Today, in my client's Business English Coaching, the topic of presentations is on the roadmap. So, we start discussing the topic.   And there is the moment again when I always remind my clients that Business English means much more than simply translating the content of the presentation from German into English. It's important to have a common thread, a structure, to guide you.   Here are 3 tips for you on how to spice up your presentations in Business English.     #1. Get your audience’s attention with a mind opener   Think carefully about how you start your ..read more

I am a member of an international network of Business English trainers. What I enjoy most about it is meeting my colleagues at conferences and networking with them. But I didn't always feel confident networking. It took me a while to get into networking because I had to find out how to network in English with people from different cultures. Sometimes I wasn’t certain how to start or what I should talk about.  So, I discussed the matter with my colleagues - business English trainers and coaches - and got some good tips that were simple but that changed the way my conversations went ..read more

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you Happy New Year. ✨   Hopefully, all your dreams come true.?   How do you keep it with New Year’s resolutions? Are you the type of person who sets some goals for the new year, or do you just continue as usual because it is not your kind of thing?   Both is absolutely okay because it is just not everybody’s kind of thing to set goals for the new year. But maybe you have noticed that when you need to reach a goal in your job, for example, you are more focused and motivated to work towards it? Because goals are also a kind of motivat ..read more

Our current work-from-home trend has made you a pro in video conferencing - even in English.  Well, you’re a pro as long as there are no problems. But if the internet connection fails you might panic a little. And forget how to form a sentence - in any language.    Recently, I actually witnessed a coaching client get confused by a technical difficulty. It could have caused trouble in a business relationship. When there were technical problems, I needed to repeat something. The client I was working with said: “Again”.  It is very impolite to say “Again” instead of ‘Exc ..read more

Do you ever feel like you're walking on eggshells in international business meetings in English? Imagine you are in a meeting with an Indian business contact. You are not sure how she might react to your proposal. You are afraid you won’t find the right words when she asks a critical question.    The conversation feels more and more hectic. You get more and stressed. Nervous. Beads of sweat form on your forehead. You can read from your conversation partner’s face that he is getting more and more confused.   You’re starting to think you should just reschedule the meeting. You wo ..read more

It was Christmas Eve 1998. My first-ever job interview in English was supposed to take place in an hour, and I was very nervous.   How was I going to manage a job interview in English on the telephone? With no internet and no way to research the company, there was nothing I could do to prepare. I still remember how I answered the first few questions; mainly with ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. Sometimes I didn’t even understand some key vocabulary and replied hoping it was the right answer.   Anyway, I managed somehow and got the job. Interviewing can be scary but nowadays with the help of the inte ..read more

Who wouldn’t like to have a list with do’s and dont’s when dealing with international business partners? They seem to be really handy. They are supposed to tell you what do with just a quick glance at your list.   My coaching clients always tell me how efficient and reassuring these lists are. That’s what business people love: efficiency, practicality, a correct answer to everything. I can check how to behave in a negotiation with an Indian person for example.    Here is the first trap of these lists because intercultural encounters are not always as st ..read more

  Does speaking about awkward matters in English in business feel like walking on eggshells?   Do you feel like you might crash the conversation with every word you say. The atmosphere is awkward and tense and you feel uncomfortable.   We have all been there at some stage during our careers.   Can’t speaking English in business be easier?   Can’t you speak more diplomatically?    Sure, you can.   Let me give you some strategies so you can be more diplomatic in your communication...and feel more comfortable in your business relationships.   Step one ..read more

  How can you build a business relationship with your client when you have the feeling you can’t get into the conversation? Your conversation partner talks and talks and you lose interest in the conversation.   This could just be the way your client communicates. But it  might also be related to his/ her culture.  This is just one communication style you can encounter when dealing with different cultures in business.    You might also encounter people with a more passive style of communication. They might not talk much and silence could also be used as part of a ..read more

Why do you help your clients with small talk in Business English? Surely, this is something everyone can manage.” I was asked this question a few weeks ago by an acquaintance of mine who speaks good English and used to live abroad.   A surprising number of smart, competent business people don’t understand why small talk matters to them - and to their success in business. They think it is something you just do and don’t think much about.    Small talk is just not for fun, it’s part of your business communication strategy. Skip it and you notice how you create more misunderstandi ..read more