How to bring soft skills into the business English classroom

Richard Cleeve
A woman standing at a whiteboard in a office with two others sat down.

Anyone who’s ever taught a business English class knows that their students are busy people. Sometimes they get sidetracked by their other tasks - even during class. This means we have to make the most of the time we have with our learners and focus on what they really need.

How you do this depends on the sector your students work in (or plan to work in), their previous experiences studying English and their own strengths and weaknesses.

Teachers often focus on teaching hard skills, such as writing reports or running meetings. We do this because it can be challenging for many business students to do these things in English and also because hard skills have an immediate and positive impact on their workdays.

But, if there’s one thing that all business people can benefit from, it’s soft skills.

Soft skills are interpersonal or people skills. They include things like active listening, teamwork, decision-making and influencing skills. Mastering these skills will help students progress more rapidly and become more independent learners. However, isolating the specific vocabulary or grammar structures that these skills use is complex and they often get overlooked in language learning classes as a result.ÌýÌý

Bringing soft skills into the Business English Classroom
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Five essential communication skills for business students

1. Listening actively

People mistakenly think that communication is just about speaking. However, one of the best ways to be a good communicator is to listen to the person you are talking to.ÌýLearners can show interest in what someone is saying by asking clarifying questions and rephrasing what they've said to ensure they've fully understood.

2. Influencing others

In order to manage employees and clients effectively your students will need to be able to influence others. This can be done by building rapport, explaining why they are doing something, asking the right questions and selling themselves in a certain way.

3. Negotiating successfully

The key to closing sales, obtaining a favorable price for a product or service, or maintaining a cohesive team lies in the art of negotiation.ÌýSuccessful negotiators determine their objectives before starting, prepare fully to support their positions and always leave their emotions at home (or in the office).

4. Dealing with different communication styles

In the world of business, students will come across people who communicate differently. The three basic communication styles are aggressive, passive and assertive. They’ll need to know how to deal with these different styles if they want to succeed.

5. Speaking clearly and concisely

Students need to learn to express themselves clearly and convey their message in as few words as possible. It’s easy to ramble when you are nervous, soÌýencourage them to think about what they want to say and, if necessary, make some brief notes beforehand.

How they apply these skills will depend on the issue at stake, the situation and who they're talking to, so they will need to adjust their behaviour accordingly. The more time you spend on this in class, the easier it will become.

If you need any guidance there are courses likeÌýBusiness Partner, which is aÌýbusiness English course that teaches real-world language and business skills which helps to teach the above skills mentioned. The course raises students’ awareness of different communication styles to help avoid misunderstandings and so they can be more perceptive and adapt their own styles according to the audience.

Read our post 'Tips for teaching business English to low-level learners'

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    When it comes to business, communication is key. Knowing how to use business English idioms can really help you express yourself, make connections and achieve success. These colorful expressions add depth and nuance to our conversations, making it easier to communicate confidently and effectively.Ìý

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    Ballpark figure

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    In the redÌý

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    Blue-sky thinking

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    Square the circle

    An idiom for attempting an impossible task, originating from a math problem where you can't create a square with the same area as a circle using just a compass and straight edge. Someone may say trying to reach a solution all clients were happy with was like trying to square the circle, implying that it was a difficult and almost impossible task.

    Don't put all your eggs into one basket

    This saying suggests that relying on just one strategy or investment is not wise. It emphasizes the importance of diversification and spreading risks for long-term success. To achieve sustained success, a financial advisor may suggest to their client to diversify their investment portfolio and not solely rely on one option.

    Make ends meet

    The meaning of making ends meet involves being able to complete a task or project using the existing income or resources. It requires efficient management of finances to cover necessary expenses, despite having a limited budget or resources.ÌýFor instance, if someone is working on a project with a restricted budget, they may need to make ends meet as they cannot obtain additional funds to support it.

    Cover all bases

    This means considering every possible factor and handling them carefully to prevent problems or risks. Making sure everything is examined, and anticipating any potential challenges or situations. A business doing a report or analysis may want to "cover all the bases" to prevent any surprise issues or gaps.

    The origin of this is likely a reference to baseball. When playing defense, the goal is to protect or 'cover' your bases and stop the other team from getting points.

    Get down to brass tacks

    To solve a problem or task, by focusing on the important details and practical steps needed for success. Avoiding unnecessary distractions and concentrating on what's essential.ÌýFor instance, a project manager might say, "Let's focus on the necessary steps we need to take to complete this project on time by getting down to brass tacks."

    Playing hardball

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