Transcripts
1. Introduction to Business Networking: Hello, and welcome to this course on Business
English Networking. Now, as I'm sure you're aware, we live in what we call
the global village, and the chances are that
if you're in a job, you won't just be restricted
to your own local geography. You'll have customers, partners, suppliers who are not
from where you live, and at some point, you're
going to have to talk to them. You're going to have to
network with people. You might even as
part of your job, have to go to trade fairs, you go to conferences,
you'll meet people. You'll need to deal with them. You'll need to build up
a network of contacts. And some people find it very difficult to sort of
get started on this. What do I say? What do I do? How do I behave? And if that describes the sort of questions and
uncertainties you have, then this is really
the course for you. So we look at generally
sort of small talk, which is a skill that can be learned and sort of
socializing in general. We also look at networking
events specifically, and we look at the different
types of sort of networking. It's not just
between two people. You can do networking
on the phone, or you can do
networking via email. And each of these has
a different set of skills and a different
way of going about things that you'll
learn about in the course. One of the biggest lessons in this course is on cross
cultural networking. This goes back to
the thing I said at the beginning about being a
so called global village, where you are almost
it's inevitable, you will have to deal with people from different cultures, different backgrounds,
and knowing how to do this, is so important. It really cannot be
overstated the importance of knowing how to deal with people from different
backgrounds, different cultures, different nationalities,
from your own. And this largest lesson
in this, you know, the cross cultural
networking lesson will go into details and give you everything you need
to do this properly. Also have at the end some case studies where we
look at what people have done, how they've approached
it, the methods and strategies they've used to achieve the outcomes they wish. And then at the end, if
you would like to do it, there's an assignment in which you basically do the same thing. You look at how you would deal
with a specific situation, the strategies you would use, the research you
would do, and so on. So feel free to do
that if you like, if not, still enjoy the course. And obviously, if you have
any questions, please ask. I would like also to point
out that each lesson has a downloadable PDF in
a printer friendly format, so feel free to use those for some offline
resource if you need. Anyway, let's get
straight into it. Please enjoy the course. I hope you find it
interesting and informative.
2. Small Talk and Socialising: Welcome to this lesson on
small talk and socializing. I suppose we should
start off really by asking what is small talk? And small talk is a
sort of very light, casual conversation to sort of establish a connection before moving into deeper discussions. Several purposes of small
talk would be, say, to break the ice, so someone
you haven't met before, just as your first
interaction with them, could be to build a
comfortable atmosphere and also to signal your
openness and approachability. Obviously, not all topics
are suitable for small talk, and here are some good
small talk topics. So we'd have work related
topics, something to do with, say, the event you're at or the setting, any
shared interests, if you know them, obviously
neutral personal topics, and general topics like, you know, weather, non
controversial news. And we'll take a bit of a closer look at each of these next. So for work related topics, these are sort of
directly related to your, say, professional experiences,
current projects, work location, et cetera. And you could ask somebody, how did you get started
in your current role, if you know what their
current role is? Or what's been the
most rewarding project you've worked on recently? How do you usually approach challenges in whatever
industry or role? Well, what trends are you
seeing in your field right now? Well, this season's
industry awards, industry trends have been
interesting. What do you think? And you'll notice these
are all open questions, which we'll look at also later or something to do with the events or
settings where you are. And so these are specifically to the context of something
you're both involved in. Might be this venue
is amazing, isn't it? Or what did you think of
the keynote speech earlier? The schedule looks packed today. Any sessions you're
particularly excited about? Why, such a well
organized event. How did you hear about it? Well, have you tried
the coffee yet? It's surprisingly good. This would be if you're at, say, a conference or
something like that. Now, it might also
be that you know if someone's shared interests
could be hobbies or passions, anything really that
you have in common. How do you get started in whatever industry
or role you're in? Oh, I heard you enjoy traveling. And what's been your
favorite destination so far? You mentioned you inter tech. Have you tried using and
you mentioned some tool or app that you've been
using and found useful? I see you've read some
book or some author. What do you think of it? Well,
you're into photography. What kind of camera do you use? Of course, photography
is just an example. It could be, could be
you're into music. What kind of instrument do
you play, that type of thing. Then we have sort of
neutral personal topics. And these are very
light, safe topics. They're totally
not controversial. We'll look at some of the non
controversial ones later. What do you usually do to
unwind after a busy day? What's your favorite
way to spend weekends? Have you discovered any
new hobbies lately? Do you commute to work,
or do you live close by? Do you enjoy working remotely? Or do you prefer
being in the office? And then the last one we
have sort of general topics. They're very broad, very
non polarizing topics. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Perfect for this event. The weather is always
a safe option. Well, I noticed this
city has a lot to offer. Have you had a
chance to explore? Oh, did you hear about some neutral news topic?
It's really fascinating. I can't believe how
quickly the year is going. Have you any big
plans coming up? Or, again, this season's
industry awards or trends have been interesting. What do you think? We
have topics to avoid, and there are some really
bad topics for small talk, and these include
controversial subjects, overly personal questions, negativity or complaining, sensitive and or
emotional topics, bragging or oversharing
and jokes in poor taste. And we'll look at
each of these next. Controversial subjects. These are really any
topics that can lead to strong disagreements
or create discomfort, often very polarizing
topics, such as politics. What do you think about the
recent election results? Do you support some
particular party or person? Or religion is another good one. You know, what's your stance on? Whatever practice religion
you can think of? Do you belong to any
particular church or faith? Well, often, that's
very private stuff, and people sometimes
don't want to talk about. Or sort of some sort
of social issues. You know, what's your opinion on some controversial policy or law or how do you
feel about some sort of, you know, hot button
societal issue? These are things
really to avoid. In the best case, you'll
find someone with the same opinion as you and
you'll learn nothing new, or in the worst
case, you'll find a very polarized reaction
that you'd rather not have. We also have overly
personal questions. And these might make people feel uncomfortable or feel that their privacy is being invaded. This could be say
relationships. Are you married? Why not? Or do you
plan to have children? Well, it's not really your
business, and don't ask. Health is another
good one to avoid. You look tired. Are
you feeling okay? Or what's the story
behind that scar? Most people don't really
want to talk about it. Or finances. You know, how much do you earn at your job or how did you afford
that expensive car? In some countries, I think, sort nordic countries, it's not a secret how
much people earn. It's sometimes in
some countries, it's a matter of public record. But in most countries, what you earn your pay is really not a topic
for discussion, even with colleagues
in the same company. Now we have sort of negative
or complaining topics, you know, 'cause
basically no one likes a winger and a complainer. So if you're complaining
sort of about the event, say, Oh, the copy here is awful. What this event is a waste of time or criticisms
of other people. You know, that speaker
didn't make any sense. Why is everyone here
so unorganized? And often the criticism is of people who aren't present, which, of course,
makes you think, What are they saying about
me when I'm not there? Or personal negativity. I'm having such a terrible week, I hate my job. I hate working
here. Nobody wants to hear it. Keep it to yourself. Then we have sort of sensitive
or emotional topics. These can often
be sort of really too heavy or awkward
for small talk, such as death or loss. I heard about your
family members passing. How are you coping or what's the saddest thing that's
happened to you recently? Or maybe some sort of
trauma or past struggles? You know, how did you
deal with losing your job or what was it like going
through your divorce? Now, of course, these are topics for friends and
people you know well, but not for small talk, okay? Please make this distinction. Then we have sort of
bragging or oversharing. And this really can come
across as a bit self centered and it's not
really appropriate to do. Not in small talk,
really, not at all. So sort of excessive
self promotion. Oh, let me tell you how
amazing my latest project is. I've been so successful. I don't even need
to network. Yeah. Good for you. Goodbye.
Or oversharing or too much details. I was up all night
arguing with my partner or I have a medical procedure
scheduled next week. Yeah, I don't want to know. Yeah, I I was your good friend, I would be interested,
but not for small talk. And lastly, we have sort
of jokes in poor taste. Now we do, of course, realize that humor can be a
great icebreaker. But there are certain
topics that you shouldn't maybe joke about until you know the
people better. And these could be,
say, offensive jokes. So, oh, here's a joke about,
you know, some gender, ethnicity religion or
you got, you know, people sort of lame stereotypes. They're not really that
funny and certainly not for icebreakers
and small talk. Or, again, mocking the
situation you're in. Oh, this event is a snooze fest. The organizers had no
idea what they're doing. Well, that's your opinion.
Keep it to yourself. Now, once we've broken the ice, let's get the
conversation going. Let's keep it going. And we do this by asking open
ended questions. We can use so called
echoing to show interest. We can use if then statements
to broaden the topic. We can share brief
relatable stories. We can ask what if questions, and we can express
genuine curiosity. And we'll look at
each of these next. So by asking open
ended questions, this is a way of encouraging or detailed response and really keeps the conversation going. And it's best to avoid these
kind of yes no questions. And this focuses on topics that invite the other person to share their thoughts
or experiences. If you just ask yes or no
questions, you'll get yes, no answers, and it's really difficult to keep
the conversation going. So here's some example
of open ended questions. What brought you to
this event today? How do you usually approach
challenges in your industry? What's the most exciting project you've worked on recently? How do you see insert
industry trend here evolving over
the next few years? What's something you're
passionate about outside of work? So asks about hobbies. Again, all good open
ended questions. We also use so called
echoing to show interest. Now, this may look a bit weird, but what we do is we sort of repeat or paraphrase
part of what they said to show that you were listening and encourage
them to elaborate further. When we look at the examples, they'll look a bit silly just
put one after the other, but it does actually
work, and it's not silly if you have it as part
of the conversation flow. So person A might say, I've been working on a new
sustainability initiative, and person B would say, a
sustainability initiative. That sounds interesting.
What's the focus? I recently joined a
startup, a startup. That must be a
dynamic environment. How are you finding it? Our team is launching a new product soon. Launching a new product.
Congratulations. What's been the biggest challenge so far? I've been learning more
about AI applications. AI applications. That's
such a hot topic right now. What sparked your interest? I travel a lot for work. Traveling for work
sounds interesting. What's been your
favorite destination? Again, it looks maybe a bit silly when you put them
all in one after the other, but weave it into
the conversation, it'll be natural and no problem. The so called if then
statements keeps the dialogue going and can also transition to sort
of related topics, as we see in these examples. But if you're managing
a global team, then you must have
some great insights into cross cultural
communication. What's worked well for you? If your company has
grown so quickly, then you must have
seen a lot of changes. What's been the most impactful. If you've attended this
conference before, then you probably have some tips for getting the most out of it. What would you recommend? If you're passionate
about renewable energy, then you must follow some
fascinating projects. A that stand out to you. Now, if you're
involved in marketing, then how do you keep up with the constant changes
in social media? And again, these are,
if then statements, but they're still
open questions. They're not yes no questions. These are extensions of that. Or we can share sort
of relatable stories. A short relevant story can make the conversation
more engaging, can build rapport and show
that you're listening, but short story, okay? Short anecdotes, not half
an hour ramblings, please. You mentioned
working in startups. I once collaborated
with a small tech team, and it was such a
creative environment. Do you enjoy that pace? Okay, that's a yes, no question. Traveling for work
can be unpredictable. I once had to hold a
meeting in an airport cafe. Have you had any
unusual work trips? Are you in marketing.
I've always been fascinated by how
campaigns go viral. What's the most creative
campaign you've seen recently? I noticed you're wearing a pin from whatever
organization. I volunteered for them
briefly a few years ago. How are you involved? Now, you mentioned you enjoy hiking. I love the outdoors, too. What's your favorite trail? Now we have sort of
what if questions. So there's sort of
hypothetical questions to get a bit more creativity going and make the conversations
more interactive. If you could choose
any company to collaborate with,
who would it be? What would you do differently if you were organizing
this event? If budget and time
weren't an issue, what kind of project
would you pursue? Now, what's your dream
role in the industry? Or if you could work in any country in the world,
where would it be? And lastly, we look at how to
express genuine curiosity. And this is a way of really showing a genuine interest in what the other
person is saying, and it makes them connect
with you on a deeper level. Now you've mentioned you've been in this industry for a while. What's the biggest
change you've seen? That sounds fascinating. How did you get involved in this field? Have you been working
on a big project? What's the most
exciting part so far? I'd love to hear more
about your approach to some topic you've
previously talked about. How did you come up with it? You've had such a
diverse career? What's the most unexpected
lesson you've learned? Now these, of course,
all follow up questions based on something
they've previously said. Do you have any questions? Please use a Q&A if
anything is unclear.
3. Networking at Events: To this next lesson
where we look at networking at events, a specific type of networking. And networking at events
is a great way to build professional
relationships and expand your business or
career opportunities. And success at these
networking events requires preparation, some confidence, and effective
communication skills. And then the next lesson
here we'll look at strategies for networking,
the preparation, during the networking
event, and afterwards, and we'll provide guidance and examples,
plenty of examples. Start off with preparation. So good preparation ensures
you make a strong impression, can actually maximize the value of the event you're attending. And you do this by researching the event
and the attendees, you prepare a sort of
self introduction, so called elevator pitch. Bring business cards or digital contact tools and set
clear goals for the event. I'm going to look at
each of these now. You need to research the
event and the attendees, so you need to know the purpose of the event of why it's there. You need to look at the
schedule, who's going to attend, and focus your efforts on making meaningful connections
with these people. So if you're attending an
industry specific conference, look up the key speakers
and their recent work. You might say, Oh,
I notice you're speaking about AI trends today. What inspired your
interest in this field? Also, look at the attendee
list if they provide it and identify
potential connections. Maybe people from companies that you admire and maybe later
would like to work for. Research the hosting
organization's mission and align your small
talk with their values, so you come across better. Oh, it's great to see an event focusing on sustainability. How is your company
approaching this challenge? And also prepare a
self introduction. So you want a clear, engaging introduction that will help
people to remember you. Include your name, job title, and perhaps ideally something interesting about your work. You might also add
something about why you're attending
this particular event. And keep it concise. It's really, you know, ten, 20, 25 seconds long. You're not giving a speech, you're just telling them
briefly who you are. There's a couple of examples. Hi, I'm Sarah Jones, a marketing specialist at
say Green Tech Solutions. I focus on developing campaigns for eco
friendly products, and I'm passionate about helping companies reduce their
carbon footprint. Obviously, the companies
mentioned here are made up, but they might exist somewhere,
you know, coincidentally. Hi, I'm Peter from Tech Corp. I specialize in software
solutions for startups. I'm here to meet people in the Fintech industry
and exchange ideas. Yeah, so nice shot to the point. Then you have to have your
business cards or maybe more commonly these days
some digital contact tools. I need to have a
quick way to share your details to the potential connections
you can follow up with. So, for instance,
your business card should have your
name, title, email, LinkedIn profile, other
social media profiles that you feel appropriate, okay? I'm not saying only linked into the exclusion
of all others. You could also have
a tool like sort of LinkedIn QR code reader to make exchanging contact information
very, very simple. I need to set clear
goals for the event, so this gives you a sense of
purpose and direction and can guide you to how best spend your time
during the event. You might say, I
want to contact with three potential collaborators
for my upcoming project. Well, my goal is to learn
about new trends in renewable energy from at
least two industry experts. Now, we've done all
the preparation, we're actually at the event. And what we do during the event is we engage with other people, and we need to do it so that we come across
being friendly, professional, and memorable, but memorable for the right
reasons, not the wrong reasons. So we start conversations
confidently. We ask and answer questions. We find common
ground with people. We actively listen and respond, and we're mindful of time. And we'll look at
each of these next. So how do we start
conversations confidently? We use context specific openers that are related to
the event and smile, maintain eye contact,
and appear approachable. You could ask, Oh, what do you think of
the keynote speech? I found the part about
specific detail, fascinating. Oh, I saw your company's
booth earlier. Your new product
looks intriguing. Could you tell me more about
it? A very common one? How's my first time
at this event? Do you have any tips for
making the most of it? So now we started
talking to somebody, we need to keep the
conversation going. And we ask open ended
questions such as, what's your experience in the industry you're doing
or in being like recently? No you mentioned
a certain topic. How do you see that evolving? And when answering questions, really give concise
engaging responses. I worked as a
marketing consultant focusing on content
strategies for ecommerce brands and include an invitation to continue
the conversation. So I don't use
closing statements, you know, carry on with, what's your approach to
digital marketing? So keep the conversation going. Now, that's on one to one, but you could also be joining
a group conversation. And when you join a
group conversation, just listen first before
you say anything. Don't just charge in interrupt
say, Hey, listen to me. That's going to go down very
poorly. So join the group. Listen, get a feel for what
they're talking about. Maybe you find
something interesting. Oh, hi, I couldn't help
hear about this topic. You know, you tell
them who you are, and then add value to the discussion. Oh,
that's a great point. I've also seen and you
give a related insight. Be some anecdote from yours. And if we have these kind
of awkward silences, and also it's not just for group conversations but
also for one on one, you can sort of change
the topic slightly. You can say, Oh, this reminds me of something interesting
I read recently, and then you start a discussion on a new but related topic. And finding common ground is also a good way to
keep things going. So shared experiences
or interests basically create an instant rapport and liability with the person
you're talking to. You have something
in common with them. I notice you also attended the last session on
digital transformation. What were your key takeaways? Oh, I see you're from city, country, where you're from. I've always wanted
to visit there. What's your favorite
thing about it? Your company works in AI, and I've been researching its
applications in healthcare. How do you see its
impact in that sector? People like talking
about their work and themselves, all good questions. Obviously actively
listen and respond. So listening attentively, it shows that you respect what the other person is saying, and it makes them feel valued. And you can sort of
nod and use phrases such as, Oh, that's
really interesting. Could you elaborate? Well, I hadn't thought of it
that way. Great point. And lastly, you want
to be mindful of time. So networking events are
often limited in time, and so knowing when
to move on is kind of part of the tactic and the
strategy of being there. Well, it's been wonderful
talking with you, but I don't want to
monopolize your time. Let's exchange contact
details and stay in touch. You might also use this if you think they're
monopolizing your time. So you say you don't want to
take up all of their time, but what you really mean is you're taking up all of my time. I want to go to somebody else. Well, I see someone I
wanted to contact with, but I'd love to continue this conversation
later. May I reach out? This is good ways of saying,
Okay, we're done here, but let's have a positive, polite way of ending the conversation without someone feeling you've dumped them. So we've prepared for the event, we've attended it,
and then we have the follow up after the event. And this is where
you sort of solidify your new connections and start building this long term
relationship with them. And you can do this in three
ways we'll look at here. First one is sending a
personalized message, sending some useful resources, and planning future
interactions. For a personalized message, if you send someone a
thoughtful message, it shows that you valued the interaction
you had with them. That could be an email. So here's an example, just
a short body of email. Obviously, this
is the body part, the salutation and
the closing we've omitted because was a pleasure
meeting you at event name. I enjoyed a conversation about what have
you talked about, and I'd love to stay in touch or explore potential
collaboration opportunities. Or we could send them
a linked in request. Hi name, whoever they were. I really enjoyed meeting
you at the event you're at. Your insights in whatever you
talked about were valuable. Let's connect and keep
the conversation going. You might also share some
useful resources with them. So something that you
think they would find useful to sort of strengthen
the relationship. I thought you might
find this article 0N a specific topic you were interested in helpful based
on what we discussed. Oh, here's a link to the tool I mentioned
during our chat. It's been a game changer for me. And then you plan some
future interactions. And obviously, building
a relationship requires ongoing communication,
not a one and done. You might say to them, Would you like to grab a coffee and discuss whatever you're
talking about in more detail? Well, our company is hosting a webinar next month
on some topic. I'd love for you to join. Okay, keeps things going. Do you have any questions
on event networking? If so, please use a Q&A.
4. In Person Networking: Welcome to this next
lesson where we take a closer look at in
person networking. So in this lesson, we'll cover the essential
skills you need for effective in person networking. And we'll look at how you
introduce yourself and others, discuss your role
in the company, and we use active listening to really build
meaningful connections. And we'll look at
essential techniques, practical advice, and, of
course, plenty of examples. So introducing yourself,
like a strong introduction makes a positive
first impression and sets the tone for
the conversation. As they say, you only have one chance to make
a first impression. So smile and maintain
eye contact, extend a firm but not
crushing handshake and clearly state your name and a concise description
of your role. Now, eye contact, handshake will cover a lot more in detail of this when we look at cross cultural networking. But for now, you know,
this is what you do. So how you introduce yourself? You might say, Hi,
I'm Emily Carter, a supply and chain manager
at Global Logistics. I focus on improving efficiency in
international shipping. Or, hi, I'm Alex Rivera. I run a digital
marketing agency that specializes in helping
small companies grow their online presence. Hi. My name is Pria Patel. I'm a data scientist
at Fintech Analytics. I develop machine learning tools to detect fraud in
financial transactions. Again, made up companies, but it wouldn't surprise me
if they exist somewhere. You might also have to
introduce other people, and you need to do this
in a professional way. So you mentioned the name
of the person, their role, and ideally some
sort of point of connection between the two
people you're introducing. And you'd use polite language. You might say, Oh,
may I introduce? So I'd like to
introduce you too. You don't just say, Oh, is Bob talk to him? Now you do it politely. And
here's some examples of that. Pria, may I introduce
you to James? James works in AI development
at Innovatech and Pria specializes in data
analytics for financial systems. Emily, this is Alex. Alex runs a digital
marketing agency, and I think his insights on social media trends could be valuable for your
upcoming campaign. Let me introduce you to Sarah. She's a project manager
at Green Solutions, and her team has been leading some fascinating
sustainability projects. Obviously, vary them to
your personal situation, but please use them
as a template. Then you discuss your role. And when you're
discussing your role, it's important to sort
of clearly communicate your expertise while keeping
the conversation going. Okay, but don't get braggy, as we said in previous lessons. So use clear jargon
free language, highlight your key
responsibilities or achievements, and if possible, sort of connect your role to the broader industry trend or the topic you're
talking about. Here's some examples. Oh, I'm a business development
manager at Startek. My role involves identifying new market opportunities and building partnerships
with startups. I'm a project designer at
Vision where I focus on creating user
friendly interfaces for our virtual
reality applications. I work as a financial
consultant helping companies optimize their
budgets and preparing for IPOs. They might also have to explain
what your company does. So when you're
doing this, again, clearly state what you want to say while keeping the
conversation moving. Provide a brief overview of your company's mission or focus, highlight any recent
accomplishments or unique aspects, and, of course, tailor your description to suit
your audience's interests. Here's some examples.
Green Tech Solutions is a renewable energy company. We're currently expanding our solar power project
across Southeast Asia. Fintech Analytics is
a data driven firm that provides insights for
financial institutions. We recently developed an AI tool to detect fraudulent
transactions. Well, my company, eco
friendly packaging, specializes in
sustainable materials. We've been partnering with major retailers to
reduce plastic waste. We'll talk now about active
listening techniques. So active listening
sort of demonstrates a respect for the other person
and what they're saying, and it builds rapport with them by showing your interest
in that person. And we show interest
and engagement. We also clarify and
confirm information. So showing interest
or engagement, you can sort of nod occasionally and use positive body language. Note nod occasionally, you're
not looking like this, you know, dog in the
back of the car, yeah. And you could respond with short phrases such as,
Oh, that's fascinating. Oh, I hadn't thought
of it that way. And also ask follow up questions to encourage the other
person to elaborate. So here's some examples. Or you mentioned a recent
expansion into Europe. What has been the
most surprising part of that experience? That sounds like a
challenging project. How did your team approach
the initial hurdles? It's interesting that you're focusing on block
chain technology. What applications you
find most promising. Or, the other thing
we mentioned is clarifying and
confirming information. And you do this, you
sort of paraphrase what the other person said to confirm your
understanding of it. And if something isn't
clear, by all means, politely ask for clarification
with phrases like, Oh, so what you're saying is or did I understand
correctly that? Yeah, and we'll look
at some examples now. So your company's transitioning
to cloud based solutions. What's been the biggest
benefits so far? If I understand you correctly, your team is developing an
app for remote healthcare. What features are
you prioritizing? You mentioned that
sustainability is a focus for your company. Could you explain more about
how you're implementing it? Here are some sort of examples that you can use for yourself. We'll look at the techniques, you'll be able to
prepare to network confidently and
professionally in person. The last slides here, we show some typical situations together
with example dialogues. Now, for instance,
networking at a conference. So here's a situation. You meet someone during a coffee break. You might say, Hi, I'm Sarah. I work as a project manager in the renewable energy sector. And the other person, I say, Oh, nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm Alex. I run a software startup focusing on
energy efficiency, to which you then carry on with, well,
that's interesting. Our team is currently working on a project related
to energy storage. How does your software address energy
efficiency challenges? And they you're off and chatting about work
related stuff. Or you might want to
introduce somebody so you're talking to a colleague when another person joins. And you might say, Oh,
Emily, this is James. James is an HR consultant specializing in
recruitment strategies. And Emily works in operations
at a logistics firm. I think you two might
have insights to share about managing
diverse teams. And the last one is discussing your company. Very
typical question. Someone might say, What
do your company do? You might say, Oh, we're a tech company
specializing in cybersecurity solutions. Our latest product is an AI driven tool that detects phishing
attempts in real time. Do you have any questions
about networking in person? If so, please use a Q&A.
5. Phone Networking Skills: Welcome to this next
lesson where we take a closer look at networking
skills when on the phone. Obviously, networking
over the phone is an essential skill in
today's professional world. And unlike in person
conversations, phone interactions rely entirely on verbal communication
and tone. We have to be clear
and professional, and we actually have to really listen to what the
other person is saying. In this lesson, we'll look at some strategies,
some techniques, and lots and lots
of examples to help you confidently navigate
telephone networking. So as in with in
person or event calls, we have to prepare for the call, and the preparation makes
us confident and focused. So we'd research the person
or the company we're calling, maybe write a brief outline of the points we
want to discuss, and we'd prepare a polite
opening and closing statement. About some preparation examples. So before calling,
a potential client learn about their
latest projects and any key decision makers and maybe make a note
of three key questions. And these could be what
challenges are you currently facing
in relevant area? What criteria are most important for you when
choosing a supplier? And how can we best tailor our services to meet your needs? We also have to set
the right tone. You need to speak clearly, and at a moderate pace. Don't go charging off
'cause you're nervous, okay? Slow it down. And also, this may sound silly because you're on the phone then they
can't see you, but smile while you're talking. It will naturally improve your tone and make you
sound more friendly. And again, avoid sounding
rushed or even distracted. Just concentrate on
what you're doing. Got some examples.
Oh, good morning. This is Alex Johnson from
Green Tech Solutions. Am I speaking with Jamie Lee? Hello, I'm calling to
introduce myself and discuss how we can support
your recent expansion into renewable energy. Hi, this is Sarah
from Marketing Pro. I wanted to follow up
on the email I sent last week regarding our
content strategy proposal. We also need to
structure the call. It's all part of the planning. That's a well
structured call makes you come across as
professional and effective, and it really doesn't matter the context you're doing it in. And a very typical
standard structure for a call would be like
this. We have the greetings. You state the
purpose of the call, then you have a little bit
of content based on that, and then you would close
the call. So the greetings. So you give a polite
and clear greeting and set a professional
tone for the conversation. Ideally, you'd use the recipient's name
whenever possible. People like hearing
their own names and clearly introduce yourself
and your organization. So here's some examples. Hello. Is this Michael Green? This is Emma Watson
from Supply Chain Pro. Thank you for taking
my call today. Hi. My name's Ra Shama. I'm a consultant
at Innovate Now. I'd love to discuss how we can collaborate on
future projects. You then state the purpose of the call and need
to state clearly the purpose of it
so that people can focus on why you're
phoning them. Also, be concise about
why you're calling. Don't ramble for 10
minutes and leave the person confused as to why you're on the
phone with them. And also frame it
in such a way that you highlight the
recipient's benefits. So here's some examples. I'm calling to
explore how we can support your team with
project management software. I wanted to follow up on
the conference last week and discuss potential
synergies between our teams. We recently launched
a new product line, and I believe it aligns with your sustainability
goals to focus on them. Now, once we've had our
call, we need to close it, and we want to do it
professionally and leave a final impression
that is positive. So we summarize
the key points or any action items and
express appreciation. I thank them for their time
and confirm the next steps. Here's some examples. Thank
you for your time, Mr. Green. I'll send you the
detailed proposal by Friday and we can reconnect next week to
discuss your feedback. It's been great speaking
with you, Lisa. Let me email you some examples
of our past projects, and we'll set up
a follow up call. Again, we're using their names again, all the
stuff from before. Now look at phone
call introductions. So it might well be that this is your first communication
with the other person. In this case, you'll
need to introduce yourself and possibly other
people over the phone. And this needs you to
be clear and precise. So you need to
introduce yourself. You would use your full name and role and state the
purpose of the call. You might say, Good afternoon. This is Carlos Mendoza, project coordinator at
Smart Tech Solutions. I'd like to discuss your
company's recent interest in automation technology. Hi, I'm Ayesha Khan, a recruiter at Talent Bridge. I'm calling about an exciting opportunity in
digital marketing. And if you're
introducing others, try and indicate the
relationship between the two of them and mention
any relevant roles or interests to establish
some common ground. Oh, Anna, I'd like
to introduce you to David Carter,
our technical lead. David specializes in
software development and could provide insights
for your upcoming project. Another example, John, let me connect you
with Lisa Martin. She's an expert in supply
chain optimization and has worked with several
clients in your industry. Now, we also, not all telephone conversations go the
way you want them to, and sometimes they
can be challenging, and you have to be very
professional when handling it. So difficult telephone
conversations could involve interruptions, misunderstandings, and just generally
difficult situations. Well, look at these now.
They're interrupting politely. Acknowledge the speaker
before interrupting and use some sort of polite phrase
to guide the conversation, such as, I'm sorry to interrupt. I'd like to clarify something
before we move forward. If I may, could I add a
quick thought on that point? Well, apologies for jumping in, but I think this ties directly to what we've been discussing. And also misunderstandings
can happen, especially if people are talking in a language
that's not their native. So you need to stay calm and
don't assign blame, okay? So it's not a
blamestorming session. Ask clarifying questions and make sure that people understand what
we're talking about. And if possible, rephrase your message to avoid confusion. I may not have explained that
clearly. Let me rephrase. We're offering a 15% discount for first time
clients this quarter. Just to clarify, are you saying the delivery timeline needs
to be shortened by two weeks? It sounds like there's some confusion about the
scope of our services. Would it help if I provided
additional details? We also might have quite
difficult probing questions or even criticism, and again, stay professional, stay focused, and take a moment
to really think about your response
before saying it. And again, acknowledge
valid points while offering
constructive solutions. As these examples show.
That's a fair question. While our software doesn't
currently have that feature, we're actively developing it
for release next quarter. Now, I understand your
concern about pricing. Let me share how we ensure value through customization
and long term support. You're right. There was a
delay in the last shipment. We've since updated our process to prevent similar
issues in the future. Do you have any questions
on telephone networking? If so, please use a Q&A.
6. Email Networking Skills: Welcome to this next lesson
on email networking skills. So here we'll look
at how to write effective and professional
networking emails. We'll focus on structuring the emails for
different purposes, crafting clear subject lines and maintaining
proper etiquette. And you will get
skills and see many, many examples on how to
improve email communication. I would point out here that we started off by
in person networking. The last lesson was on telephone networking
where you can't see the person, but you
can only hear them. And in email, you
can't even hear them. So you have to be
very, very clear with communication and make sure
it can't be misunderstood. So to write effective
networking emails, we'll look at crafting
clear subject lines. We will look at how we structure emails for different purposes, and, of course, we'll
see lots of examples. They look at first
the subject line. The subject line is usually what they see
in their email tool. And often, if the subject line is bad, it won't even be open. It just gets dumped
straight in the trash. So keep it concise and specific. Try and indicate the
purpose of the email and avoid sort of vague or
overly generic phrases like, hi, hello or quick question. Now here's some examples
of a clear subject line, feel free to adapt these to
suit your specific purpose. Use them as templates. Follow up after our meeting
at whatever event. Introducing yourself
from your company. Request for collaboration on whatever topic. Thank
you for your time. Next steps for the
project you're working on or invitation to connect
industry opportunities. Now, depending on
the purpose we have, we would structure our
email slightly differently. And this sort of
clear structure makes your message easy to
read and to understand. So the general email structure
would be the greeting, some sort of way of addressing
them professionally. You would have the
introductory statement, sort of who you are and why you're writing
this email to them. Then you have the main
body of the text. So the details you would then
have a closing statement, I say thanking them and
outlining next steps. And then you'd have
your signature, which would include your name, title, company, contact details. So these examples, we won't go through them
in a lot of detail. Here's the first one.
This is after a meeting. So the subject would say,
great to meet you at event. And I won't go through all this. If you want to pause it, to read through it and see the details and
specifics, please do. Otherwise I'll just go
through these a bit quicker. An introduction email. So you might have as a
subject introduction, your name, your
role, dear person. Again, pause it if you want
to look at the details. Otherwise, I'll just move
on to not waste your time. You might be seeking advice. So its subject would be
requests for advice on topic, and again, pause the playback if you wish to read
the mails in detail. And we have obviously professional
etiquette with emails. And if you make these
horrible mistakes, it can really damage your
reputation, your credibility. So always proof read
before sending it. There's nothing
worse than getting bad grammatical errors and
spelling mistakes in emails. Again, be concise.
Be respectful of the recipient's time and
keep it to the bare minimum. Don't use overly
casual language. And avoid vague requests. Be specific about what
you're asking for. Make it clear. And don't
forget attachments. So if you mention
attachments in the email, make sure you add them.
Yeah, we've all done it. We've all sent the email and
forgotten the attachments, but, you know, try
not to do it, yeah. So here's some examples of some mistakes and some
fixes you can make. So instead of writing, Hey, can you help me with
some advice? Right. Dear whoever you're
sending it to, I appreciate your advice
on this specific topic. And also, instead of writing, please find attached the doc. So please written very casually, attached misspelt, the As
missing in the middle. Write something
more professional, such as attached, you'll find
the document we discussed. It's much more professional, comes over a lot more better. And we need to close
the emails effectively. We need to leave that
positive final impression, the same as with the
telephone earlier. So you'd express gratitude
for their time or help. But the next steps
or your expectations should be clearly stated, and again, use polite
closing phrases. So here's some examples. Thank you for considering
this opportunity. I look forward to your response. Please let me know if
you have any questions. I'm happy to provide
additional details. I'm looking forward
to your thoughts best regards your name. Do you have any questions
on email networking? If so, please use a Q&A.
7. Building and Maintaining Relationships: Welcome to this lesson on building and maintaining
relationships. In this lesson, we'll look at
some skills needed to build lasting professional
relationships sort of once we've done the
initial networking. We'll cover follow
up strategies, we'll show how to
express gratitude, we'll maintain long
term connections by staying relevant and sharing
updates professionally. And specifically, here,
we'll look at following up after networking and maintaining
long term connections. And by following up after networking, why
would we do this? Well, firstly, it
reinforces your connection, so it keeps you on the
other person's radar so you don't forget about you. And it shows your
professionalism. It demonstrates your commitment to building a relationship, and it opens opportunities. So this sort of relationship, the networking you have, creates a foundation for any future collaboration
or assistance. So here's some tips for
effective follow ups. So reference the context of your meeting. They've
met lots of people. So be polite, concise, and clear about the
purpose of your contact. Highlight shared
interests or goals. And then the next
slides will show some follow up
emails or messages. And again, feel
free to use them as templates and modify
them as you feel fit. After an event or meeting, dear person, I won't
read this out. Please pause it if you want
to read it in more detail. Otherwise, we'll carry on. After being introduced
to somebody, again, you send
them this kind of. This is the bare
bones of the email. Please pause it. Check it out if you want to see it again. You might also receive
help or advice. And so here's the email
you can send them. You could thank
them for whatever. Say pause it, read it in
detail if you want to. Following up with gratitude, so saying thank you to somebody. Again, pause it if you want to check it out in more detail. And also to confirm next steps. Another type of email you
could send or message to send to somebody
confirming next steps. Again, pause it if
you want to read the details, we'll carry on. Now, expressing gratitude is also a good way to
establish goodwill and leaves a good
lasting impression because nobody likes
ungrateful people. So you can say, thank
you for your time during our discussion at event. Your insight on whatever you talked about, were invaluable. And grateful for the
opportunity to learn more about some specific
aspect of their work. I truly appreciate
your openness. I wanted to thank
you for introducing me to whoever it was. It was a pleasure
connecting with them. Can also express interest. So if you express some
genuine interest, it really enforces that connection you have
with the person. I was fascinated by your perspective on
whatever you spoke about. I'd love to hear more
about your approach. Oh, your work on specific
project is truly inspiring. How did you overcome
some specific challenge? I'm really interested
in learning more about your company's initiatives in whatever area you
were discussing. And also, you want to maintain
long term connections. The reason this is important
because it fosters trust. So the regular communication
builds trust with that person over time,
and they trust you. It also strengthens
a relationship. I ensures that
your contacts sort think of you for
future opportunities. And it encourages reciprocity,
which, in other words, opens the door for
you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Yeah,
you help each other. And you can share
updates professionally. Another good way
of doing this is to keep updates relevant for
the recipients interests. You share something of value, so you could include
some helpful information or insights or resources. But don't do it
too often, right? You don't want to overload them with too much information. Take a frequency that you think is sensible based on
what you want to receive. And the next few slides we'll look at some
examples of this. So if you're sharing a
new role or achievement, you might just mail and say, Hey, I've got some
exciting news. I recently started a new role as whatever, at
position company. I'd love to hear
your thoughts on something related to that.
Let's catch up soon. If you're providing
useful resource, you could send them
a text and say, Hey, I come across this article 0N some interesting topic and thought you might
find it interesting based on our previous
discussions. You might also be checking
in with industry news, Hey, I saw this thing
and I thought of you. What are your
perspectives on it? You could update on,
say shed project to give a quick update
on the project we discussed at
whenever you met them. We've made significant
progress in this part, and I'd love to share
details with you. Or you can congratulate
them on their success. You're going to say,
Hey, congratulations on whatever achievement, some promotion they got, maybe some award
they were given. It's well deserved,
and I'm happy for you. Let's catch up
soon to celebrate. No we need to stay relevant to the contact and how we do this. So we'd personalize
our messages to reflect shared interests
or past conversations, and we'd reach out during significant milestones
that could be holidays, anniversaries,
birthdays and offer support and help
when appropriate. And we'll show in the next few slides some
examples of this. So holiday greetings. Just a short wishing your family a wonderful
holiday season. I look forward to
reconnecting in the new. It might mark some anniversary. Say, Hi, can you believe it's been a year since we
met at this event? I'd love to catch up and see how things are doing your end. Could also be as an anniversary that they maybe ten years at their
company and you just want to sort
of congratulate them or if you know them
well commiserate with them. You could offer
support. Oh, I saw your recent LinkedIn post
about some specific challenge. I'll be happy to help if you need it or provide resources. Or if you're following up
after a bit of a long gap, you could say, Oh, it's been a while since
we last connected. I hope all is well.
Let's catch up soon. I'd love to hear about
your latest projects. Of course, you
recognize their work. This is a good one people
love to gain praise. And you say, Oh, I
recently came across your publication
article, whatever. And it was very impressive
and congratulations on this. Do you have any questions on building and maintaining
relationships? If you do, please use your Q&A.
8. Cross Cultural Networking: Welcome to this important lesson on cross cultural networking. Now, I'll warn you
in advance this is quite a long one.
So let's get going. The cross cultural
networking is really unavoidable in today's
globalized business environment. You're going to have suppliers, partners, colleagues, customers
from all over the world. It's very, very unusual to
not have this these days. And here we'll look at in depth understanding
of cultural differences. We'll look at some
techniques for adapting language and manners, and we'll look at strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. So with the information
and the examples here, you'll be better
equipped to navigate diverse networking
scenarios effectively. So here we'll look
at four main areas. We'll look at understanding
cultural differences, look at adapting our language
for international contacts. We'll look at topics and manners across
different cultures, and we'll look at some common mistakes and
how to avoid them. Firstly, what is
cultural awareness? So cultural awareness, it recognizes and
respects the values, beliefs and behaviors of other people that could well
be different from your own. And in the networking context, we specifically mean
avoiding offense, so we don't want
misunderstandings that arise from
different cultures. We want to build trust, and we demonstrate respect
for cultural differences, and this then builds goodwill. We want to enhance
our communication. So we want to
tailor our approach to ensure that our
message is understood. Look at some examples. A direct question in the US, such as what's your revenue this year might seem a
bit intrusive in Japan, where financial
matters are private. And in France,
interrupting might be seen as some sort of enthusiasm, whereas, say Finland, it could be perceived
as being rude. Now, I would like
to point out with these examples and all
the other examples, these are just examples. They are accurate examples, but it's not the
complete picture. To look at cultural dimensions. What do you mean by
cultural dimensions? These are how we anticipate the differences in styles and different
cultural backgrounds. And here, in the
networking context, we'll look at
communication style, so called power distance,
and time orientation. So communication style. So in high context cultures, and these are like
Japan, Saudi Arabia, this relies on non
verbal cues and context. So often what they don't say is as important
as what they do say. But low context cultures, say, United States and Germany, they value explicit and
detailed communication. Their Japanese colleague might say, that would be difficult, and that's really
a polite refusal, whereas America might just say
no and be direct about it. Now we look at power distance and high power distant cultures, say India, Brazil, Japan
and China as well, where respect for
hierarchy is important. And in low power
distance cultures, say Denmark and New Zealand, as examples, the emphasis more on equality
and informality. And so in a high power
distance culture, addressing a senior executive informally could well be
seen as disrespectful. So read the room. Then we have time and so
called monochronic cultures, say Germany and Switzerland, and again, Japan and China, I'm sure, punctuality and
deadlines are very important. In so called
polychronic cultures, say Mexico and the Philippines, flexibility and time
is kind of common. So if you arrive late for
a meeting in Switzerland, this could harm
your credibility, and they won't respect
you as well for it. But say in Mexico, a small delay might not even be noticed. We also need to adapt our language for
international contacts, and we need to recognize that our international contact could well not be native
English speakers. And also, their ability
and confidence will vary. And so to allow for this, we'll do so called mirroring
of the other person's style. We will simplify our language. We'll use neutral phrases, and will be very careful
when making jokes. Now look at first at
simplifying the language. So when networking
across cultures, we would simplify our language to make sure that we're
better understood. And simplifying our language
really makes things clearer, especially for non
native speakers. And specifically,
we'll avoid idioms, we'll use clear vocabulary, and we'll break down
complex sentences. Let's look at first
at some examples of mirroring the
other person's style. So what we're really doing
is we're just watching them looking for their levels of formality and
their tone and pace, and we would match that. So if they're more formal,
then you're formal. You would say, it's a pleasure
to meet you doctor Blogs. But if they're more informal,
you would say, Hey, it's great to meet you
and use their first name. And if they speak a bit slowly, then match their pace. I could well be they're
not that confident and you need to be a bit slower so they can
understand you better. Also avoid idioms. I personally love idioms, but they can confuse non
native speakers because there's either no
direct translation or you can understand
all the words, but you have no idea
what they're saying. So instead of saying, Let's
get the ball rolling, just say let's start. Instead of saying this
project is up in the air, just say it's undecided. Instead of saying, that's a
different kettle of fish, just say that's a
different issue. And don't say, you've hit the nail on the
head, say, you're right. Yeah, you're exactly right. And instead of saying, look, it's not rocket
science, say it simple. Okay? There's
hundreds of idioms. They can confuse non native
speakers enormously. Please try and avoid
them if possible. And also use clear vocabulary. So don't use complex
or technical terms. Maybe try and find
a simpler word. So instead of saying we need
to synergize our efforts, just say we need
to work together. Instead of saying we are
leveraging data analytics, to say we're using
data analytics. And don't say the proposal
lacks granularity. Lacks detail. Easier
to understand. And don't ideate solutions. You may be brainstorm solutions, and maybe even brainstorming
might be misunderstood, so you'd simplify
it even further. And don't say we should
facilitate a dialogue. Just say, let's
have a discussion. A lot simpler. And also we need to break
complex sentences. So really long
compound sentences are quite difficult
to understand, and it's a lot
better to put them into sort of shorter sentences. So the original might be, given the multifaceted
nature of the challenge, we must, after
careful deliberation, consider all viable solutions. Uh. This is a complex challenge. We need to think carefully and explore all options,
much easier. The project, which was
initiated last quarter, has encountered numerous
unforeseen obstacles. The project started
last quarter, has faced unexpected challenges. Although our budget is limited, we aim to maximize efficiency and achieve
the desired outcomes. Our budget is small, but we'll work efficiently
to meet our goals. The team's collaboration
is crucial for the successful implementation
of this initiative. The team must work together
to make the project succeed. Which do you prefer? And lastly, we should, wherever possible, aim to minimize
resource wastage. Let's say we should reduce
waste as much as possible. We also use sort of
neutral phrases. So these avoid really
all cultural biases and are more likely to be
universally understood, more likely not guaranteed. And the examples
we'll specifically look at will be
neutral greetings, neutral small talk starters, and neutral closing statements. So here's some
neutral greetings. Good morning. Good to meet you. Hello, I'm whatever your name. How are you today? It's a
pleasure to connect with you. Thank you for making
time to meet me. I've heard great things
about your company. It's nice to meet you. I don't think there's anything
there that people could really find offensive,
but who knows? And we have neutral
small talk starters. How has your week been so far? What's your favorite
thing about this city? Have you been to
this event before? What brought you
into this industry? What's something
you're currently working on that excites you? And then after you finish, neutral closing statements, thank you for your time.
Let's stay in touch. That was great talking to you. I hope we can
reconnect again soon. Please feel free to reach out if you need
anything from my side. I'll send you a follow up email with the details we discussed. I look forward to continuing
our conversation. We have to be very, very
careful with humor. So humor can be a great tool for breaking the ice,
building rapport. But what's funny to
you and appropriate to your culture may absolutely
not be true somewhere else. So we'll look at here
a bit more detail and plenty of examples of how to use it effectively and avoid any potential missteps. So you might have some sort of light humor about some
shared experience. So you make light
hearted comments, maybe about something
you have in common to establish some common
ground and rapport. Oh, this line for coffee is
like a test of patience. They should give us
medals at the end. It's a long line
you're waiting in. I thought I packed
everything for this trip, but I forgot my charger
again. So who hasn't? I always managed to find the longest line, no
matter where I go. Yep, Murphy's law. Often self deprecating humor. So sort joking about yourself in a non demeaning way can make you appear more
approachable and relatable. It's like almost giving other people permission
to use humor as well. I planned my day perfectly
until reality got involved. I'm great at directions, as long as there's someone
else leading the way. I tried to learn some phrases in whatever language
for this trip. I think I ordered a
cat instead of coffee. Technology and I in a
love hate relationship, mostly on the hate side today. And these aren't, you know, not likely to break a
rib laughing at these, but they are kind of harmless. Then we have things like sort of universal non cultural humor. Like comments that
don't depend on any particular cultural
knowledge or context. I read somewhere that 90% of productivity comes from
coffee. Sounds about right. I love how business events
always have name tags, makes it harder to
forget your own name. The only thing I'm consistent at is forgetting where
I put my glasses. Again, it's a bit self
deprecating as well, but most people,
if I have glasses, they forget where they put them. I told myself I'd
get up early today, and I almost believed it, I didn't get up early today. We need to avoid potentially
offensive topics. And these would include
religion, politics, stereotypes, and they really should be avoided in a
professional setting. This is also true when
we're thinking about humor. What do we want to avoid? Things like, or, you know
what they say about people from wherever
boring stereotypes. Religion? Well, that's
just asking for trouble at dinner
parties. Yes, it is. Well, at least we're not in
politics, that's a real mess. Yes, it is. And yes, it is. If we do use humor, we need to keep it
professional and inclusive. And we do this by not
mocking anyone specifically, and including everyone
in the conversation. For example, Oh, I
think we've all been there hitting Reply All
by accident. Mm hmm. Whoever invented time zones clearly never tried scheduling
an international meeting. Yep, I think most people
can relate to that. Does anyone else feel that the coffee budget should
rival the marketing budget? Most people think this
is true, as well. Again, we're not laughing
at anyone in particular. Now, it could well be that you think something
was hilarious, but nobody else did.
And what do you do? Well, you just move on
and don't dwell on it. You might say things like, Well, sounded funny in my head. Well, let's just say I won't
quit my day job for comedy. Oops, I'll save that one
for another audience. Not my best joke, but I
promise my ideas are better. I think of all of them, that last one is
the best response. Now, etiquette can vary
hugely across cultures, but there are certain things
we do to show respect. And these change culturally. And these things we're talking about are greeting etiquette, gift giving, and
business card exchange. And we'll look at
each of these now. So if you're greeting etiquette, it really depends
on where you are. This list is not
exhaustive or exclusive. Please research
where you're going. For instance, in
Japan, you would bow slightly and maintain a
neutral tone of voice. It's an honor to meet you. I look forward to
learning from you. In France, for example, you begin formally
Monsieur madame Monsieur until invited to be informal by the person
you're talking to. In the UK or US, a firm handshake
is quite standard. Oh, Mona, great to meet you. And it should be
pointed out that, especially in the states, a weak handshake is a sign
of not being trustworthy. So in the states, expect a
real bone crushing handshake. On the other end of the scale in certain say Asian countries, this kind of firm handshake is seen as a sign of aggression, and so you'll have a lot softer handshake with someone there. So just be aware of this
in the Middle East. Wait for a handshake
to be initiated, especially if someone is
the opposite gender as you. There are certain
cultural rules about not touching men who are not
family members and so on. So don't make a mistake here. Just say it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank
you for your time. And in India, we
have this Namaste, which put your palms together and I'm delighted to meet you. Then we have gift giving. A gift giving, again,
is another minefield. So in China, for instance, wrap gifts in red or gold because they symbolize
of luck and prosperity. But avoid white because that
symbolizes death in China. And a good example
of this might be a small box of high quality tea. So in Germany, as
another example, you give maybe wine or flowers, but avoid red roses, which have romantic
implications, and you say, this
is a small token of appreciation for
your hospitality. Chocolates, as well
also go down well. In the States, personal
gestures are appreciated, but they're not compulsory. And often just a handwritten
thank you note is plenty. Now, in Japan, you would
present the gift with both hands and make some sort of a few polite
words to go with it. So it's a small gift
to show my gratitude. Speaking about
Japanese gift giving, I read a funny report when some Japanese partners went to visit a steel making
town in England. And when it came to giving
them some presents, they gave them some sort of little knives that were
made in that town. And unfortunately, the people doing this hadn't
done their homework. Because giving a
knife to someone in Japan is the same as asking
them to commit suicide. So you can tell that that
didn't go down well. They should have
done their homework. And in Brazil, avoid
overly expensive gifts. Go for something
more thoughtful, maybe a book related
to shared interests, so it shouldn't be embarrassing to receive such an
expensive thing. Then we have the fun and games with business card exchange. So in Japan and probably, I think most Asian countries, you present the card with both hands with the text
facing the recipient. You say, Here's my card. I
hope we can work together. And this is quite a
formal thing because the business card
here is seen as almost like an
extension of yourself, and giving it to someone
is not guaranteed. It's something that
you should appreciate. And so you take it
with both hands, and then you give them
your card with both hands. It's a bit of a ceremony. Whereas in, say,
the US, England, most of Europe, it's
usually more casual. You say, Oh, here's my card,
feel free to reach out. If you're saying a
meeting in any of these, you know, European English
speaking countries, if you're sitting around
a table at a meeting, it's very common just to sort of throw everyone
a business card, so you all know who you are. Don't do this in Asia, okay? I'll go down horribly badly. Gather in India, accept and give cards with either
right hand or both hands. And you'd make
some pleasantries, so a pleasure to meet you. Please take my card. Again, in China,
similar to Japan, it's something of value. So you look and don't
write on it as well, by the way, in Asian countries. Don't write on the back of it. What they do or some notes for yourself will not
be appreciated, will be seen as disrespectful. In France, you can
present your card during or after the
initial introduction. Oh, allow me to share
my contact information. It's a difference
between Europe and Asia. In Europe, it's more of something contact
details in Asia, it's something more
personal and valuable. Then we have manners and topics across
different cultures. So when engaging in cross
cultural networking, even well intentional
professionals, you can inadvertently, make a
mistake and cause problems. And this next section, we'll look at some common pitfalls, we'll explain them and give examples and show what
you can do instead. So the worst thing you can do or one of the worst
things you can do is assume that everybody has the same cultural
norms as you do, and this can cause awkwardness
and misunderstandings, and it really disregards the unique perspectives and practices of individuals
from different backgrounds. And so to avoid it,
just be curious, be observant, and above all, be open minded and learn about these before
engaging. So do your homework. Now here's some examples. Don't assume everyone
shakes hands firmly. So research your greetings, so bowing in Japan or
light handshakes in Asia. Don't use informal first
names immediately in Germany. Address colleagues formally and obviously not just colleagues, but also partners and customers, especially, unless they
invite you to go informal. A little bit more
detail on this. Everyone has their formality and informality, and in England, and the informality is the way you speak and the
formality is the way you dress. So in England, you
would have a suit and a tie on and you call
everyone by their first name. In Germany, it's exact opposite. I could in Germany go to a customer site in
jeans and t shirt, and it would not
raise an eyebrow, but you speak very
formally to them. You use their academic
titles if they have them and their surnames
and you speak formally. It would be a mistake
to get it wrong. Similarly with eye contact. So in some cultures, avoiding eye contact
is a sign of respect rather than a
sign of shiftiness. Do your homework. And also, don't assume that everyone
celebrates the same holidays. So the different
holidays and making assumptions during
holiday season will often land you in trouble. And a very specific
example is, say, the thumbs up in Middle
Eastern meetings, you might think it's showing, yep, great or good, but in some areas, gestures can be
highly offensive. Another example that
springs to mind here is the fingers
crossed sign. In most European
countries in America, fingers crossed is
something for luck. But if you do that in sort of Asian countries
and Indian areas, it's a highly offensive gesture. So do your homework. And also using overly
familiar language. If you're too casual, too soon, it can come across, depending on where you
are, as being sort of unprofessional and
or disrespectful. And many cultures, they
value the formality, especially in the
initial interactions. And so what we do to avoid
it is we match the tone of the other person and wait for them to initiate
informality. There's some examples of this. So don't say, Hey, there, buddy. So rather, hello, it's
a pleasure to meet you. And don't say, What's or What's. Just say, How are you today. And don't use nicknames
without permission. Stick to their full name or their surname unless you're invited to use a different form. And also, don't say, Let's get straight to the point. Rather say, shall we begin by discussing
our main objectives? It just sounds
more professional. And also, don't get gossipy. You know, don't say, Oh, this
is just between you and me, but just to avoid gossip,
it is unprofessional. And also, there's a
problem with silence. So in some cultures, silence is a natural part
of the conversation. It's where people are thinking. But in other cultures,
you can get this kind of awkward silence and it can
be a bit uncomfortable. And by misinterpreting silence
as disinterest or lack of understanding can also lead to someone overcompensating
or interrupting. And you avoid this
by researching the cultural attitudes towards silence and allowing them
room for reflection. So some examples of
this would be saying, Japan, silence often
indicates thoughtfulness. So don't like, fill the pause
with unnecessary babble. So the correct thing to do is to wait for your
counterpart to speak. They might just be
formulating a reply. And again, especially if English is not their
first language. So in Finland, pauses in conversation are normal and
not at all uncomfortable. So again, respect the pause without feeling the
need to fill it. However, in the US, silence could be interpreted as sort of hesitation
or lack of interest. And so be ready to explain or elaborate if your silence
is misunderstood. And in India, silence can sometimes indicate
agreement or respect. So if necessary, you could say, does this align
with your thoughts? Just make sure that
they understand. And then in the Middle
East, silence may signify active listening or
contemplation, similar to Japan. So acknowledge
silence positively. And when they
answer, you say, Oh, I appreciate you taking
the time to consider this, which is basically
what they're doing. And please do not overlook
non verbal communication. This is things like gestures,
facial expressions, and body language, and these can vary hugely across cultures. And if you misread these cues and don't understand what
the people are doing, this can get at best, confusion, at worst
horrible offense. And again, do your homework, educate yourself on their
typical body language norms, and just practice
being observant. Look at some examples of this. So in the Middle East
for under meeting, don't cross your
legs or show people the sole of your shoe that's
deemed disrespectful. So rather sit with both
feet flat on the ground. Personal space is also an issue. If you stand too close
in a lot of countries, this can be seen as
being a bit imposing, and so I rather maintain
the appropriate distance, which is about an arm's length. Now, in some other country, this is actually
quite quite funny. And say Indian cultures, there's a different concept of personal space than say
in European cultures. And so what happens is, you go along to somewhere, and the Indian guy will stand
his sort of half a meter, and the European guy
will prefer a meter. So the European guy
will take a short step backwards to then increase the body space to what
they're comfortable with, whereas the Indian guys talking, and he'll move up a bit, and the other guy will
move back a bit, and it'll end up with the guy
being basically trapped in the corner of the room,
feeling very claustrophobic. So don't be scared of it.
Understand. Simile seems like a nod, you
know, to show yes. In other countries
like Bulgaria, a nod means no, and
a shake means yes. So, you know, know which is
which before you go there. And similarly, an okay gesture in Brazil can be offensive. I think Greece, as well.
And I think in Greece, it's basically calling
someone homosexual. I'd rather look for thumbs
up for agreement instead. But as we've seen, that
can also be so check where you are before using
gestures for agreement. And about sort of decorum, don't laugh overly
loudly in Japan. It can be seen as being a
bit crass and impolite. So keep laughter
soft and composed. So what can happen if we don't adapt our communication style? Obviously, it can hinder report and reduce the collaboration. And each culture will have their preferences
for directness, formality, and tone,
politeness, et cetera. Again, do your homework, find out what their norms
are, and adapt accordingly. There here's some
examples of adaptation. So we have a direct
versus indirect culture. If we have somewhere like Japan, which is very indirect, don't say, this won't work. It's too direct. It comes
across as being rude. So perhaps we can explore other options that
might work better. Germany is also quite
a direct culture, and England is an
indirect culture. And so if you this can also cause problems with
the German person saying, The report must be
finished by Friday and the English eye getting
annoyed at the demanding tone. In the other direction, the English guy would
write for the same thing. Oh, it'd be great if the report could be finished by Friday, nice and indirect and polite. And the German guy not
understanding this says, Oh, it's not important.
I'll do it next week. So I understand the concept of indirection and politeness.
This is important. Then we have high context versus low context cultures that
don't provide tons of details in a high context
culture like China can keep the communication concise and trust them to understand
what you mean. Then we have tone of voice. So in Germany, for example, speaking loudly and animatedly is not a good idea because a more measured
tone is preferred. So use calm and
professional tone. Then we have formality. So in places like South
Korea or Germany, don't just use first
names immediately, use their academic title and their last name until
invited to do otherwise. Now we have speed
of conversation. So don't rush through
a presentation, especially in places like India where they like
to build rapport. So allow time for introductions
and relation building before diving into business. So what strategies can we have for effective cross
cultural networking? So we don't need to only
avoid the pitfalls, but we need to actively employ strategies to improve
understanding and collaboration. And in this next section, we'll look at sort
of basic etiquette. We'll avoid ethnocentrism. We'll use polite language. We'll acknowledge differences positively, and
we'll be patient. So let's look at each
of these in turn now. The basic etiquette. This is the key cultural norm, such as how you greet
somebody or table manners. Here again, just some
examples, do your homework. So bow when greeting in Japan. Avoid using your
left hand for eating in India and also
Arab countries, okay? They have the dirty hand
and the clean hand, and the left hand
is the dirty hand. Always address someone
by their formal title, say, Germany, unless
invited to do otherwise. In France, greet with a handshake and maintain
good eye contact. And say in Russia,
being a small gift like flowers or chocolates is a good idea when
meeting someone. We also need to
avoid ethnocentrism. Never assume that the way
you do it is the best way, the right way, or the only way. So don't say things like,
Well, in my country, we do it this way and it's
much better. Not a good idea. Rather say, I'm interested to learn how this
is approached here. Come in with an open mind,
be prepared to learn. Then we have polite language. If in doubt, err on the side of being more formal rather
than less formal. So don't say, What do you think? So, may I ask your opinion? Don't say, What do you mean? So, could you please clarify? And also express
gratitude explicitly. You say, Thank you
for sharing this. I really appreciate it. And we need to acknowledge
the differences positively. So frame the differences
as learning opportunities. So it's fascinating how
meetings are structured here. It's very organized. Well, I notice the importance
placed on punctuality. It's impressive. Why I'm learning so much about effective teamwork from this approach. And lastly, be patient. So if things take
a bit longer or there's maybe language
or cultural barriers, don't get wound up about it. Don't get annoyed about it, take a deep breath
and be patient. Allow pauses when someone needs
to gather their thoughts. Repeat key phrases to
ensure clarity and do say, for example, that's okay. Take your time.
I'm happy to wait. Yeah, so you're being
patient with them. Do you have any questions on
cross cultural networking? If so, please use the Q&A.
9. Case Studies: And welcome to this
lesson where we look at some case studies around
the topic of networking. So these case studies, they show some
diverse scenarios. We emphasize language
preparation, culture awareness,
and follow up, and we have four case
studies that we can examine. You're going to a trade show to expand your
professional network. So here's the scenario is Maria. A marketing manager
from Spain is attending an international
trade show in Singapore. And the challenges
she has is navigating cultural differences and initiating conversations
with strangers. So here's the strategies
used, have preparation. She researched the attendees and potential leads in advance, and she researched and learned some basic Singaporean
business etiquette, such as handing out business
cards with both hands. She also had some ice breakers, so she started with small talk. I've always wanted to visit Singapore at such
a vibrant city. Do you have any recommendations? She focused on networking, so she asked relevant questions about the other
person's business. What trends are you
noticing in your industry this year? And she followed up. So she sent a personalized
email within 48 hours. It was wonderful meeting
you at the trade show. I'd love to explore how our
companies could collaborate. And the outcome of
this is Maria built strong connections and secured two new partnerships
for her company. Next one we'll to look at is building a relationship
via telephone networking. So the scenario is that James
is a sales rep in the US, and he needs to contact a
potential client in Germany. So the challenges he
has is overcoming time zone differences and the cultural expectations
for directness. So here's the
strategies he used. So scheduling, use
polite language to propose a convenient
time. Would 10:00 A.M. Your time work for a call or is there another time
that suits you better? He had clear objectives. He opened with the purpose. I'd like to discuss how our solution can address your
company's current needs. He also did his homework about cultural awareness
and maintained a professional tone and
avoided interrupting the client and use
the confirmation. So he summarized the call. So just to confirm,
you're interested in a proposal by next
Friday, is that correct? And the outcome of this was James was able
to establish trust, he could impress the client and scheduled a
follow up meeting. Next case study we'll look at is networking in a
multicultural conference. But we have Asher, who's an
IT consultant from India, attended a conference in Canada with participants
from all around the world. And the challenges she
faced was engaging with audiences from diverse
cultural backgrounds. So here's the
strategies she used. She adapted
conversational topics. So she discussed neutral topics, you know what inspired you
to attend this conference. She also looked at
nonverbal communication, so she maintained an open
posture and smiled frequently. She was also aware of
cultural problems and avoided sensitive topics
like politics and religion. And she concentrated
on building rapport, so she shared
personal experiences. Oh, in my region, we're seeing a big shift towards
cloud based solutions. Are you noticing the same? And she followed up. So she connected on LinkedIn and sent a bunch of
thank you messages. It was great chatting
with at the conference. Let's stay in touch.
And the outcome of this was Asher was able
to expand her network. She learned about new trends and received an invitation to
speak at a future event. And the last case
study we'll look at is cross cultural
email networking. So we have Ahmed, who's an
entrepreneur from Egypt, is reaching out to a
potential investor in the UK via email. And the challenges he's facing
is writing a professional, concise email that
conveyed value. So here's the
strategies he used. He made a compelling
subject line, innovative clean
energy solutions, collaboration opportunity. Had a polite opening, dear and named the person. I hope this email
finds you well. Again, his name, not dear
whoever this may concern, Dear use his name. That's important. State
his purpose clearly. I'm reaching out to explore potential collaboration
on clean energy products. You also personalized it by referencing a recent
article by the investor. Your insights on sustainable technology were very inspiring, and you had a strong closing. I would greatly appreciate your opportunity to
discuss this further. Please let me know a
convenient time to call. And the outcome of this was that Ahmed's professional
approach led to a positive response
and a scheduled meeting. Do you have any questions on the case studies
we presented here? If so, please use a Q&A.
10. Assignment: But at the end of most courses, there's an assignment
if you like to do it, and this course is no different. So what we're going to do here is base it on the case study. So you'll produce a
similar one page document. You can use the case studies
obviously as a template if you want to or use a different
design if you prefer. There's no right or wrong
way of packaging it up. But you should ideally
take your own situation, so you know who you are, you
know where you come from, and imagine or even maybe
it's a real thing for you, you're going somewhere else
or you're meeting someone, or you're communicating
with someone and go through the process of working out what you need to do, what you need to know about, what you need to research. Now, if you don't want to do your own situation,
just make something up. Pretend to be whoever
you want to be from wherever you want
to come from and say, This hypothetical situation is this person blah from wherever, and he or she is going to
another place for a conference, for a trade fair or
to meet partners, customers, whatever
you wish to do. It's really very
open and flexible. Whatever you want
to do will be good. And then just go through like
we did in the case studies, you look at the
strategies you'll use, the things you'll
need to find out, and what you hope to gain
from this event or meeting, whatever it is you're going to. And if you then upload this short document or the contents of the document
in the Q&A section, we'll have a good look at it
and give you some feedback. So don't stress it. Try and enjoy it, and we'll
see what you have to produce.