You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Edwin, and I'll be your host for today's lesson on discussing strategic change.
The world of business and the economy are constantly changing.
And businesses need to respond with their own changes or risk getting left behind.
But change can be difficult both for people and for organizations.
As a leader of people in a changing organization, you might face resistance.
So you need to be able to manage change well.
And that often involves effective discussions with others in the company about strategic change.
Of course, change is easier when the general feeling in a company is positive, and that's why you might need to gauge morale when you're talking with others.
That will help you figure out how to manage the change.
But managing change doesn't mean promising that it will be easy.
Instead, you should carefully warn others about possible difficulties.
Another thing you should do is to be clear about messaging.
Change is a lot easier if everyone has the same idea about what's happening and why.
It's also a lot easier if you can show the benefits of the changes.
And that's why you should talk about change as an opportunity that can help the company and its people.
If you can successfully show people that change is an opportunity, then you should get a positive response when you ask people whether they're committed to the changes at hand.
In today's dialogue we'll hear Cam and David, who work for an American clothing company called Boston Vintage.
David is the manager of the company's Shanghai office.
Cam is a production manager who is visiting China to meet with the company's staff and to look at new production facilities.
In an earlier conversation, Cam told David that the company has made the strategic decision to focus on Southeast Asia rather than China.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
One, how does Cam gauge morale or ask about the overall feeling among staff?
Two, what is the basic explanation for the change that Cam wants David to communicate?
Three, according to Cam, why is this change an opportunity for David?
So Dave, one of the things I really wanted to touch base about as we move forward is the staff.
Yes.
Actually, when you brought up this new focus on Southeast Asia, that was my biggest concern.
Right, of course.
And so, overall, what's the general mood right now?
Pretty positive?
Yeah, I would say so.
It's a pretty tight group, as you might have sensed.
We hired smart and I've tried to give them some space to develop and most have handled that really well.
Yeah, I get that sense.
But I ask because this decision to shift to Southeast Asia is going to bring challenges, of course.
Yes, I think there will definitely be some noses out of joint.
Yeah, that's part of it.
Some people don't deal with change so well.
And in these situations, I think the important thing is that we're all on the same page about how to communicate the changes.
So what's the official story then?
Well, it goes something like this.
There have been significant regulatory roadblocks in China.
So, we're hoping to establish ourselves in Southeast Asia first before tackling China.
Alright.
And do we have a timeline for any of this?
I mean, I don't want staff hearing about this through the grapevine or something.
This has got to come from me.
Of course.
I'll give you fair warning about the announcement so you can give your people a heads up beforehand.
Okay, please do.
You know, they're all going to want to know if their jobs are on the line.
For sure.
Totally understandable.
But whatever happens, we need an ongoing presence here, and your team is absolutely essential.
No doubt about that.
And that includes you.
This could do great things for your career.
We'll talk more about an expanded role once I get back to the States, but I think you'll see it's a huge opportunity.
It certainly sounds like that, but I have a ton of questions.
You know, I've seen this kind of thing rolled out in Southeast Asia before.
It might look easier than China, but it's not.
Of course, and that's why we'd be relying on your input and leadership.
So, moving forward, this is something you feel up to?
I just want to know we can count on you.
Oh yeah, I'm definitely interested.
Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the language and techniques Cam and David used in their conversation.
Remember, the company has decided to switch its focus from China to Southeast Asia.
So Dave, one of the things I really wanted to touch base about as we move forward is the staff.
Yes.
Actually, when you brought up this new focus on Southeast Asia, that was my biggest concern.
Right, of course.
And so, overall, what's the general mood right now?
Pretty positive?
One of Cam's first concerns when talking about strategic change is staff.
He needs to know how they're feeling in order to guide David effectively.
For this reason, he asks about the general mood or feeling at the office.
He wants to get an overall sense of whether people are feeling positive or negative.
That is, he's trying to gauge morale.
What are some other ways of gauging morale when you're discussing change?
Let's practice a few more examples.
So how's the staff feeling about these recent changes?
On the whole, how's everyone doing these days?
Would you say the team is feeling pretty good overall?
So, does David think the general mood in the office is positive?
Yeah, I would say so.
It's a pretty tight group, as you might have sensed.
We hired smart and I've tried to give them some space to develop and most have handled that really well.
Yeah, I get that sense.
But I ask because this decision to shift to Southeast Asia is going to bring challenges, of course.
It sounds like they've got great staff and morale is pretty high.
And that's important because change can be difficult.
Cam doesn't want to hide this fact.
Instead, he wants to get it out in the open.
If David knows that the company understands the challenges, he may believe they're going to take steps to deal with those challenges.
Warning people about challenges shows you're being realistic.
Avoiding the discussion of difficulties, on the other hand, might worry people.
So let's run through some more ways of warning people about difficulties.
This isn't going to be exactly easy, I have to tell you.
I expect we're going to face a bit of resistance from some of the teams on this.
I should warn you that there will be some difficulties in implementing this.
Now let's get back to the dialogue.
Yes, I think there will definitely be some noses out of joint.
Yeah, that's part of it.
Some people don't deal with change so well.
And in these situations, I think the important thing is that we're all on the same page about how to communicate the changes.
So what's the official story then?
As you can hear, Cam is directly addressing the fact that some people don't like change.
And to manage the change he feels.
It's important that everyone is on the same page about the changes.
That means that everyone has the same understanding and hears the same message or official story.
So what is the official story?
Well, it goes something like this.
There have been significant regulatory roadblocks in China.
So, we're hoping to establish ourselves in Southeast Asia first before tackling China.
Cam is being very clear about the messaging.
His explanation is simple, straightforward, and logical.
There are roadblocks or obstacles in China, so the company wants to tackle or focus its efforts on Southeast Asia.
When dealing with strategic change, it is so important to be clear about messaging.
You need to make sure everyone hears the same official story.
Let's try a few more examples of being clear about messaging.
So it's important that we're all on the same page here.
Let's keep all communications clear and straightforward.
I think we need staff to understand that this change is about achieving three simple goals.
We don't want people guessing about what's happening, so here's what we'll say.
Cam has talked about clear messaging, but David has some concerns about when the changes will be announced.
Alright.
And do we have a timeline for any of this?
I mean, I don't want staff hearing about this through the grapevine or something.
This has got to come from me.
Of course.
I'll give you fair warning about the announcement so you can give your people a heads up beforehand.
Okay, please do.
You know, they're all going to want to know if their jobs are on the line.
Being clear about messaging requires good timing.
You want to control when changes are announced and who announces them.
As David says, he doesn't want staff hearing through the grapevine about the changes.
Hearing about something through the grapevine means finding out through rumors and gossip.
And the more you can avoid rumors and gossip, the better.
Now let's hear Cam shift the conversation in a more positive direction.
For sure.
Totally understandable.
But whatever happens, we need an ongoing presence here and your team is absolutely essential.
No doubt about that.
And that includes you.
This could do great things for your career.
We'll talk more about an expanded role once I get back to the States, but I think you'll see it's a huge opportunity.
Talking about strategic change isn't just about making people feel okay about it.
It's also about showing them how they are part of that change.
This is why Cam emphasizes just how essential David's team are.
And Cam wants David to understand his own importance as well.
In fact, he wants David to see the changes as a good opportunity.
As he says, it could do great things for David's career.
Pitching change as an opportunity is a key to getting people on side with the change and working to make it happen.
What are some other ways to pitch change as an opportunity?
Let's run through some more examples.
I really think this plan will open up new avenues for us to develop as a business.
As we go forward, I see the chance for you to take on a leading role.
Some of this will be hard, but overall, we're going to be really well positioned for expansion.
This might seem like a big shift, but I'm confident you can handle it.
So, does David see it as an opportunity?
It certainly sounds like that, but I have a ton of questions.
You know, I've seen this kind of thing rolled out in Southeast Asia before.
It might look easier than China, but it's not.
David says it sounds like an opportunity, which might show some hesitation.
And he mentions how difficult this type of operation is in Southeast Asia.
Cam can't really expect David not to have any concerns.
Concerns about change are normal and natural.
But just as he wanted to gauge the staff's morale at the beginning of the conversation, he also wants to gauge David's overall commitment.
Let's hear how he does that.
Of course, and that's why we'd be relying on your input and leadership.
So, moving forward, this is something you feel up to?
I just want to know we can count on you.
Notice that Cam makes sure to mention the importance of David's input and leadership.
That may help David feel that he has an important role to play and it sets up Cam's question about whether David feels up to these challenges.
That is, he wants to know if David is committed to the company as it changes strategic direction.
When you talk to people about changes in the company, it's very important to get a sense of whether they will support them.
So let's practice some more ways of gauging commitment.
And so how are you feeling about this whole idea?
So, I need to ask, can you see yourself moving ahead with us on this?
I'm curious.
Is this something that you can imagine being a part of?
Tell me, do you feel you can get on board with these changes?
So, does David feel up to it?
Oh yeah, I'm definitely interested.
Yes, David sounds pretty committed and Cam's done a great job of discussing the company's strategic changes and getting David on board.
Now let's practice some of the language we learned in today's lesson.
Imagine you work for a shoe company that has decided to switch focus to the high-end market.
You're talking to one of the production managers about the planned changes.
You'll hear a cue from the manager.
Then, I'll give you a suggestion for what you can say.
We'll guide you through each step in the practice and provide an example answer for each response.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
Well, I imagine this will mean big changes for the staff.
Start by asking about the general feeling among staff right now.
Answer.
Yeah, and I'm curious.
What's the general feeling among staff at the moment?
I'd say it's pretty good overall.
They seem happy with how things are right now.
Now tell the manager that she should be prepared for some staffing challenges.
All right.
Well, I should tell you that we may have some staffing challenges moving forward.
Yeah, I imagine we will.
Not everyone will be excited about the news.
Next say that it's important that everyone understands that the future of the company depends on it.
Answer No, but it's important that everyone understands that the company's future depends on this.
Yes, of course.
And you know, I'm curious about my own situation as well.
Now, tell the manager that the changes will open up new opportunities for her.
Answer.
Well, these changes are going to open up some new opportunities for you.
I'd certainly like to think so.
Finally, confirm with the manager that she sees herself leading some of the changes.
And so, just to be sure, you can see yourself leading some of these changes?
Now let's practice some of the vocabulary we've covered in this lesson.
In a moment, you'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat each sentence, including the missing word.
For example, if you hear, I have heard through the that you've been promoted.
You can say, I heard through the grapevine that you've been promoted.
After each response, we'll provide the correct answer.
Let's begin.
Hi, Mike.
I just wanted to give you a heads that your delivery will be a bit late.
Hi, Mike.
I just wanted to give you a heads up that your delivery will be a bit late.
It sounds like Bill's nose was a bit out of... about the cancelled meeting.
Answer.
It sounds like Bill's nose was a bit out of joint about the cancelled meeting.
So let's touch... next week to see how the project is coming along.
Answer.
So let's touch base next week to see how the project is coming along.
Answer.
The company has decided to move forward with plans for a new branch in Chicago.
We've reached the end of this lesson, the sixth in our series on taking an overseas trip.
We've learned how to gauge morale, how to warn about difficulties and how to be clear about messaging.
We've also covered how to pitch change as an opportunity and how to gauge commitment.
Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.
