Welcome to the new York Associates electronic newsletter In this newsletter you’ll find ideas on the skills needed for effective international communication. You can also read about a new approach to change management and get up to date with the latest news from York Associates. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and we look forward to receiving your feedback. Learning English to communicate internationally York Associates has always aimed to deliver high quality training which is customised to client needs. This year has seen us launch Communicating in English Internationally, a new open group course focusing on the real professional communication skills needed by professionals with an intermediate and above level of English. It’s a course which promises to make a significant difference to how effectively people are able to perform in their international roles. Communicating in English Internationally is based on a number of generic communication skills which we at York Associates believe are essential for all professional people working internationally. While talking to our clients, it has become clear that there are a number of these key communication skills which are or should be central to their jobs. Firstly, and perhaps most fundamentally, they need to build effective relationships with people. So they need to develop their social skills in English in order to build understanding and trust on a one-to-one basis. They also need to be able to communicate in diverse groups, to exchange views and to take decisions with others. This means learning facilitation skills in English - how to set up group discussions, how to steer with the right questions, how to engage quieter individuals, and how to deal with the kind of communicator who may try to dominate discussions. It also means the ability to communicate clear and convincing arguments. And what does it take to build a convincing argument? This course also provides input on techniques for influencing international colleagues in English. However, it’s not just about speaking. Effective international communicators must also be able to listen effectively. What are the skills underpinning effective listening and what can you actually say in English to help you listen and to make sure others feel that you really are listening? And when things go wrong, it’s vital to be able to manage conflict quickly and sensitively. Effective international operators need to understand the triggers of conflict and have the ability to manage difficult discussions which can bring people back to a more cooperative attitude. This is all about managing people. And central to management is giving constructive feedback which motivates colleagues to maintain high levels of performance. All this needs to be done in English using a range of channels and situations, both face to face in presentations, meetings and negotiations and email. Communicating in English Internationally focuses on these essential international communication skills - relationship building, facilitating, influencing, managing conflict and giving feedback - and enables people to do them in English. In doing so, we believe we are meeting the real needs of our clients and enabling them to perform the key communication tasks of their international roles much better. But what do you think? Are the skills we have identified relevant? We look forward to hearing your thoughts! Bob Dignen To leave a comment on this article click here |
March 2010
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Your feedback or comments on anything in this newsletter will be much appreciated. The YA teamTel: 00 44 1904 624246 York Associates |