Читать книгу Let's Master American Soft Skills - Raj Boone's Gadasalli - Страница 3

This book is about Communication and Social skills and about a set of 4 skills that I call “Executive Survival Skills.” To be successful in business one needs not only to be a good communicator but also a master of survival skills. These are Superior Customer service, Win-win Negotiation skills, Time Management skills and Stress Management skills. This skill set is boundary less. Whether you are American, Chinese, Indian, Japanese or Malay or from Timbuktu you need these skills. If you sell airplanes, ice cream, shoes, software or television sets you would benefit from these skills. Some of the personal names referred are Indian specific.

Some of the social and interpersonal skills talked about are required for a person to be recognized as “cultured” not only in business but also in daily life. The ability to communicate effectively is what distinguishes successful executives from the also ran. As an executive climbs higher up the ladder he/she will have to face not only the internal audience like his direct reports and down the line but also trade unions, external audience such as trade associations, government agencies, NGOs, company stock holders and stake holders. For some, public speaking is almost a necessity. Even if a ghost- writer is involved the executive has to learn how to deliver the message.

Communication takes several forms, verbal, written, body language, gestures and a judicious combination of the above. At the core of verbal communication is a well-cultivated voice, body language and a rich vocabulary. Most TV viewers would have observed the stark contrast between Bill Clinton considered as one among the best US communicators - Ronald Reagan was considered the best - and other political leaders in this regard. Furthermore, general knowledge of what is happening in the business world outside one’s own field of activity, the political world and other arenas add to executive repertoire.

Focus of this book is on communication and interpersonal skills in the American context. Language and culture are intertwined. Each language is unique in many ways. An appreciation of the cultural environment in which a language is rooted will go a long way in appreciating the nuances of that particular language. An attempt is made here to cover as much ground as possible – obviously not in depth – to enable non-American learners to get a feel for American English communication, which is fast becoming the global norm.

I have nearly four decades of marketing experience almost evenly split between India and the US, which includes 14 years with the General Electric Company in the Jack Welch era. Believe me; I really know the meaning of stress in business life and the importance of learning to cope with it. So I have gone a little overboard in covering this subject under survival skills, towards the end of this book.

Those who may be familiar with my earlier book Let’s Speak American English may consider this book as an extension. I would rather call this a sequel. This book covers new material also. I hope that this book too will be well received by business executives and discerning public, especially those who are called upon to interact in cross – cultural environments.

This book is written in simple language and in simple style to make it understandable by a wider readership with a working knowledge of the English language whether it is British or other variations.

Some ideas are repeated in various chapters. This is done deliberately to reinforce key concepts.

This writing is primarily written for non-us born

Students, US immigrants and those in the Global Village who are interested in developing Soft Skills.

Corporate HR departments outside the US may find this work useful for their new hires whose mother tongue is not English; in light of the fact that people - skills may not find a place in most school and college curriculum.

Raj Gadasalli

November 25, 2004

Revised and updated

March 2010

eBook version

April 2012