The lesson looks at language for asking for and giving opinions in English in both formal and informal business situations. You can check out the original lesson here: BEP 27 – Giving Opinions in English
The Business English Kickstart Course covers the 3 main Business English Skills of meetings, presentations and talking on the phone with 20 lessons appropriate for intermediate English Speakers. The course is available on the Udemy platform which provides desktop and mobile access.
Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on successfully completing a strategic negotiation.
Negotiating a strategic partnership can take a lot of time and energy. And if you succeed, you need to cement that new partnership and make sure it gets off a good start. So whether you kick off your new arrangement with a party, a ceremony, or a meeting, you need to acknowledge the people and all the hard work that went into building the relationship.
So what might you do to cement a partnership? Well, today we’ll learn how to show enthusiasm for a new partnership and how to compliment a new partner. We’ll also look at how to emphasize both opportunities and expectations. And finally, we’ll learn how to make a toast.
In the dialog, we’ll hear representatives of two companies at a reception to start off a new partnership. Representing the auto parts company called Sigma is Mike, the lead negotiator on the new partnership, and Grant, a company executive. We’ll also hear Lisa, who represents NVP, the Japanese distributor that has just partnered with Sigma to sell auto parts in India.
Listening Questions
1. How does Lisa compliment Sigma? What is she impressed by? 2. What does Lisa expect in order for all the hard work to pay off? 3. At the end of the dialog, Grant makes a toast. What does he make a toast to?
In a negotiation, things don’t always work out the way we hope. Sometimes we face obstacles that just can’t be overcome. In this situation, you’re faced with a choice – do you walk away, or do you think outside the box and try to save the relationship? After all in a strategic negotiation, it’s the relationship you build between the parties that is really important.
In this back and forth of overcoming obstacles, there are several techniques you can use. We’ll learn how to present a problem and how to introduce a different opportunity. We’ll also look at giving evidence for a proposition and narrowing the focus of the proposition. And finally we’ll cover how to request more time to think about things.
In the dialog, we will hear Mike, who works for an auto parts company called Sigma. Mike is talking with Lisa, the lead negotiator for NVP, a Japanese distributor. Sigma and NVP were trying to negotiate a partnership to distribute Sigma’s products in east Asia. The key to that deal was Sigma getting out of an existing arrangement with a Chinese distributor called Wuhan Auto. Today we’ll hear Mike and Lisa try to overcome that obstacle.
Listening Questions
1. What new opportunity does Mike present to Lisa? 2. What evidence from the World Bank does Mike use to back up his idea? 3. Mike narrows the focus of his idea. What product market does he propose partnering in?
Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on using diplomatic, or indirect, language.
What do I mean by diplomatic language? Well, imagine you’re in a meeting and you disagree with someone. Is it okay to say “I disagree with you?” Well, maybe in some situations. But usually we need to be less direct. For example, you could say “I’m not so sure I agree with that.” Using “not so sure” makes it softer, or more diplomatic.
This kind of language is really important when we talk about problems, right? And we can use careful language to downplay a problem. What is “downplay?” That means to make a problem seem less serious. For example, maybe your coworker is worried about a computer problem. You could downplay the problem by saying “there’s no reason to think it will happen again.” You didn’t say there isn’t a problem, right? You just made it seem less serious.
So, what kind of careful language will you learn today? Well, you’ll learn how to disagree carefully and how to guide people to a key idea. You’ll also learn how to interrupt politely, downplay a problem, and highlight the main point.
In the dialog, you’ll hear a teleconference between four managers who work for a guitar company. In our last lesson, we heard Jack talking carefully about a problem at the factory. Some workers got sick, and the other managers were worried because the workers complained to the government. Now those managers want to know more about what might happen to the factory.
Listening Questions
1. Jack thinks the others are exaggerating, or overstating, the problem. What does he say before he tells them this? 2. Dan interrupts Jack when he’s talking. How does Dan do this? What does he say? 3. According to Jack, are these new problems?
Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to use diplomatic English. That means language that is careful, or not too direct.
This lesson is part of our new series of fresh takes on some of our older lessons. We’ve kept the same dialog but have new explanations and practice for our lower level learners.
Now, as I said, diplomatic language is careful, polite, and not too direct. For example, imagine you’re talking to your boss about a problem. You could just say “We have a problem.” But you want to be careful, right? So how about saying: “We might have a slight problem.” Using words like “might” and “slight” makes it softer, or more diplomatic, don’t think? Now imagine you’re the boss and your employee is explaining a problem, but you don’t understand. Well, you could say “I don’t understand.” But doesn’t that sound kind of short and direct? You don’t want to start an argument, you just want to understand. So you can try something like: “I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what you mean.” Don’t you think that sounds softer?
This is the kind of language we’re going to learn and practice today. You’ll learn how to ask probing questions carefully and how to ask for clarification when you don’t understand. You’ll also learn how to minimize, or make something seem smaller or less serious than it really is. And finally you’ll learn how to disagree carefully using “yes, but” statements.
In the dialog, you’ll hear a teleconference meeting between four managers who work for a guitar company. Jack is the production manager at the guitar plant, or factory. He’s talking to Jim, Dan, and Angie at the company’s headquarters. They’re talking carefully about some recent problems at the plant.
Listening Questions
1. How does Jim ask Jack about the problem at first? 2. Jack doesn’t want to say “some workers couldn’t breathe” because that sounds too serious. What does he say instead? 3. At the end of the dialog, Dan wants to disagree with Jack. What does he say before he disagrees?
