The Ultimate Challenge

Conducting business in a foreign language that you are not fluent in is challenging to say the least. Nevertheless, the benefits of doing business on an international scale far outweigh the occasional problems caused by inaccurate and confusing communication. Some will argue that these communications go better in face-to-face meetings while others prefer written correspondence. However, everyone agrees that the most difficult form of communication is the phone, with the poor sound quality of hands free devices making things considerably worse. If, on top of that, you add more people to the same call you end up with the most difficult challenge facing workers nowadays, the conference call. Conference calls are vital in today’s fast-paced global market place in which the difference between success and failure often depends on how quickly we can gather information and make decisions. Obviously, it’s time to bone up on our listening and speaking skills.