Hari Keluarga Keturunan TOISU ke-6 Stadium Kuala Selangor 9-TOI.

Hari Keluarga Keturunan TOISU ke-6 Stadium Kuala Selangor.
25Jun2016 Sabtu jam 11.36 malam Ahad.

Daripada Ayahanda Sufiyan Toisu.

Semua Kekanda dan adinda kumpulan TOISU sekalian yang saya kasihi.

Assalamualaikum wbt. Ramadan Kareem. Selamat berpuasa. Amin.

Menyampaikan salam takzim saya bagi pihak kelurga SUFIMAZ, sukacita menjemput Dato, Datin, Dato Tan Sri, Dato Datin, Tuan, Puan, anda dan anak-anak anda semua hadir dan mengambil bahagian di rumah terbuka Hari Raya beliau pada ketentuan seperti berikut: 

Tarkh;   9 JULAI, 2016 (Sabtu)
Tmpt:   Stadium Tertutup Kuala Selangor
Durasi; 8.30 pagi hingga 1.30 th.
Tema:   Perkenalan Membawa Kebahagian. 
Warna Pilihan; (kalau boleh) Hijau
Kprluan: Bawa diri dan keluarga.

Kita dapat berjumpa setahun sekali pun syukur dan memadailah. In sha-Allah.

Selamat Hati Raya. Maaf Zahir Batin.
JUMPA di sana. 




Dipohonkan juga untuk agihkan jemputan ini kepada anak dan anak-anaknya pula.

Dari Toisu untuk TOISU.



Sila kenalpasti berapa ramai ahli tuan puan yang akan hadir dan maklomkan kepada ketua keluarga.

Nama Keluarga : 
Kod keluarga jika ada.

Akan hadir,
1. 
2, 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
dan seterusnya
 
Kemudian Ayahanda Sufiyan akan hantar surat jemputan rasmi.


Dipohonkan kerjasama dengan tarima kasih dihujung bicara.


Tuan puan bolehlah buat jemputan kepada adik beradik dan anak-anaknya melalui grup WaSap dan dapatkan maklom balas segera agar senang penyediaan juadah tepat. 
Sila gunakn kemahiran anda dengan cara..

Memujuk
Menantang
Beri imbuhan
Suruhan
Penghargaan
Dan lain-lain.

Mase sudah time.
Inilah masanya kita bersatu hati. Kalau tidak bila lagi...

'Menjulang Kecemerlangan Bersama TOISU'

Salam hormat daripada
Setiausaha TOISU
Kod 8.4.07 Nor Isna

05 OUMH2203_TOPIC 1 NETWORKING AT THE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 1 NETWORKING AT THE WORKPLACE

05 OUMH2203_topic01

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

1. Use the right expressions to introduce yourself at the workplace;
2. Greet, introduce and interact with people who visit your organisation in an appropriate manner;
3. Identify topics suitable for making small talk; and
4. Describe your company and profession to effectively project a positive image.

INTRODUCTION

This topic aims to equip  you  with  skills  that  will  help  you  interact  more
effectively at the workplace. Your social circle will widen once you start working
and   you  will  meet  many   different  kinds  of  people  from  all  walks  of  life,
including   clients,   colleagues,   superiors  and   subordinates.   This   means   that   you
may need to adapt the way you speak and the language you use, depending on
whom   you   are   interacting   with.   If   you  have   no   previous   work   experience,   you
may find the section on „Starting a conversation‰ useful as it offers tips on how
to   introduce   yourself   when   meeting   people   for   the   first   time.   Also   included   in
this topic are exercises on how to describe yourself, your job and your company
or organisation in a professional manner. There are also activities that will hone
your   vocabulary   and   grammatical   skills   to  help   you   network   effectively   within
and outside your organisation.

1.1  STARTING A CONVERSATION

In the workplace, it is not enough just to be able do your job well; you must also
know how to network as this helps to build good relationships between you and
potential   clients.   To   do this, you   need   to   look   and   sound   friendly,   confident,
sincere and helpful. These qualities go a long way towards   creating favourable
first   impressions, which increase the likelihood of  you   being   successful    in
business dealings later on.

1.1.1  Introducing Yourself
The first networking skill that you need to learn is how to introduce yourself at
the   workplace.     Below   are  some    expressions    that  you   can  use   when   meeting
people for the first time:

? Hello, my name is ...
I'm with IT services.

? Good morning, may I introduce myself?
My name is ... and I'm from the marketing department.

? Hello, I donÊt think we've met before.
I'm ... and I'm responsible for new product development.



? Hi there, my name's Timothy but everyone calls me Tim.

I'm with financial services.

Remember   that   when   you   introduce   yourself,   it   is   not   just   what   you   say   that
matters. You must use the right words of course, but a friendly smile and direct
eye contact will definitely help you to create a good first impression.

SELF-CHECK 1.1

When you introduce yourself, what should you say or do?

  (i)    ............................................................................ (body language)


  (ii)   ........................................................................... (action)


  (iii)  ........................................................................... (speech)


ACTIVITY 1.1

Imagine   that   you   are   an   intern   in   an  engineering   firm.   Using   the   sub-
headings below, introduce yourself to your colleague.

Avita Engineering Sdn Bhd

Staff record

Last name:

First name:

Date of commencement of internship:

Duration of internship:

Major job duties:

Degree/academic qualifications:

Area of specialisation:

1.1.2   Introducing Others

Now that you have learnt how to introduce yourself, you need to know how to
introduce   others   at   your   workplace.   When   you   introduce   someone,   it   is   good
practice to mention the name and position of the person you are introducing, so
that   your   colleagues   not   only   know   the  person's   name   but   also   what   he   does.
This is the norm in business communication.

Phrases commonly used when introducing someone:

? Hi everyone, meet ...
She is my personal assistant.

? Can I introduce you to ...?
He's our new project manager.

? I'd like to introduce you to ..., our new web designer.

ACTIVITY 1.2
Read the conversation below and then answer the questions that follow:

Mrs Au        :     Margaret,   let   me   introduce   you   to   Michael   Hill,   from
                    our
                    Australian   branch.   MichaelÊs   the   operations   executive
                    in Canberra. He's   joining   us  here  on   a  staff  exchange
                    programme for a month.

Margaret      :      Hello, Michael. I'm so pleased to meet you.
Michael       :      Hi Margaret, I'm happy to meet you too. You've a nice
                          set up here.

Margaret      :      Yes, it's a great place to work in. HowÊs your first day
                          going?
Michael       :      Wonderful. ItÊs been really interesting.
Mrs Au        :      I   was   just   showing   Michael   around.   Can   I   leave   it   to you to show him the ropes?

Margaret      :      Oh, yes, of course. It'll be my pleasure.

Michael       :      Thank you so much, Mrs Au.

Mrs Au        :     YouÊre welcome, Michael. I'll catch up with you later.



Discussion questions:



1.     What do you think can happen if visitors at a workplace are not properly introduced?



2.     Do   you   feel   that   it   is   necessary   to   mention   the   positions of the people you introduce? Give reasons for your answer.

Adapted from: Jones, L., and Alexander, R. (1989). New international business English . UK: Cambridge University Press.



1.1.3    It’s a Small World



The world today is increasingly a global village as more and more people work

far from home, often traversing the globe on professional assignments. You may

have met some of these „global citizens‰ in the course of your work (please refer

to Figure 1.1). Some may be permanent employees in your company while others

are appointed only on a short-term consultation basis. Yet others may be visitors.



Perhaps     you   yourself    travel  frequently    to  branch    offices  all  over   the  world,

sharing   knowledge   and   expertise.   Truly,  the   21st   century   worker   must   be   one

who   is   able   to   socialise   and   network   with   people   from   different   countries   and

diverse backgrounds.



                               Figure 1.1: Global citizens travel widely

                   Source: [Airline passenger]. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from:

                      http://www.norcalblogs.com/transportation/airlines/

ACTIVITY 1.3



Do you know that we sometimes identify people by the countries they come

from? For example, if someone comes from Russia, we say he is a Russian.

What do you call someone who comes from the following countries?



ACTIVITY 1.4



Imagine that you are the chairperson at an international conference held

in Malaysia. You need to introduce delegates from various countries to

the audience. How would you go about doing this?



Firstly,   you   need   to  find   out   how   to   correctly   pronounce   the   names  of

foreign delegates. You should also get some general information about

the   speakers,   as   well   as   the   topics   they   are   speaking   on.   Check   their

name tags to be sure that you have got the right person, before you start

 your   introduction.   A   simple   way   would   be   to   say:   "It   gives   me   great

pleasure to present the first speaker of the day, Dr Rena Goep. Dr Goep

 comes from Sarawak, Malaysia, and will be speaking on the topic ... "



Now, introduce the following speakers:



1.    Lo Wei Han (China)

2.    Jaydip Gupta (India)

3.    Ahmad Yusof (Indonesia)

4.    Howard Atkinson (Britain)

5.    Yumi Tanaka (Japan)



1.2   MAKING SMALL TALK



When   networking   with   business   partners  and   professionals   at   the   work   place,

you   sometimes   need   to   engage   in   small   talk.   This   is   especially   true   if   you   are

meeting people from different countries for the first time. What is small talk and

what do you say when making small talk?



Small   talk   may   be   defined   as   chatting   about   things   not   directly   related   to   the

business at hand (please refer to Figure 1.2). There are no fixed rules about what

one should, or should not say, when engaging in small talk. Some subjects are,

however, considered „no-no‰ areas, for example, politics and religion. Likewise,

details about your family might also be deemed too personal a topic, especially

when one is at the workplace.



Safe topics would be those revolving round everyday issues like holidays, travel,

traffic, public transport, entertainment, etc. You can also talk about interests that

you   and   your   conversation   partner   may   have   in   common.   Indeed,   one   of   the

objectives     of  making     small   talk  is  to discover     shared    interests   so  that  you

gradually learn to be comfortable with each other. However, common sense rules

need to be observed when making small talk. For instance, if the person you are

conversing with is older, or more senior to you in rank and position, you should

be more deferential in tone. Begin with exploratory questions to discover, slowly,

the areas that both of you feel comfortable talking about.



Figure 1.2: Small talk is not necessarily related to work Source: [Untitled clip art of office mates engaging in small talk]. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from  http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~cooper/Small_Talk_Guide/index.html



When   you are   at   a   loss   for   words, you   can  resort   to   „ice   breakers‰   such   as   the

following:



? How was your journey?

? Is this your first visit to...?

? Where are you staying?

? How has your visit been so far?

? Do you need any help or information?

? Tell me more about your country.



SELF-CHECK 1.2



What do you find difficult, or enjoyable, when talking to



(a)    ... someone you are meeting for the first time at your workplace?

(b)    ... a superior or head of department?

(c)    ...   people    from    different    countries?    (consider    several    different nationalities)

(d)    ... a large group of people?



ACTIVITY 1.5



Work in pairs:



(a)    Which   of   these   topics   would   you   avoid   during   a   first   meeting with a business associate?



Sports

Movies

Politics

The weather

Your family

Music

Business

Your education

Travel

Religion



(b)   Would your choice of conversation topics be different if your partner was

? Of a different gender;

? Older than you; or

? More senior than you in the organisational hierarchy?



(c)   Compare      your   ideas   and   opinions   with   another   pair/group     of students.



1.3   GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS



In the course of meeting and interacting with people at the workplace, you may

be   asked   to  describe   your   job  or  answer    questions    about   the  company      or

organisation you are working for. It is important to use the right words so as to

project a positive professional image both of yourself, and of your organisation.

When   people   feel   good   about   you   and   your   company,   they   are   more   likely   to

want to do business with you.



1.3.1   Talking About Your Job



Below are examples of questions commonly asked and phrases often used when

people talk about their jobs or organisations:



(i)   Which company are you with?

      I'm with XYZ.



(ii)  What do you do at XYZ Company?

      I am in charge of marketing.

      I'm responsible for sales.

      I recruit and train employees.



(iii) What business are you in?

      I am in the computer business.

      I am in the hospitality industry.



(iv)  What do you do for a living?

      I'm a doctor.

      I'm in sales.

      I'm a consultant with ABC Sdn Bhd.



(v)   I'm with the Public Services Department.

      I'm the assistant director in charge of Social Welfare.



ACTIVITY 1.6



Read   the   following   texts   carefully.   Then,  fill   in   the   blanks   on   the   four

personnel cards    kept    by   the   Human       Resource     Unit,    summarising

information about each employee. Note the words used to describe each

job.   It   is   better   to   adopt   a   positive   tone   when   you   talk   about   your   job

 and responsibilities.



Ian:      
My   name's   Ian   Lim   and   IÊm   the   chief   accountant   for   Global

Enterprise.      I  take  care   of  the  day-to-day      accounting      for  the

group.       I'm     in   charge      of    financial     management          and

management           accounting,      and    I   handle     the   cash     books,

purchase ledger, sales ledger, credit control, etc.



Every   day,   I   have   a   different   task   to   tackle,   and   it's   always

urgent.   I   work   with   very   tight   deadlines.   This   means   that   I

have   no   chance   to   get   bored.   I   find   finance   fascinating   and   I

truly enjoy my work.



But itÊs not easy trying to get money from people. I donÊt like

that aspect of my work.



Lesley:    
My nameÊs Lesley Fernandez. At Global Enterprise, I work as

an   administrator   for   the   international   business   development

group.   My   duties   include   responding   to   correspondence,   and

making sure that meetings are scheduled for the right rooms in

the   right   places,   at   the   right   times.   I   also   handle   the   staffÊs

travel arrangements to different countries in the world.


I   like   working   here.   The   people  are   very   friendly   and   I   enjoy

the diverse nature of my work.



However, I do wish that I am a little busier at times. As I am

with the international business development group, I need to

wait for people to be back at the office to generate work for

me. When they are out of the country, I have little to do.



Patrick:    
My name is Patrick Abdullah. I am a systems administrator

for Global Enterprise. You can say I have a trouble-shooting

kind   of   job.  I   have  all  kinds   of   responsibilities,   including

backing     up   data   and    installing   new    machines,     operating

systems      and    all   the   products      that   Global     Enterprise

produces. The work can be quite challenging because many

problems   can   crop   up   in   the   course   of   a   day,   from   fixing   a

loose cable to dealing with glitches that take hours to solve.



I   think   the   nice   part   of   my   job   is   meeting   these   challenges.

Sometimes, my day can be very quiet but there are days that

are   completely   hectic.   But   that  is   okay   because   I   enjoy   being

confronted with all kinds of problems.



What I donÊt enjoy is doing routine back-ups of data as that is

tedious and time-consuming. The other thing that I don't quite

like   is   the   working   hours.   The   best   time   to   fix   problems   is

when      people    are  not   around.    This   means     that  ideally,   we

should do our work after 6pm, after everybody's gone home.

Sometimes, we can be stuck in the office till the early hours of

the morning.





Paul:
I  am    Paul  Kandasamy,       and   I'm  a   training   officer  at  Global

Enterprise. My job is to run training courses for our customers and

agents.


The   thing   I   enjoy   most   about   my   work   is   being   able   to   have

direct contact with customers and helping them.



What      I  dislike  is  the  amount      of  time   I  need   to  devote    to

teaching   and   preparing   training  material.   I   don't   get   enough

opportunities   to   do   the   hands-on   programming   that   I   enjoy doing.



Generally speaking, I like my job and the company that I work

for. ItÊs a very stimulating work environment.



Adapted from: Jones, L., and Alexander, R. (1989). New International

Business English . UK: Cambridge University Press.



Task: Fill in the blanks on the cards below.



ACTIVITY 1.7



What is your dream job? Complete the sentence below and write a short

paragraph about your dream job. What does it require you to do? Why

is it your dream job? Share details with your friends in small groups.



If I weren’t a ................., I’d like to be a ...........................



SELF-CHECK 1.3



Do you know of people who radically changed their careers in mid- life? Why did they do it? Were they successful? Do you think it was easy for them to make the change? Why do you say so?



ACTIVITY 1.8



Look at the sentences below and match them with the person concerned by drawing a line to join the description with the correct business card.



(Maggie Brown) (Consultant) (Sakura International).

1.    I am responsible for artwork and design.            

2.    I recruit new staff for our agency.

3.    I provide professional services to clients.

4.    I am responsible for advertising, managing products and brands, and introducing new products into the market.

5.    I am in charge of conducting research that can be used to come up with new products.

6.    I work in the lobby of our corporate headquarters. I answer questions and direct people to various offices.



1.3.2     Describing your Company



Now, let us look at how you can describe your company.



(a)    What it Offers

A   company   offers   either   a   product   or   a   service.   A   product   is   something

tangible     usually     something     that   can  be   inventoried,    like  shoes,   cars,

houses, etc. A service, on the other hand, tends to involve an act that cannot

be typically inventoried, like cleaning the lawn, washing the windows, etc.



What does your organisation focus on? Does it provide a product, a service,

or both?



Sometimes, a company is described in terms of the products or services it

offers. For example:



? We design software.



? We build storage units.


? WeÊre in the insurance business.



Scan   the   newspapers   to   identify   and  select   a   company   for   this   exercise.

Make a list of the products and services offered by the company, describing

each   in   detail.   You   can   organise   these   products   and   services   by   putting

them in bullet form  this will allow you to easily describe your products

and services to an end user.



For    example:     Look    at  the   flyer below     highlighting     Samy's     Window

Cleaning   Services   (please   refer   to   Figure   1.3).   Can   you   see   the   difference

between its products and the services it offers?





SAMY'S WINDOW CLEANING SERVICES



Products:

? Magic window washing cleanser.

? Super spray-on foaming mist.

? Samy's secret stay clean formula.

Services:

? 24 hour on-call answering service.

? 1 hour window cleaning.

? Screen and trim cleaning.

? Pressure washing.



Figure 1.3: Samy's Window Cleaning Services

Source: OCAL (Artist). [n.d.].

Retrieved February 8, 2010, from:

http://www.clker.com/clipart-11440.html



SELF-CHECK 1.4



Now, use the words given below to write a short paragraph describing

your   company.   You   must   use   ALL   the   words   given   but   you   can   use

them in any order you like.



main products, services, markets, competitors, head office, employees



Adapted from: Emmerson, P., and Hamilton, N. (2005). Five-minute

activities for Business English. UK: Cambridge University Press



(b)    The Business Structure

A   company      or  organisation    can  be   a sole   proprietorship,    partnership    or

corporation. A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business owned by one

person. It is the most simple and basic form of business organisation. Without

the owner, the business would not exist. The sole business owner assumes all

responsibilities, liabilities and risks, and of course takes all the profit.



A  partnership      is  established   by   two   or  more    people.   All   the  partners

contribute something to the business  money, labour, skills or property

and share the profits.



Corporations are businesses where the shareholders transfer money and/or

property for the companyÊs capital stock. Profits are distributed according

to investment in the capital stock. A corporation can take some of the same

deductions as a sole proprietorship, while enjoying special tax deductions.



(c)    Logo



Figure 1.4: Popular company logos.


Source: Cass, J. (Blogger). (2009). Top 10 logos [Image], Retrieved February 8, 2010, from:

http://logodesignerblog.com/100-best-global-brands-of-2009/




Most   companies   have   their   own   logos   to   give   them   a   sense   of   identity

(please refer to Figure 1.4). Logos are also a form of branding to build the

company's      image.    Some    logos    are  recognised     all  over   the  world,    for

example,      McDonaldÊs      "golden     arches",    Nike's    "swoosh"      and   ShellÊs

"seashell".





SELF-CHECK 1.5

What does the OUM logo mean?



(d)   Development Plans

You should also be able to explain your company's future development and

expansion plans. Helpful phrases include the following:



? Next year, one of the major developments in my company is likely to be/.



? I think weÊll probably ...

? We might ...



ACTIVITY 1.9



Carry out a SWOT analysis on a company of your choice.



A SWOT analysis is a common way in business to get a quick snapshot

of   a  company     and   its  market   (S  stands   for  "strengths",   W    for

"weaknesses", O for "opportunities" and T for "threats").



These words might help you:



Strengths   good market share, experienced management, good brand image...



Weaknesses small market share, high levels of debt, lack of modern technology, poor distribution channels ...



Opportunities       possible         new     markets,    growing      economy,

developments in technology ...



Threats     slowdown       in  the  economy,     new   competitors,    changing

consumer tastes...



It is good to have basic networking skills at the workplace.



Introduce yourself to people with whom you are establishing contact for the

first time.



It is important to introduce others, including people who come from abroad.



Small talk at the workplace helps to build relationships.



There are  no  hard   and   fast  rules  when    you   engage    in  small   talk  but  in

general,   politics   and   religion   are   a   "no-no",   while   talking   about   your   own

family is often regarded as too personal.


It     is  advisable    to  adopt    a  positive   tone   when     you   describe    your    job

responsibilities.



When        describing    your   company,    you    can  highlight    various   aspects   the

products      and   services   it  offers,  its business    structure,   logo,   and   future

development plans.



Branding                                        
Network



Corporation                                      
Partnership



Distribution channels                            
Product



Experienced management                          
Services



Global citizens                                  
Small talk



Logo                                            
Sole proprietorship



Market share                                    
SWOT analysis

06 OUMH2203_TOPIC 2 BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS

TOPIC 2 BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS

06 OUMH2203_topic02

LEARNING OUTCOMES



By the end of this topic, you should be able to:



1.   Communicate     effectively  on  the  telephone  by  answering  business

calls and handling enquiries in a positive and professional manner;



2.   Give accurate information, and leave or take messages by phone; and



3.   State   the   common   dos   and   donÊts   when   using   the   telephone   at   the

workplace.



INTRODUCTION



This topic aims to equip you with the basic telephone skills that are essential to

ensure   smooth   work   flow   at   the   workplace.   Very   often,   the   telephone   is   the

companyÊs first line of contact with a client. As such, it is imperative that all staff

be trained in basic telephone etiquette so that favourable impressions are created,

right from the first phone call. The different aspects of making effective business

telephone   calls   pre-call   preparations,   call-answering   techniques,   and   ways   to

take and leave messages  are highlighted. You will also be exposed to common

dos and donÊts when making business calls, together with activities and exercises

that will help you get used to the language structures commonly used in making

formal calls.



2.1    GETTING READY



Look at Figure 2.1 below. What do you think the two people are saying to each

other? Can you guess what the problems are and how problems like these can be

avoided?



Figure 2.1: Pre-call planning prevents miscommunication

Source: Sweeney, S. (2000). Communicating in business.

UK: Cambridge University Press.



To avoid making telephone calls at a time when the call recipient is clearly not

ready    to  take   your   call,  some   kind  of   pre-call   planning    is  necessary.   The

telephone,   which   sits   unobtrusively   on   your   table   most   of   the   time,   can   create

havoc with your work day if you are not  careful. Below are some tips that you

should consider BEFORE you reach for the phone:



(a)    Plan your calls to suit your work schedule and that of your call recipient.

       You should avoid calling at a time when the other party may be unable to

       take your call, for example, late at night. If necessary, compromise on the

       timing of your call so as to minimise problems arising from different time

       zones.



(b)    Be very clear about your objectives in calling. It helps if you make a note of

       what you want to say before placing the call as this reduces the likelihood

       that   you  will  forget   something    important.    Careful   planning    and   jotting

       down of what you want to say also means that you can concentrate on what

       the other person is saying, instead of trying to remember what you want to

       say, during the telephone conversation.



(c)    Anticipate questions from the other person.



(d)   Make   sure   you   have   paper,   pen,   relevant   documentation,   computer   files,

etc, ready and near you in case you need to jot down notes.



(e)   Check recent correspondence to update on the situation at hand before you

place the call.



(f)   Have   your   desk   calendar   nearby   in  case   you   need   to   check   dates   and   fix

appointments.



(g)   A   first-time   call   sometimes   invokes   uncertainty   and   suspicion.   If   you   feel

that   there   is   a   possibility   of   this  arising,   fax   ahead   to   say   when   you   are

going to call and what you wish to talk about. It helps if the person you are

calling knows you  even if it is only via an e-mail.



2.2     RECEIVING CALLS



In   many   organisations   today,   training   staff   to   communicate   effectively   on   the

telephone       is  a  top   priority.   This    is because     there    is  a  high   possibility    of

miscommunication arising in phone conversations, given the fact that you cannot

see   the   person   you   are   talking   to   on   the  other   end   of   the   line.   Add   to   this   the

typical     hectic   pace   of  business     communication,        and    you   have    a  potentially

difficult situation.



You   are   probably   used   to   making   calls   to   friends   and   families   but   when   you

make      calls  to   companies,      a  slightly   different    set  of   rules   apply.    Generally

speaking, when you make a formal business call, you need to be:



(a)   BRIEF - Do not beat about the bush and waste the call recipientÊs time;



(b)   CLEAR - Explain the background and purpose of your call; and



(c)   POLITE - Recognise and accept the other personÊs point of view.



Sometimes,   these   rules   may   seem   to   be  in   conflict,   for   example,   if   you   are   too

brief,   you   may   confuse   the   receiver   or   appear   impolite.   The   trick   is   to   try   and

strike a balance among the three rules.



2.2.1          Telephone Etiquette



Listed below are some of the basic dos and donÊts of telephone use. Observing

these     rules   will   enable    you    to  handle     phone     enquiries    in   a  positive    and

professional manner.



(a)    When the telephone rings, do:



(i)    Answer the phone promptly, if possible, within three rings.



(ii)   Identify yourself immediately. The usual practice is to use a three-part

greeting,    for  example:     "Good    morning,     Open     University    Malaysia,

Fatimah Daud speaking."



(iii)  Use the callerÊs name if you can as that helps to establish rapport.



(iv)   Try   to   resolve   the   callerÊs   problem.  If   you   must   transfer   the   call,   be

sure to explain why.



       (v)    Sound positive and helpful. Your tone of voice speaks volumes about

              you. It helps if the caller can hear you smile.



       (vi)   Keep   jargon   and   technical   words   to   a   minimum   to   avoid   confusing

              the caller.



       (vii)  Speak at a pace that can be understood. Speaking too slowly suggests

              confusion      and    uncertainty     whilst    speaking     too   quickly    suggests

              impatience or anger.



       (viii) Practise   active   listening.   Indicate   to   the   caller   that   you   are   paying

              close   attention   to   what   he   says  by   interrupting   in   an   encouraging

              manner,   using   words   like  Yes/,  I   see/, Okay /,   I   know   what   you

              mean... You can also empathise with the caller by echoing important

              points     raised.   This    will   also   ensure     that   you    have    accurately

              understood the information conveyed.



       (ix)   End the call with a polite Thank you, when you are sure that you have

              answered   all   the   caller's   queries.   It  is   better   to   let   the   caller   put   the

              receiver down first so he does not feel that you have cut him off.



(b)    Do not:



       (i)    Eat and drink while talking on the phone.



       (ii)   Be too familiar with the person on the other end of the phone.



       (iii)  Talk to someone else in your office while you are still on the phone.



       (iv)   Allow too much background noise.



       (v)    Speak too quietly or loudly.



       (vi)   Use rude language (please refer to Figure 2.2).



Figure 2.2: Refrain from using rude language

Source: Rees, D. (Artist). (2005). Get Your War On [Clip art], Retrieved February 8, 2010,

from: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A268460



SELF-CHECK 2.1



       Think back to the times when you were on the telephone. Were you

       ever put on hold and made to wait for a long time before your needs

       were attended to? How did you feel when that happened? What was

       your reaction?



2.2.2     I’m Calling Because …



A    telephone    call  at  the  workplace   is  a  purposeful   activity.  Your   caller  has  an

objective in mind and you will need to find out what this objective is, as quickly as

possible. In some cases, your callerÊs needs are simple and all you have to do is to jot

down his name, address, and telephone and fax numbers for future reference.



However, in more complex situations, you may need to ask probing questions to get

more   information   before   you   can   ascertain   the   real   purpose   behind   the   call   and

determine appropriate follow-up action. For instance, if your caller has a complaint

about a product that he has bought from your company, you would need to:



(a)    Identify the problem;



(b)    Verify that the product is, indeed, from your company;



(c)    Determine if warranty still applies;



(d)    Ascertain how the caller has been using the product;



(e)    Find out what steps have been taken to rectify the problem.



Sometimes, you may need to direct the callerÊs attention to his original objective in

making the call as he/she may get side-tracked and begin talking about other things.

In all instances, always let the caller know that you are sincere in wanting to help.



ACTIVITY 2.1



Different     people     have    different    objectives    when     they   make     a

telephone call. What do you think are the objectives of the people in

the    situations   below?    The   first  one  has   been  done     for  you   as  an

example.



Situation A: A purchasing manager who has received an incomplete delivery.



Objective of call:



To tell the supplier that the delivery is incomplete.



To   arrange   to   get  the   rest   of   the   delivery   as   soon   as possible.



To complain about the poor service.





Situation   B:  A   computer   operator   with   a   hardware   problem   calling   a helpline.



Situation C:      A sales representative for a furniture manufacturer making a first call to a company which sells office furniture.



Situation   D:   A   travel   agent   who   has   paid   for   a   ticket   for   a   flight   that departs tomorrow. The ticket has not reached him yet.



SELF-CHECK 2.2



Have   you   ever   received   a   call   from   someone   who   was   angry   to   the point of being abusive?



Describe what happened during and after the call.



How did you handle the situation?



2.2.3   Common “Telephone Words”



Telephone skills are one of the most difficult to master, partly because we cannot

see the person on the other end of the telephone and thus cannot depend on non-

verbal signs (gestures, facial expressions, etc) to help us understand the person.

However,   there   are   standard   phrases   commonly   used   in   phone   conversations

and learning these „telephone words‰ will help you to better understand what

the other person is saying as well as give you some guidelines as to what to say

when making or receiving calls at the workplace.



ACTIVITY 2.2



Read    through    the  words/phrases      given   below.   These   phrases   are

commonly      used    in  phone   conversations.    Can   you   think   of  other

"telephone words". Fill in the blanks with such words.



(a)    Introducing yourself:



? Hello, Chan and Lee Clinic.

? Good morning, this is Mariam.

? Kenny speaking.

? Good evening, Harris, Open University Malaysia.

? Hi, my nameÊs .................. and IÊm calling from ..........................



(b)    Finding out who is on the telephone:

? Excuse me, who is this please?

? May I ask who is calling, please?

? Who's speaking?

? .............................................................................................................



      (c)    Asking for someone:



             ? Is Bob in, please?



             ? Can       I  have   extension    3421,   please?   (extensions     are  internal

                 numbers at a company)



             ? IÊd like to speak to Max Thambirajah.



             ? Can you put me through to Steven, please?



             ? ...............................................................................................................



      (d)    Connecting someone:



             ? Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through ...



             ? Can you hold the line?



             ? Can you hang on a moment, please?



             ? .............................................................................................................



(e)    Saying that someone is not available:



       ? I'm afraid he's out at the moment.



       ? I'm       sorry    but   the   line   is  engaged...     (when     the   extension requested is being used).



       ? I'm sorry but Jack is not in at the moment.



       ? Paul is on leave today.



       ? Jim is in a meeting.



       ? .................................................................................................................



(f)    Asking the other person to repeat what was said:



       ? I'm sorry, but can you say that again?



       ? Pardon?



       ? Can you spell that please?



       ? .................................................................................................................



(g)    Ending a call:



       ? Thank you for calling.



       ? Thank you very much for your help.



       ? Okay, I'll check the details and get back to you later.



       ? I think that covers everything.



       ? IÊll come by your office on Monday at 10am.



       ? .............................................................................................................


30    ? TOPIC 2        BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS



           ACTIVITY 2.3



       In   groups   of   three,   practise   the  telephone   conversation  below,   paying

       special   attention   to   word   pronunciation,   intonation   and   stress.   Then,

       repeat    the  conversation,     replacing   the   words     in  italics  with  similar

       phrases of your choice.



       Switch   roles   and   practise   the   conversation   again   so   that   you   get   the

       chance to role play all the different characters.



       Operator      :  Hello, Aidah, Open University Malaysia. How can I help

                         you?



       Peter         :  This is Peter Ng. Can I have extension 3421, please?



       Operator      :  Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through ...



       Dr Li         :   OUM, Arts Faculty, Dr Li speaking.



       Peter         :   This is Peter Ng calling. Is Professor Mahmud in?



       Dr Li         :   I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?



       Peter         :   Yes, Could you ask him to call me at ...? I need to talk to

                         him       about     a   collaborative     project    with    Dinkins

                         University. It's urgent.



       Dr Li         :  Could you repeat the number please?



       Peter         :   Yes, that's ..., and this is Peter Ng.



       Dr Li         :  Thank      you,   Peter.   I'll  pass  the  message     to  Professor

                         Mahmud when he comes in.



       Peter         :   Thank you so much. Goodbye.



       Dr Li         :   Bye.



Note the common "telephone words‰ in italics and the informal language used.

For    instance,   "Is  Professor    Mahmud       in?"  is  an  informal     way   of  asking:   „Is

Professor     Mahmud       in  the  office?"   Other    informal    words    include    „hold   on‰

(wait), "tied up" (busy).



2.3    TAKING AND LEAVING MESSAGES



Sometimes,   there   may   not   be   anyone   available   to   answer   the   telephone   when   it

rings. When that happens, you need to leave a message.



Basically, there are five simple steps to follow to  ensure that the person who receives

your message has all the information he needs.



(a)    Mention your name:                        Hello, this is Ahmad Fauzi.



(b)    State time and reason for call:           It's 10am. I'm calling to let you know that ...



(c)    Make a request:                           Could you call me back?



(d)    Leave your number:                        My number is ....



(e)    End the call:                             Thanks, I'll talk to you later. Bye.



             SELF-CHECK 2.3



        Read the following voice message and answer the questions below:



        Telephone: (Ring... Ring... Ring...) Hello, this is Sanjeev. I'm afraid I'm

        not in at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep..... (beep).



        Ken: Hello Sanjeev, this is Ken. It's noon now and I'm calling to see if

        you would like to come with me to the futsal game on Friday. Could

        you   call   me   back?   You   can   reach   me   at   016-367   8925   until   5pm   this

        afternoon. I'll talk to you later. Bye.



        Does the message contain all the information needed to allow the call

        recipient to respond to the call? List down this information.



        1.      Name:     ......................................................



        2.      Time and reason for call: ................................................................



        3.      Request: ............................................................................................



        4.      Contact number: .............................................................................



        5.      Ending: ............................................................................................




2.3.1        Language Checklist



Below   are   words/phrases   commonly   used   when   you   take   or   leave   telephone

messages.   Can   you   think   of   other words?  Fill   in   the   blanks   with   some   of   these

words/phrases.



(a)   Offering to take a message:



      ? Would you like to leave a message?



      ? Could I take a message, please?



      ? Could I have your name and contact number, please?



      ? ////////////////////////.



(b)   Leaving a message:



      ? Could you ask X to call me back please?



      ? Can I leave a message for X?



      ? /////////////////////////



(c)   Promising action:



      ? I'll give X your message as soon as he comes in.



      ? I will pass your message on.



      ? ////////////////////////.



2.3.2        Tips for Effective Message Taking



In order to help you take down messages accurately, you should:



? Use a pad/notebook to write down the details.



? Record the date and time of message.



? Spell names accurately  do not be afraid to ask the caller if you are unsure

    how his/her name is spelled.



? Quickly ascertain what the caller wants  a return call, action to be taken, etc.



? Offer assistance.



? Follow up with appropriate action.





ACTIVITY 2.4



Work in pairs. Use the information given below to write out the phone

conversation; then practise it aloud with your partner.



Caller A:

You    want    to  speak  to  Mrs   Abraham      about   your   account   with   her

company,   KW   Associates.   She   is   not   in   the   office,   so   you   decide   to

leave   your   name   and   telephone   number.   The   reason   for   your   call   is

that you would like to change the conditions of your contract with KW

Associates. You can be reached at your contact number until 5pm, but

if Mrs Abraham calls after 5pm, she should call 012-458 2777.



Caller B:

You are a receptionist at KW Associates. Caller A would like to speak

to Mrs Abraham but she is out of the office. Take down the message

and make sure you get the following information:



Name and telephone number -- ask Caller A to spell his surname.



The message Caller A would like to leave for Mrs Abraham.



The latest (time) that Mrs Abraham can call Caller A at the given telephone number.





ACTIVITY 2.5



        Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word/words.



         1.     Hello,      I   am     trying     to   get    ...................................  with  Mr

                Thuraisingam          and    someone      gave     me   this   number.      Is   he   in,

                please?

                 I am sorry but Mr Thuraisingam has just left.



         2.     Hello, is Ahmad Tajuddin ..................... today, please?

                 Yes, he is. IÊll ............... him.



         3.     Hello, this is Carol Lee from Flamingo Enterprise. IÊd ............... to

                speak to Jane Tham, please.

                 IÊll put you ...................................... to her.



         4.     Good morning. This is Carol Lee. Can I speak to Roy Stevenson,

                please? ItÊs rather      ....................................

                 IÊm .................................... but Roy is not here at the moment. Can

                I help you?



         5.     Good      afternoon.      This   is  Siti Hashimah         from     LeoÊs    Studio.    I

                would like to speak with Francis Brown please ....................... my

                order.

                 ................................................................................... Can you give me

                your order number, please?



         6.     Good morning. Is ................................ Miss Elizabeth Cardova?

                 Yes, speaking.



         7.     Good   evening.   I   was   wondering   if   I   could   speak   to   Jolina   Lum

                ................... Accounts, please?

                 IÊm   sorry   but   Accounts   arenÊt   ...................................  Can   I   take   a

                message?



2.4          DIFFICULT CALLS



Sometimes it is necessary for us to handle difficult calls from people who we do

business with. As in any business dealing, it is important for us to observe the

highest degree of professionalism in handling difficult calls. We must make sure

that we handle all difficult calls politely and tactfully.



ACTIVITY 2.6



     Read   the   following   telephone   conversation   and   answer   the   questions

     below, using information from the passage given.



     Cindy dials. (Ring! Ring!...)



     Secretary     :   Good morning, Asia Enterprises.



     Cindy        :    Hello, could I speak to Jimmy Lau, please?



     Secretary    :    May I know who is calling?



     Cindy         :   My name is Cindy Liew. I am a student at Open Universit

                       Malaysia. I am calling about a project we are doing.


36    TOPIC 2        BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS



      Secretary    :    OK. Could you hold the line, please?



      (pause)



      Lau           :  Hello, how can I help you?



      Cindy         :   Good     morning,    Sir.  My   name    is  Cindy    Liew.   I  am   a

                       student at Open University Malaysia. I am calling about a

                       project   we   are   doing   on   work   experience.   Tommy   Chan

                       from Eurasia Products Sdn Bhd said you might be able to

                       help me. He is a friend of my uncle.



      Lau           :   Yes, I know Tommy. So?



      Cindy         :   Well,   our   assignment   is  to   identify   a   company   and   find

                       out more about the kind of work it does.



      Lau           :  Yes?



      Cindy         :   Would you mind if I drop in and visit your company one

                       day next          week and talk to some of your staff.



      Lau           :  We are very busy. What would you like to do exactly?



      Cindy         :   I   would   like   to   spend   a   day  in   your   organisation  and

                       follow a member of your staff as he goes about his work.



      Lau           : Yes. Well, as I said, we are very busy next week.



      Cindy        :    Oh, would it be possible to arrange something later then?

                       I will adjust my time to suit your schedule



      Lau           :   Well, we might be able to arrange a visit for you the week

                       after/



      Cindy         :  That would be fine. Thank you very much, indeed. I don't

                       want     to   cause   you    any   trouble   but    I  would    really

                       appreciate it.



      Lau           :   I will try to arrange something. Which day would you like

                       to come?



      Cindy        :    Let me see ... Wednesday is the best day for me.



      Lau           :  Sorry, we donÊt allow visitors on Wednesday.



      Cindy         :   How about Thursday, then?



      Lau           :   That might be possible



     Cindy         :    Thursday then, Thursday would be fine for me. What time

                       is convenient for you?



     Lau            :   10am?



     Cindy         :  Yes, 10am is fine. Could you tell me where your office is,

                       please?



     Lau            :   On the 7th floor, Suite 723, Wisma AE. Please ask for my

                       secretary.



     Cindy          :   Alright,    I'll  be  at  your    office  in   Suite   723   at  10am,

                       Thursday, August 28. Thank you so much for your help. I

                       look forward to meeting you.



     Lau            :  I will see you then.



     Cindy         :   Goodbye, and thank you again.



     1.      (a)    What    was   Lau's   initial  response    towards     CindyÊs    request?

                  What words from the passage suggest this?



            (b)     How   did   Cindy   manage   to   get   Lau   to   change   his   attitude

                   towards her?



            (c)     What lessons can you learn from this?



     2.     Imagine   that   when   Cindy   called   Jimmy   LauÊs   office,   his   secretary

            informed   her   that   he   was   in   a   meeting.   What   could   Cindy   say   to

            make   sure   that   she   gets   to   speak  to   him   the   next   time   she   calls?

            Write out a possible telephone conversation between Cindy and the

            secretary.



  You need to have good, basic telephone skills if you wish to be effective at the

    workplace.



  When making business calls, remember to be brief, clear and polite.



  Business calls usually have a purpose and you need to identify the objective

    of the call as quickly as possible.



  Answer all calls promptly, within three rings.



Offer a three part greeting  hello, the name of the organisation, and the name

     of person answering the call.



Business calls often use standard phrases which are informal in tone.



Observe   telephone   etiquette   when   answering   phone   calls   sound   positive

     and helpful, avoid technical jargon, do not eat or drink while on the phone,

     speak at a steady pace, etc.



Phone messages should contain five elements  the name of caller, the time

     and reason for the call, the request, a contact number, and a thank you.



One      needs   to  be  firm,  persistent   and   well-prepared,     when    dealing    with

     difficult calls.




Active listening                                
Hold on



Connect you                                    
Jargon



Hang on                                        
Put you through 

07 OUMH2203_TOPIC 3 DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS

TOPIC 3 DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS
07 OUMH2203_topic03
LEARNING OUTCOMES



By the end of this topic, you should be able to:



1.  Use appropriate language to perform a variety of functions during

meetings and discussions, including expressing opinions, expressing

agreement and disagreement, and making suggestions;



2.  Describe effective ways of communicating your thoughts and ideas to a

group of people; and



3.  Identify and explain the nuances in the English sound system.



INTRODUCTION



This   topic   provides   learners   with   practice   in   using   the   various   language   forms

and   functions   commonly   used   during   meetings   and   discussions.   In   particular,

the  topic  introduces  language  for  expressing  opinions,  stating  agreement  or

disagreement,   and  offering  suggestions and  solutions.  In  most  instances,  the

contextualised use of these language forms and functions is presented. A number

of activities and exercises that allow for collaborative learning are also included.




3.1     MEETINGS



Figure 3.1: A meeting enables people to discuss ideas

Source: [Clip art of a meeting]. Retrieved February 9, 2010,

from: http://www.tall.org/clubs/cal/la/Social.html



In   any   organisation,   meetings   are   held   to enable   people   to  exchange   information,

discuss ideas and make decisions (please refer to Figure 3.1). To ensure that every

meeting achieves its purpose, all participants have to contribute actively. A variety

of   language   functions   and   relevant   expressions   have   to   be   used   to   communicate

ideas clearly.



Often, the expressions that are used differ, depending on the stage the meeting or

discussion   is   at.   At   the   start   of   a   meeting,   you   may   need   to   use   expressions   to

welcome colleagues and friends.



As   the   meeting   progresses,   you   may  have   to   voice   agreement   with   points   raised,

make  suggestions,  or  invite  alternative  points  of  view.  All  these  functions  require

you to use specific expressions.



Here are some examples of language forms and phrases that are commonly used at

different stages of a meeting or discussion.



 (a)   Starting a meeting

       Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think we should begin ...

       If everyone is here, we can start.

       Shall we start?



(b)    Introducing the agenda

      Today we need to talk about ...

      Let us look at the first item on the agenda  /



(c)    Stating objectives

      The purpose of this meeting is, firstly, to ... and secondly, to ....

      The main objective of our meeting is ...



(d)    Keeping the meeting moving

      Can you tell us more about ...?

       Shall we continue?



(e)    Closing the meeting

      Does anyone have anything else to add?

      If that is all, we can stop here.



Study the dialogue below to see examples of the expressions commonly used at

different stages of a meeting (please refer to Transcript 3.1):



  Leading up        A:       How are you? How was your weekend?

  to starting       B:       Not bad actually, though it rained a lot. Anna had one of her fits

  a meeting                  again, went completely ballistic about the children

                             playing indoors.

                    C: ?  OK. I think everyone is here now. Shall we get started?



  Introducing       C: ?     Let us quickly go over what we have to discuss today:

  the agenda                 Investments -- examining finances --, information on

                             other companies -- annual report. Maria has agreed to look

                             into what other companies we could invest in and Tan, you

                             are going to examine the figures and see how much we are

                             actually talking about.

  Keeping the       A:       It is an absolutely massive company and I really do not

  meeting                    think that would work.

  moving            C: ? OK but what do the rest of you think? Maria, how do you

                             feel about it?



                    A:       They have agreed to meet us next month;

                             meantime, they will send us more information.

                    C: ? Excellent, shall we move on to the next item now,

                             which is, er, the annual report?



  Closing the       C: ? Well, I think we have covered every item on the agenda.

  meeting                    Thank you all for coming. Would anyone like coffee?



                                         Transcript 3.1





During a meeting or discussion, significant exchanges take place. People express or

request for opinions; they agree or disagree with a viewpoint; they make suggestions

and offer solutions to problems; sometimes, people even reject opinions, suggestions

or points of view. All these ideas have to be articulated thoughtfully and in a way

that shows that you are respectful of the thoughts, ideas and opinions of others. We

also wish to say things clearly to ensure that our message is understood by everyone

present so that there is little or no misunderstanding.



In   the   following   sections,   a   number   of   language   expressions   are   introduced   with

respect   to   the   different   kinds   of   exchanges  that   take   place   during   a   discussion   or

meeting.



ACTIVITY 3.1



Imagine that you have been asked to chair a formal meeting. In small

groups, brainstorm on the things you would need to do in your role as

chairperson.



3.2     EXPRESSING OPINIONS



An     important    part   of  meetings    and   discussions    involves    asking   and   giving

opinions. An opinion can be expressed in various ways:



 (a)   A forceful way;



 (b)   A neutral way; or



 (c)   A tentative way (with some hesitation or reservation).



Common phrases often used to express opinions are listed in Table 3.1:



                    Table 3.1: Common Phrases for Expressing Opinions



        Asking for opinions         Would you mind telling me what you think of  /?

                                    What do you think about  /?

                                    What is your opinion of  /?

                                    How do you feel about  /?

                                    What are your views on  / ?

                                    Any comments ...?



         Giving an opinion          I think that /

                                    I feel/believe that  /

                                    In my opinion/view,  /

                                    My opinion is that  /

                                    My point of view is  /



          ACTIVITY 3.2



       Work   in   pairs.   Share   some   situations   in   which   you   would   use   the

       different ways of  giving and asking for opinions.



 3.3          EXPRESSING AGREEMENT /

             DISAGREEMENT



You may agree or disagree with the opinions or suggestions given by members

of   a   group   during   a   discussion.   Every   group   member   is   entitled   to   express   his

agreement   or   disagreement   (please   refer  to   Figure   3.2),   and   a   discussion   gains

momentum as each person responds, either positively or negatively.


44    ?  TOPIC 3        DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS



                      Figure 3.2: Disagreement between group members

    Source: Mardan, M.J. (Blogger). (2009). I-donÊt-see-what-youÊre-getting-at [Clip art],

    Retrieved February 9, 2010, from: http://english-learners.com/2009/05/common-

                                       english-phrases.html



When you agree with someone, the expressions you use to voice your agreement

will    tell  the  listener  the   strength,   or  degree,    to  which    you   agree.   Table   3.2

highlights phrases commonly used for expressing agreement or disagreement.



                Table 3.2 : Ways of Expressing Agreement and Disagreement



                                             Agreement



                          Strong                                   Neutral

            I absolutely agree.                      I agree.

            Yes, definitely.                         You are right there.

            I am in complete agreement.              I think you are right.

            Exactly.                                 That is true.

            Precisely.                               That is right.



                                           Disagreement



                          Strong                                    Neutral



            I disagree completely.                   I do not agree.

            That is out of the question.             That is not how I see it.

            On the contrary.                         I would not say that.

            Of course not!                           I think you are wrong.

            That is ridiculous.                      I disagree.



SELF-CHECK 3.1



       Are these expressions neutral or do they show agreement or disagreement?



       (a)    That is true, but ...              (b)    I am not so sure about that ...

       (c)    I see what you   are saying        (d)   That is beside the point.

              ...

       (e)    I do not think so ...              (f)   Yes, however, it seems to me that ...

       (g)    Absolutely.                        (h)   You have got a point there.



Of   course,   sometimes,   instead   of   agreeing   or   disagreeing   with   an   opinion,   you

may   just   wish   to   express   certain   reservations.   Then,   there   may   be   times   when

you disagree but wish to express this in an indirect and diplomatic way. Look at

the four sentences below: Do they show agreement or disagreement?



  ThereÊs a problem.



  I think there may be a problem with that.



  There seems to be a small problem.



  Actually, thatÊs not going to be so easy.



What   is   the   difference   between   the   first   sentence   and   the   three   which   follow?

DonÊt   you   think   that   the   the   last   three  sentences   are   more   indirect,   careful   and

diplomatic?



ACTIVITY 3.3



        Look   at   the   statements   given   below.   Choose   ONE   and   rewrite   it   in

        different ways so that it has the same meaning but is more diplomatic

        and    indirect.   Share    this  with   your    friends   and   see   how    they   have

        rewritten their statements.



          We cannot do that.



          Your cost estimate is much too low.



          The project is running late.



          There will be a delay.





3.4          MAKING / ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS



Very   often,   you   may   be   called   upon   to   make   suggestions   during   a   meeting   or

discussion. You may be asked to suggest ways to overcome a problem or address

an important issue. Sometimes, you are asked to recommend an initiative based

on your past experience in a particular field. Then there may be times when you

may      encounter     difficulty   dealing    with   a   situation   and    need    to  ask   for

suggestions. Table 3.3 provides examples of phrases commonly used when you

want to make or ask for suggestions:



Table 3.3: Making and Asking for Suggestions





Making Suggestions                        
Asking for Suggestions



Strong                                    
I would  like  to  hear  your suggestions.



We must ...                                
I would like to hear your ideas on this.



Neutral                                    
What would you suggest?



I think we should ...                      
Do you have any suggestions?



Tentative                                  
What do you recommend?



It might be good to ....                  
What are your views on this?



I recommend that we /



I think we should /



I suggest that we  /



My recommendation is that we ...




Table 3.4 lists other useful expressions which you may want to use in a meeting:



Table 3.4: Other Useful Expressions



    Presenting alternatives                ? One possibility is to ...

                                           ? Either we ... or ...

                                           ? As I see it ...

                                           ? If we ... then... can...

                                           ? The advantage of / is that ... whereas/



    Accepting proposals                    ? I am completely in favour of that.

                                           ? I am in favour of that.

                                           ? That is a good idea.

                                           ? I have absolutely no objections.

                                           ? I am sure that is the best idea.



    Rejecting ideas                        ? I am sorry but I really do not think that / is a

                                                good idea.

                                           ? I am afraid I cannot accept that.

                                           ? That is very interesting but ...

                                           ? I am sorry, but that is not really practical.

                                           ? I appreciate your point of view but /.

                                           ? I can see why you want to do this but /



    Building up arguments                  ? I      am   afraid   that   is  not  possible.    Firstly   ...

                                                Secondly ...

                                           ? If   we   put   off   this   decision   any   longer   it   will

                                                mean further delays. As a result ...



    Balancing points of view               ? I accept what you say but ...

                                           ? The project may be profitable but on the other

                                                hand it may be.... If we ... it may cause ...



    Summarising and                        ? If      everyone     is  in   favour    of   what    I  have

    concluding the meeting                      suggested /

                                           ? If     everyone     is  in  agreement     to  what    I  have

                                                proposed ...

                                           ? Do you all agree that  /.?

                                           ? If      everyone     is  in  favour,    I  would     like  to

                                                recommend ...

                                           ? Does anyone have anything else to add /?

                                           ? Right,   then   I   think   we   can   end   the   meeting

                                                here.

                                           ? So if that is it, we can stop here.



Study the passage below which highlights a discussion in session (please refer to

Transcript 3.2). Examine the different language functions and expressions used by

the speakers.



Asking for             Bernie:         Okay, I think we should start now, as it is 10 oÊclock.

comments/              Voices:         Okay / right / yeah.

opinions               Bernie:         Well, we are here today to look at some of the reasons

                                       for    the  decline    in  profits  which     has   affected   this

                                       subsidiary.

                                       You   have   all   seen   the   agenda.   I   would   like   to   ask   if

                                       anyone has any comments about this before we start.

                       Voices:         No / it is fine / no.

                       Bernie:         Right,   well,  can   I   ask   Encik   Samsuddin   Omar,   Chief

                                       Sales Executive, to give his opening remarks?

                       Samsuddin:      Thank you, Bernie. Well, I think we have to face several

                                       realities. What I have to say is divided into three parts

                                        and will take about 20 minutes.

                       Bernie:         Er, Encik Samsuddin /we do not have much time   we

                                       are interested only in listening to the main points.

Expressing            June:            Yes, can I ask one thing, Madam Chairperson? IsnÊt this

disagreement/                          problem in our market a global one?

keeping the            Bernie:         Sorry, June, I cannot allow us to consider that

discussion                             question just yet. We will look at that question later.

focused                                Encik Samsuddin, sorry, please carry on.



Building up            Samsuddin:       Well,   the   three   points   I   want   to   make   can   be   summed

an argument                             up in three sentences. Firstly, sales are down, but only

                                       by   5%   more   for   the   group   as   a   whole.   Secondly,   our

                                       budget for sales has been kept stable  it has not gone

                                        up despite inflation  so we are trying to do better than

                                        last year on less money. Thirdly ...

                      June:            ThatÊs not exactly true /

                       Bernie:         June, please. Let Enci k Samsuddin finish.

                       Samsuddin:      Thirdly, our products are old   we need new ideas.



Summarising/           Bernie:         Let me summarise that. You say that sales are down but

concluding                             not    by  so  much,    that  you   have   had   less  money     to

                                       promote sales and the products are old? Is that right?



                                             Transcript 3.2



3.5          MORE ACTIVITIES



Below are various activities that will give you practice in using the appropriate

language      forms   needed     to  perform    the  different    functions    at  meetings    or

discussions.



          ACTIVITY 3.4



       1.  Give    your   opinion    on   the  following    issues   raised   during    a

           meeting. You are encouraged to use some of the expressions that

           have been introduced in this topic.



            (a)    The  introduction     of  a  system    in  which    everyone     in  a

                  company,     from   top  to bottom, clocks in.



            (b)    The view that in future,     world oil reserves will be running

                  out   and   most   of   the   energy   will  be   supplied  by   nuclear

                  power.



            (c)    The   belief  that  more   and   more    manufacturing      industries

                  will   be   relocated   to   the   Far  East   because   of   lower   labour

                  costs.



       2.  Say whether you agree or disagree with the following statements.

           Give a reason for the stand you take.



            (a)    All forms of public transport should be free.



            (b)    Criminals should be hanged.



            (c)    Meetings are a waste of time.



            (d)    Sending e-mail is better than writing letters.




ACTIVITY 3.5



      Respond to the following comments, using the reasons given to support

      your point of view.



      (a)    If there are not enough jobs to go around, the number of university

            places should be reduced. There is no point in educating people for

            the unemployment queue.

                 Disagree:   more     people   go   for  higher   education     focus     on

                 subjects like engineering and computing.



      (b)    The   best   jobs  for  the  future   will   be  in  the  service   and   food

            industries.

                 Agree: bad future for manufacturing industries.



      (c)    Introducing     a  35-hour    week    might    be  a  good    idea   from   the

            employeeÊs      point   of  view   but  it  would   be   a  disaster  from   the

            companyÊs point of view.

                 Agree: costs up  no increase in productivity.



      (d)    If you want to reduce inflation, the only solution is strict control of

            the money supply.

                 Express     reservation:   strong    wage     and   price   controls   also

                     possible.



      (e)    If everyone agreed to take a reduction in wages, we would solve

            the unemployment problem in Malaysia within a year.

                 Disagree: problem more complex.



ACTIVITY 3.6



Give     suggestions     and    recommendations        to    resolve   the   following

problems. Follow the example given.



Example:



   Problem                     Sales of new electric cars have not been as good

                               as predicted and stock levels are high.



   Suggestions                 1.    Stop production. (strong)



                               2.   Cut prices. (neutral)



  What you can say             As   I  see  it,  we  have  no   choice  but  to  stop

                               production.

                               In addition, I think we should cut prices to move

                               the stock and improve cash flow.



1.     Problem:    Deliveries     of  goods    have   been    delayed    frequently    in

       recent months due to rail strikes.

        Suggestions:



       (a)     Investigate road transport. (neutral)



       (b)     Set up small regional warehouses. (tentative)



2.     Problem:  Some   tinned   fruit     imported   from   China   and   sold   in   a

       local  supermarket has resulted in complaints from customers.

       Suggestions:



       (a)     Withdraw all tins from the shelves. (strong)



       (b)     Arrange a meeting with the production people from the plant

              in China. (neutral)



       (c)     Send   some    of   our  production      people   to   China   to   check

              quality control. (tentative)



3.     Problem:     A    newspaper       group    is  having     problems      with   its

       circulation. Costs are also high for setting and printing.

       Suggestions:



       (a)     Hire a new editor. (neutral)



       (b)     Negotiate     with    the   printers    to   modernise       production

              methods. (strong)



ACTIVITY 3.7



       Present    a  series of  possible    solutions  to  the  following    problems.     An

       example is given below.



       Example:



        Problem                     How to link Pulau Tioman and Mersing.



        Solutions

                                    A rail tunnel to transport cars.

                                    A bridge only for road traffic.

                                    A combined rail and road tunnel.



        What you    can say         There   are   several  ways   to solve   this problem.

                                    One   solution   would   be   to   build   a   rail   tunnel   to

                                    transport   cars.   Alternatively,   we   could build  a

                                    bridge   just  for   road   traffic.   Finally,   we   could

                                    build a combined rail and road tunnel.



       (a)   Problem: How to improve productivity.

              Solutions:



             ? Introduce more automation.



             ? Organise employees into smaller teams.



             ? Give bonuses for targets met.



       (b)   Problem: How to improve the quality of production.

              Solutions:



             ? Introduce quality standards.



             ? Increase the sampling rate of finished products.



       (c)   Problem: How to find new management personnel.

              Solutions:



             ? Use a head-hunting agency.



             ? Advertise in the national press.



ACTIVITY 3.8




(Audio 3.1)




You are going to hear extracts of a meeting. Listen to the discussion and

answer the following questions.



(a)    What does the third speaker say to get the meeting going?



(b)     Who do you think Tan is?

       (i)    Chairman                 (ii)  Secretary

       (iii)  Treasurer                (iv)  Committee member



(c)     How does the speaker ask Maria for her opinion?



(d)     What does the speaker say to proceed to the next item on the

      agenda?



(e)     What does the speaker say to conclude the meeting?



     ACTIVITY 3.9



Indicate   whether   it   is   to   agree(A),   disagree  (DA)   or   half   agree   (HA)

when the following expressions are used.



(a)   That is true, but  /                      ___________________



(b)   I see what you are saying                 ___________________



(c)   Yes, in a way                             ___________________



(d)   Absolutely                                ___________________



(e)   You cannot really mean that               ___________________



(f)   Yes, however it seems to me that          ___________________



(g)   You must be joking!                       ___________________



(h)   You have got a point there                ___________________





ACTIVITY 3.10



                                         (Audio 3.2)



       Listen to the recording of Mr Theva talking and answer the following

       questions



       1.     List three duties of the chairperson at a meeting.



             (a)



             (b)



             (c)



        2.    The    following     would      not    contribute     to   a   successful

             meeting.

             Re-write them according to Mr ThevaÊs suggestions.



              (a)    Lack of preparation



                     Be



              (b)    No clear objectives



                     Have an



              (c)    Members get too emotional



                     Maintain



              (d)    Meeting dragging on for too long



                     Keep



ACTIVITY 3.11



Work in groups of four or five. Conduct a committee meeting based on

the following notice and agenda.



                                 Uno Cars Sdn Bhd

   Notice of meeting

   Objective: Increasing sales of Uno Cars



    Time: 3.30pm



    Place: Bilik Melor



    Participants: All executives and managers



   Agenda



   1.      Welcome speech by chairperson.



   2.      Apologies for absence.



   3.      Minutes of previous meeting.



   4.      Matters arising from minutes.



   5.      Reports.



   6.      Special business.



           (i)    Promotions for the festive season.



           (ii)   Road show.



           (iii)  Advertisements in the newspapers.



   7.      Any other business.



   8.      Date, time and place of next meeting.



   9.      End.





ACTIVITY 3.12



      1.     Work in pairs. Take turns to ask for, and give, opinions about the

             following subjects. Use as many different expressions as possible.



             (a)   Unemployment among graduates.



             (b)   Foreign workers.



             (c)   Computer software piracy.



             (d)   Western movies.



             (e)   The „Miss World‰ contest.



             (f)   National Service.



             (g)   Studying abroad.



             (h)   The Internet.



      2.     Work in pairs. Take turns to agree, half-agree or strongly disagree

             with the following opinions. Use as many different expressions as

             possible.



             (a)    I think smoking should be banned.



             (b)    I think National Service for young Malaysians is a good idea.



             (c)    I think English is a very difficult language to learn.



             (d)    I think rock concerts have a negative effect on young people.



             (e)    I   think   college   students   should   work   part-time   to   support

                   themselves.



             (f)    I   think   it   is   better   to   be   your   own   boss   than   to   work   for

                   someone else.



             (g)    I think cigarette advertisements should be banned.



             (h)    I think university students should wear uniforms.



ACTIVITY 3.13



Job-related discussions



Work in pairs.



1.      You are the head of the Human Resources department in your

       organisation. You are holding a discussion on the fact that some

       staff are taking emergency leave for trivial matters. Discuss the

       circumstances under which staff may apply for emergency leave

       and highlight the detailed procedure that they must follow.



2.      You are the head of the Human Resources department in your

       organisation. Two senior staff are going to retire soon. You wish

       to   organise   a   special   dinner   to bid   them   farewell.   Discuss   how

       you would go about organising the dinner. You could talk about

       forming      a  committee,     delegating     work,    selecting   a   venue,

       choosing a caterer, date and time.



3.      You   manage   a   restaurant   frequented   by   many   bank   and   office

       staff   from   the   surrounding   area.   Lately,   some   problems   have

       come to your attention, including the following:



       (a)   Employees handling food with bare hands;



       (b)   Some of the staff lack courtesy; and



       (c)   Slow service.



       Discuss these problems and possible ways to resolve them.



4.      You are the executive director of an organisation which recently

       received   the   ISO   award.   The   Minister   of   Human   Resources   is

       coming     to  present    the  award.   Discuss     the  preparations     and

       procedures   involved   in   organising   the   event   and   how   you   can

       ensure that everything runs smoothly.




3.6         HONING YOUR LISTENING SKILLS



The    following    activities   should    hone  your    listening   skills  so  that   you   may

recognise and identify nuances in the English language.




ACTIVITY 3.14




Language development activities



       This exercise is based on Audio 3.3.



       1.      For each of the following questions, you will hear a single word

              said  twice. Choose an answer that best describes the word.



              (a)     (i)   A kind of container



                     (ii)   A kind of colour



                     (iii)  A sharp object



                     (iv)   To succeed



              (b)     (i)   Something old



                     (ii)   A container



                     (iii)  The opposite of female



                     (iv)   A trip by the sea



              (c)     (i)   A kind of fruit



                     (ii)   Something that sucks blood



                     (iii)  A tame animal



                     (iv)   To provide knowledge



              (d)     (i)   To work hard



                     (ii)   Something to play with



                     (iii)  To ruin



                     (iv)   To grow plants in



(e)     (i)    A kind of spice



       (ii)    Something to write on



       (iii)   A poor man



       (iv)    A small stone



(f)     (i)    Something to eat



       (ii)    To obtain easily



       (iii)   Something used to catch fish easily



       (iv)    This is found in front of a house



(g)     (i)    A tall building



       (ii)    The opposite of sweet



       (iii)  A trip



       (iv)    The opposite of brave



(h)     (i)    A policeman



       (ii)    To fall



       (iii)   Something used to drink with



       (iv)    A kind of fish



(i)     (i)    A timid person



       (ii)    The top of a mountain



       (iii)   Something to eat



       (iv)    To select



(j)     (i)    The opposite of empty



       (ii)    To take without permission



       (iii)   Something to sit on



       (iv)    Not moving


60    ?  TOPIC 3        DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS



     2.      For   each   of   the   following   questions,   you   will   hear   a   single   word

            said twice. Choose an answer that best describes the word.



             (a)     (i)    Anxious



                    (ii)    Groups of 10



                    (iii)  For camping



                    (iv)   After ninth



             (b)     (i)    Not empty



                    (ii)    Drop



                    (iii)   Make full



                    (iv)   A stupid person



             (c)     (i)    Adult lamb



                    (ii)    Sails on water



                    (iii)   Small mouthful of drink



                    (iv)    Not expensive



             (d)     (i)    Warm



                    (ii)    Organ in the body



                    (iii)   Worn on the head



                    (iv)    A little house



            (e)      (i)    Motor vehicle



                    (ii)    Penetrate with sharp instrument



                    (iii)   Stiff paper



                    (iv)    Horse-drawn vehicle



             (f)     (i)    Not good



                    (ii)    Symbol of membership



                    (iii)   Leaf of a book



                    (iv)   Used for carrying things



        (g)     (i)   Opposite of buy



               (ii)    Go by ship



               (iii)  Sand on the beach



               (iv)   The outside of an egg



        (h)     (i)    Hat



               (ii)    To drink from



               (iii)   Baby animal



               (iv)    A taxi



        (i)     (i)    Not up



               (ii)    Sunrise



               (iii)   Measurement of weight



               (iv)   Small city



       (j)      (i)    Drops of water from the sky



               (ii)    Means of transport



               (iii)   GirlÊ s name



               (iv)   Pipe carrying water



3.      For the next 10 questions, you will hear a group of three words. Say

       each group of words in the order in which you hear them.



        (a)     Think , ink , thing



        (b)     Scarf, carve, calf



        (c)     Thin, tin, teen



        (d)     Thirteen, thirty, dirty



        (e)     Boy, toy, coil



        (f)     Sell, tell, bell



        (g)     Pay, say, day



        (h)     Fill, feel , steal



        (i)     Test, toast, taste



        (j)     Tool, told, tall





      4.      For   the   next   10   questions,   you   will   hear   a   group   of   three   words.

              Say each group of words in the order in which you hear them.



              (a)    Corn, cone, comb



              (b)    Pepper, paper, piper

              (c)    Match, batch, patch



              (d)    Mine, nine, line



              (e)    Spit, sport, spat



              (f)    Peach, beach, pitch



              (g)    Wall, ball, soil



              (h)    Whale, male, pail



              (i)    Pen, fan, pan



              (j )   Choose, chose, choice



      5 .     For    each     of  the    next    10   questions,      you     will   hear    a   sentence

             containing only one of the four words given. Circle the word which

             you hear.



              (a)     (i)     Thought                          (ii)    Taut

                      (iii)   Taught                           (iv)    Tart



              (b)     (i)     Like                             (ii)    Love

                      (iii)   Life                             (iv)    Lived



              (c)     (i)     Four                             (ii)    Fore

                      (iii)   For                              (iv)    Far



              (d)     (i)     By                               (ii)    Buoy

                      (iii)   Bye                              (iv)    Buy



              (e)     (i)     Ride                             (ii)    Rite

                      (iii)   Write                            (iv)    Right



              (f)     (i)     Fell                             (ii)    Fall

                      (iii)   Felt                             (iv)    Feel



              (g)     (i)     Shot                             (ii)    Short

                      (iii)   Shut                             (iv)    Should



        (h)     (i)     Lard                            (ii)    Lead

                (iii)   Led                             (iv)    Lad



        (i)     (i)     Land                            (ii)    Loan

                (iii)   Lawn                            (iv)    Lend



        (j )    (i)     Ankle                           (ii)    Angel

                (iii)   Angle                           (iv)    Anger



6.       For   each     of  the    next    10   questions,      you    will   hear    a   sentence

        containing only one of the four words given. Circle the word which

        you hear.



        (a)     (i)     Hold                             (ii)   Old

                (iii)   Hole                             (iv)   Whole



        (b)     (i)     Accede                           (ii)   Exceed

                (iii)   Exit                             (iv)   Excite



        (c)     (i)     Scene                            (ii)   Seen

                (iii)   Sin                              (iv)   Since



        (d)     (i)     Pour                             (ii)   Pore

                (iii)   Paw                              (iv)   Poor



        (e)     (i)     Hurt                             (ii)   Hut

                (iii)   Herd                             (iv)   Heard



        (f)     (i)     Tread                            (ii)   Thread

                (iii)   Threat                           (iv)   Treat



        (g)     (i)     Threw                            (ii)   Truth

                (iii)   Through                          (iv)   True



        (h)     (i)     Ore                              (ii)   Or

                (iii)   Oar                              (iv)   Awe



        (i)     (i)     Heels                            (ii)   Hills

                (iii)   Heals                            (iv)   Eels



        (j )    (i)     Rude                             (ii)   Road

                (iii)   Route                            (iii)  Root



? One   way   important   business   decisions   are   made   is   through   conversation.

     Often, the way we say something during discussions and meetings helps to

     persuade      others   to  think   in   a  particular    direction   and    to  develop     a

     perspective that will help us achieve our business goals.



? This topic gives you practice in performing a number of language forms and

     functions at the workplace, for example, in using the right words to express

     opinions,     state   agreement      and   disagreement,      and    make     and    receive

     suggestions.



? You   are   also   taught   to   state   your   stand   in   a   forceful   way,   neutral   way   or

     tentative way.



? The topic also offers you opportunities to hone your skills in phonetics and

     the phonological aspects of the English language, so that you are more aware

     of the subtle differences between various words and terms. Ultimately, this

     will help you communicate your thoughts and ideas more effectively.




Agreement and disagreement                      
Make and offer suggestions



Diplomatic                                      
Neutral



Expressing opinions                              
Tentative



Forceful