BEP 196 – Delivering Training (Part 1)

This is the first of a two-part Business English Pod lesson on delivering workplace training in English.

At some point in our work, we all have to teach others how to do something or explain a certain topic. So how can we do this effectively? How can you make sure that the participants are following what you say, focused on what you want, and reaching the outcomes you expect?

The skills you need to deliver effective training will help you in other ways too. Whether you’re giving a presentation or making a sales pitch, there are lots of techniques and language that overlap.

We’ll learn some of these techniques today. We’ll look at language you can use to connect the topic to people’s experience and create a sense of inclusion. We’ll also look at organizational issues, like outlining your topics, establishing objectives, and transitioning to a new topic.

In this episode, we’ll hear a trainer named Zack. He’s delivering the first of a series of workshops on customer service. You’ll also hear a couple of the participants, Ian and Nicole, as they interact with Zack.

Listening Questions

1. What experience did Ian have recently?
2. What is the goal of the training course?
3. What does Zack say is the first thing they’ll talk about?

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VV 27 – Legal English Vocabulary: Contract Law (2)

YouTube video

This business English vocabulary lesson is the second of our two-part series on legal English vocabulary related to contract law. In our last lesson, we looked at some of the basic principles of contracts. In this lesson, we’ll focus on specific legal terms and language found in contracts.

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Business English News 12 – Steve Jobs Tribute

Business English News is a new show on Business English Pod about current events, especially things happening in the business news.

As a company built and run on Mac computers, and with an audience that mainly uses Apple products to listen to our podcasts, it’s only fitting that we (re)launch this show with a tribute to Steve Jobs, who passed away on Wednesday 5th October.

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BEP 195 – Small Talk before a Meeting in English (2)

English Small Talk Conversation 2

This is the second of our two-part Business English Pod lesson on English small talk, or casual conversation, in business meetings.

Imagine you’re sitting in a room with several co-workers. You’re waiting for a meeting to start. Does silence feel comfortable? Probably not. You should be talking. But about what?

Well, this is where the art of small talk comes in handy. And it’s not only something we do before a meeting. We use small talk in the airport lounge, on the train, or standing in line for a movie. We use it with colleagues, clients, and acquaintances. And it’s something that takes practice to do well and feel at ease with.

Previously we looked at some common conversation topics and techniques, including how to handle topics you don’t know much about. In this lesson we’ll look at a couple more very common topics: talking about the weather and talking about current events. We’ll also cover strategies for changing the topic and steering the conversation towards business.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Liz, Coby, and Shawn as they get ready for another meeting. As you might have guessed, their colleague Gordon has yet to arrive so they chat amongst themselves while they wait for him to show up.

Listening Questions

1. What does Shawn think about the summer weather?
2. Why does Coby seem upset or shocked?
3. How does Liz steer the conversation toward business?

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