LESSON 2: Networking

BUSINESS SKILLS

MANAGING A CONVERSATION

AIM OF THE LESSON: TO LEARN HOW TO MANAGE A CONVERSATION

Now, after you?ve successfully completed lesson number 1, go ahead and find out how to manage a conversation. It?s not enough to know how to strike up a conversation. Are you sure you, know how to manage it later on?! No matter if your answer is yes or no, be brave and face your conversation partners confidently in the future!

EXERCISE 1 ? SPEAKING
LOOK AT THE PICTURE ABOVE! DESCRIBE IT!

MAKE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER THEM!

Who / to be / people / the? (Present Simple)
What / they / in / participate? (Present Continuous)
How do you think / what / do / in the picture / the people / think / and say? (Present Continuous).
It / to be / a difficult / an / easy / or / conversation / one ? / Why? (Present Simple)
If / the / conversation / to be / difficult / can you / any / reasons / why? (Present Simple)
What / to be / the / can / of / conversation / of? (Present Simple)
People / manage / this conversation / or / to be / it / get / out of hand? (Present Continuous)

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Who are the people?
What are they participating in?
How do you think what the people on the picture are thinking and saying?
Is it a difficult conversation or an easy one? Why?
If it?s difficult, can you name any reasons why?
What can be the subject of the conversation?
Are the people managing this conversation or is it getting out of hand?

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EXERCISE 2 – SPEAKING
BRAINSTORM YOUR IDEAS ABOUT MANAGING A CONVERSATION!

Example: interrupting

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Suggested answers:

Introducing a topic
Bringing someone into conversation
Active listening
Coping with silent moments
Expressing own opinions
Compromising
Concluding

Interrupting
Changing the subject
Agreeing & disagreeing
Asking for opinions
Checking understanding
Referring back
Avoiding confrontation

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EXERCISE 3 ? MANAGING A CONVERSATION ? USEFUL PHRASES

Could you explain what you mean?	Let?s not talk ?	That?s a shame
Go on	I see Really?	Is that so?
How awful!	Could I add something here?	So, in other words, you?re saying??
So that?s ?	So, if I understand correctly, ?	Let?s change the subject.
That?s interesting ? but have you seen ? /heard of ?

Active listening	Interrupting
No?! Oh dear! Oh Gosh! That?s incredible.	Sorry to interrupt, but? Sorry could I just say ?

Checking understanding	Changing the subject
I see what you mean. So, if I understand correctly, ?	Let?s talk about something else.

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Active listening	Interrupting	Checking understanding	Changing the subject
No?! Oh dear! Oh Gosh! That?s incredible. That?s a shame. Go on I see Really? How awful! Is that so?	Sorry to interrupt, but? Sorry could I just say ? Could I add something here?	I see what you mean. So, if I understand correctly, ? So that?s ? So, in other words, you?re saying?? Could you explain what you mean?	Let?s talk about something else. Let?s not talk ? That?s interesting ? but have you seen ? / heard of ? Let?s change the subject.

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EXERCISE 4 ? SPEAKING ? MANAGING A CONVERSATION ? USEFUL PHRASES

What would you say in these situations:

You are in a group of people. Someone keeps talking all the time and you want to say something.
You are in a group of your friends discussing a subject you dislike. You would like to talk about something else.
You are in a business meeting and someone interrupts you when you are talking.
You are hosting a group of visitors from abroad in your company. One of the visitors is explaining something. You are not sure if you understand them correctly. Make sure of it.
Someone is saying something you don?t agree with. React.

Complete the sentences with your own ideas.

Example:

Topic of the conversation: Sales meeting. More unsatisfied clients.

Could I add something here?

Could I add something here? I am afraid I am forced to point out that the number of unsatisfied customers is growing.

Conversation topic: Your manager was explaining to you the rules of the dress code.

So in other words you are saying that

…………………

Conversation topic: You colleague keeps complaining about long working hours.

Let?s not talk about

…………………

Conversation topic: Someone is telling an unbelievable story.

Really?

…………………

EXERCISE 5 – PRACTICE

Match the two halves of each sentence:

1. Are you saying that …		we can close our meeting.
2. I see / know what you mean, but …		the discussion on the forum.
3. As we were saying earlier …		I am afraid I cannot agree with you.
4. Unless anyone has anything else to add …		we cannot meet on Wednesday?
5. Please continue …		the change of the venue is not possible.

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Are you saying that we cannot meet on Wednesday?
I see / know what you mean, but I am afraid I cannot agree with you.
As we were saying earlier the change of the venue is not possible.
Unless anyone has anything else to add we can close our meeting.
Please continue the discussion on the forum.

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EXERCISE 6 – PRACTICE

Use the conversation pattern to build the dialogue between A and B.

Choose the subject of the conversation:

food and restaurants (good and bad restaurants in your town)
business trips ? advantages and disadvantages

DIALOGUE PATTERN:

A: Give your opinion on the subject.

B: Agree with A and give your opinion on the subject.

A: Disagree with B?s opinion.

B: Express your understanding and add something else to the topic.<

A: Express your interest in the new aspect of the topic.

B: Tell an anecdote that you?ve just remembered when the new aspect came up.

A: Listen carefully and actively.

B: Continue the anecdote.

A: Interrupt B and make a comment.

B: Carry on continuing your anecdote and finish it.

A: Ask a question to the anecdote.

B: Answer the question.

A: Refer back to what you or B had said before.

B: Agree with A and finish the conversation.

GLOSSARY – MANAGING A CEONVERSATION PHRASES

Introducing a topic	Let?s begin / start, shall we? Let?s make a start! Shall we talk about … ? The purpose / aim of our meeting is to …
Interrupting	Can I just come in here? Sorry to interrupt, but … Can I just say something quickly? If I can stop you for a moment.
Bringing someone into conversation	John, what do you think about it? Would you like to add something, Samantha? How about you, Ann? Jack, tell us something about your last …
Changing the subject	Shall we change the topic / subject Let?s change the topic … Let?s talk about something else. Let?s not talk about it …
Active listening	Oh, yes! I understand. Please, continue. Right
Agreeing	I couldn?t agree more. I suppose so. Exactly. That?s exactly how it it. Precisely.
Disagreeing	I don?t really agree. I?m afraid / I think you?re mistaken. I?m afraid I cannot agree with you. That?s not really how I see it. I think you?re wrong.
Asking for opinions	What do you think? What?s your opinion? What is your point of view? How do you see it from your perspective?
Expressing own opinions	I reckon … I feel that … Personally I think … My standpoint is that …
Checking understanding	Are you suggesting that …? Could you through that again? Sorry, I didn?t catch that. If I understand you correctly, … I?m afraid, I?m not with you. If I follow you, … Can you explain what you mean?
Referring back	As we were saying earlier … As you mentioned before … To go back to what I was / you were saying … Can we come back to the subject?
Concluding	I think we?ve covered the subject. To sum up … It?s been a very interesting discussion. I think we can stop here.
Compromising	Let?s compromise! Let?s strike a compromise!