small talk: silence is not golden

Serie Business-English

Der erste Eindruck zählt! Besonders bei Geschäftspartnern aus Großbritannien, USA und China ist gelungener Small Talk entscheidend. Wie man das Gegenüber lässig parlierend für sich einnimmt, erfahren Sie im fünften Teil unserer Serie „Business-English“.

German-speakers often have more problems with the softer, social side of using English at work than with goal-orientated aspects of business, such as negotiating. In particular, making small talk with business partners can cause difficulties. A few simple tips can help.

Semantics first. In English, you make small talk, you don't have small talk or have a small talk. The ability to make small talk is a vital skill for business people. In many cultures people put great emphasis on getting to know their business partners, and feeling comfortable with them, before making deals with them. In Britain and America, it is also common to „oil the wheels“ of business with small talk.

To introduce ...
To get small talk off to a good start, make sure you can introduce yourself clearly and simply. The best way is often just to say your name, job and company: „Hello. Michaela Braun. I'm the marketing manager at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hamburg.“ You also need to be able to carry out certain simple introductory conversations.


Extras:

• Some tips for the beginning: So steigen Sie elegant in den Smalltalk ein.
  
• Useful phrases: Mit diesen Begriffen lässt es sich lässig parlieren.

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