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160 search results for: phrases

121

Business English apps for busy people

Business English on the go Maybe you’re as serious as all of my clients about improving your business English – but like them, you have other priorities too! What it comes down to is that learning English takes a back seat when important deadlines loom. Half the time, you’re travelling and the other half, you’re […]

123

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 […]

124

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 […]

126

Saying goodbye via email

Originally published on 10.02.2014 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 […]

127

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. Once you […]

128

Getting meetings back on track

Do you ever feel your meetings have gone off track? You’re in a meeting to talk about one thing, but someone is talking about something completely different, someone else is discussing an unimportant point, and others are debating something completely irrelevant – the whole meeting has gone off track! When this happens, it’s hard to […]

129

How the British handle difficult questions

In every culture, there are questions and topics that are taboo. They are considered too personal or indiscreet, and people feel embarrassed or even offended when asked about them. Handling difficult questions about taboo subjects can be really tricky and each culture deals with them differently. Not all cultures have the same taboos. When making […]

130

Teleconferences are not normal calls

Not your typical phone call Teleconferences are a great way to connect to people around the world. They’re less expensive than face-to-face meetings, often take less time, and solve problems more efficiently than emails do. Conducting a teleconference should be easy. All you have to do is connect everyone on the phone and make decisions […]

131

Email replies: How to avoid emotional emails

Professional email communication is essential in business situations. However, people sometimes let their emotions get the best of them and send an email they later regret. Multiple punctuation marks, all-capital letters along with a rude and unprofessional tone are often used to show how upset the sender is. We have all received them at one […]

132

Giving Advice Across Cultures

Is giving advice the same in every culture? Giving advice to someone is not as simple as just telling them what to do, especially in an intercultural situation where more sensitivity needs to be applied.  The problem is that if the advice you give is too direct it can come across as a command. What […]

133

Out of Office Message: Quick Reminders

How is your Out of Office Message? Writing your out of office message is often the last thing you do before going on holiday or going on a business trip. Even though you might be in a rush to leave, make sure you think about the following tips to ensure that you have an accurate, informative and professional […]

134

Presentation Fillers: 4 Quick Tips to Help

Are you using too many presentation fillers when presenting? Have you ever given a presentation and started using words like ‘umm’, ‘erm’, ‘well’, ‘I’m not sure’, ‘maybe’, ‘how can I put this’, etc. because you didn’t know what to say or how to answer someone’s question? Have you thought about the effect this has on […]

136

Business English Vocab: 5 Problem Words for HR

How accurate is your HR Business English vocabulary? Last week, in a regular appointment I have with an HRD manager, I heard him say, “Our local managers are moaning because they have to do 15 trainings this year.”  Despite being impressed about his use of the word ‘moaning’ (a good synonym for ‘complaining’), I was […]

137

Meeting misunderstandings: 4 Steps to Clarify

Do you ever have to deal with meeting misunderstandings? So, you’ve just finished putting forward your proposal. You’d planned out what you wanted to say, given a few examples, convincingly described the advantages, and cautiously addressed the disadvantages. All extremely clearly. Or so you thought. Until you hear the first response: “So, are you saying […]

138

Email Confirmations: Using R.A.P.

A simple structure to confirm your discussion Email confirmations are a key to avoiding confusion and saving time in business communication. The telephone is a great medium for quick discussions. Often agreements or commitments are made on the phone. But, one major disadvantage of agreements made over the telephone is the lack of written evidence. […]

139

Rescheduling Meetings: Avoiding Confusion

How to clearly describe changes when rescheduling meetings One of the challenges of communicating internationally in English is how to clearly describe changes when rescheduling meetings. Frequently, there’s confusion about words like postpone, move forward, move back and delay. And while it’s not actually a word in Standard English, the word ‘prepone’ has reared its […]

140

Email Complaints: 5 Keys to Replying

Handling complaints by email can be tricky It is always better to handle them face-to-face or over the telephone, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. Every complaint is different, but there are enough similarities with each to approach them with a structure in mind. We can all receive complaints from customers, colleagues, suppliers, or […]