How to Be Diplomatic at Work, Parts 1 and 2: Essential Workplace English for B1 Learners

Vocabulary 1
A. Diplomacy - (diplomatie) a skill for handling situations carefully and politely
B. Workplace - (lieu de travail) place where people work
C. Conflict - (conflit) serious disagreement or argument
D. Neutral language - (langage neutre) language without strong emotion or bias
E. Rude - (impoli) not polite or disrespectful behavior
F. Calmly - (calmement) in a quiet and controlled way
G. Respectfully - (respectueusement) showing politeness and care for others
H. Instead of - (au lieu de) replacing one option with another
I. Explore - (explorer) to consider or examine ideas
J. Respectful - (respectueux) showing politeness and consideration

Guide Questions
1. What does the speaker say about diplomacy and diplomatic people?
2. What is the first way to be diplomatic? Explain and talk about the examples. 

 

TRANSCRIPT 1

Diplomacy is an important skill in every workplace. Diplomatic people know how to express their opinions without creating conflict. They know how to work well with different kinds of people. There are many ways to be diplomatic. The first one is to use polite and neutral language. Diplomatic employees avoid rude or emotional words. They try to speak calmly and respectfully, even when they disagree with someone. For example, instead of saying, “You’re wrong,” they may say, “I see it differently.” “I understand your point, but I have another idea.” Another example is, instead of saying, “This idea is bad,” they may say, “Maybe we could explore another option.” This type of language helps conversations stay professional and respectful. (119 words)

Vocabulary 2
A. Clarification - (clarification) explanation that makes something clear
B. Approach - (approche) way of managing something
C. Tension - (tension) feeling of stress or disagreement

Guide Question: What is the second way to be diplomatic? Explain and talk about the examples. 

TRANSCRIPT 2

The second way to be diplomatic is to focus on the problem, not the person. When problems happen at work, diplomatic people discuss the situation without attacking anyone personally. For example, instead of saying, "You made too many mistakes,” they may say, “There are a few areas we should review again.” Another common example is to say, “I think we need a little more clarification,” instead of, “You didn’t explain it clearly”. This approach reduces tension and helps people work together more easily. (83 words)

Coming soon:
Parts 2 and 3
Parts 4 and 5
Parts 6 and 7
Parts 8 and 9
Parts 10 and 11