Invest in learning Business English
So, you don’t feel that you need to learn Business English, but can you recognise the signs?
His face draws to a close. His voice tunes to a note of seriousness. His hands gesture in assertiveness. Humour and ironies diminish from his speech.
So, what does your knowledge of Business English tell you? Is your French counterpart in agreement or disagreement with you?
French culture in business tends to conclude a sales pitch from a non-firm and definitive position, which is perceived as an authoritative assertion.
Do you recognise the same approach in British culture was learning Business English? No.
The British culture is inclined to show no visible physical clues – phlegmatic, unmoved, steady voice, and absence of gesture. And perhaps, even more surprisingly, it has been put forward that the British do not openly say ‘No’, preferring to say ‘Yes’ in nuance to excess.
In addition, the British humour – yes, we do have one occasionally – and the use of euphemisms completely confuse our French counterparts. By saying ‘yes’, when thinking ‘no’, is a paradoxical and incomprehensible attitude with which to wrestle when learning Business English from a French perspective.
In reality, British characteristics in Business English are inclined to exhibit a prohibited culture – the cardinal rule of the British in business seems to communicate ‘avoid open conflict in public’. In business or the workplace public forum, the ability to assert authority and to say ‘No’ in disagreement by a British business person is lost, it is argued. This approach of avoiding open conflict in the professional Business English environment may be found within the sectors of banking and finance, and law. So, if you are Learning Business English for Law, or Learning Business English for Banking and Finance, make a special note to learn Cross-Cultural Business English as you will need to go into these sectors with your eyes open, and fully prepared to learn Business English the British way.
Let us help you to be initiated into cross-cultural communication – here’s your first lesson:
Cross-Cultural Communication in Learning Business English
Scenario: Disagreement in Business English
The British Approach: To maintain an appearance of compromise. To remain placid at all times. To exercise the rules of politeness. To appease a situation of conflict, and to establish authority.
English Decorum: To consider the point of view of others. In specific cases, to save the appearance of compromise.
Note – Important Cross-Cultural Communicative Point: When the British business person enquires about the point of view of others, it may be used as an indicator to measure the degree of disagreement in Business English, it has been suggested.
Look out for the cultural clues which reflect Business English disagreement:
Minimal Disagreement – A change of subject: “If you don’t mind, I would like to return to the previous point.”
Maximum Disagreement: “I understand your position, but . . . “.
And, even worse . . .
The British use of euphemisms beyond limit denotes temper at the strength and power of a criticism. This powerful element of appeasement is fully employed in contrary meaning, and is in proportion to the degree of disagreement.
English humour in business: Humour serves as a mixed function in the Business English environment. Although it will aim to allow you to defuse a potentially explosive situation, it may serve to communicate that you are seeking to assert authority, which may be hazardous to your prospects.
So, learning Business English is not only about the use of formal English grammar, and the use of the third person in report writing. It is also about verbal and non-verbal cultural approaches.
One of the most powerful tools in learning Business English in today’s global economy is not only learning how to recognise and read the cultural signs, but learning how to conduct yourself in cross-cultural Business English.
