1. Introduction

Apart from your tech savviness, data literacy and creativity, what employers also expect is a good level of “soft” skills, i.e., flexibility, adaptability and strong communication skills. This requires a high level of social intelligence, which includes the ability to communicate appropriately vis-à-vis social status. In other words, when expressing concerns, you need to use appropriate language based on your social awareness and be able to distinguish between aggressive, assertive and passive ways of expressing them.

Sometimes communicating your ideas, needs and concerns can be a problem, especially when communicating with someone higher up the “chain of command”. Such communication usually requires a certain level of assertiveness on your part. This is a form of communication in which you state your needs clearly, showing respect for yourself, while simultaneously showing respect for the other person. It has nothing to do with aggressive communication, in which you state your needs in a hostile or demanding manner, or with passive communication, in which you stay silent and do not state your needs at all, or you stay muted, that is, express your needs very weakly. This passivity can be fatal, as in the case of two plane crashes this unit is going deal with.

Adapted from:

Bingham, C., Wright, L. (2013). Technical English Level 4 Teacher´s Book. Pearson Longman, p. 109.

Contents

  • Phrases for communicating concerns effectively
  • Communication between employees and their superiors
  • Preparing/Completing an incident report