Try the workbook tasks first, then reveal the answer key only when you want to compare, revise, or confirm your thinking.
Review the following skills before you begin the exercises. Check off each skill as you practise it.
Answer: This is a completion and self-check activity. A completed student response should have all checklist items reviewed and checked after practice. No single written answer is required.
Match each term with its correct definition. Write the letter of the definition next to the term.
You can also tap a term, then tap a definition card to place it.
Rude or disrespectful behaviour that harms workplace morale
Collaborative effort to achieve common goals
A list of items to be discussed at a meeting
Written record of what occurred during a meeting
Conducting oneself with responsibility and integrity
Read the following workplace message and answer the questions that follow.
Hi, this is Sarah from the design team. I just wanted to say I didn’t really like the way you spoke to me in the meeting today. It felt disrespectful and it’s not okay. Call me back.
Read the second workplace scenario and answer the questions.
Dear [Recipient],
Our company’s mission is to leverage advanced paradigms to synergize synergistic synergies in the context of the forthcoming project. This cutting-edge initiative will revolutionize the industry and benefit all stakeholders. We guarantee 100% success and zero problems.
Sincerely,
AI
A claim sounds invented, exaggerated, or unsupported by evidence.
The message sounds too harsh, too vague, too casual, or not professional for the audience.
The draft may expose confidential, personal, or sensitive information.
The writing uses empty buzzwords or robotic language instead of useful meaning.
The wording may be unfair, exclusionary, stereotypical, or one-sided.
Choose the biggest problem for each audit question.
Explain what in the draft caused that issue.
The summary highlights the most frequent weakness across the draft.
As you complete the audit cards below, this panel summarizes the draft’s main weakness.
Select issue tags to build an audit summary for this draft.
What claims may be hallucinated or unsupported?
Where does the wording sound robotic or generic?
Does the draft raise any tone, privacy, or ethical concerns?
How would you adjust the prompt or the final draft to produce a more effective message?
Unsupported or hallucinated claims
The draft invents or overstates several claims: the company mission, the existence and nature of the "forthcoming project," the claim that the initiative will "revolutionize the industry," the promise that it will benefit all stakeholders, and the guarantee of "100% success and zero problems." None of these claims is supported by evidence in the prompt.
Robotic or generic wording
The phrases "leverage advanced paradigms," "synergize synergistic synergies," "cutting-edge initiative," and "all stakeholders" sound robotic, inflated, and unclear. The message does not mention a real audience, purpose, deadline, action, or concrete benefit.
Tone, privacy, and ethical concerns
The tone is exaggerated and promotional rather than professional. The guarantee of perfect success is unethical because it promises something no organization can guarantee. The draft also hides accountability by signing as "AI" instead of a responsible employee or department.
Improved prompt
Draft a concise professional email to [specific audience] about [specific project]. Use only these verified facts: [fact 1], [fact 2], [deadline/action]. Do not invent results, guarantees, dates, or benefits. Use plain language, a respectful tone, and a clear next step.
Revised final output
Dear Team, We are preparing to launch the new project next week. The goal is to improve coordination and reduce repeated follow-up work. Please review the attached instructions by Thursday and send any questions to the project coordinator before the training session. Because the project is still being tested, please avoid making promises to clients until the final procedures are confirmed. Best regards, Project Coordination Team
Write messages based on the scenarios below. Identify your role, the recipient, the purpose, and any AI-use instructions.
1. You are a junior employee at a Lebanese start-up. Compose a polite but concise email requesting feedback on your recent project proposal. Include an appropriate subject line.
2. You work for an NGO and need to send a short memo to volunteers outlining the schedule for an upcoming virtual training session. Specify deadlines and meeting links.
3. As a team leader, send a chat message in your enterprise platform reminding your colleagues about tomorrow’s cross-cultural communication workshop and encouraging them to come prepared with examples.
Prompt 1: Feedback request email
Role: Junior employee at a Lebanese start-up.
Recipient: Direct supervisor or project manager.
Purpose: Request specific feedback on a recent project proposal.
AI-use instruction: AI may be used to improve clarity and tone, but project details and deadlines must be verified by the sender.
Subject: Feedback Request on Project Proposal
Dear Ms. Khoury,
I hope you are well. I submitted the customer onboarding proposal yesterday and would appreciate your feedback when convenient. I am especially interested in your comments on the timeline, budget estimate, and proposed implementation steps.
If possible, could you please share your feedback by Friday afternoon so I can revise the proposal before the team meeting on Monday?
Thank you for your guidance.
Best regards, Maya
Prompt 2: NGO training memo
Role: NGO training coordinator.
Recipient: Volunteers.
Purpose: Announce the schedule and requirements for a virtual training session.
AI-use instruction: AI may help format the memo, but dates, links, and volunteer requirements must be checked manually.
To: Volunteers From: Training Coordination Team Subject: Schedule for Virtual Training Session
Thank you for registering for the upcoming volunteer training. The session will take place online on Tuesday, 12 May, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Google Meet: meet.google.com/abc-defg-hij.
Please complete the short preparation form by Monday at 5:00 p.m. and join the meeting ten minutes early to test your microphone and camera. During the session, we will review volunteer responsibilities, communication procedures, and safety guidelines.
For questions, please contact training@ngolebanon.org.
Thank you for your commitment.
Prompt 3: Enterprise chat reminder
Role: Team leader.
Recipient: Team colleagues.
Purpose: Remind colleagues about a cross-cultural communication workshop.
AI-use instruction: AI may help make the reminder concise, but examples should come from real workplace experiences without revealing private client information.
Good morning, team. This is a reminder that our cross-cultural communication workshop is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in the Teams training room. Please come prepared with one brief example of a communication challenge you have experienced with a client, colleague, or partner from a different cultural background. Avoid sharing confidential names or details. Thank you, and I look forward to the discussion.
Revise the following poorly written messages to improve clarity, tone, and professionalism.
Original 1: Hey! U still haven’t sent me the report, I need it NOW!
Original 2: Subject: URGENT. PLEASE READ!!! This is a last warning before we take action.
Correct the following sentences. Focus on conciseness, active voice, parallelism, and professional tone.
Sentence 1. Due to the fact that we are experiencing delays, we are in a situation where shipping times will be longer than usual.
Because we are experiencing delays, shipping times will be longer than usual.
Sentence 2. The meeting was attended by managers, supervisors, and people who are employees.
Managers, supervisors, and employees attended the meeting.
Sentence 3. I can’t attend the meeting because I have to go to the doctor appointment.
I cannot attend the meeting because I have a doctor appointment.
Sentence 4. There are many different kinds of issues that need to be resolved.
Several issues need to be resolved.
You have just joined a multinational team working on a high-stakes project. The team includes members from Lebanon, France, and Japan. Recently, miscommunication has caused delays and frustration. Use the space below to respond to the following tasks:
1. Identify three communication challenges this team may face and explain why they occur.
2. Draft an email to the team proposing a set of communication guidelines, including the role of AI tools.
3. Outline a plan for a virtual kickoff meeting that ensures every member feels included and heard.
4. Suggest two ways to assess whether the communication strategies are working.
1. Three communication challenges
Different communication styles: Lebanese and French team members may expect open debate, while Japanese team members may prefer more indirect disagreement or careful consensus-building.
Different assumptions about deadlines and feedback: some members may interpret silence as agreement, while others may expect explicit confirmation.
Language and digital-channel barriers: messages in English may be interpreted differently, and tone can be harder to read in email or chat.
2. Email proposing guidelines
Subject: Communication Guidelines for Our Project Team
Dear Team, As we begin this high-stakes project, I would like to suggest a few communication guidelines to reduce delays and misunderstandings. First, we should confirm all major decisions in writing after meetings. Second, each task should include an owner, deadline, and expected deliverable. Third, when something is unclear, we should ask for clarification rather than assume agreement. AI tools may be used to summarize meeting notes, organize action items, and improve language clarity. However, all AI-generated summaries must be reviewed by a team member before they are shared, and confidential project information should not be entered into public AI tools. For meetings, we can rotate speaking opportunities and invite written comments afterward so that everyone has a chance to contribute. Please share any suggestions before our kickoff meeting. Best regards, [Name]
3. Virtual kickoff plan
Start with introductions and each member's role.
Review project goals, timeline, and deliverables.
Agree on communication channels for urgent and non-urgent matters.
Discuss cultural communication preferences respectfully.
Use a shared action-item document with owners and deadlines.
End with a recap and invite written follow-up comments within 24 hours.
4. Assessment methods
Track whether deadlines and action items are completed more consistently after the guidelines are introduced.
Use a short anonymous survey after two weeks asking whether team members feel informed, included, and comfortable asking questions.
1. How has AI changed the way you communicate at school or work? Provide an example.
2. Describe a situation where active listening changed the outcome of a conversation.
3. Why is cultural awareness important in international teams?
4. What ethical considerations should guide your use of AI communication tools?
1. AI and communication
AI has made communication faster by helping draft emails, summarize long messages, and improve tone. For example, a student or employee can ask AI to make a rough email more concise before sending it. However, the sender still needs to verify details and make the final message sound personal and accurate.
2. Active listening
During a team disagreement, active listening can change the outcome when one person summarizes the other person's concern before responding. For example, saying, "So your main concern is the deadline, not the idea itself," can reduce tension and help the group solve the actual problem.
3. Cultural awareness
Cultural awareness matters because people from different cultures may express disagreement, urgency, respect, or silence differently. Without awareness, a team may mistake politeness for agreement or directness for rudeness.
4. Ethical AI use
Ethical AI use requires accuracy, privacy, transparency, and human judgment. Users should not enter confidential data into unsafe tools, should not let AI invent facts, and should review AI-generated messages before sending them.
Work with classmates to role‑play a scenario related to this chapter. Assign roles, plan the communication, and present your dialogue to the class or record a short video. Afterward, discuss what went well and what could be improved.
Sample scenario
A Lebanese team leader, a French designer, and a Japanese project partner misunderstand a deadline because the chat message "send it soon" is interpreted differently by each person.
Sample dialogue outcome
The group revises the message to say: "Please send the final design file by Wednesday, 15 May, at 4:00 p.m. Beirut time. If this deadline is difficult, please reply by Monday at noon so we can adjust the schedule."
What went well
The role-play showed that precise deadlines, time zones, and written confirmation reduce confusion.
What could be improved
The team should avoid vague phrases such as "soon" and should invite clarification from quieter members.
Keep planning notes, rough drafts, or reminders for Chapter 7. Professionalism at Work in the Age of AI: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings here.