TELEPHONING, MEETING & NETWORKING


SESSION 5

Interviews

Source: premiumbeat.com


NOTE TO STUDENTS

Students from the below groups will receive PIN numbers via email weekly to access activities on my iDoceo Connect platform and submit their exercises for correction.

601, 607, 612, 615, 619, 624, 462, 680, 681, 689, 690 and 691

The solutions to exercises in this session will be published when the above groups have submitted them.


DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS TEAM ALREADY?
START BUILDING UP YOUR COMPANY!!
  • Name and activity
  • What do you produce/sell?
  • Why do you need to hire somebody?


STRUCTURE

Session 5: contents

  1. TELEPHONING
    1. Telephone expert Quiz
    2. Dealing with situations
    3. Mix and match: problems and solutions
  2. MEETINGS
    1. Stages of a meeting
    2. How to run a meeting
  3. NETWORKING
    1. Small talk
    2. Professional phone calls


DRAFT YOUR PROJECT!!

You don't know where to start?
See some mixed-quality 2019-20 sample projects here:

Sample 1 with corrections
Sample 2 - Sample 3
Sample 4 - Sample 5
Sample 6 - Sample 7

I. Telephoning

A. Are you a telephone expert?

Choose the best answer to the following questions.

1. What is the best way to ask politely to talk to someone?


2. If someone tells you that they will “transfer” your call, what do they mean?


3. You are told to “please hold.” What does that mean?


4. A friend of yours tells you that every time she tries to call you, she gets a “busy signal.” What does she mean?


5. You are at work and the switchboard operator asks you if you wish to “take a call.” What does that mean?


6. A friend of yours tells you to call their cell so you can meet up later. What is a “cell”?


7. At the end of a phone conversation you ... the phone.


Source: Adapted from http://www.englishtown.com/community/Channels/Quiz.aspx?quizId=20

Check answers


IN-CLASS

Do this exercise on your own, and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.


DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).

Telephoning Toolbox:

Use this set of tools to deal with situations on the phone.

PROBLEMS IN COMMUNICATION

  • You’re breaking up...
  • I haven’t got a very good signal
  • Sorry, it’s a really bad line...
  • I’m afraid I didn’t catch that last bit.
  • You’re very faint, can you speak up a bit?
  • Hold on while I go somewhere quieter.
  • I’ll hang up and call you on the landline.
  • I’ll hang up and try again later.
  • I’ll hang up and go outside to call.

NOT A GOOD TIME TO CALL

  • I’m sorry but I have someone on the other line, can I call you back?
  • Sorry, but this will have to be quick. I’m about to board a plane / go into a meeting / enter a tunnel.
  • So now's not a good time to call?
  • I’m afraid I don’t have much time today. Can I call you again tomorrow?
  • I’m just on my way out, can you call again later?
Small talk

Source: leevalley.com


Small talk

Source: fluentu.com

B. Dealing with situations on the phone

Listen to these conversations and decide which sentence describes the situation best.

SITUATION 1


SITUATION 2


SITUATION 3

Check answers




IN-CLASS

Do this exercise on your own, and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.


DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).



C. Mix and match.

Listen to the conversations again and match problems and solutions.

Problem Solution Match: 1a, 2b...
1. Sorry, but this will have to be quick, Renée, I’m about to board a plane! a. Yes, I’m around for another hour, then I have a meeting.
2. This is hopeless, this is really a bad line... b. So now’s not a good time to call?
3. I’m afraid I didn’t catch the last bit.... c. OK, I’ll hang up and call you back on the landline in 5 minutes.
4. Look, I’m sorry but I have someone on the other line. Can I call you back? d. I said, any chance of getting it to me by tomorrow?

Check answers


Expert translator

How would you translate the following sentences into English? Check audio files with possible answers AFTER you have attempted your translation.

1. Ne quittez pas, je vous passe le poste 309.

Suggested translation:

2. Quand vous entendrez la tonalité, vous pourrez composer votre numéro.

Suggested translation:

3. C’est de la part de qui?

Suggested translation:

4. Jane Eyre à l’appareil.

Suggested translation:

5. Pourriez-vous épeler votre nom, s’il vous plaît ?

Suggested translation:

6. La ligne est si mauvaise que je peux à peine vous entendre.

Suggested translation:


DISTANCE LEARNING

Autonomous, self-correcting exercise.

II. MEETINGS

Meetings can be a productive way of making decisions, planning for the future, and communicating to a group of people. This section will show how meetings are structured and the elements that make them up.

D. Stages of a meeting

Here are the various stages of a meeting. Fill in the blanks with the correct number of the expressions below (1-16).

Stage Action/Situation Expression
Introduction Opening the meeting
Welcoming and introducing participants
Stating the principal objectives of a meeting
Giving apologies for someone who is absent
Reviewing past business Reading the minutes of the last meeting
Dealing with recent developments
Beginning the meeting Introducing the agenda
Allocating roles (secretary, participants)
Agreeing on the rules for meeting contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.
Discussing items Introducing the first item on the agenda
Closing an item
Discussing other items
Finishing the meeting Summarizing
Suggesting and agreeing on time, date, and place for the next meeting
Thanking participants for attending
Closing the meeting
Expressions
  1. Before we close today's meeting, let me just quickly go over today's main points.
  2. Good morning, everyone. If we are all here, let's get started.
  3. Have you all received a copy of the agenda?
  4. I declare the meeting closed.
  5. I suggest we go round the table first.
  6. I think that takes care of the first item.
  7. I'd like to introduce Ms Doe, who has come here from Headquarters to give us an update on the company’s new policy concerning communicating with the media.
  8. I've called this meeting in order to discuss our strategy for the next quarter.
  9. Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is coming along?
  10. Let's next meet on Wednesday, January 15 at 11am
  11. Rob, would you mind taking the minutes?
  12. Thank you all for attending.
  13. The next item on today's agenda is the office move.
  14. To begin with I'd like to quickly go through the minutes of our last meeting.
  15. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith won’t be with us today because he’s at a conference in Seoul.
  16. Why don't we start by discussing the launch of our new website?

Source: Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/businessspeakingskills/a/b_meetphrases.htm

Check answers


IN-CLASS

Do this exercise and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.


DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).


E. How to run a meeting?

Take advice from Shawn Mc Pheat, from www.mtdtraining.com. Watch the video match the different sections with their descriptions (1-8).




Element Definition Element Definition
PREPARATION FACILITATOR
ROOM LAYOUT TIMING
ICE BREAKER HANGER
5-MINUTE BELL MINUTES
Definitions
  1. Don’t schedule the meeting on the hour. This brings increased chances that people will drift in, chat and waste time (bunk off for 10’) schedule it at ten past 2 instead. Encourages punctuality.
  2. Always someone talking at great length about pet subject. But you want to give everyone a chance to speak. Give permission for everyone to call time on anyone else if has spoken for more than 5 minutes. Bring a chime people can ring if somebody has spoken for too long.
  3. If some members haven’t met go round the table and get people to introduce themselves. Who they are, what they do, something silly about themselves. Embarrassing stories can be good (1st record bought, favorite guilty pleasure).
  4. Acts as a sort of referee. Keep the meeting on track. Make sure everyone’s sticking to the agenda. Ideally impartial. If it can’t be you, one of your colleagues, anyone.
  5. Meeting has definite purpose, so if employees want to talk about other things, have a separate piece of paper available to write down off-topic ideas for discussion later. Helps people to feel listened-to while keeping meeting on task.
  6. Why do you need to hold a meeting? What are your aims? What to you need the meeting to achieve? What are your targets? Set an agenda of items that need to be tackled. Send it to your colleagues so they know what to expect.
  7. Someone should be taking notes. Once over, they should write these up and email them to everyone so they know what has been said has been recorded. It is also important to keep people informed on the outcome and actions taken about the decisions made.
  8. Everyone should be able to see everybody else. Sitting arrangement mustn't reinforce hierarchy. Everyone should feel able to speak freely. A U-shaped configuration is perfect with the facilitator at the gap in the U.

Check answers


IN-CLASS

Do this exercise and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.


DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).

III. NETWORKING

Small talk
Source: yourwritetolive.com
When it comes to networking for a career transition, small talk can often be the key to starting conversations and setting the stage for successfully networking your way to a new job.

Source: randstadrisesmart.com/blog

F. Small talk

Decide whether the following topics are good or bad for small talk.

Topic Good/Bad
1. The latest films
2. The One True Path to Eternal life
3. The local basketball team
4. A product you would like to sell to everyone
5. The death penalty
6. Your home town
7. How much money you make
8. Your last holiday
9. Your favorite movie-star
10. The correct political party
11. The weather
12. Gardening
13. Your health problems
14. Your family

Check answers


IN-CLASS

Discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.


DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).

Oral practice
G. Professional phone calls

FIRST ACTIVITY. Work with a partner. Use these situations to have four short phone conversations.

Caribbean

1. You’re on holiday in the Caribbean when your manager calls about an unfinished report.

Caribbean

3. You’re at the cinema and have forgotten to turn off your mobile. Your colleague calls and reminds you about an appointment.

Caribbean

2. You’ve gone to visit a client in a remote country location. You call your assistant for some figures.

Caribbean

4. You’re at a crowded sports event. You need to call someone to rearrange a meeting.


First activity
IN-CLASS ONLY
<<<





Small talk
Source: wallpaperup.com

SECOND ACTIVITY. You are on holiday in Barbuda. Your boss calls you to ask you about a very important report you had to finish before leaving, but didn't.

Write down the most important 10 words in your professional life to calm your boss down, so you will keep your job. If you don't convince him/her, you don't need to go back.

REMEMBER: your job pays for everything: food, rent, holidays...
You cannot afford to be jobless.

DISTANCE LEARNING

Send your 10 words to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).


Address

2 Rue de la Houssinière
Building 2 - Office 109
Nantes 44322 cedex 3

Contact

UNantes email
Caminha.org email

Other links

Madoc
iDoceo Connect
Word Wall