How to Talk to Your Boss in English

Most people wish to create a decent impression with our boss or project manager. Creating a great relationship with a line manager can make a promotion or pay rise more likely. But it's one thing to try to this with a boss who speaks your own language - and quite another issue to try to do it in another language. So if your boss is a degree English speaker, here are some tips for using right English.

English in Office

Business English

Some of the most common verb-preposition combinations found in the office. They can often be quite far apart from each other in the sentence.

The order and delivery process

• The materials were ordered from the supplier ten days ago.
• They were ordered for the Smolensk Project.
• The supplier says that the order was sent/dispatched to us on Monday.
• It was sent/dispatched from their Helsinki depot by the carrier.
• Unfortunately, the order has not yet arrived. (no preposition)
• The order was loaded onto a truck in their yard.
• The driver signed for it – I saw him take the paper and sign it.
• He gave the paper back to the warehouseman.
• We were looking for a supplier that we could depend on.
• They were chosen for this contract because of their excellent delivery record.
• We all agreed on the choice.
• We all agreed that they were a good choice. (no preposition)
• We agreed on the price but disagreed on the delivery schedule.
• We concentrated on finding a solution and didn’t focus on blame.
• We bought 100 packets of paper for the printer.
• The paper was delivered to us yesterday, but it was the wrong quality.
• The paper was delivered yesterday, but it was the wrong quality. (no preposition)
• The supplier will come tomorrow with the correct paper, and take back the other.
• Mary has been with us for ten years – we must buy a present for her.
• Tomorrow, we can have coffee and cake and give the present to her.

Attaching and enclosing: You can’t enclose anything in an email.

• I am attaching our catalog and price list to this email (.pdf). (Always give the file extension.)
• I am enclosing our catalog and price list with this letter. (physical enclosure)
• I am attaching the agenda to this letter. (physical attachment – staple or paper clip)

Phoning: (‘Call’ has many other meanings – better to use ‘phone’)

• I’ll call him after lunch = I’ll phone him after lunch. (no preposition with ‘call’ or ‘phone’)
• I’ll call on him after lunch = I’ll visit him after lunch. (no preposition with ‘visit’)
• I’m on the phone, could you wait just a minute?
• Oh no! I’m on hold and the music is dreadful.

Replying:

• I replied to them last week.
• I replied to their letter last week.
• They replied to me/my letter yesterday.
• I received a reply from them yesterday.

Recording:

• We enter all orders in the order book, as we receive them.
• The software is very simple. Write the product code in this column, the description in the next column, the number of pieces in this column, etc. The unit prices and total prices appear automatically.
• When everything is ready, press ‘enter’ and the customer receipt will be printed out.

Cashing up at end of the day at the Kiosk:
(NB: The ‘float’ is the amount of money in the till before start of business.)

• ”At the end of the day we count up the day’s takings, subtract the ‘float’ and enter the result in this book here. 
• The money goes in/into the safe over there. 
• In the morning, I will count out the float, which is exactly €500 of small coins and notes, and put it in the till.
• If I need more coins or notes during the day, I have to ‘buy them’ from the safe with money from the till.”

Handover Log:

• Towards the end of the shift, the outgoing supervisor enters all ongoing tasks in the log.
• When the incoming supervisor arrives, they then read through the tasks together.
• If there are any questions, this is the time to ask them.
• When all is clear, the incoming supervisor signs the log and his colleague can go off duty.

Duty Personnel:

• We can talk about ‘Duty Doctor‘, ‘Duty Manager‘ etc.
• They may be present for the whole shift, or they may be ‘on call’.
• ‘On duty’ usually means the worker is present.
• ‘On call’ means that he or she can be contacted if necessary.
• At an airport, the TDM (Terminal Duty Manager) is fully responsible for the terminal, while they are on duty. They cannot leave before their replacement arrives and handover is complete.

20 Words to Avoid on Your Resume

When you're writing a resume, every word should be chosen carefully. Since you're working with a limited amount of space, you want to make sure you're highlighting what's important and not adding words that are unnecessary, bland, overused, or convey a negative message.

The following is a list of common words and phrases that you should think twice about before using in your resume.

I: It's obvious that your resume is about you and your accomplishments, which means personal pronouns such as I, me, and my are unnecessary.




Responsible for: In addition to being bland and overused, this phrase makes it seem like you only did exactly what you were told. This isn't the image you want to portray to a potential employer.

Telephone English. Answering the Telephone in English

Talking on the telephone in has become an extremely important part of business English. You need to be able to answer a call in English professionally and create a good image of yourself and your company with only your voice. Having effective business English telephone skills leaves a good impression on your customers, clients, and colleagues. People are busy, so you want to be very clear, polite and organized.

In this business English lesson, we’ll begin by looking at a bad example of answering a call and taking message. We’ll discuss why it’s a bad example, and then we’ll go into a good example of answering a call. I’m sure you’ll see a clear difference.

Before we listen, let’s talk a bit about the basics of handling a call in English. Our tone of voice needs to be pleasant and positive. We don’t want to make people feel like they are bothering us. Some people try smiling when they speak even though the other person can’t see them. This trick helps you to maintain a good tone. Second, we should always be prepared. Whether you’re receiving or making a call, you need to be ready.



We also need to make it clear from the beginning who the person is talking to. This means identifying ourselves and our company. From there, we need to lead the conversation and find out how we can help the caller. The caller should not have to ask for help. And finally, we need to remember that listening is half of a conversation. We need to listen and respond to what the other person is saying.

7 Signs of a Successful Leader in the Workplace - By Alma Causey

What does it mean to be a successful leader in the workplace?

No, it does not involve your ability to delegate or getting tasks done.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a leader of your own team? Looking into the definition of leadership, sometimes it is easier to learn what it is not. Being a leader is:

• Not about your position or your seniority
• Not about your personal attributes
• Not about management

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality – Warren Bennis

The students of today will become leaders of teams or organizations tomorrow. But there are certain characteristics that you will need to lead successfully. There are more than 50 qualities identified as important to being a good leader, but the following seven are essential.

The best part? Each of these leadership qualities can be learned with practice and repetition.

1. Successful leaders can look into the future

Great leaders have a clear vision of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish. This clear vision is what separates leaders from managers. While a manager gets the job done, leaders tap into the emotions of their teammates.

Here is an example: Brilliant people—people who change the world—are said to have a reality distortion field, which is defined as “a phenomenon in which an individual’s intellectual abilities, persuasion skills and persistence make other people believe in the possibility of achieving very difficult tasks.”  Steve jobs was famous for his ability to distort and to accentuate perception in his co-workers. He inspired everyone around him to see the world in a new way, engaged their attention and presented them with an alternative universe. He made people believe in his purpose.

2. Successful leaders are courageous and bold

Being a courageous leader means that you are willing to take risks for the achievement of your goals, despite the fact there is no certainty of success in life or business. Every commitment you make and every action you take means you are entailing a risk of some kind. Among these seven leadership qualities, courage is the most outwardly identifiable of a successful leader.

3. Successful leaders always value integrity

When asked, almost all corporate executives agreed that integrity is the most precious asset of a company and the man leading it. It is important to maintain complete honesty in everything you are doing as a leader of an organization, both internally and externally. The core of integrity is truthfulness, it requires that you always portray the truth in every situation. Integrity is the foundational quality of trust which is necessary for the success of your team.

4. Successful leaders are humble

Great leaders are those who are not just strong and decisive, but also humble. Humility means that you have self-confidence and self-awareness to recognize the value of others without feeling threatened. It means that you are willing to admit that you could be wrong, that you may not have all the answers all the time. This also means that you give credit where the credit is due.

5. Successful leaders are good at strategic planning

Successful leaders have the ability to look ahead and to anticipate with some accuracy where the organization is going. For you to become a good leader you must anticipate the trends well in advance of your competitors. You have to continuously ask questions, based on what is happening, what the organization is aiming for and where it is likely to be in three months, six months or a year. Leaders who aim for organizational success along with their clients, understand the requirements of their team through thoughtful strategic planning.

6. Successful leaders never stop learning

The not-so-secret trick of “never stop learning” is applicable for anyone who wants to be successful. The word “learning” here can be taken literally and metaphorically.

Here is an example: A young man joins an organization, he is quite talented and has a potential to be a great leader someday, but lacks in qualification. This young man can gain an understanding of plenty of new things along this journey and slowly climb up the ladder of success, but perhaps some of his peers might not respect him. For this man to be a successful leader he would continue to learn in both ways, he would learn from his experiences and perhaps even continue to get his education to earn the respect of his teammates.

7. Successful leaders never lose focus

An accomplished leader always focuses on the needs of the company and the situation. They focus on the result of what must be achieved by themselves, by others and by the company. They center their attention on the strengths of themselves, their teammates and the organization.

To sum it up:

Characteristics of an unsuccessful leader

• Their attitude about themselves is arrogant
• When they need something done, they command
• They are authoritarians and oppress those around him
• Everything they do is self-serving
• They prefer to talk, rather than listen
• Always discourages their peers
• Characteristic of a successful leader
• They are always humble around others
• A true leader always inspires other to do their best
• They strive to be democratic and stimulates others
• They are intentional and serve others
• They make sure to listen to others
• They inspire their peers

About the Author

Alma Causey is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and express herself through her blogs.

Leadership Behaviors & Skills That Make Leaders Great

Leadership Behaviors & Skills That Make Leaders Great

Posted by Paul O'Keefe on Dec 29, 2017 7:00:00 AM


Strong leadership is essential for the success of any organization. Research shows that direct leaders bear the greatest influence on their organizations.

Gallup says 70% of employee engagement is due to this "Manager Effect." Other studies show that 50-70% of employee perception of their workplace climate is due to behaviors and actions of their leaders.

Effective Leadership Behaviors & Skills
From employee engagement to workplace climate, many variables hinge upon the manager. Thus, it's critical to be a strong leader. Okay, then what are the qualities and characteristics of great leaders, you ask?

Great Leaders are Visionaries with Clarity of Purpose
Every effective leader has a compelling vision that attracts others. This vision is often innovative and it should aim to propel the organization forward.

A strong leader is never okay with the status quo. He or she is always pressing forward and encouraging employees to do the same.

An effective leader also has clarity of purpose in progressing toward that vision. Distractions come and go, but the effective leader stays focused on the goal. Additionally, a great leader has to be an excellent communicator to share the vision.

Excellent Communication Skills are Necessary
An effective leader must have strong communication skills. This includes both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Research shows that communication is mostly nonverbal. Only 7% of a messages are conveyed in spoken words, 38% in vocal elements and 55% in nonverbal ways (such as gestures, posture, facial expressions, etc.). A great leader must be proficient in all forms of communication.

Having excellent communication skills also means listening well and read between the lines. An effective leader understands team members and can read cues. Good leaders also speak clearly and coherently.

Caring is a Must-Have Leadership Behavior
Employees want supervisors who have a heart and care. No one wants to work under brash, harsh leaders who denigrate them and make them feel bad. Employees respond well to managers with a strong sense of compassion.

To get the most from employees, you must have a personal connection with them. They should feel like they matter to the company and to you as a person.

Developing and Pouring into Others is an Essential Leadership Skill
One important leadership skill is the ability to pour into others and develop them into strong leaders. Great leaders see people’s strengths, often hidden, and help them develop. They offer their employees challenges and opportunities to grow and excel.

Such leaders are involved mentors and coaches who pour into their mentees. They encourage, cajole, correct and prod employees into becoming great leaders. They enjoy seeing the people they work with develop into strong leaders.

Great Leaders Share the Work
Having the ability to share the work and delegate is imperative for any great leader. You can't do all the work. Know how to divvy up the work in a productive way.

Be the opposite of a micro-manager. Allow team members to take ownership for the process and responsibility for the outcomes. Great leaders always share the work, which means investing in and empowering future leaders.

A Great Leader Passes Praise and Claims Failures

A strong leader never takes sole credit for success but does pass along rewards and praise. This keeps employees motivated, engaged and positive.

An effective leader will also take blame and face negative consequences. You must be ready to take harsh criticism without shuffling it over to others working for you. This earns you respect and loyalty among your employees.

Honesty is a Powerful Leadership Behavior
This is a quality that people often don’t hold themselves to for fear of potential negative effects. Unwavering honesty can seem like a negative quality, but...

In the long run, it’s undeniably valuable for building trust. You want to be known as a “person of your word.” No one wants to work for someone who is dishonest and untrustworthy.

You should expect this leadership skill from yourself and from those who work with you. Hold yourself to the highest standard if you expect it of your employees.

Excellence Exemplifies a Great Leader
Excellence does not mean perfection, yet it denotes more than “trying your best.” Excellence means working hard to ensure that the process has as much importance, focus and attention as the outcome.

Excellence demands integrity. Effective leaders demand the best from themselves and from those around them, and they help others to produce their best. Mediocrity is simply unacceptable.

Maintaining a Positive Outlook is an Important Leadership Behavior
An important leadership skill is the ability to have a positive outlook, especially when setbacks come. Things go wrong. Ideas fail. Opportunities fall through. Being able to stay positive and bounce back is a must-have ability.

You must be able to encourage and motivate your employees to stay positive and resilient when setbacks arrive. Every great leader encourages employees to press forward and stay the course no matter what.

Great Leaders are Lifelong Learners
Great leaders are always learning about their business and industry to grow their knowledge and expertise. They also tend to want to learn about other things as well.

They love to read, study, explore new opportunities, and glean lessons from life’s experiences. They’re open to expanding their minds to new ideas and concepts and to exploring new ways of doing things.

Grow As A Leader By Adopting These Leadership Skills & Behaviors
Being a great leader takes a range qualities and leadership skills. Having these qualities and skills encourages your employees to follow and stand strong when adversity hits.

From honesty to standards of excellence, a great leader is constantly growing, improving and moving forward.

First Job

How can I impress in my first job?

If you've never had a job before, it can be quite a shock to the system getting to know what you're supposed to do and how you're supposed to act. Everybody knows first impressions count, and when you begin work you have an excellent – but also vital - window of opportunity. It's a chance to start off on the right foot and build from there, whereas a negative start can be difficult to shake off.

When you start a new job most people will give you the benefit of the doubt, so mistakes and honest misunderstanding will be acceptable up to a point.

Most of your co-workers will also remember their first days only too well. Given this readymade goodwill, the trick is not to take it for granted, or abuse it. Go in with the wrong attitude and you'll build up almost unshakable resentment – even unreasonable resentment.

Here are few tips for getting it right:

Be punctual and presentable
Once you settle in you can go with the flow on punctuality, dress sense and language. On your first day you need to be acting almost as you did in your interview. Creating a good impression and not looking like you don't want to be there.

Don't try too hard
If you're the confident type you might want to try and impress your new workmates by being pushy or sharing your ideas openly. Try not to do this; you'll have time later on and you won't be expected to come into a new situation and have all the answers.

Ask questions
If you're given a job, do it as well as you can and don't be afraid to ask questions. Better to ask a question than sit silently hoping that what you need to know will turn up.


Get a notepad
Even if you have to quietly write down people's names, do it on a notepad - it helps you break through the communication barrier. It also avoids you having to ask someone else: "what's that person's name I was just talking to?" You can also jot down any other rules and ways of doing things so that you're not blundering along and making obvious bad moves.

Volunteer
All of your new colleagues will be busy doing their own jobs. Sometimes you may feel neglected or under used. There's no harm in asking for a job or volunteering to do something for somebody. You may be new, but your offer will go down well and put you in some small measure of control in your new surroundings.

Generally, you're looking to be positive and start with small wins. You don't need to come in with all guns blazing. Let your work and your attitude speak for you. After a few weeks, you'll have built up enough confidence and goodwill to be yourself.

Be part of the team
Let your enthusiasm for being part of the team and the organisation show to everyone you interact with. Being a part of the set up means you want to be there and like the people you're working with.

You are now part of a work team, and teams work together to solve problems and get the job done. That said, on your first day, you should never try to guess the group or team culture. You need to find this out slowly.

Remember, it is your willingness to be part of the team, rather than your attempts to be part of the team, that counts.

Dressing the part
On your first day it pays to look smart. Casual dress codes are often the norm, but on your first day if you walk in looking too casual it suggests you are not taking your situation seriously.

You can dress down – or to fit the workplace style - later on. Whilst looking smart means efficient and reliable, too casual means disorganised and uncaring.

Most workers know that this is not necessarily true – but, remember, it's still all about first impressions – and you won't have had a chance to let everyone know how efficient you are by your actions alone. That's why you need to look smart and professional on you big day one.

The end of the day one
You've made a good impression. You've been positive and helpful. So don't go and ruin it all by rushing to get away before everyone else.

Keep remembering that there are subtle rules about who can leave first and why. If everyone is working late or on a difficult time-consuming job, they may not want to stay late either.

In this case, the very least you can do is to make sure you are available to do something or help somebody, right up until leaving time.

Disappearing on time, unless you been told you can go, is not creating a good impression – worse, it's creating the wrong impression.

And finally
As a general rule for your first day, don't stiffen up and be fearful. You might find that you're scowling or not smiling because you are afraid or feel intimidated. Don't worry: You'll meet lots of new faces, but most people will recognize you for what you are and be helpful.

The office politics also need not concern you; you are a newcomer. It's unlikely you'll be treated to any adverse remarks about the company or its people, and any you may hear, you need not comment on.

On day one, you are very much a guest. Take any advice you can get and don't offer too many opinions. It's also a good idea not to make personal phone calls or disappear for a long lunch break. You're subtly being looked at and commented on even though you don't realize it. Making a phone call to a friend for half an hour will be remembered, even if you think nobody is paying you any attention. People at work don't always tell you what you are doing wrong.

Having said all of the above, you should still enjoy your first day. Goodwill is on your side. You are new and fresh and an unknown quantity. There is everything to play for and if you aren't afraid, and you aim to be positive, you'll be a winner without even having to do too much.