If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the following, this program is for you:
Regardless if your US counterpart is a client, colleague or prospective business partner, this seminar will help you gain confidence in making small talk with US Americans in a culturally competent way in a range business settings, from face to face meetings, to virtual meetings, conferences, and email interactions.
Get real time feedback from an American trainer conversant in both American and Indian ways!
This program, tailored for non-native English speakers and professionals who work offshore with US clients, builds cultural competency AND business conversational fluency.
How you will feel better after working with us
“Small talk is a technique of talking, a way to make contact with people, and the glue that creates and maintains contact with colleagues and business partners. I would like to thank Jennifer as she guided me to improve this technique. I did not understand the importance of small talk. I now realize that making small talk has helped me to improve relationships with colleagues and clients. When I make small talk, it makes the meeting come alive. I can feel the difference. It really helps.”
Keyur Raval, SAP B1 Consultant
“My US client did not make small talk, so I did not think it would make a difference if I did. Jennifer suggested me to try a few tips, and if they did not work, I could stop. I was so shocked that after trying her tips for just a few short weeks, interactions with the client became friendlier. We got to learn a little about each other beyond work, which helped us relate to each other better.”
Financial Analyst, Bangalore
“We Indians tend to stick to our own groups in the US. We either talk to other Indians in English or other Keralites in Malayalam. We don’t even realize we don’t include Americans. Jennifer’s training helped me understand the importance of inclusion both in spoken English and body language. This helps me and my team mates feel more included in interactions with the client onsite.”
Engineer with 20 plus years experience
“When we talk to the client, we don’t want to appear like we don’t know anything. That’s why most of us shy away from small talk. Jennifer helped my team and I understand that not knowing is ok. We can ask questions. We can get to know our client. This is how relationships work in India, too. She made it seem normal and natural. We all related to it. Now being stuck with my client in a rush-hour traffic jam is not as scary as it used to be!”
UST Global Participant
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In our programs, we can organize small talk topics into acceptable, cautionary and avoidable in a professional environment. From here, we can then create a bank of questions that can be used with our international counterparts.
How this helps your team and why it’s important
Many get tongue tied or are reluctant to start making small talk with US counterparts for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons I have heard include:
We have successfully helped many professionals like you to overcome these barriers and even create more fulfilling working relationships with their US counterparts. In one case study, a mid level career professional was relieved to find that once he applied the lessons from these sessions that getting work done became easier, and the incidence of escalations decreased because he was able to handle all types of conversations with more ease after learning more about his counterpart through small talk.
Contact us to get started.
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Audience Profile
Job Titles of Participants Include
Duration
As we tailor the intervention to the individual or small group, duration varies from:
5- 20 hours in 1:1 coaching sessions
Syllabus Overview
Section 1: Making a Memorable First Impression
First interactions in face-to-face, virtual and email settings with Americans. We learn and practice how to:
Section 2: Small Talk Dos and Don’ts
Section 3: How to Handle Difficult Situations (Avoidable topics, Sensitive issues, Unknown topics)
Section 4: Small talk in business meetings (including transitions from small talk to business talk)
Section 5: Three kinds of small talk in US business meetings and how to handle it
Facilitation Method:
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Check out the course syllabus/outline here.
Our Small Talk course, Building Trust and Good Relations With US Americans, teaches individuals how to engage in casual conversations with others. It covers topics like initiating conversations, asking open-ended questions, active listening, and body language. The course helps participants build rapport and establish connections with people they encounter in social settings. Overall, a Small Talk course is a valuable investment for anyone who wants to improve their social skills and feel more comfortable in various social situations.
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