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3. Supposing you were Communications Manager in a large company, what advice would you give managers to avoid communications problems? Write down a few of the suggestions you would make:

1.……………………………………………………………………..

2.…………………………………………………………………….

3.……………………………………………………………………

4.……………………………………………………………………

5.…………………………………………………………………….

6.……………………………………………………………………

7.……………………………………………………………………… etc.

OPTIONAL

TEXT 3. Internal Communication.

1. Select three of the items below which, in your opinion, best contribute to improving communication.

trust	flexi-time
open plan offices	small teams
voice mail	strong corporate identity
e-mail	frequent meetings
mobile phones	staff parties

2. Read the article and do the task below.

COMMUNICATION – IT’S MUCH EASIER SAID THAT DONE

By Glare Gascoigne

Trust is key in an open organization.

Getting staff to talk to each other ought to be the least of your problems, but internal communication can be one of the hardest nuts to crack in business. “Communication comes up in every department. The repercussions of not communicating are vast,” says Theo Theobald, co-author of “Shut up and Listen!

The Truth About How to Communicate at Work.”

Poor communication can be a purely practical problem. Gearbulk, a global shipping business with branches around the world, faced language and geographical difficulties, as well as a huge amount of paperwork.

Installing an automated system means data is now entered only once but can be accessed by anyone in the company, whenever they are.

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Given today’s variety of communication tools, it seems strange that we still have a problem communicating. But the brave new world of high-tech can create barriers – senior managers hide behind their computers, staff use voice mails to screen calls, and employees sitting next to each other will send e-mails rather than speak. “Managers should get up, walk round the office and talk to people,” says Matt

Rogan, Head of Marketing at Lane4, a leadership and communications consultancy. “Face-to-face communication can’t be beaten.

Another problem is simply hitting the “reply all” button, bombarding people with information. “We had unstructured data coming at staff from left, right and centre, leaving it up to individuals to sort out,” says Ramon Ferrer, Vice President

of Global IT AT Gearbulk. “Our new system has reduced e-mails and changed the way people work.”

Information overload also means people stop listening. But there may be a deeper reason why a message fails to get through, according to Alex Haslam, Professor of Psychology at Exeter University.

“Everyone thinks a failure to communicate is just an individual’s error of judgment, but it’s not about the person; it’s about the group a group dynamics,” he says. “Just training people to be good communicators isn’t the issue.”

The problem is that employees develop common loyalties that are far stronger that the need to share information. This can even extend to questions of safety.

In the mid-1990s there were a lot of light air crashes in Australia because the two government departments responsible for air safety weren’t communicating. The government was trying to save money and both groups felt threatened .The individuals were highly identified with their own organization and unwilling to communicate with other department,” says Haslam.

A company is particularly at risk when cost-cutting is in the air. Individuals withdraw into departmental loyalties out of fear. Sending such people on yet another “how to communicate” course will be pointless. Instead, Haslam believes that identifying the subgroups within an organization and making sure each group feels valued and respected can do far more to encourage the sharing of information. The key to communication is trust’ he says.

Task 1. Complete the chart below.

Communication problems.

A. High Tech	B. Information overload	C. Common loyalties
consequences	consequence	consequence
1………………….	4…………………….	5……………………
2………………….
3…………………..
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Task 2. Read the article again and answer the questions.

1.What communication problems did Gearbulk have?

2.How did Gearbulk overcome the problems?

3.What solutions does Theobald recommend for the above problems?

4.According to the author, why does staff often receive too many e-mails?

5.Why weren’t the two government departments (responsible for air safety) communicating?

6.What does the author think about sending people on communication courses?

SELF – STUDY PAGE (for doing at home, in writing)

VOCABULARY.

1. Which word in each group does not form a word partnership with the first word?

1. waste	time	resources	information
2. face	trouble	problems	difficulties
3. duplicate	information	time	work
4. install	systems	factories	equipment
5. save	money	time	experience
6. develop	truth	loyalty	motivation
7. share	support	information	resources
8. allocate	time	ideas	resources
9. interrupt	e-mails	conversations	meetings

LANGUAGE REVIEW.

Idioms.
A. Complete these idioms with the missing words from the box.
Use a dictionary to know the words.
point	Bush	Grapevine	Stick	wavelength
wires	Nutshell	Picture	tail	purposes

1)to put it in a ………………………………

2)to get straight to the ………………………

3)to hear it on the ………………………..….

4)to put you in the ……………………….….

5)to get the wrong end of the …………….…

6)to be on the same ………………………....

7)can’t make head or …………………….of it

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8)to talk at cross……………………………..

9)to beat about the …………………………..

10)to get our …………………….……crossed

B. Which of the idioms in Ex. A mean the following?
a. to fail to understand anything	…….
b. to share similar opinions and ideas	……
c. to summarize briefly	……
d. to misunderstand	….....
e. to delay talking about something	……
f. to give the latest information	…….
g. to talk about the most important thing	…….
h. to hear about something passed from one person to
another	…….

C. Complete the sentences with the idioms from Ex. A.

1.Ok, I’ll …………….……………. I’m afraid we’re going to have to let you go.

2.“You and your boss seem to agree on most things.”

“Yes, we are …………………………………………………………..……… .

3.I think we are …………………………..… I mean next month, not this month.

4.Some important decisions were taken at yesterday’s meeting. Let me …………

…………………………………………………………………………………..

5.He never gives you a straight answer. He’s always ……………………….….. .

6.I ………………………………………………… that he’s been fired, is it true?

7.It’s a very complicated system, but to ………………………………………….. it works exactly like a big kettle.

8.If you think our biggest problem is market share then you have …………….…

………………………………………………………………………………..…

9.This report makes no sense at all. I ………………………………..…………....

10.Everyone arrived for the meeting at different times. We must have ……………

..………………………………………………………………………………….

D.Ask your partner the following questions.

1.What have you heard on the grapevine recently?

2.When was the last time you got the wrong end of the stick?

3.When is it necessary to put someone in the picture?

4.In what situations is it good to get straight to the point?

5.In what situations is it good to beat about bush?

6.Can you give an example of when you were talking at cross purposes?

7.Is there anything you can’t make head or tail of?

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Internet

Research Search for the

keywords “NVC”

(non-verbal communication) to learn more about this subject.

UNIT 3.

CROSS – CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.

Cross – cultural (adj) – involving or combining different cultures, belonging to or involving two or more different societies, countries or cultures

CROSS – CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Here are some areas of potential cultural misunderstanding:

a)distance when talking to people: what is comfortable?

b)gesture: do people make lots of facial gestures? How much do they move their arms and hands?

c)greetings / goodbyes: do people shake hands every time? Are there fixed phrases to say?

d)humour: is this a good way of relaxing people? Or is it out of place in some countries?

e)physical contact: how much do people touch each other?

f)presents: when should you give them? When should you open them? What should you say when you receive one?

g)rules of conversation and the role of silence: how long can people be silent before they feel uncomfortable? Is it acceptable to interrupt when others are speaking?

h)eye contact: how much of the time do people look directly at each other?

Task 1. What other things can block the communication? Suggest your ideas:

1)……………………………………………..

2)……………………………………………..

3)……………………………………………..

4)

5)…………………………………………….etc.

TEXT 1. Read the text below. Identify the basic message implied by the text.

EYE CONTACT.

In many Western societies, including the United States, a person who does not maintain “good eye contact” is regarded as being slightly suspicious, or a “shifty” character. Americans unconsciously associate people who avoid eye contact as unfriendly insecure, untrustworthy, inattentive and impersonal.

However, in contrast, Japanese children are taught in school to direct their gaze at the region of their teacher’s Adam’s apple or tie knot,

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and, as adults, Japanese lower their eyes when speaking to a superior, a gesture of respect.

Latin American cultures, as well as some of African cultures, such as Nigeria, have longer looking time, but prolonged time contact from an individual of lower status is considered disrespectful. In the US, it is considered rude to stareregardless of who is looking at whom. In contract, the polite Englishman is taught to pay strict attention to a speaker, to listen carefully, and to blink his eyes to let the speaker know he or she has been understood as well as heard. Americans signal interest and comprehension by bobbing their heads or grunting.

A widening of the eyes can also be interpreted differently, depending on circumstances and culture. Take, for example, the case of an American and a Chinese discussing the terms of a proposed contract. Regardless of the language in which the proposed contract is carried out, the US negotiator may interpret a Chinese person’s widened eyes as an expression of astonishment instead of as a danger signal (its true meaning) of politely expressed anger.

Ex.1. If necessary, read the text again. Then comment on the following: (the Russian language is possible).

1.observations about many people from the US

2.observations about the English

3.an observation about Japanese children

4.the meaning of lowering one’s eyes in Japan

5.why looking at someone for a long time may be considered disrespectful

6.the meaning of widened eyes in Chinese culture.

Ex.2. Suggest some basic research that you should do before receiving your visitor or before traveling. What issues should you think about?

1.……………………………………………………………

2.……………………………………………………………

3.……………………………………………………………

4.……………………………………………………………

5.……………………………………………………………

6.…………………………………………………….……..

Ex.3. Compare your ideas from Ex.2 with the ideas given in the Checklist below.

SKILLS CHECKLIST

A. Before meeting business partners and fellow professionals from other countries, you could find out about their country:

a)the actual political situation

b)cultural and regional differences

c)religion(s)

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d)the role of women in business and in society as a whole

e)transportation and telecommunications systems

f)the economy

g)the main companies

h)the main exports and imports

i)the market for the business sector which interests you

j)competitors

You might also want to find out:

a)which topics are safe for small talk

b)which topics are best avoid

B.If you are going to visit another country, find out about:

a)the conventions regarding socializing

b)attitudes towards foreigners

c)the extent to which public, business and private lives are missed or are kept separate

d)conventions regarding food and drink

e)attitudes towards gifts

C.You might also like to find out about:

a)the weather

b)public holidays

c)the conventions regarding working hours

d)leisure interests

e)dress

f)body language

g)language

WRITING.

Make recommendations to your staff (in a written form) about cultural issues that may affect the communication.

OPTIONAL

TEXT 2.

1. The following text is about cultural diversity. Read it through once and decide which of the three statements (A, B or C) given below the extract offers the most accurate summary.

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THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON BUSINESS.

Take a look at the new breed of international managers educated according to the most modern management philosophies. They all know that in the SBU, TQM should reign with, with products delivered JIT, where CFTs distribute products while subject to MBO. (SBU – strategic business unit, TQM – total quality management, JIT – just-in-time, CFT – customer first team, MBO – management by objectives.)

But just how universal are these management solutions? Are these “truths” about what effective management really is – truths that can be applied anywhere, under any circumstances?

Even with experienced international companies, many well-intended universal applications of management theory have turned out badly. For example, pay-for- performance has in many instances been a failure on the African continent because there are particular, though unspoken, rules about the sequence and timing of reward and promotions. Similarly, management-by-objectives schemes have generally failed within subsidiaries of multinationals in southern Europe, because managers have not wanted to conform to the abstract nature of preconceived policy guidelines.

Even the notion of human resource management is difficult to translate to other cultures, coming as it does from a typically Anglo-Saxon doctrine. It borrows from economics the idea that human beings are resources like physical and monetary resources. It tends to assume almost unlimited capacities for individual development. In countries without these beliefs, this concept is hard to grasp and unpopular once it is understood.

International managers have it tough. They must operate on a number of different premises at any one time. These premises arise from their culture of origin, the culture in which they are working, and the culture of the organization which employs them.

In every culture in the world such phenomena as authority, bureaucracy, creativity, good fellowship, verification and accountability are expected in different ways. That we use the same words to describe them tends to make us unaware that our cultural biases and our accustomed conduct may not be appropriate or shared.

A. There are certain popular universal truths about management which can successfully be applied in various cultural contexts.

B.Cultures are so varied and so different throughout the world that management has to take into account differences rather than simply assume similarities.

C.Effective management of human resources is the key to everyone achieving their full potential.

2.Read the text again. Identify the following (the Russian language is preferable):

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1)the problem with universal management solutions;

2)an example of the failure of pay-for-performance;

3)an example of the failure of management-by-objective scheme;

4)the problem with human resource management;

5)three cultures affecting international managers;

6)six areas in which different cultural interpretations apply.

SMALL TALK.

How to make small talk.

I.Read the article below about small talk to find:

a)what small talk is;

b)three topics that you can make small talk about ;

c)two topics that you can’t make small talk about;

d)two tips for managing small talk.

WHAT IS SMALL TALK?

Your company sends you to an important international conference in the USA. While you are traveling from the hotel to the conference centre you meet somebody who works for the Spanish division of your company for the first time. The conversation that you have will probably be what we call small talk.

What do people make small talk about?

There are certain safe topics that people usually make small talk about. The weather is probably the number one thing. Sometimes even friends and family members discuss the weather when they meet or start a conversation. Sports news is a common topic, especially if a local team is doing extremely well or badly. If there is something that you and the other people have in common, that may also be acceptable to talk about. For example, if the bus is full and there are no seats available you might talk about reasons why.

There are also some subjects that are not considered acceptable when making small talk. Personal information such as salaries or divorce are not talked about between people who do not know each other well. Negative comments about another person not involved in the conversation are also not acceptable; when you do not know a person well you cannot be sure who their friends are. It is also not wise to continue talking about an issue that the other person does not seem comfortably with or interested in. Lastly, avoid one word answers and ask questions to show that you want to keep the conversation going.

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II.Many people say that the worst part of a business meeting is lunch!

When you don’t know your business partner very well, it can be difficult to find

“safe” non-business topics.

Look at the topics below and discuss which ones are safe and which might cause offence. You may add other examples of safe topics or topics that might

cause offence.

Personal topics:	General interest topics:
Family	Films
Marriage or relationships	Sport
Hobbies or special interests	Travel
Religious beliefs	Art and architecture
The other person’s country:	Topics people have strong opinions about
Climate	World affairs
Political situation	Social problems
Food/customs	Environment
History	Money

III. Look at the tips for small talk below. Do you think the tips are useful?

Tips for small	Technique 1.	Always wear a Whatzit.
talk.

Some people have developed a clever technique that works well for social or corporate networking purposes. The technique requires no special skill on your part, only the courage to wear a Whatzit.

A Whatzit is anything unusual – a unique brooch, an interesting scarf, a strange tie, a funny hat. A Whatzit is any object that draws people’s attention so that they walk over and ask: “Uh, what’s that?”

Technique 2. Whoozat?

What to do when you haven’t got a Whatzit… Like a politician, go to the host and say, “That man/woman over there looks interesting. Who is he/she?“ Then ask for an introduction.

or

Find out about the stranger’s job, interests or hobbies. The host might say, “Oh, that’s Joe Smith. I’m not sure what his job is, but I know he loves to ski.” Aha, you’ve just been given

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