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https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEP400-Socializing-Colleagues-1.mp3 Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for socializing with your colleagues. In this lesson we’re going to learn how to socialize with colleagues you’re meeting in-person for the first time. What do you talk about when you meet someone new or see your colleagues socially? Some outgoing people apparently never have to think about it. They’re just natural socializers and feel comfortable with small talk. For most of us though, making small talk with new people or co-workers feels uncomfortable at best, or painful at worst. But it doesn’t have to be. We call it “small talk” because it’s light, simple, and informal conversation. It’s not serious, deep, or overly formal. Small talk is often about personal matters, but not too personal if it’s at work. We often talk about places or things that are safe and avoid controversial topics. And there’s a flow to small talk that can be tricky to master. Your comments can’t be too short, or you’ll seem rude. But if they’re too long, people will lose interest. So what can you talk about if you’re meeting colleagues for the first time at say a conference or a company retreat? Well, some key topics include your name and job, of course, but also places and travel. And key strategies include building on other people’s comments, making guesses or inferences, and using unfinished sentences to invite other people to speak. With a handle on these approaches, you can comfortably chat socially with your colleagues. In today’s dialog, we’ll hear a conversation at a company retreat. People from a large company are gathering for meetings and team-building. We’ll hear Michelle, Jen, and Ryan meet each other for the first time. In their conversation, you’ll hear the topics and strategies that I just mentioned. Listening Questions 1. What information does Jen give in her short personal introduction? 2. What comment or fact given by Michelle does Jen build on with a further comment? 3. What does Jen ask Ryan about once he has introduced himself? Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post BEP 400 – Socializing with Colleagues 1: Meeting New People first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEP031c-Responding-Suggestions.mp3 Welcome back to Business English Pod. Today’s lesson is the second in a series about handling suggestions in English meetings. Last time we looked at how to make suggestions. And this time we’re going to look at how to respond to suggestions. Business is a team sport. And behind every successful team is a healthy internal dialog and debate. If you want to succeed in business and be a good team player, you need opinions and the skills to express them effectively. But that doesn’t only mean making your own suggestions. It also means responding to other people’s suggestions. So in this lesson, we’ll learn different ways of responding to suggestions. That includes responding positively, by accepting or praising the idea. It also includes rejecting ideas or casting doubt on them. In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a marketing team meeting at a sports shoe company. The four colleagues are talking about a new ad campaign. They are making suggestions for a “spokesperson,” or recognizable figure to promote their shoes. During the discussion they use a variety of techniques and language to respond to suggestions. Listening Questions 1. What does Miguel think of Sven’s idea to hire an overweight business executive as a spokesperson? 2. How does Karen react to Miguel’s suggestion of hiring a famous sports star? 3. What is the group’s response to Karen’s final suggestion of hiring a golfer? Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post BEP 31c – English for Meetings: Responding to Suggestions first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEN54-Takeovers.mp3 In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to tech takeovers or mergers and acquisitions. Takeovers are a huge part of the tech business, and they’re not always hostile. In fact, many young entrepreneurs build niche companies hoping to be acquired. And for the giants of tech, mergers and acquisitions are a critical growth strategy. With the personalities and egos involved, takeovers keep the news cycle buzzing, as the drama at Twitter has shown. According to the Guardian: Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022 promised the biggest shake-up since the company was founded. The former world’s richest man was keen to take on the project after becoming disillusioned by the site’s perceived biases and content moderation policy. But Twitter’s revolution became a bloodbath in the process, cutting staff by 80% to hone in on the new direction. Then they lost users and advertisers as a lean team struggled to manage disinformation, trolling and impersonation online. Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post Business English News 54 – Tech Takeovers first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.