Learning the Office Lingo

A web-based resource on
professional communication

Dr. Doris Dippold

About myself
 Lecturer in German (Department of
Languages and Translation Studies)
 Programme Director Business
Management & Languages
 Research interests: Professional
communication, intercultural
communication, interactional
sociolinguistics (study of the
interaction of language and social life)
Exercise

 Situation: The new timetables are out.

Unfortunately, you have left it too late to check
details, and you are finding that one of your
classes has been scheduled for Friday 4pm.
You would like to have this class moved to start
your weekend early and avoid overly tired
students. Your know however that your HoD will
not be happy to approve, as any late changes
might throw the entire timetable into chaos.
 Task: Role-play this conversation in pairs, one
playing a staff member, one the HoD.
Discussion
 What was the result of your conversation?
 Who achieved their goals?
 Why?
 What communication skills were required of you
and your partner in this scenario?
 Assertiveness
 Diplomacy / politeness
 Clarity of expression
 Listening skills
 Self-control (control of emotional reactions)
 Consideration of interlocutors’ goals
 Ability to read others’ reactions (i.e. through body
language etc.)
Rationale
 One of the most important employability skills
 2008 Survey by the Council for Industry and Higher
Education: communication skills ranked 1st in
importance
 But: employers are not satisfied with graduates’ level
of communication skills
 Placement year: opportunity to develop
communication skills in the ‘real world’
 Former LTS student:
 “My self-confidence was something that increased
rapidly from completing my first placement and I
found it was key in communicating effectively,
important to my course and my future career.”
 Debra from ‘The Apprentice’
Design principles
 Focus on the development of reflective skills rather
than the presentation of fixed ‘rules’ for
communication
 Emphasis on
 Influence of feelings/emotions on language use
 Sharpening observational skills to learn from others
 Recognizing what effect verbal and nonverbal
strategies may have on others
 Students’ placement experiences (placement reports,
SCEPTrE placement stories) as point of departure
 Clips from ‘The Apprentice’ to illustrate issues
 Interactive exercises
Design principles
 Four areas of communication skills
Self-awareness Self-control

Knowing one’s emotions and Managing ones’ emotions,

preferences, being aware of controlling ones’ impulses, using
one’s strengths and weaknesses ones’ resources

Social awareness Communication skills

Being aware of others’ communication skills to bring

(individuals’ and organisations’) about good relationships with
feelings, needs and perspectives others and attain personal and
group goals
Structure of the Resource
 Section 1: Communication and emotions
 Communication and its effects
 Communication features
 Communication and context
 Emotions in social interaction
 Verbal and nonverbal strategies
 Listening skills
 TOP TIPS: Becoming a better communicator
Structure of the Resource
 Three reflective tools
 Self-analysis tool: allows for self-
assessment of skills (self-awareness,
self-control, social awareness,
communication skills)
 Evaluation tool: allows for self-evaluation
or evaluation of another person after an
interaction
 Planning tool: allows to plan ahead for
challenging social encounters
Structure of the Resource
 Section 1: Communication and emotions
 Task 1: Use the self-analysis tool to assess your
current level skills in all four skills dimensions:
To what extent does each statement apply to
you? Do you have particular strengths or
weaknesses in any of the four dimensions?
 Task 2: Watch three clips from the 2009 series
of "The Apprentice". Use each clip to judge the
communication skills of the candidates: what do
they communicate, verbally or nonverbally? How
could this behaviour be perceived?
Structure of the Resource
 Section 2: Communication across
cultures and languages
 Intercultural communication
 TOP TIPS: Dealing with culture
shock
 Communication in a foreign
language
 TOP TIPS: Dealing with language
problems
 Communicating in your own language
Structure of the Resource
 Section 3: Communication in
professional settings
 Getting things done at work: Scripts,
jargon, register, etiquette
 Communicating on the phone
 Communicating with customers
 Fostering relationships at work
 Teamwork, collaboration and conflict
 Written communication
Structure of the Resource
 Section 3: Communication in
professional settings
 Task 3: Watch clips 1 and 2 from an
“Apprentice” team meeting. The team needs
to make a decision about a cartoon
character for the launch of a new cereal
brand.
Using the evaluation tool, evaluate Philips’
(blue shirt, black tie) communication skills.
Structure of the Resource
 Section 4: Communication through
the placement lifecycle
 Your expectations
 Surviving your first day
 Dealing with problems
 Understanding instructions
 On your last day
Structure of the Resource
 Section 4: Communication through the
placement lifecycle
 Task 4: In groups, discuss
one of the problems described here. How should a
placement student address this particular
problem?
 From your own experience (as placement tutor /
former placement student etc.), can you think of
other common problems / scenarios students are
facing? What are the most common
communication problems for students on
placement?
Embedding the Resource
 LTS
 Resource available through ULearn
 Available for use in modules as self-study
resource (Level 1 oral modules, Level 2
intercultural communication, Level 3 professional
communication)
 Professional training:
 Placement preparation sessions to include
session on communication skills
 Students to draw on resource to write reflective
logs and placement reports
 Other departments?
Embedding Communication Skills in
UG Curricula
 LTS
 Modules: Oral skills, Writing Skills, Intercultural
Communication, Professional Communication
 Mapped onto PDP roadmap
 Supported by PebblePad
 Module content
 Oral skills module: presentations, negotiations +
reflection
 from ‘how to give a good presentation’ to ‘how am I as
a presenter’
 Reflection
 What effect do I have on others?
 Action plan for future communicative encounters?
 Professional training: see above
 Other departments?
Possible further developments
 discipline-specific additions to resource
 e.g. communication in medical settings etc.

 case studies
 Critical incidents

 Students to relate

those to concepts
learned from the
resource
Possible further developments
 Further research
 What specific communication skills are
needed in different disciplinary areas? (e.g.
medical field ‘ability to show empathy’ etc.)?
 What verbal / nonverbal strategies
contribute to the impression of somebody
being a skilled communicator?
 What are the skills students primarily lack,
and how can they be developed?
 What factors contribute to placement
students (or other ‘novices’) developing
communication skills?
Your feedback, input & ideas
 Please let me have
 Your thoughts on the elements of the resource
 Your thoughts on the reflective tools
 Please share with me
 Your thoughts on possible implementation in
your programmes/departments

Contact Details:
E-Mail: d.dippold@surrey.ac.uk
Phone: Ext. -3059