. What is your alternative?

 (What options do you have if no deal is reached?)

3. What are your tradable points and their priorities?

 (In which areas can you give and take?

Which of these are most important?)

4. What are the trading limits?

 (When do you get up and leave?)

5. What if … ?

(What will the other guy say?)

5 Steps of bargaining

1. Set the scene

 (What is the framework of the negotiation?

What subjects are you going to talk about?)

2. Asking questions

 (What does the other guy want?

Why do they want it?)

3. Check comprehension

 (Are they clear what you want?

Are you clear what they want?)

4. Trading Concessions

– quid pro quo –

(What do I have that they want?

Can I exchange it for somethingthat I need?)

5. Summarize and Record

 (Are you sure that you agree on what you have agreed on?)

Why not try these steps out in preparation for your next negotiation. Tell us how it went. Would you change or add anything to the advice above?

Teleconference Tips and Phrases

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

From a business perspective, teleconferencing makes a lot of sense: with a simple set-up, a company can host a meeting with employees, customers and suppliers from around the world at very low cost. However, the flip side is that teleconferences present significant challenges to participants for several reasons. Most companies still use audio-only conferencing, which means there are no visual clues to help us understand each other. On top of that, the call quality can sometimes be very poor. We also have to consider the fact that teleconferences can involve people from many different levels of English proficiency. All of these factors make teleconferences an efficient, but sometimes stressful, way to exchange information. Here are some teleconference tips and phrases that might help you feel more comfortable during your next call.

Go to the eBook hbspt.cta.load(455190, ‘720a6967-cb73-4d07-9ce8-4b78cd7111ac’, {});

General teleconference tips

  • Get familiar with the equipment. If you are responsible for the meeting, learn how to use the teleconference equipment before the meeting. If you have technical problems,, they will be easier to solve, which will save everyone time.
  • Do a roll call. Take a moment at the beginning of the teleconference to allow everyone to identify themselves. This will let you know who is involved, but can also serve as a technical check: if someone is too loud or too soft, the problem can be addressed now. Also, make a note of the names and use them later to identify participants.
  • Have an agenda and refer to it often. An agenda is a good idea for most meetings, and teleconferences are no exception. Frequent reference to the agenda can be a good tool for making sure participants keep their attention focused on the meeting and not on their text messages or emails.

Phrases to use in teleconferences

1. Phrases for managing people:

·         Block an interruption: “Sorry Tatjana, could we let Karsten finish, please?”

·         Nominate a speaker: “Adrian in Michigan, do you have anything you’d like to add?”

·         Announce yourself: “This is Chad in Stuttgart. Could I say something?”

2. Phrases for managing technical problems:

·         Someone is not loud enough: “I’m afraid we can’t hear you very well. Can you please speak up?”

·         Technical problem on your end: “I think there’s a problem with the line. We’re looking into it now. Please give us a moment.”

·         Technical problem on the other end: “Unfortunately we can’t hear you very well. Could you check the connection on your end?”

3. Phrases for various events:

·         The next point on the agenda: “Could we please move to the next point on the agenda, production costs? John in Farmington Hills, could you tell us something about the proposed numbers, please?”

·         Someone enters the room: “One moment please, Jessica from HR has just joined us.”

·         A moment of silence: “Sorry everyone, we’re looking for the PowerPoint slides. Please give us a second.”

Using the tips and phrases above can help your teleconference run more smoothly. Do you have any ideas you could add to our list? If so, let us know in the comments section below.  Also, see how you can further improve your teleconference skills by clicking here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Asking for Feedback

Could I ask you for some feedback? Seven words which can make both the person asking and the person being asked nervous. Asking for feedback can be awkward and challenging at times, but there are a few things to help make it easier.

I recently asked a colleague of mine for some feedback following a presentation which I thought had been a bit shaky. ‘You did great’ was the reply, and the conversation moved on. Later on, when the warm glow of being told ‘well done’ had faded, I asked myself what I had actually learnt from that feedback and how would it help me improve. I realized that apart from thinking what a nice person my colleague was, I’d actually heard nothing which would help me do better next time. It then dawned on me that this was because of how I’d gone about asking for it. If I wanted to get meaningful feedback, then the way I asked for it had to be structured too.

Getting feedback from peers is one of the most useful tools we have for enhancing our performance. Peer feedback is in real time, looks at learnt skills being used in real situations, and it’s from ‘end users’. But how we go about asking for this feedback has a huge influence on how useful what we hear will be. No more ‘Do you think my presentation was OK’? type questions, what do you really want to know?

Basis steps to get the feedback you want

1. Check with your peer that they are comfortable giving you feedback. Don’t be offended if they say no, it’s not necessarily because they have nothing good to say! Not everyone is comfortable giving feedback, and those that aren’t tend to give the type of empty answers such as ‘great’ or ‘it was fine’.  A few ways to ask could be:

  • “I’m really hoping to improve my presentations skills and could use your help.  Do you mind giving me some feedback after my presentation?”
  • “Could you give me some feedback on my presentation afterwards?  It would help me a lot in improving my presentation skills.” 

2. When asking for feedback, briefly explain what you would like to cover, and why it’s important to you.

  • “It would help me a lot if you could specifically pay attention to my body language during my presentation.”
  • “Could you try and focus on how I transition from point to point during my talk?”

3. If the other person is struggling to think of something to say, ask two basic questions:

  • “What did I do best?” 
  • “Is there something I can improve?” 

4. Don’t be afraid to dig deeper. For example, I was told that I had lost the audience in a presentation. By asking where I had lost them, why did they feel this had happened and did they have any suggestions for what I could do differently, I was able to think of ways to prevent this happening in my next presentation.

                                   

Since following these steps, I’ve found feedback far more useful and an increase in respect from both sides. There have only been a couple of times that I’ve winced at something somebody has said, but what they said was true. Ultimately, audiences at future presentations have benefited. So, take a big breath, smile and ask the question – could I ask you for some feedback?


 

 

HR Topic: Human Resource Health Insurance Questions

Working in HR and answering human resource health insurance questions can often be difficult, especially when you are dealing with people’s personal lives and their impact on work.  This definitely is the case when it comes to dealing with health insurance. Below are some common human resource health insurance questions in English.  The answers may be dependent on your company regulations, but a lot of these are also subject to German laws. It may be a good idea to practice by taking the questions in turns with one person being the employee and one the HR consultant.  This could help your department be better prepared and avoid any difficult situations that may arise.

Commonly asked human resource health insurance questions by employees

  • How long will the statutory health insurance cover you after the 6 weeks covered by the employer for an accident at work?
  • How can I get hold of a European Health Insurance Card? Can I get one just by working in Germany?
  • What are my health insurance entitlements if I am an intern / on secondment here?
  • If statutory health insurance covers all of these things then do I need private health insurance as well? What extra benefits does it bring?
  • How can I find out how much contribution is made to statutory health insurance?
  • If I already have private international health insurance coverage, can I opt out of the German statutory one?
  • Which private health insurance company should I choose? Does DP DHL have any recommendations/ deals with any of them?
  • Does joining a gym count as a preventative measure and is therefore covered by my statutory health insurance?

 

Let us know if you can think of any other health insurance questions that have come up, or suggestions on answers, in the comments area below.

Writing clear emails: Asking somebody to do something

How many of your emails are asking somebody to do something?  And do you spend too much time thinking about exactly what to write and how to structure your email?  Then read on and learn how to save time while writing clear emails.
So many of the emails we write are for a handful of simple reasons, and by relying on a model you can avoid wasting time thinking how to start, what to write and how to structure your email.  A classic example of a common email is writing to somebody because we want them to do something for us.  In this situation the RAP model is great.

RAP stands for:

  • Reference – Introduce why you are writing.
  • Action – Tell them what you need them to do.
  • Polite close – Thank them and say goodbye.

Here’s a simple example

Dear Mr. Breuer,

I am writing to you about our meeting on Thursday. (Reference). Please could you send me the latest version of the agenda before the end of the day? (Action)

Thanks in advance for your help. (Polite Close)

Best regards

Scott

Writing emails that people read: Free eBook downloadAnd if you want to ask somebody to do something, explaining the reason why always makes the email even more effective.

Dear Mr. Breuer

I am writing to you about our meeting on Thursday. (Reference). Please could you send me the latest version of the agenda before the end of the day? This will help us to make sure everything is prepared in advance.(Action)

Thanks in advance for your help. (Polite Close)

Best regards

Scott

10 helpful phrases to get you started with your first RAP email

Reference

  • With reference to…
  • Referring to…
  • I am writing to…
  • I am writing in response to…
  • In response to your inquiry…

Polite Close

  • Thank you for your assistance.
  • Thank you in advance for your help.
  • I look forward to hearing from you soon.
  • Please let me know if you have any questions.
  • Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information.

 

Why not practice below, and we’ll give you some feedback?

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you’re looking for phrases, tips and tricks and useful downloads related to this topic, start here. In a range of topics, here are some more links for you:

 

Features or Benefits: What’s the Difference?

Do you ever have to talk to customers about your products or services? Do you focus on the features or benefits?  I often see presentations or sales pitches where the speaker talks about the features of their product. This sounds fine until you think about what features really are.

Features are what define your product. Features are what your product has or does. But, talking about features means that we are talking in the language of the producer, the developer or the deliverer of the product.

We need to talk in the language of the customer or client.

Feature or Benefit?

A customer or client is interested in the benefits of the product or the service.  Benefits are what will help the customer improve his or her business.

One way to make sure that we do this is to prepare. Before you visit a customer, write down the features of the product or service – if you know your product, you know the features. Now, next to every feature, write down the benefit to the customer that comes from that feature.

Example in action:

Feature = quad-core processor

Benefit = your computer reacts quicker

If you cannot think of a customer benefit of the feature, ask yourself whether you need to tell the customer about that feature.

Once you have your feature and your benefit clarified, decide how you will deliver that message. This is a good structure to use:

The (product or service) gives you (benefit to the customer) because of (feature of your product or service).

Possible statement to use:

Our x65 PC lets you run 3D simulations thanks to the quad-core processor.

As you can see in the example, the x65 PC has a quad-core processor. This is our industry jargon though (the feature). What the customer cares about is 3D simulations (the benefit).

So remember, before you talk to the customer, think about the benefit that your feature brings. If you can not think of a benefit, why do you need to tell the customer about the feature?  Let us know of any other tips, in the comments area below, that have worked for you when presenting your product or service to your customer.  Also, take a look at our seminar on selling across cultures for more information.

 

 

Out of Office Message: Quick Tips 1

During a recent holiday period, I saw a lot of English out of office replies from non-native speakers. What intrigues me is the fact that no two are the same. There is nothing wrong with this. After all, why should we all be identical? But really, how many ways of saying the same thing are there? In English, it would seem, there are fewer ways of putting our out of office reply together than there might be in other languages. So, here are some guidelines and some phrases to help you with your out of office message:

What might you want the reply to do?

  • Thank / apologize
  • Provide dates when you are not here / when you will be back
  • State who is standing in (covering) for you (plus contact information)
  • Say whether the mail will (or will not) be automatically forwarded to this stand-in (cover)
  • Say whether you will have access to your e-mails?
  • Say you’ll get in touch when you return

I feel that the message should do most of the functions here, but you may want to add to the list or dispute whether some of the information is really necessary.

For each of the functions above, here are a selection of phrases for you to choose from. Then ideally, all you should have to do is fill in the gaps with the relevant information.



Writing emails that people read: Free eBook download
Thank / apologize

  • Thank you for your e-mail.
  • Unfortunately, I am out of the office …….
  • I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Dates when you are not here / when you will be back

  • I am currently out of the office. I will be back on May 7th, 2013.
  • I am currently on vacation / holiday and will be returning on May 7th, 2013.

Who is standing in for you (plus contact information)

  • In urgent cases, please contact Mr. ……….. on +49 711 811 4321
  • In urgent cases, please contact me on my mobile +49 173456789
  • Mr. Smith (Bob.Smith@XYZ.de) will be standing in for me.  He can be contacted on +49 711 811 4321
  • For matters relating to ………., please contact Mr. Smith….. For all other matters, please contact Mr. Jones on…..
  • If you have additional questions in the meantime please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Jones on ….

Will (or won’t) the mail be automatically forwarded to this stand-in

  • Your e-mails will not be automatically forwarded.
  • Your e-mails will be automatically forwarded to Mr. Smith.

Will you have access to your e-mails?

  • I will have occasional access to my e-mails during this time.
  • I will not have access to my e-mails during this time.

Say you’ll get in touch when you return

  • I will contact you when I return.
  • I will reply to your e-mails when I return to the office.

The phrases above can be used in any order you feel is appropriate.

An example:

  • Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, I am not currently in the office. I will though be back on May 7th and will be able to respond when I return. In urgent cases, please contact Ms Cheng.

 

Why not review your out of office reply? If you post it in the comments box below, we’ll get back to you with feedback.

 

Informational Interviews: Questions to Ask

Have you ever had a dream job or a job you really wanted, but didn’t know how to get started in looking for it?  An informational (or information) interview is when someone looking for a job meets with someone else in their target company or industry and asks for career or industry advice, but not directly for a job. An informational interview can be very helpful from both an information and networking perspective.  It’s a great way to get some helpful information and, at the same time, is a chance for the other person to feel like an “expert”.  Even though it should be a somewhat informal meeting, you should come prepared with some relevant questions.  Here are some suggestions to ask the person you meet:

Individual’s experience/current job

  • What would you say are the best steps to take in this career path?
  • What interested you most about this industry and your company?
  • What would you do differently if you were starting over today?
  • What do you see as possible next steps for you? What career expectations do you have in the short and long term?
  • What are you most excited or concerned about regarding this industry/company/career path in the future?
  • What would you do if you were looking for a job tomorrow?
  • What are your main responsibilities?
  • What do you do in a typical day or week? How much time are you in meetings, on telecons, traveling, etc.?

Their company and industry

  • What would you do differently if you were in charge of your company?
  • What do you see as the biggest competitive challenge for your company?
  • What have been your biggest surprises in this area of work?
  • What are the common misconceptions about working in this field?
  • What motivates you to continue on in this company/industry?
  • What worries you about this company/industry?
  • What challenges are there regarding hiring practices in this company/industry?
  • Can you recommend others I can talk to about this field?

 Skills needed

  • What skills have been most critical to your success?
  • What weaknesses in a person’s skill set would make him or her struggle in this company/industry?
  • What are the most valuable skills in your job? Which experiences enabled you to develop these skills?
  • How do you keep your skills current?  What type of training seminars do you attend?  What do you read?  What professional associations do you belong to?

Informational interviews can be a great tool in helping you plan your next career move, and establish a clear and focused career path.  Make sure to check out Target Training’s seminar on interviews as well.  What other good questions or tips have worked well for you?  Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Networking Successfully: 5 Quick Tips

I know enough people at my company.  I have enough friends.  I’m not comfortable speaking and reaching out to people I don’t know.  I’m not a salesperson.  The list of excuses on why not to engage in professional networking can go on and on.  As undesirable as it can seem, networking successfully can lead to improved performance in your current job, as well as opportunities for future career development.

5 quick tips on making networking easy

Network with a purpose

Set a specific goal (improving inter-department relationships, growing sales in the logistics industry, discovering opportunities to work abroad in your company, etc).  The more focused your networking is, the faster the desired results will be.

Share useful information

It is always easier to reach out to someone when you know you have something they can use.  Think of something that has helped you in your job (a process, document, tip, etc) and pass it along.  If you help someone first, they are more willing to help you when you may need it in the future.

Use the other person’s ego

You don’t want to contact someone and ask them for a job.  Instead, contact them and ask for an informational interview if you are looking for a job.  Tell them you have some questions that you feel their experience will help answer.  You will get some insight and a good networking contact, and they get to feel like an expert and helpful.  It’s a win-win situation.

Follow up

If you say you are going to send something, send it.  If you say you are going to check on something, do it.  Following up on what you say you will do shows respect and professionalism, and helps build trust with the contact.  Also, make sure to follow up regularly with contacts even when you don’t need something as there will be a time when you will; and no one likes that friend who only calls when they need something.

Use good etiquette

The same skills you have used to become a successful professional are the ones you will use to build and maintain a good network of contacts.  Here are some good reminders on what to do/not to do when networking online and face-to-face.

There are many other ideas on networking successfully.  Check out Target Training’s seminar on networking for professionals here.  Tell us in the comments area below what have you done to build your network.

 

Intercultural Training: Sequential and Synchronic Views of Time

The question seems simple enough—“Are we on time?” 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, and look at, 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.”
eBook: The definitive checklist for qualifying training providers

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 counselor 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.

What can we do 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.

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.

 

Target Talks: Sebastian Turnbull on the importance of training and international business communication

Target Talks is a series of interviews with key Target Training GmbH employees, designed to put them on the spot about a topic that really matters to all of us: the importance of training.  This week, we talk to Sebastian Turnbull, Training Materials Specialist.

Before we get down to talking about your views on the importance of training, tell us a little about yourself (experience and qualifications).

ST: Well, when I was studying at University, I didn’t know that languages would play such an important part in my life, but then I did my Teaching Certificate and became fascinated by how people learn.  I also saw that training can make a real difference in people’s lives.  After that, I worked a further 2 years in London, studied for my Postgraduate Diploma and then went to France to teach Business English; it was there that I became uncertain about the security of the language teaching profession and, due to a general lack of opportunities, I returned to the UK and retrained as a lawyer.  It soon became clear to me, though, that my heart was still in language training and, on applying to Target, I found a company that offered me the professional environment and career opportunities I was looking for.

Why is language and communications training still so important for managers and employees in the business world today?

ST: Communication is extremely important in all areas, and people just don’t think about it often enough on an everyday level.  We don’t always listen well; we are not always understood in the way we want to be understood and in a way that gets results.  And this is in our native language!  International business communication is doubly important and doubly difficult in an multinational, multilingual workplace; people have to set aside time to reflect on how they communicate and how they can make it more effective.

How is this reflected in the training materials you author and develop?

ST: A lot depends on the language level. Obviously, the lower language level materials focus more on the nuts and bolts of the language and, as your level goes up, the why and how of communicating gets increasingly important.  Even at a basic level, though, including activities for participants on, for example, how to structure a telephone call is vital in helping them to get their message across.

Tell us about a current materials-development project that you’re involved in.

ST: I am currently working on an epic project: modularizing Target’s language and international business communications skills seminars!  The idea behind it is to pool Target’s extensive know-how and make it directly available to our clients and staff.  I am working on a series of Target seminars at all levels across many topics (e.g. Working with Virtual Teams, Presenting, Negotiating and Meetings) which will be available on a ‘Plug ‘n’ Play’ basis or used as a base from which to tailor client-specific training.

How has your legal background helped your training?

ST: I have a lot of experience in courtroom work, and that has given me a valuable insight into how people communicate and how that communication can affect outcomes.  My legal experience has also proved extremely valuable in language training for particular specialist areas (e.g. banking, accounting, HR and obviously legal).

Many thanks to Sebastian for taking part in our Target Talks series.  Now, over to our readers: which questions do you have for Target Training about training?

 

Collaborative translation: translation into English with the trainer

How do you deal with translation now?

Most of my participants have been in a situation in which they’ve prepared a document, presentation, blog post, email etc. in their own language, and then it needs translation into English. Does that sound familiar? Most would  probably agree that this can take ages, and can be a thoroughly frustrating experience – however  hard you try, and however good your English is, it’s difficult, on your own, to get the same tone, style, meaning, specialized vocabulary across.

Of course, you could also send it to a translation company, and the work that comes back is usually very good, but it’s just not quite right – it’s not yours and there are things that just weren’t quite right. The problem is that usually the translator is remote and they are sent a text which they may know something about, but not as much as you, to translate – and they usually can’t consult you. This means that you then have to spend more time revising the text.

What don’t we do?

Working as InCorporate Trainers and being based in a wide variety of departments across a number of multi-nationals, it became clear to us that this is a universal problem. Participants tend to want the quick solution and might send us a text in German saying they need it back in English by the end of the day. We don’t do this. Simply, this would put us back in the role of the translator, possibly knowing a little more, as we are based in the department. In the long-run though, who would it help?

What is our solution?

What we do is to train the participant and the department to plan us into their process – there are steps involved in writing a document or putting a presentation together. We become one of those steps.

One of our trainers sets aside an appropriate amount of time with the participant(s) and we work through the text together. One of my clients, for example, needs to put together a newsletter each quarter.  We look at the German text and together decide how to translate it. This involves a great deal of discussion, which sometimes even results in the rewriting of the German text as they realize that something could have been phrased better. As an example, for two sides of A4 this usually takes around three hours – but it is so worth it. The participants have ownership over the piece, they are ALL happy with it both in German and English – and the trainer usually ends up with material based on language points that came up for several training sessions. A win/win situation.

What kind of things can we help with?

To name but a few: manuals, style guides, brochures, flyers, presentation slides, handbooks, instruction sheets, blog posts, social media profiles, speeches – the list goes on…

How can we help you?

You can book sessions with us if you know that you have something important to deliver in English and you want to be completely happy with the wording – but you need to be prepared to dedicate some time, and to accept that this kind of translation depends on you and the trainer working as a team.  Let us know of anything that we can help you with below!

 

Intercultural Training: Universalism, Particularism and the Road to Kumasi

Even with all my experience traveling and leading intercultural training, I still come across some situations that surprise me a bit.  On my first trip to Ghana I hired a driver to take me from Accra to Kumasi.  I met the driver in the morning and before we got underway he said we needed to go to the market.  I wasn’t in much of a hurry so I agreed.  When we arrived he asked for 10,000 Cedis (about a $1.50 US at the time) to pick up supplies.  He quickly purchased a bunch of bananas, some paper products and a few small items and off we went.  I wondered why but didn’t really think much about it.

The mystery was solved when we arrived at our first police check point.  When we arrived, the driver stopped the car, got the large bunch of bananas out of the back and disappeared in the police officer’s hut.  He came out a few minutes later with a grin and off we went.  It was the same procedure when we arrived at the next check point and the next.  The driver got a “gift” out of the back of the car, presented to the police officer in private and off we went.

Universalism v. Particularism

Fons Trompenaars, wrote about this in his universalism/particularism dilemma. Fons is an internationally recognized intercultural communications expert, leader of Trompenaars Hampden-Turner and developer of the seven cultural dilemmas model.  In universalism, the rules of a group outweigh the interests of individuals in the group. That includes rules against police officers accepting “gifts” in exchange for permission to pass a check point.  In particularism, the individual circumstances can be more important than the rules of the group.  So for a poorly paid police officer to request assistance from a relatively rich foreigner to supplement his income is a logical and acceptable thing to do.

Role in International Business

The universalism v. particularism dilemma plays a powerful role in international business.  The concept of corruption can sometimes be seen as a universalist judgment of particularistic behavior. On the other hand, Universalist rule followers can be labeled as inhumane, inflexible bureaucrats who value following rules more than the consequences people endure.  This can be seen in the Universalist West in the primacy of the contract over long-term personal relationships. The handshake contract can still be valuable in other more Particularist parts of the world where an extensive and deep personal relationship provides security for the deal rather than a set of laws and a court system.

The culturally competent Ghanaian driver knew two things quite clearly: Americans tended to tolerate but dislike what we saw as “bribes” to the police. Some of the Ghanaian police at the check points felt within their right to request what for the average American tourist was a trivial amount of money to facilitate our onward journey, similar to paying a toll.  The driver built relationships with the police along the way of his often traveled road.  He found out what the police officers needed in their remote outposts and delivered it to them in exchange for not having to pass on to his passengers the request for money from the police. He integrated the needs of the police with the rules by not putting them in a position to break them. It felt better for me to buy a bunch of bananas in advance of the trip than to be forced to hand over cash at a check point. Besides, he gave me a great example of reconciliation in action.

 

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.

 

Target Talks: Chris Slattery on the importance of staff, intercultural and soft skill training

Target Talks is a series of interviews with key Target Training GmbH employees, designed to put them on the spot about some topics that really matter to all of us: staff, intercultural, and soft skill training. This week, we talk to Chris Slattery, one of the company’s directors.

As the Managing Director of a training company, how important is training when it comes to your own employees?

CS: The phrase ‘never buy hair restorer from a bald salesman’ springs to mind.

We are obliged to take training seriously for any number of reasons but, most importantly, when training makes our staff stronger, we move up a notch as a company.

Our challenge is to make sure that we promote internal training to ensure that the company as a whole benefits from external measures taken by individuals.

You recently led a seminar for an international bank which included intercultural elements.  The world is now so global: how is intercultural training still relevant?

CS: Without wanting to encroach unduly on the abstract arts of the Zen Buddhists, I would suggest that the intercultural aspect is everything… and nothing.

“Nothing” in the sense that the theoretical study of regional differences (e.g. be sure to wear white socks on a first date in Ballybunnion), while possibly of some passing interest, is not necessarily conducive to effective communication.

“Everything” in the sense that communication – which is our business – is founded on shared understanding. Beyond a rudimentary level of language proficiency, working out what is meant becomes more important than the words that are used and what is actually said.

You might see this, for example, when Brits and Americans work together; the former tend to give you the background of a situation before moving on to the problem. The latter tend to prefer a bottom-line-up-front approach (This is what we have to do, and here is why). Intercultural awareness is relevant and useful in helping people to understand how their partners tick.

Tell us about Trompenaars.  Who is he, what does he stand for and why did you put your key staff through certification  in his approach?

CS: Fons (as he is known to his friends) is impressive. Profound knowledge, worn lightly and with a touch of self-deprecation. The Dutch have massively influenced the study of cross-cultural questions for two decades and have developed two very distinct approaches. It is to Fon’s approach that I am drawn.  His work introduces the concept of dilemmas which every society is confronted with  (for example, do we see events as individual and isolated or do we approach them within the context of a larger picture? How do we balance the rights of the individual against the interests of a wider society?). How a society deals with these dilemmas is the essence of that society’s culture.

As to why we signed up for the program, there are two distinct levels; as a company we now have the tools and the certification to run another series of specialist workshops. More importantly, the concepts behind the program are now available to the whole company and will supplement (dare I say enrich?) the courses we are already running.

How do you personally best learn new soft skills?

CS: Running a train-the-trainer programme recently, I found myself chanting a mantra; it is not what you know, but what you do. This was usually followed by; telling is not training.

In this sense, I don’t see a huge difference between soft skills and any other kind; time management and influencing are not so different from playing the piano and passing a rugby ball. Basically I should know why I’m doing it.

I should know/see/be told/experience how it is done.

I should try it.

I should get feedback on how it went.

I should try it again.

When I learn, it is no different.

Personally, I need time to comprehend and digest ideas. Thereafter, the learning can start.

Many thanks, Chris, for taking part in our Target Talks series.  Now, over to our readers: which questions do you have for Target Training GmbH about training?

 

 

Intercultural Training: Individualism, Communitarianism and the Toilet Brush

Living and working in an intercultural world and leading intercultural training means I have the chance to notice differences. One of the things I’ve noticed in traveling between Germany and the US may strike you as odd but I think it helps make a point.  When I visit the public WC in a German airport I notice that each stall has a toilet brush but in the US airports I’ve visited, there isn’t one.  Why is that?  Fons Trompenaars’ cultural dilemma concepts of Individualism and Communitarianism from his Seven Dimensions of Culture may shed some light on the subject.

In the business world

In business, a cultural tendency toward individualism means that the community exists to serve the needs of the individuals in it.  If a community or group no longer serves the needs of an individual, it is more than understandable for an individual to leave and find a new group that will.

A cultural tendency toward communitarianism is the opposite.  Communitarianism holds that the needs of the individual are not as important as the needs of the group.  Individuals are expected to sacrifice on behalf of the well being of the group.  The amount of sacrifice expected varies from culture to culture.

As with each of Trompenaars’ seven dimensions, we are talking about the relative value tendencies of groups, not behavior differences of individuals. Naturally, there are people in more communitarian cultures who value individualism and vice-versa. But what does this have to do with toilet brushes in airport WC stalls?

The toilet brush

My sense is the toilet brushes in German public WC stalls come from two things, low water toilets and the feeling of responsibility to the “next guy”.  A small expectation to clean could be based on the need to conserve water for the society and that the next guy has a right to expect a clean toilet bowl before use.  I know it’s not much of an inconvenience to take a few seconds to clean a toilet bowl in a public WC, yet in the airports I’ve visited in the US, I’m not expect to do it at all, hence no toilet brush.

Comparatively, the US culture tends to value individualism far more than the German culture though both cultures value individualism compared to the world average.   But what’s the “So what?” to it all.  If I need to influence someone from a more individualistic culture I may begin by noting the personal benefits and advantages of the new behavior or idea I bring up.  If, on the other hand, I need to influence someone from a more communitarian culture, it would make sense to begin with the benefits of the new behavior or idea to the group.  In a business with both cultural tendencies present, it may make sense to design policies and communication that appeal to both tendencies.

Reconciling the differences offers businesses a chance to turn working across cultures into a corporate advantage rather than a cost of doing business.  Please share your experiences on the topic in the comments area below.

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.

 

Presenting in English – effective introductions for beginners

Presenting in English – does it make you nervous?  Does the idea of speaking in front of people make your mouth go dry? Well keep reading …

If you are nervous about presenting in English, making an effective introduction is especially important.  An effective introduction will help your audience know what to expect and it will help you feel confident.  Once you’ve started well it is easier to keep going – and don’t forget that your audience is there to listen to what you have to say and not your English!

Effective introductions for beginners – the 3 Ps

A colleague shared this simple technique with me, and it always works. When you are presenting in English (or in any language) your introduction needs to answer three questions:

1.  Why are you standing there presenting? What is the purpose of your presentation?

2.  What are the steps in your presentation? What is the process you will follow?

3.  Why should your audience listen to you?  What is their payoff?

It doesn’t matter if you are introducing your team, presenting a process or giving an update on a project – the structure is the same. The 3Ps help you remember this structure, and if it helps you when you are nervous, why not use the three keywords?

Presenting in English – an example of the 3Ps in action

“Good afternoon and thank you for coming.  The purpose of my presentation today is to update you on the factory acceptance test.  The process I will follow is to first review the agreed schedule, then talk about the tools we are using and finally we will look at two problems we have found and how we will solve them.  This will take me 10 minutes. Why should you listen?  Well, your payoff is that you will be confident that we can complete the FAT on schedule and that everything is under control.”

If you follow this structure your introduction will be simple, clear and effective.  Most importantly you can concentrate on what you want to say, and stop worrying about the English.

Good luck, and why not let me know how it works for you?

 

Coaching Presentations: Presenting to Upper Management

Sometimes coaching presentations take on a bit more importance when the topic is tied to the board of management somehow. This creates an even greater need to ensure that the language is clear, concise, and professional. That’s where I was able to help out.

With the growing possibility that a quota system will be introduced to ensure there is a fixed percentage of women in all European companies working at executive level, DP DHL is taking its own initiative. A group-wide survey was carried out to see the impact of culture, local working practice and national laws on aiding, or preventing, women reaching higher positions of responsibility.

With feedback gathered from surveys and focus groups, the responsibility for keeping the Group’s board members informed of the developing situation falls to the HR division’s department of Corporate Culture. With an international board looking for signs of real progress, the task to present feedback and next steps with the required specificity is a significant challenge.  Extensive topic knowledge and excellent English skills provide a great foundation, but in order to gain the extra edge the department leader of Corporate Culture enlisted my help.

Preparing to perform

After a short but thorough briefing on the current status of the project, I was able to form a clear picture of what the next update presentation needed to accomplish. The following step involved me listening to each section being described and using the advantageous position of ‘outsider’ to cross-check what was not immediately clear. This technique helped me mirror the reactions of board members who may not to be familiar with the finer details of the Women in Leadership initiative. Through frequent questioning and by repeating the section with more clarity each time, Frau Muehlbach became more at ease with the information and was able to hone the essential message for greater audience impact.

Tailoring a language toolbox

With the key messages from each section now being clear and concise, the groundwork was set for giving the presentation greater bite. This process involved Frau Muehlbach and me brainstorming key phrases to be used to introduce and conclude each section of the presentation. Having established two or three options to choose from, Frau Muehlbach tried out each one within its surrounding context, while I played audience to determine which words carried the most effect.

Honing delivery style

With each section of the presentation having clear information, and the linking language now holding the attention of the listeners, it was time to analyze the presentation when delivered as a whole. Through several practice runs, I was able to highlight where Frau Muehlbach should increase pace, think about a dramatic pause or correct a word that was being mispronounced.

Seeing change in the boardroom

Using this technique, Frau Muehlbach has been able to make several successful Board and international conference presentations on the status of the Women in Leadership initiative. With each success comes more confidence which, in turn, breeds further success. This is a key example in transferring knowledge to the workplace.  Who knows, maybe the effect of the latest presentation was behind the Board’s recent decision to appoint DP DHL’s first female board member!

Intercultural Challenges Q and A

Sometimes we are faced with difficult intercultural challenges at the workplace or in our personal lives.  Here is a good example of a common question asked within the intercultural arena:

Q:

Why do Americans have such short attention spans? When Americans ask questions and I begin to answer with the necessary context they need to understand my point, the Americans “turn-off” or change the subject.  I find it quite rude, but I guess that’s just how Americans are.

– A French Executive working for a German Multinational Company

A:

In the example above, one potential cultural explanation is based on Trompenaars’ Dilemma of Specific v. Diffuse.  Specific cultures tend to be to-the-point, singular in focus, and “efficient.” Diffuse cultures tend to value context, inter-relationships, and aesthetics.   Americans tend to be more “specific” culturally than the French. So when an American asks a question, he tends to want a direct answer first. Some call it Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF). If an American wants more context, he’ll ask for it after hearing the answer.

An example of a typical intercultural challenge

American: Should I visit the Eiffel Tower while I’m in Paris?

French: Well the Eiffel Tower is largely regarded as an architectural wonder.  It was meant to be a temporary structure for the 1889 International Exhibition in Paris that was held to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution. It has two restaurants and you can use stairs or an elevator to get to the lower two levels.  You’ll need to take an elevator to get to the top. It’s one of the most visited sites in the world with a great view of Paris.  The lines can be long so the best time to arrive is before the Tower opens.  Many Americans I’ve met say it’s something you just have to do, though the view from the Arc de Triomphe is quite nice and one doesn’t need to wait in line so long.

American: Thanks… (though he probably stopped paying attention after the first sentence)

An alternative to deal with the American’s specific tendencies

American: Should I visit the Eiffel Tower while I’m in Paris?

French: Yes, it’s quite nice, if you have the time.

American: Does it take a lot of time?

French: Yes, the lines can be long, but if you go before it opens the lines are shorter. Do you know there is another great view of Paris?

American: No, where?

French: The Arc de Triomphe has a great view and the lines are usually short.

American: The Arc de Triomphe… (with a questioning look)

French: Yes, it’s very famous. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of it from WWII in the liberation of Paris.

American: Oh yes!  Thank you for tip!

 

If you want to learn more about Trompenaar’s Seven Dimensions, you can catch his explanation of them on YouTube by clicking here.  Also, for more intercultural challenges examples, check out Trompenaars blog here.

Target Training at IATEFL BESIG 2012 in Stuttgart

On Saturday 17th November Kate Baade and Nathan Wale spoke at the IATEFL BESIG 2012 conference. We had a room full of participants, and as part of the BESIG online conference program, we also spoke to individuals around the world as well as groups in Croatia and Uruguay.

Our theme was “Keeping long-term training programs alive” and our aim was to give trainers some tools and ideas to help keep their programs alive. We also wanted to show how easy it is to move outside our comfort zone and try new ideas and techniques out.

How to handle long-term courses

We started off by throwing some questions out to the audiences to establish how many people have long-term courses, how you would define a long-term course and, and here comes the honesty part, how long it takes as a trainer to use up your “bag of tricks”. Plenty of answers came in – almost everyone had long-term courses, but the definition depended on the individual and ranged from a few months to 25 years.   Responses to the “bag of tricks” question were individual, but largely depended on how big your “bag of tricks” is.

There was a lot great information shared and ideas generated.  For all the information presented, and the tips and pointers that resulted from the workshop, click here to download a printable version.

Anyone have any additional ideas to share or feedback on how things worked?  Let us know below in the comments field.

Target Talks: Scott Levey on the importance of training

Target Talks is a series of interviews with key Target Training GmbH employees, designed to put them on the spot about a topic that really matters to all of us: the importance of training.  This week, we talk to Scott Levey, one of the company’s Directors.

As the Director of a training company, how important is training when it comes to your own staff?

SL: Training is as important to us as it is to every company.  Ironically though, trainers in the industry just don’t get enough training themselves, and there tends to be very little done on an incidental basis.  By nature, trainers often work independently and at best get development opportunities by accident.

Regarding our own staff?  Our policy is to attract and hire the best trainers and, through training, help them to stay sharp.  When we hire, we look specifically for evidence of continual improvement so we know we are working with people who are open to development and learning.

What advice would you give to a new manager confronted with his/her first training budget?

SL: Haha. Phone us!

No, seriously, take time to talk to your people about their current skills and their needs.  As their manager, it’s vital that you carve out your own time to think about these needs; skills; and the future situation of the organization you manage.

Another thing to bear in mind is that it is not always feasible to solve a current problem by throwing training at it: training often takes too long to solve an immediate concern.

And be ready to be actively involved in supporting whatever training you go for.  Your support, or lack of, makes so much difference.

What’s the most beneficial training you have put your staff through?

SL: This is a very difficult question to answer: some of the training has been directly job-relevant, while other is designed to introduce new skills (e.g., management courses for new managers).

I suppose the training from which we have had the most positive feedback has been our in-house “Boot Camp”.  This is where we explore the new skills an InCorporate Trainer needs in order to be successful when delivering in-house training. New trainers generally have low expectations coming onto the course (‘training for training’s sake’ being a classic attitude) but the feedback has been consistently strong and participants report that they have been pushed, been developed and gained confidence during the week.  Not only that, their line managers have reported a clear difference, as have the end client.

The Boot Camp has acquired an outstanding reputation within Target; in fact, for budget reasons we recently looked at reducing the time required but decided against it.

And the most memorable training you have personally taken part in?

SL: Looking back at the last year, probably the Kirkpatrick Certificate Training in March (2012).  Jim Kirkpatrick is a skilled and charismatic facilitator, and just watching him caused me to pick up lots of tips and tricks for my own work.  The majority of the participants were HR managers—who are typically our clientele—so it was nice to be able to work together with them on a collegial basis and get a first-hand insight into how they work and learn.  Interestingly enough, their challenges closely reflected our own. I was particularly interested to hear how the soft skills training market in the UK compares to Germany: it seems to be a much more competitive—and perhaps saturated?—market than the one we operate in here.

Many thanks, Scott, for being the first to take part in our Target Talks series.  Now, over to our readers: which questions do you have for Target Training GmbH about training?