BP Unit 7.3

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 1

BP Unit 7.3

Language used

concensus: a situation in which all the people in a group agree about something

to reach a consensus

decisive : making decisions quickly and easily:

You need to be more decisive.

Approach on decision making

Culture A: It is important to have concensus. It is important to act as a group and have a discussion before decisions are made.

Culture B: It is important to be decisive. If the group can't reach a decision, then the person responsible should make one, based on the information available.

Lead-in

People from different cultures make decisions in different ways.

Which culture do you feel closer to?

Video: meeting with a potential customer from Mexico

A new online training programme will be introduced. 

Stefanie is from Germany and Paula from Mexico.

Their customers are from a Mexican chain of business schools. Susan (US) and Pedro ( Mexico)

Watch the video in Business Partner B1+ Unit 7.3

What is the best approach to get commitment from their potential customer?

Watch option A and B

1. How do Susan and Pedro react to the approach taken?

2. What is the solution agreed? Who suggests it?

3. Overall, how was the decision-making process? Why?

Watch the conclusion section

Note down the three cultural differences mentioned.

attitudes 

1. attitudes to................... (target-driven vs. consensus-oriented), 

2. attitudes to ..............(fixed vs. flexible), 

3. attitudes to .....................(flat hierarchy = discussion; hierarchy important = less discussion / disagreement).

attitudes to decision-making (target-driven vs. consensus-oriented), time and deadlines (fixed vs. flexible), and hierarchy (flat hierarchy = discussion; hierarchy important = less discussion / disagreement).

Phonebreak

Speaking: Expressing preferences and reaching agreement.

Learning goal: using different expressions of preference.

"I'd prefer to be the customer in this sales conversation."

"I am not keen on...."

Functional language Unit 7.3

Work with a partner and do exercises 6 and 7.

Who is your partner? Spin the wheel!

7.3 Task 10: Speaking 

Learning goal: Talk about your preferences and come to an agreement. Use a consensus-driven approach. 

Discuss one of these situations. Use the details given in task 10.

1. You want to organise a team-building event.

2. You want to redesign the room you are sitting in now.

3. You want to open a new retail store in your town. 

Process: discuss and present

1. Look at the task and have a meeting. Use the expressions below to discuss your preferences. Try to reach concensus.

My preference is/ would be (not) to...	If it were up to me, I'd.......
I don't mind....[ verb - ing]	I'm happy to...
I would rather (not)...	I'm sure that...
I'm (not) keen on ....[noun] or [verb-ing]	We'd prefer it if [you/ we]....

Assess your performance

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