1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,960 Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Easy English Podcast by 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,840 Understandable English. And today we are going to be 3 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:15,960 talking about quite an interesting and maybe more 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,200 professional topic, and that topic is working with 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,840 international colleagues. So within this topic, we are 6 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,800 going to look at a little bit about project communication, 7 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,200 cultural differences, and some of the differences with working 8 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,000 with British and American colleagues. 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,560 For example, this podcast is useful. 10 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:50,320 This episode is useful for general listening or if you want 11 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:55,120 to use English for work. If you are working with 12 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,760 international colleagues or want to work internationally with 13 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:05,720 your English in the future, then it might be a little bit 14 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,440 interesting for you with some of the points. 15 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:14,240 Before we get started, I just want to say that following some 16 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:19,920 messages and comments that I received, I have changed the 17 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:25,680 subscription podcast. I have removed it from Spotify 18 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,680 as it is not available in a lot of countries and what I have 19 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,320 done instead is I have made a Patreon account. 20 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,680 It's totally optional, but if you want to support this 21 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:47,480 podcast, there are a variety of different levels and tiers that 22 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,400 you can support and you get different things for that extra. 23 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:59,000 So lots of bonus content, episodes, exclusive series, 24 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:05,200 which is only on there, as well as access to a group chat with 25 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:10,160 me where you can ask me questions and I'll even be doing 26 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,200 some live video question and answers on there. 27 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,800 So lots of interesting stuff. So you can check that out in the 28 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,440 link below. So the Patreon link below, but 29 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:29,000 let's get back to the episode. OK, so one thing which is so 30 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,520 important with professional English language, so using 31 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,840 English language in the workplace is how you 32 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,840 communicate. So the style and the way that 33 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,400 you do it. But before I talk about 34 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,680 communication styles, I really wanted to look at it in relation 35 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,720 to projects. If you're working on a project 36 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:59,360 or a task or really anything with a foreign colleague, so 37 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,400 someone from a different country and you're communicating 38 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:09,320 together in English, there are a few very important things which 39 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:15,640 I think that you can use for any country and they're very, very 40 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:20,040 effective for helping your work go smoothly. 41 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,240 These are not work specific or industry specific. 42 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:30,640 They are just from a position of using English. 43 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,360 The first really important thing is to be patient. 44 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,000 So you're not always going to understand each other. 45 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:44,200 And it's very important to understand that often, in many 46 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,200 cases, it is neither of your native languages. 47 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,960 It is a second language for both people. 48 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:57,000 And even in the case where it is only your second language, you 49 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:02,200 still need to be patient because perhaps the other person is also 50 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,560 trying to make sure that they understand you. 51 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,400 And if both people are patient or the whole group is, it will 52 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:16,600 go so much easier. The next point is to be direct 53 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:21,720 and open about sort of what you need about deadlines and about 54 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:23,840 everything that you're working on. 55 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,240 We will talk about some different communication styles 56 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:33,360 and those can be important when dealing with the UK or EU, but 57 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:38,440 in general for work, work across the world, when communicating 58 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,440 internationally, it's very important to be still quite 59 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,880 direct. But more importantly than being 60 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:51,200 direct, being clear, so clear about what you want, about what 61 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:57,360 you're asking for and about what you expect maybe from your 62 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:03,480 meeting or your discussion. This is key and most important 63 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,800 for international communication within business and the 64 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,760 professional sphere. This leads me on to 65 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:18,200 communication and different cultural styles of communication 66 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,800 within business. So when I talk about 67 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:28,760 communication, it refers or it means not only language but also 68 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:35,360 the style and how you do it. So there are direct and indirect 69 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:41,800 communication styles as well as low and high context cultures. 70 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,120 And I'll explain in a little bit what that actually means for 71 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,240 direct communication in business. 72 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:55,640 It is appreciated to get to the point where to cut the chase. 73 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,840 And what that means is to be very clear and direct about what 74 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:06,960 you think and feel. So yes is yes and no is no. 75 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:14,720 And this style is very common in the US, in Germany, Australia, 76 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,280 the Netherlands and Eastern Europe as well. 77 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:24,520 With indirect communication in business, it's appreciated that 78 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,200 communication is done in such a way that there won't be an 79 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:36,280 argument or conflict. Or in cultures where respect and 80 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,440 personal image is very important, indirect 81 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:46,520 communication is used as a way that people do not lose 82 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:51,560 reputation. So yes, maybe isn't always yes 83 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:57,040 and no isn't always no. And the main places that you 84 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,520 will find this style of communication is India, China, 85 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:08,320 Japan and maybe parts of Asia as well, other parts and in the 86 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,960 Middle East in some areas too and of course the UK. 87 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:18,000 So the UK uses quite a mixed style of communication, but 88 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:25,480 there are some strong aspects of indirect communication. 89 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,800 So working with direct business communication is very easy. 90 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,760 You just be direct, clear and concise. 91 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,680 But how do we deal with indirect? 92 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:45,000 So it's important to remember when you deal with indirect 93 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,120 cultures that you shouldn't should avoid like sharp 94 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,720 comments, so saying something very negative directly to 95 00:07:53,720 --> 00:08:00,240 someone and also pay a lot of attention to non verbal 96 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,040 behaviours or actions. So for example, the body 97 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:11,400 language, maybe how someone says something, and this can be very 98 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,200 difficult. It's often easier to say this 99 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:21,040 than it is to actually do it. So let let me give you an 100 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,040 example. So for example, in English, 101 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:31,880 there is often a lot of sarcasm. So someone might say like, even 102 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:36,120 if something is bad, they might say, oh, that's really good. 103 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,400 But they say it in such a way that you can tell from how they 104 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:45,720 say it that it's a joke or that they don't actually think that. 105 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,040 And maybe on their face as well, you can see their expression 106 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:51,800 that they aren't very happy with it. 107 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:57,600 So these are some aspects to take into consideration when 108 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,760 working with foreign or international colleagues. 109 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,880 And that leads me to the next one, something which is quite 110 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:10,880 different across countries and culture, and that is time. 111 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:16,280 What do I mean by that? So it's how they see time. 112 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,320 So being early, being laid, that type of thing. 113 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:27,280 So just like with communication styles, if someone is very 114 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:33,080 direct to an indirect culture, they would see it as rude, so 115 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:37,480 rude or not very nice. The same with time. 116 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,880 In some countries and cultures, they are not so strict with 117 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,080 being early. For example, they might say 118 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:51,840 let's meet at 8:00 in the morning, 8:00 AM, and they turn 119 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:56,120 up to the meeting at 8:45 or 9:00. 120 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,320 And this is totally normal, it's fine. 121 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:06,640 Whereas in other countries, when they say let's meet at 8:00 AM, 122 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:13,320 they really mean that you should be there at 7:45 early, ready to 123 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,600 start at 8:00 AM. And how do you know? 124 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,920 So the only way with any of these things, these cultural 125 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,440 things, is to research about maybe the country that you're 126 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,120 working with and the culture that is in that country. 127 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:32,840 And that's the most important thing. 128 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,120 If you work with people from Germany, research about the 129 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,400 German work culture, about the culture of communication in 130 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,920 Germany, and do some reading. It's the best way to find out. 131 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,600 Or just ask a German, ask your colleagues. 132 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:56,560 It's, it's that simple. OK, So thank you very much for 133 00:10:56,560 --> 00:11:01,640 listening to these this episode about working with international 134 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,400 or foreign colleagues in English. 135 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:10,160 These were just a few aspects or points that I have noticed from 136 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:15,240 working with people in English all around the world or from all 137 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:19,000 around the world. And I hope that they were 138 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,080 interesting. As always, thank you so much for 139 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,320 listening. If you want to support this 140 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,560 podcast, the Patreon link is down below. 141 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,280 And if not, that's fine. Check out the YouTube channel as 142 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:39,920 well where I post real life easy English vlogs for you to watch. 143 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:45,400 Thank you so much for listening. I hope you have a great day. 144 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:46,280 Goodbye.