Business English Pod / Articles by: BEP

BEP

BEP 42c – Meeting in English: Starting a Meeting

Business English, English for Meetings, Intermediate English /

BEP 42c - Meeting in English: Starting a Meeting

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to start a meeting in English.

Many jobs require us to spend a lot of time in meetings. Sometimes we might think there are too many meetings. In part, we might feel this way because a lot of meetings aren’t run very well or facilitated effectively.

There’s a good chance that you will have to run meetings some day, if you don’t already. You have a chance to make sure those meetings are effective by running the meeting well. Fortunately, running a meeting involves skills that you can learn.

Today we’ll focus on starting a meeting, which begins with getting people’s attention and acknowledging them. Next, you might clearly state the purpose or goals of the meeting before reviewing the agenda with everyone. Then you may invite someone to begin speaking about the first item on the agenda.

In this lesson, we’ll hear the start of a meeting about budget cuts at an international shipping company. The meeting is being led by Martin, the General Manager. We’ll also hear Sandra, David, and Sam, employees who are attending the meeting.

Listening Questions

1. What does Martin apologize for as he is acknowledging the meeting attendees?
2. What does Martin say is the objective of the meeting?
3. What does Martin invite Sandra to do at the end of the conversation?

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Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English /

Skills 360 LESSON - Collaboration 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at how to build a collaborative workplace culture.

Even in the most competitive companies, collaboration is key to success. In our last lesson, we looked at the benefits of collaboration, like innovation and employee engagement. Now we’ll look at the systems and approaches to make it happen.

Collaboration starts with leadership. Leaders need to focus on “we,” not “I.” That means trusting their teams, being open about goals and challenges, and involving others in decisions. When teams feel trusted and included, they’re more likely to work together.

Communication is key too – and it changes when you give up control. It’s no longer just about giving clear instructions. It’s about listening, understanding different ideas, and building consensus. That takes more time and effort, which means teams need some flexibility in their schedules.

Collaboration also needs structure. Cross-functional teams, shared roles, and communities of practice all help break down silos. And digital tools like Slack or project management platforms make it easier to share work and ideas.

Of course, not every decision has to be made as a group. Some are simple or urgent. And when trust is low, it may be best to focus on rebuilding that first.

But if you want the real benefits of collaboration, you need to create the right environment: one built on trust, open communication, and the systems to support teamwork.

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Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English /

Skills 360 LESSON - Fostering Collaboration 1

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at how to build a culture of collaboration at work.

Collaboration is more than just working together or coordinating tasks. It means people share goals, ideas, decisions, and responsibility. True collaboration often involves people from different teams coming together to solve shared problems or create something new.

So why is collaboration so important? One key reason is innovation. When people with different backgrounds and skills come together, they bring fresh ideas. These creative clashes often lead to breakthroughs. Collaboration also helps spread knowledge across teams. If one team finds a better way to work, others can learn from it – if they’re connected.

Stronger connections also lead to greater resilience. When teams share skills and experiences, they can support each other when challenges come up. And beyond business results, collaboration boosts employee engagement. People feel more connected, valued, and motivated when they work toward shared goals.

But collaboration takes effort. It’s not instant or easy. It takes time, trust, and a willingness to share control. If you want others’ input, you have to be open to their ideas, not just your own.

Collaboration can bring big rewards, but it also comes with challenges. In part two, we’ll explore what teams and leaders can do to support collaboration through strong communication, trust, and the right systems.

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BEP 415 – Purchasing 6: Managing Purchase Orders

Business English, Purchasing, Sales English /

BEP 415 LESSON - English for Purchasing 6: Managing Orders

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for purchasing. This lesson looks at language for evaluating proposals from vendors.

Business is all about buying and selling. And just as your company sells products to individual consumers or other companies, you also have to purchase goods and services to make it all happen. For ongoing purchasing relationships, this means evaluating different vendors to find the best match.

So, when you sit with your team to evaluate vendor proposals, what will you talk about? These discussions often involve comparing pricing, timelines, quality, and service. You might also talk about warranties, reliability, and risks. And just like any group process, the quality of the decision will come down not just to the facts in front of you, but your ability to communicate clearly about them.

In conversations about vendor proposals, there are several aspects you might consider. You might assess risk as well as vendor capacity. You might also evaluate the total cost and compare value, as opposed to the basic contract price. And finally, you might prioritize the different criteria you use to assess the vendors.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between managers at a fitness equipment company called xFit. Hazel, Adam, and Nick are evaluating proposals to choose a manufacturer of a specific part for their line of treadmills. In previous lessons on purchasing, we heard xFit choose a company called VinMech to produce a part for a different exercise machine.

Listening Questions

1. What does Adam say about SteelWorks production capacity?
2. What does Nick say adds value to VinMech as a possible vendor?
3. Which criteria does Adam say are the most important consideration in this decision?

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BEP 414 – Purchasing 5: Evaluating Vendor Proposals

Business English, Purchasing, Sales English /

BEP 414 LESSON - English for Purchasing 5: Evaluating Vendors

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for purchasing. This lesson looks at language for evaluating proposals from vendors.

Business is all about buying and selling. And just as your company sells products to individual consumers or other companies, you also have to purchase goods and services to make it all happen. For ongoing purchasing relationships, this means evaluating different vendors to find the best match.

So, when you sit with your team to evaluate vendor proposals, what will you talk about? These discussions often involve comparing pricing, timelines, quality, and service. You might also talk about warranties, reliability, and risks. And just like any group process, the quality of the decision will come down not just to the facts in front of you, but your ability to communicate clearly about them.

In conversations about vendor proposals, there are several aspects you might consider. You might assess risk as well as vendor capacity. You might also evaluate the total cost and compare value, as opposed to the basic contract price. And finally, you might prioritize the different criteria you use to assess the vendors.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between managers at a fitness equipment company called xFit. Hazel, Adam, and Nick are evaluating proposals to choose a manufacturer of a specific part for their line of treadmills. In previous lessons on purchasing, we heard xFit choose a company called VinMech to produce a part for a different exercise machine.

Listening Questions

1. What does Adam say about SteelWorks production capacity?
2. What does Nick say adds value to VinMech as a possible vendor?
3. Which criteria does Adam say are the most important consideration in this decision?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3