As course coordinator at our training centre in York, Peasholme House, Director Fiona Mee not only does a formal feedback session with every client to visit us at the end of every week’s course but also spends a lot of time talking informally to them in coffee breaks and during social events. Here she identifies three frequently expressed challenges that she hears and the questions she often asks in response.
1. We have difficulty influencing and engaging diverse people in diverse locations
Have you built in ‘virtual time’ to get to know the people you are working with even if you may never have met them? Have you established some ground rules as to how you will work together for example to establish response times, frequency and mode of communication? Have you asked your partners what is important to them, what are their priorities? Is everybody clear about the goals? Are these shared goals?
2. We have trouble participating proactively in virtual meetings
Have you tried some active listening techniques such as “If I can come in here, I think that’s a very interesting point and I’d like to add …”or “I can see your point, Sylvie, but what about in India? how could that work?” or “When you say that this is the right model, do you mean … ?”
In this way you are giving positive signals to your partners to show that you are listening and engaged and at the same time, that you are creating an opportunity to contribute your views.
3. We can understand all of our partners except for the native speakers
Have you considered that it may be the native speakers who need to improve their communication skills and not you? We must all take responsibility for effective communication. If the native speaker is not clear, give some feedback such as “I’m sorry, Robert, but you are not speaking very clearly. Could you please state your point again?” or “I’m afraid we can’t follow you. Please would you slow down and explain again in different words?” Be confident with native speakers and push them to use international English and to check understanding by summarising and asking for feedback.
