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Skills 360 – Dealing with Problem People (Part 2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Communication /

The Skills 360 podcast is now available in iTunes: Free Subscription

We’ve been looking at how to deal with problem people. These are the people in your office that drive you nuts because they’re so difficult to get along with. Last week we talked about how to deal with specific incidents. Today, we’re talking about ongoing issues.

This is about the constant thorn in your side, whether it’s your colleague, your boss, or the IT guy that gets annoyed every time you ask for some information. In extreme cases, these people can make you dread going to work each day. So how can we deal with them?

Discussion Questions

1. Have you had to deal with a co-worker who caused you continual problems?
2. At what point do you think you should involve a supervisor when you have a problem with a colleague or co-worker?
3. Do you naturally discuss problems openly or do you tend to keep things in?

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Skills 360 – Dealing with Problem People (Part 1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Communication /

The Skills 360 podcast is now available in iTunes: Free Subscription

The New Year is a really important time for most people. For one thing, we use it as a time for setting goals. And if you want some help doing that, be sure to check out the Skills 360 podcast on achieving your goals. The New Year is also a time when we feel refreshed and optimistic about the future. It’s a brand new start, right? Unfortunately, that feeling is not shared by everyone. You might go to the office in the New Year with a smile on your face, but there are people who seem determined to wipe it off. I’m talking about problem people.

Discussion Questions

1. What types of people do you find difficult to deal with at work?
2. How do you usually deal with people who are rude or uncooperative?
3. Have you ever wanted to change jobs because of someone you didn’t get along with?

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BEP 199 – Telephone English: Controlling the Call (2)

Business English, Communication, Customer Service, Telephone English /

In this Business English lesson, we’ll continue our look at language and techniques for controlling a telephone call in English.

If you’re like most people, talking on the telephone is a basic part of work life. We talk with colleagues, customers, potential clients, suppliers, company reps – the list goes on and on. In fact, the telephone has become even more important as we spend less time at our desks and more time dealing with people remotely.

As you surely know, talking on the telephone is not always easy. We can’t use the same techniques that we might use when talking to someone face-to-face. We need to learn a new set of skills. It is these skills that we are looking at in this series about controlling the call. If you learn to do this well, you’ll end each conversation with a sense of achievement and purpose.

In today’s lesson, we’ll hear a conversation between Chris and Nick. Chris is calling Nick to inform him about some price changes and to arrange a meeting. As you will hear, the caller carefully controls the conversation and gets the outcome she wants.

Listening Questions

1. What reason does Chris give for the change in prices?
2. When will the price changes take effect?
3. Why does Chris want to meet with Nick?

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BEP 198 – Telephone English: Controlling the Call (1)

Business English, Communication, Customer Service, Telephone English /

In this Business English lesson, we’re going to look at language and skills for controlling a telephone call in english.

The telephone has become an essential part of doing business, and not just for customer service representatives and receptionists. No matter what type of work you do, chances are that you spend a part of every day talking on the phone. It might be a simple information exchange or a high stakes negotiation. But even though we all talk on the phone, we don’t all do it with the same success. But there are skills and techniques you can learn to become more effective.

One of the most important telephone skills is controlling the call. You need to be able to take the conversation where you want it to go. This can be difficult when the other person has a lot to say. But you can learn to direct the conversation and keep it focused.

In this lesson, we’ll hear a conversation between Mary and Oliver. Oliver works in customer service for an Internet service provider, and Mary is calling about a problem she’s having with her Internet connection. We’ll hear Oliver carefully control the conversation and guide it to a logical conclusion.

Listening Questions

1. What is the customer’s problem?
2. What information does Oliver want from the customer?
3. What options does Oliver give the customer?

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Skills 360 – Preparing for your Year-end Review

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources /

The Skills 360 podcast is now available in iTunes:
Free iTunes Subscription

The end of 2011 is fast approaching, and it’s the season for performance reviews and end-of-year appraisals.

Few people actually look forward to sitting down with their supervisor and talking about the past year. For most, it’s quite a nerve-wracking experience. But today I want to show you that if you’re prepared, there’s no reason to be shaking in your boots.

Discussion Questions

1. Does your company review employee performance regularly?
2. How do you feel when you are evaluated for the work you do?
3. What kind of preparation do you think is important for a year-end review?

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Download: Podcast MP3