Business Skills 360

Business English Skills 360 – The podcast that looks at the other side of business English. Skills 360 lessons explore the full spectrum of business english in the workplace; looking at skills for management, careers and communication.

Business English Skills 360 Lessons

Learn business English and management skills with the Skills 360 podcast.

Skills 360 lessons are focused on the other side of business English. In other words: essential soft skills that are often overlooked in traditional language learning. Through practical tips and strategies, you’ll gain valuable insights into effective communication and management skills.

Our lessons cover a range of topics, including leadership, negotiation, presentation, meeting management, networking, and time management. By exploring these lessons, you can learn about different leadership approaches, negotiation strategies, presentation techniques, and more. You can learn how to adapt your approach and build trust with team members and develop the management skills you need to progress.

Use the links below to access the 90+ Skills 360 business English lessons we have released to date:

Skills 360 – Developing a Persuasive Approach (2)

Skills 360 - Developing a Persuasive Approach in Business 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we continue our look at how to develop a persuasive approach in business.

To be persuasive in business, you need more than facts and logic, and you must also connect emotionally. People make decisions with both their minds and their hearts, so showing warmth and friendliness helps make them more open to your ideas.

You don’t need to be overly social; simply showing empathy and genuine interest in others is enough. Asking questions not only builds rapport but also gives you insight into what motivates people, allowing you to adapt your approach.

Emotions play a key role in persuasion. You can appeal to fear (“sales may drop if we don’t act”), hope (“this plan will give us our weekends back”), or pride (“this will make us leaders in our field”). Another powerful emotion is belonging – people want to feel part of a group or shared vision. You can use this by framing your message around teamwork or industry trends (“the whole industry is moving this way”).

A couple of useful techniques are contrasting and hyperbole. Contrasting means presenting two choices where one clearly supports your message. Adding hyperbole, or deliberate exaggeration, can also make your message more memorable (“this could be the most important decision in our company’s history”).

Persuasion isn’t purely an exercise in logic. It’s not just people’s minds that you need to consider, but also their hearts. That’s why we try to make a connection with them emotionally, or personally. We try to learn about them so we can adapt our approach. We appeal to a broad range of their emotions. And we use techniques like contrast and hyperbole to ramp up the impact of our ideas.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – Developing a Persuasive Approach (1)

Skills 360 - Developing a Persuasive Approach 1

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at how to develop a persuasive approach in business.

Persuasion is one of the most valuable skills in business, enabling professionals to influence decisions, gain support, and advance ideas. But effective persuasion is not about slick talk or manipulation – it relies on sincerity and well-chosen techniques.

Sincerity is the foundation. People are persuaded when they believe you genuinely believe what you are saying. If your audience senses dishonesty or hidden motives, trust quickly erodes. To demonstrate sincerity, share how you came to believe in your idea. For example, acknowledge initial doubts and explain what changed your perspective. Transparency also plays a major role. If you stand to benefit personally, acknowledge it openly while emphasizing broader benefits. This honesty builds trust and credibility.

Once sincerity is established, persuasion comes down to tailoring your approach to your audience. Logical thinkers respond to structured reasoning, such as outlining clear criteria for a plan. Others may be more influenced by authority or social proof, in which case citing respected figures or supporters can be effective. The key is to understand what motivates the people you are trying to influence.

Beyond adapting to individual mindsets, several techniques are broadly effective. Repetition reinforces ideas and makes them more memorable. For example, emphasizing a chain of cause and effect – like lowering costs leading to stronger growth – creates impact. Rhetorical questions are another powerful tool, framing choices in a way that guides the audience toward your conclusion without directly telling them what to think.

In short, successful persuasion blends sincerity with strategy. Believe in your message, be transparent about your motives, and then apply techniques that resonate with your audience. With this balance of trust and skill, you can significantly enhance your ability to persuade in business.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (2)

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.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3

Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (1)

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.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – Advanced Interview Skills for Effective Hiring (2)

Skills 360 - Advanced English Interview Skills 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we continue our look at advanced interview skills for interviewing and hiring the right people.

Effective interviewing is essential for finding the right candidate. That’s not just someone with the right qualifications but also the right mindset and skills for long-term success. Beyond education and experience, advanced interviewing techniques can help identify critical thinking, problem-solving ability, and workplace compatibility.

Spotlight on Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a vital 21st-century skill that isn’t always listed in job descriptions. It involves analyzing, evaluating, and making logical inferences – all crucial in today’s fast-paced work environments. To assess this, use scenario-based questions tailored to the role. For instance, ask: “You are tasked with creating a low-budget marketing campaign. What steps would you take to ensure its success?” Such questions delve deeper than generic prompts, revealing a candidate’s thought process and creativity.

Challenge-Specific Questions
Understanding how candidates handle challenges is key to gauging their suitability. Ask direct questions about common role-specific difficulties. For example: “This role involves tight deadlines. How do you manage pressure?” Responses can reveal practical strategies and resilience.

Workplace Compatibility
Discuss workplace setups—whether hybrid, remote, or in-office—and ask how candidates thrive in these environments. Instead of a simple yes/no question about preferences, explore strategies they’ve used to succeed in similar settings. This helps you understand whether they’ll adapt to your unique work culture.

Long-Term Goals
Assessing a candidate’s career aspirations ensures alignment between their goals and the role. Questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can clarify whether the position supports their professional journey.

With rising costs, fierce competition, and high turnover, effective interviewing is more critical than ever. By evaluating critical thinking, adaptability, and alignment with your workplace, you’ll make informed hiring decisions that benefit both the candidate and your company.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3