Business English - Networking | Derek Smith | Skillshare

Playback Speed


1.0x


  • 0.5x
  • 0.75x
  • 1x (Normal)
  • 1.25x
  • 1.5x
  • 1.75x
  • 2x

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

    • 1.

      Introduction to Business Networking

      3:07

    • 2.

      Small Talk and Socialising

      17:11

    • 3.

      Networking at Events

      12:03

    • 4.

      In Person Networking

      9:08

    • 5.

      Phone Networking Skills

      9:35

    • 6.

      Email Networking Skills

      6:11

    • 7.

      Building and Maintaining Relationships

      7:44

    • 8.

      Cross Cultural Networking

      36:30

    • 9.

      Case Studies

      5:48

    • 10.

      Assignment

      1:51

  • --
  • Beginner level
  • Intermediate level
  • Advanced level
  • All levels

Community Generated

The level is determined by a majority opinion of students who have reviewed this class. The teacher's recommendation is shown until at least 5 student responses are collected.

8

Students

--

Projects

About This Class

Unlock your potential as a confident and effective communicator with Business English - Networking, a course designed to teach you the essential language skills for successful professional interactions. Whether you’re attending business events, making calls or writing emails, this course will help you connect with others and leave a lasting impression.

This course focuses on equipping you with the tools to navigate the dynamic world of business networking. You’ll learn how to confidently introduce yourself and others, engage in meaningful conversations and use English to build professional relationships that matter. From mastering small talk to handling challenging discussions, every aspect of your networking journey is covered.

Key learning areas include:

  • English Techniques for Socialising: Discover how to initiate and maintain engaging conversations, ask the right questions and respond with confidence in both formal and informal settings.

  • In-Person Networking Skills: Learn the art of introductions, active listening and making connections at professional events.

  • Phone Networking: Perfect your skills for structured calls, from setting a clear purpose to navigating challenges like misunderstandings or interruptions.

  • Email Networking: Write professional emails that stand out, with tips for crafting compelling subject lines, clear structures and effective closings.

  • Cross-Cultural Communication: Adapt your language and style to suit international contacts, understanding the nuances of culture, etiquette and communication norms.

The course also emphasises relationship-building strategies to ensure your connections endure. You'll learn how to follow up professionally, express gratitude, share updates and maintain relevance over time.

Real-life case studies and practical examples provide actionable insights, while role-playing exercises help you apply your skills in authentic scenarios. By the end of the course, you’ll have the confidence to network seamlessly in person, on the phone, and over email, no matter the context or audience.

Whether you’re looking to advance your career, grow your network or simply improve your professional English, Business English - Networking is your guide to making meaningful business connections.

Meet Your Teacher

Teacher Profile Image

Derek Smith

Experienced and qualified English coach

Teacher

Hello, I'm Derek - a qualified and experienced English trainer.

I have an IT background and have been teaching English to adults for over 10 years.

See full profile

Level: All Levels

Class Ratings

Expectations Met?
    Exceeded!
  • 0%
  • Yes
  • 0%
  • Somewhat
  • 0%
  • Not really
  • 0%

Why Join Skillshare?

Take award-winning Skillshare Original Classes

Each class has short lessons, hands-on projects

Your membership supports Skillshare teachers

Learn From Anywhere

Take classes on the go with the Skillshare app. Stream or download to watch on the plane, the subway, or wherever you learn best.

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.