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Temas e perguntas para praticar conversação em inglês

Amanda Soares

Para falar bem em inglês, é necessário dominar igualmente essas habilidades abaixo:

  1. Leitura (reading)
  2. Escrita (writing)
  3. Compreensão auditiva (listening)
  4. Conversação (speaking)

No Brasil, porém, há poucas pessoas que dominam a conversação em inglês, pois acabamos não tendo oportunidade de praticar com alguém aquilo que aprendemos em sala de aula, e isso prejudica o processo de aquisição do idioma.

Para melhorar o speaking não há outro caminho senão o de praticar com outro ser humano. Há diversas técnicas que você pode fazer sozinho para melhorar seu inglês, mas nada irá substituir a conversação com outra pessoa.

No final deste artigo, você irá encontrar conteúdo útil para destravar a conversação em inglês, assim como irá descobrir onde encontrar pessoas para praticar o idioma.

O próximo passo é saber sobre o que conversar. Muitas pessoas travam na hora de falar porque falta assunto ou um norte para engatar o início das conversas.

Para resolver isso, o artigo de hoje está recheado de temas e perguntas para você praticar inglês. Espero que aproveite e muito o conteúdo.

Perguntas para treinar o inglês corporativo

Where do you work?Onde você trabalha?
What is your job title?Qual é o seu cargo?
Do you like your job?Você gosta do seu trabalho?
How many days a week do you work?Quantos dias da semana você trabalha?
Do you have a boss?Você tem chefe?
What was your first job?Qual foi seu primeiro emprego?
Would you like a new job?Você gostaria de um novo emprego?
What did you do this week?O que você fez esta semana?
What will you do after work?O que você vai fazer depois do trabalho?
How was the traffic today?Como estava o trânsito hoje?
When are you taking time off?Quando você vai tirar uma folga?
What will you do on your holiday?O que você vai fazer nas suas férias?
Any plans for the weekend?Algum plano para o fim de semana?
What will you do for lunch?O que você vai fazer para o almoço?
Are you working late tonight?Você está trabalhando até tarde esta noite?
Did you find a good parking spot?Encontrou um bom lugar para estacionar?
What time did you clock in this morning?Que horas você bateu ponto esta manhã?
What time do you get home from work?A que horas você chega em casa do trabalho?
How do you get to work?Como você vai trabalhar?
Do you ever work overtime?Você costuma fazer hora extra?
Did you receive training?Recebeu treinamento?
Do you think the company is run well?Você acha que a empresa funciona bem?
How long have you been working here?Há quanto tempo você está trabalhando aqui?
Have you receive a promotion?Já recebeu uma promoção?
How often do you get a raise?Com que frequência você recebe um aumento?
Do you get on with your coworkers?Você se dá bem com seus colegas de trabalho?
What does your average day look like?Como é o seu dia?
Do you get to travel for work?Costuma viajar a trabalho?
Do you have to work at weekends?Você tem que trabalhar nos finais de semana?
Does management support you?A direção te apoia?
How did you find this job?Como você encontrou este trabalho?
Did you bring your CV?Trouxe o seu CV?
Do you have a degree?Você tem uma graduação?
What is your degree?Qual é a sua graduação?
What was your last job?Qual foi o seu último emprego?
How long did you work there?Quanto tempo você trabalhou lá?
Why did you leave your last job?Por que você deixou seu último emprego?
Do you have references?Você tem referências?
Do you work well with others?Você trabalha bem com os outros?
Can you work in a group setting?Você consegue trabalhar em um ambiente de grupo?
Do you like to work outdoors?Você gosta de trabalhar ao ar livre?
Are you an organised person?Você é uma pessoa organizada?
What are your short-term goals?Quais são suas metas a curto prazo?
Why should we hire you?Porque devemos contratá-lo?
Do you own a laptop?Você possui um notebook?
How do you plan your days?Como você planeja seus dias?
Do you aways meet your deadlines?Você sempre cumpre seus prazos?
Do you often feel overwhelmed?Você costuma se sentir sobrecarregado?

Perguntas para entrevista de emprego em inglês

This is the dreaded, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related.

Example:

I’m really energetic, and a great communicator. Working in sales for two years helped me build confidence, and taught me the importance of customer loyalty. I’ve also got a track record of success.

In my last role, I launched a company newsletter, which helped us build on our existing relationships and create new ones. Because of this, we ended up seeing a revenue increase of 10% over two years.

I’m also really interested in how companies can use web tools to better market themselves, and would be committed to building on your existing platform.

Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, “I need more money”. Instead, make generic statements such as, “It's a career move.”

Example:

I’ve learned a lot from my current role, but now I’m looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons, and to gain a new skill-set – all of which, I see the potential for in this job.

Point out your positive attributes related to the job. Again, it is important to study the requirements of the position before you appear for the interview. List out your strengths and offer the ones that this role demands.

Examples:

  • Multitasking: I have been working on multiple project and I am required to keep tabs on each project and coordinate with a lot of teams, and I am able to do it efficiently.
  • Problem-Solving: In my current job role, I have spent a good time to know how to solve problems. My team members see me as a go-to person to solve issues.

Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. Avoid saying, “I work too hard”. It's a predictable, common answer. For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it. You have to be careful while answering this question. Do not offer a weakness which will directly affect your selection.

Examples:

My colleagues accuse me of paying too much attention to syntax, but I believe it is important when you are writing the code to avoid spending too much time on finding and fixing the bugs later on.

Point out your positive attributes related to the job, and the good job you've done in the past. Include any compliments you've received from management. Highlight what makes you unique.

Example:

I’ve been an Executive Assistant for the past ten years – my boss has said time and time again that without me, the organization would fall apart. I’ve also taken the time to educate myself on some of the software I regularly use (but didn’t really understand the ins and outs of). I’m an Excel wiz now, which means I can work faster, and take over some of what my boss would traditionally have had to do himself. What’s good enough for most people is never really good enough for me.

Briefly describe one to three work projects that made you proud or earned you pats on the back, promotions, raises, etc. Focus more on achievement than reward.

Example:

I'm very proud of the fact that I've mentored my team to move up in the company and grow their skills. My team member Craig just got promoted to Applications Engineer, and I had to fight for him because the manager over me who promised to promote Craig when he completed his degree program left the company before Craig graduated. Still, my integrity was at stake and I didn't want to lose a great employee. Craig is the top Applications Engineer now, and I feel that he could take over my job. That's one reason that I'm job-hunting now.

Naturally, material rewards such as perks, salary and benefits come into play. But again, focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it.

Example:

Basically, it sounds like you are asking, “What motivates you?”. For me, it's my family and wanting to achieve a greater lifestyle for them and me. That's why I want to work hard.

Tailor your answer to the job. For example, if in doing your job you're required to lock the lab doors and work alone, then indicate that you enjoy being a team player when needed, but also enjoy working independently. If you're required to attend regular project planning and status meetings, then indicate that you're a strong team player and like being part of a team.

Example:

I can be flexible when it comes to my work environment. From your website, it looks like the environment in the Engineering department here at RRS, Inc. is fast-paced and structured to expand production. I enjoy working in an area experiencing rapid growth, and I think that many times this kind of environment is conducive to new ideas and applications.

This is sort of a double whammy because you're likely already stressed from the interview and the interviewer can see if you're handling it well or not. Everybody feels stress, but the degree varies. Saying that you whine to your shrink, kick your dog or slam down a fifth of Jack Daniel's are not good answers. Exercising, relaxing with a good book, socializing with friends or turning stress into productive energy are more along the lines of the “correct” answers.

Example:

Pressure is very important to me. Good pressure, such as having a lot of assignments to work on, or an upcoming deadline, helps me to stay motivated and productive. Of course, there are times when too much pressure can lead to stress; however, I am very skilled at balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines, which prevents me from feeling stressed often. For example, I once had three large projects due in the same week, which was a lot of pressure. However, because I created a schedule that detailed how I would break down each project into small assignments, I completed all three projects ahead of time and avoided unnecessary stress.

The interviewer is likely looking for a particular example of your problem-solving skills and the pride you show for solving it.

Example:

Even though it was difficult when Jane Doe quit without notice, we were able to rearrange the department workload to cover the position until a replacement was hired.

Tópicos e temas diversos para praticar conversação em inglês

Culture Shock

What is culture shock?Have you ever experienced culture shock?
What is the best/most important thing your culture has given to the world?What is the best/most important thing your culture/country has adopted from another culture?
Apart from music, language, etc, what are some things that define a culture? Give examples.There are people of different cultures in Brazil. How do you handle with different cultures in your company?
What do you think is interesting about your own culture?When people from other countries think about your culture, what do they usually think of?
What do you like least about your culture?Have you heard the phrase “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”? Is it always good advice?
In your culture is it ALWAYS polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk to someone?How do young people in your culture behave differently from older people?
What other cultures have you met people from?Would you ever consider living permanently in a country other than your home country? Why or why not?

Business

What is your opinion about this statement: “To be an entrepreneur means, essentially, to become an expert in the things that make life difficult for people”?Do you think you have a good head for business?
What kind of business would you like to start?Do you think anyone can start their own business? Why?
What are the dangers of having your own business?What advice would you give to people starting in business?
What kind of people are good at business?What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of being your own boss?
If you were the boss of the company that you work for, what would you change? Why?What businesses will do well during the recession?
Why is so difficult to have a successful business in Brazil?If you would open a business, what kind of human distress would you like to solve?
Would you incentivize your kids to have a business or to have a traditional career? Why?Have you or your parents ever tried to have your own business? How was that?

Education

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘digital education’?Are you ready for the digital age? Which of the required skills do you have and which ones do you still lack?
What educational reforms would you like to see in your country?How much of a school curriculum should be based on workplace skills?
How important is vocational training at school?How well did your school prepare you for life?
How difficult is the job of a teacher?What do you think about the idea of all education being online?
What do you think Mark Twain meant when he said, “never let school interfere with your education”?What do you think of the idea of lifelong education?
What percentage of people dropped out of the university when you were graduating? In your opinion, why does it happen?When you were at the university, was it harder or easier to find jobs? How was your experience to find a job on your study area?
What does the education system do to prepare people for work or to assist them to find jobs? Is it efficient?Did you go to college or university? Where did you go? What did you study? How many years did you go? Did you work while you went there?

Immigration

Why do people immigrate to other countries?Are immigrants well treated in most countries? Why do you say so?
Should immigrants have the same rights as native citizens?What should be done with the illegal immigrants entering a country?
Is local culture threatened by immigration? Why or why not? Are immigration regulations too strict? In what way should they be changed?
Do you think immigration has become a social issue? If so, when did it started to be? If not, is there any chance it will ever be?Would you like to live and work in another country? What’s keeping you in the country where you are now?
What rules on immigration would you like your country to have?Would you report an illegal immigrant to the police?
What are the benefits of immigration?What is the difference of immigration from emigration?
What do you think are the main reasons for immigration?The EU needs these immigrants because it has a static or declining natural population. It would prefer to attract qualified doctors, engineers etc from developing countries to fill its own needs. What do you think of the morality of rich countries attracting these trained professionals from developing countries?

Inventions

What are the best and the most useful inventions of the mankind in the 20th and 21st centuries?How did the invention of television change people’s life? Do you think it is a useful invention? What is the role of television in your life?
Do you think you can live without your mobile or is it now an important part of your daily life? Are you anxious when the battery level is low or you are out of reach?How did the Internet influence such things as communication, correspondence, access to information?
Guns, atomic energy, cigarettes, television, mobile phones, cars, GMO, etc, in your opinion which one takes the cake as the worst invention of humankind?Do you think time machine will ever be invented? Would you like to do some time traveling? What time would you like to visit, what event would you like to witness?
Do you think aging is the problem the mankind can not fight?Provided you had the means and the creativity, what solution would you like to invent?
What is your opinion about Elon Musk’s idea?What is Mother Nature’s greatest invention?
Do new inventions always create new problems? Can you cite some inventions that brought with them bad side effects?How do people invent things?
What is your opinion about autonomous cars?What is the world’s most dangerous invention?

Creativity

What is creativity?Do you consider yourself a creative person? Why?
What is something creative that you have done?What are some ways that a person can be creative?
Is taking a risk part of creativity?Give an example of a time when you thought outside the box and came up with a risky solution to a problem.
Do you think about possible ways to improve how things are done in your job? How’s that related to creativity?How does self-confidence affect a person’s creativity?
How does early exposure to diverse stimuli, and their involvement in creative activities affect a child’s future creativity?Do you believe that genetical features in a human being are absolutely determinant to their future creativity, or is interaction and engagement into self-expression and interaction with the world more influential than this?
Do you deem creativity as something important in your line of work?What are some incentives for creative people in the workplace?
What is a creative business that you would like to start?Who are some of history’s most creative people?

Artificial intelligence

Is Artificial intelligence still a controversial subject or an unknown subject to talk about?Do you think AI will completely replace the need to learn a foreign language? Why?
Does your company have any kind of AI initiatives? Which?In what ways would AI be better a police officer, salesperson, or teacher than humans?
Will AI take away people’s jobs or create more jobs? Explain…Which jobs do you think robots should never be allowed to do?
What could be the pros and cons of artificial intelligence in the business environment?How would you like artificial intelligence to help you in your daily routine (house and work)?
What is the special skill that you have that is impossible to be replaced for an AI system on your job? Give details with some example.What is the activity that you currently perform on your job the could be replaced for an AI system? Give details with some example.
What else could you do for a living if your job were replaced by an AI system? Do you worry about that? Would you feel comfortable to talk to a machine about your private health issues? What about discussing your personal life?
At present, what activities are computers better at than humans? Which are humans better at than computers?Computers get faster and better every year. Is it just a matter of time before they become more intelligent than humans?

New Year’s resolution

What’s your opinion about the video and today’s subject?Why are goals important?
What are some New Year’s resolutions you have already planned and accomplished?What are some New Year’s resolutions that you have broken quickly and why?
How can New Year’s resolutions be a good opportunity for change?What are your career goals for the next year?
What are your personal goals for the next year?What do you usually do to keep motivated to pursue your goals?
Do you think people have less goals as they get older?What is something you never learned to do but wish you had?
What would you like to be your biggest triumph by the end of the year?What kind of success do you want in the future in your life?
What can you do now to be successful in the future?What is your biggest goal in life and why it is important to you?

Behavior

Have you ever refused to accept someone’s behavior?How can you assure your tiny quirks won’t cause problems for your coworkers?
What are some examples of bad behavior?What are some consequences of bad behavior?
Do you have any example of a situation you failed to show your best behavior and regretted it later?How does religion influence people’s behavior?
How do media affect people’s behavior? Is it a positive or a negative effect?Does the behavior of the company board, such as CEOs, Executives, and managers, affect how employees behave? Give some examples.
Does economic status affect people’s behavior? For example, are poor people nicer than people that have money?Should we just ignore bad behavior? When is it necessary to take action?
Who is affected by your behavior?Is it possible to change one’s behavior?
What’s the one behavior you wish you could change in yourself?Have you ever got embarrassed by someone else’s misbehavior?

Conflicts

What is conflict?When you see the word “conflict”, what do you think of?
What causes conflict?Is conflict inevitable?
Is conflict always negative?How can conflicts be resolved?
What would you consider to be a constructive approach to conflict?What would you consider to be a destructive approach to conflict?
Does there have to be a winner and a loser of a conflict?How do you deal with conflicts?
Can conflicts at workplace affect the efficiency of one’s work?Did you experience any kind of conflict in your workplace?
What is the best way to deal with a coworker after some unsuccessful attempts to solve a conflict with them?What strategies to solve conflicts in the workplace do you know?

Moving Abroad

Have you ever worked or lived in another country? What was the experience like? IF not, have you ever thought about that?If you could choose, where would you like to work abroad? Why?
What factors do you think people need to consider when choosing a country to work/live in?What are the main reasons people work/study abroad?
What are some of the benefits of working abroad?What do you think are the main difficulties people face when working abroad?
What are some cultural differences that could affect the way people work together?What are the most important things to learn in order to successfully work in another country?
What work experience have you had with colleagues from abroad?What are some expectations you have about living abroad?
What is your worst fear about moving abroad?Are you easily adaptable? Would you flourish or struggle in another country?
Do you think you’d adapt well to loneliness, new faces, unfamiliar food, and a different culture?Apart from family and friends, what would you most miss from your country?

Job Interview

Tell me about yourself.Tell me about your work experience.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?
Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now?How do you handle pressure and stress?
Explain how you overcame a major obstacle.What’s the most difficult part of being a (your job title)?
Describe your best boss and your worst boss.Have you ever had a problem with your peer? Can you give us an example?
Is there anything that you do not like about your last or current job?If you were hiring for this position (your profession), what qualities would you look for in a potential candidate?
What irritates you about co-workers?What motivates you at work?

Business idioms

Have you ever had to play hardball with anyone at work? Describe the situation.Have you ever had a situation at work in which you felt uncomfortable? What happened and how did you deal with it?
Do a lot of business transactions occur under the table in your country?Have you ever worked under the table?
Do you think it’s wrong to pay employees under the table? When is it okay?What are some things people do to get their foot in the door at a company?
Describe a tough situation at work that caused you a lot of stress and how did you manage to go through that.What is something that you’ve done so much that it’s second nature to you?
Do you usually stand your ground in an argument or do you normally give in? Explain.Tell your group about a time you had to talk someone into something.
Tell your group about a time you had to talk someone out of something.Tell your group about a time you had to throw in the towel because you weren’t able to do something.
Can you think of any interesting business ideas that involved thinking outside the box? Tell your group about them.In a nutshell, what is your role with your company?

Meetings and managers

Do you do your best work at the office or is there a place where you work better?Do you think people are more productive or less productive when they work from home? Why?
Do you think people need long stretches of uninterrupted time to be creative?Does your job require creative thinking? In general, are you more creative at the office or outside the office? Why do you think is that?
Does your company ban certain websites at the office? Do these banning policies help people be more productive?Do you think companies spend too much time on meetings? Why or why not? Do you think managers should try to limit meetings? 
When are meetings really necessary? What are their pros and cons?Would collaborative forms of communication such as emails and instant messaging help people be more productive compared to the face-to-face one?
Do you agree with the speaker’s point of view about meetings? Why and what is your opinion about it?What interrupts you the most when you’re working? And what do you do to avoid this kind of interruption?
If you could say anything to your boss about the way he/she leads the team, what would you say?Why do we let something as destructive as interruptions invade our workday?
In recent research, 64% of people said their most common interruption was a face-to-face distraction, like a coworker dropping by to ask a question, how do try to handle and avoid this kind of interruption?Based on question number 13, do you think working at home could resolve this? Why?

Work-life balance

Do you have a good balance between your work and personal life? If yes, how do you achieve it?Do you ever delegate tasks when you get too busy?
Have you ever missed an important social or family event because of work?How do you think flexible working helps to achieve a healthy work-life balance?
Do you think companies should have policies relating to work-life balance?What things can people do to achieve good work-life balance?
Do you think people need to give up work-life balance in order to progress up the corporate ladder?What can companies do to ensure their staff have good work-life balance?
Do you think it is harder for men or women to achieve a work-life balance? Why?What do you think contributes to stress in the workplace?
How would you tell your boss that you’ve been working more than you should?What advice would you give someone who had poor work-life balance?
Who do you think is responsible for overwork – the company or the employee?What are the working conditions at your office/place of employment?

Doing business online

What are the benefits for a business to go online?What are some different online services that a business can offer?
What factors should a business consider when planning to go online?Do you ever shop online? If so, what goods and services do you buy?
Are you concerned about internet security when you buy goods online?How can you protect your security when shopping online?
Have you ever returned an item you have bought online? Why?Do you compare prices and research products online before buying it in a store?
Have you ever sold anything on the internet? Did you have any problems?Have you done any other business over the internet?
What are some ways that people can promote their online business?What’s your opinion about internet advertising?
What products or services do not sell well on the internet?What calls your attention on a website when you’re buying online?

Ambition

How would you define ambition?Do you consider yourself to be an ambitious person? Why/not?
Do you think it is important to have ambitions?What ambitions do you have regarding your career?
Do you think that ambition can be taught, or do you think we are born with it?What are the positive results of being ambitious?
Are there any negative results of being ambitious?What do you think is the difference between an ambition and a dream of doing something?
Who is the most ambitious person you know? How are they ambitious?Name three famous people whom you admire for being ambitious.
Why are some people determined to succeed at any cost, yet others just about lack any drive whatsoever?Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Do you think younger people are more ambitious than older people?Do you think one’s social status as a child, whether rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle, affects his/her ability to succeed later in life?

Communication

What makes effective communication?What are some barriers to effective communication?
Do you think cultural differences can affect communication? Why?Which do you think is more effective – oral or written communication?
Do you think employees spend too much time reading and writing emails? Explain…What are the features of an effective business letter?
What is the best way to convey bad news regarding a business project?How important is non-verbal communication?
When is listening more important than speaking and when is speaking more important than listening?How do we know if communication has been successful?
What’s your preferred method of communication in the workplace – telephone, email or face-to-face?What are the advantages and disadvantages of online communication?
Do you find it easy or difficult to communicate with someone in a higher position? Explain.What kind of person do you think is more difficult to talk with?

Innovation

What are the most important innovations for you in your daily life?Have you ever worked for a company that has implemented any innovative ideas?
Have you ever had an innovative idea? If so, did you put it into action?What are the best ways for individuals to come up with innovative ideas?
How do businesses develop innovative ideas?What kind of innovations do you think we will see in the future?
Why is it important for businesses to be innovative?In what ways is innovation challenging?
Explain a problem that you usually have and how an innovative idea could resolve this?If you could only work on one project for a year to transform the business, what would it be and why?
It’s 2025 and we’re the best company to work for in the world: What two things did we do to earn this award?Which parts of your job would you like to kill or eliminate?
What’s your opinion about the video? Do you think this idea could grow in Brazil?If we could hire five more people, what unconventional skills would they have and why?

Sustainable business

Have you ever worked for a company with good sustainable practices?What are some of the things the company did to reduce their environmental impact?
Would you work for a company that was known to have a bad environmental record?What are some ways that companies can decrease the environmental harm caused by the production of their goods?
What are some ways that companies can decrease the environmental impact of packaging?Do you think the transition from letter writing to email writing has reduced companies’ environmental impact?
What should companies consider regarding the transport of their products?Do you think that companies who are more environmentally friendly have lower profits?
Would you be prepared to pay a higher price for a product that is more environmentally friendly?Do you think environmental issues are mainly the responsibility of the managers and directors or are employees also responsible?
What could employees do if management is not committed to helping the environment?What incentives do you think would encourage consumers to buy more environmentally friendly goods?
Do you think the labelling of products would help?Should companies be forced to reduce their environmental impact, or should it be optional?

Ethics

What is the purpose of business, in your opinion? Is it just to make money?What does the word “ethics” springs to your mind?
Are some jobs more ethical than others? Explain…How ethical do you think these professions are?  (accountant, banker, police officer, lawyer, nurse, dentist, teacher, taxi driver, car sales executive)
Why is corruption more common in some countries than in others?What are the consequences of corruption in your opinion?
What examples can you give of businesses behaving badly?What ethical issues does the food industry face?
What ethical issues does the financial sector experience?What ethical issues affect pharmaceutical companies?
Why do you think companies are becoming more interested in corporate responsibility?What can employees do to try to change the behaviour of businesses that are behaving unethically?
Do you think child labour should be banned? What about if it puts them into worse poverty?What can be done to stop companies behaving unethically?

Leadership

Do you consider yourself a leader? Why or why not?Have you ever been in a position of leadership in a company?
If so, do you think you were a good leader? Why / why not?What leadership qualities do you have?
What leadership qualities do you want?If you were the leader of the company you work for, what changes would you make?
Is there a difference between a manager and a leader or are they the same thing?Are there differences between male and female leaders?
Do you think some men have difficulty following a female leader? Why?Do you think some people are born natural leaders or must they learn it?
Why is good leadership important for a business?What are the characteristics of a good leader?
What leadership qualities do you most admire?What different kind of leadership styles are there?

Online Banking

What are some good things about online banking?Are there disadvantages or risks compared to traditional banking?
Is it safe to have all your hard-earned money and personal information available online?Have you tried an online-exclusive bank? IF not, what is holding you?
How can you decide if an online-only bank is right for you?According to Bill Gates “Banking is necessary, banks are not”. How true is that affirmation?
Do you like to visit your bank for transactions, bill payments, and money withdrawal?Are there any things you can’t do online?
What are some possible difficulties the older generation may have with online banks?Would you say technology has opened the doors to scammers and con artists? What are some good security measures?
American banker Felix Rohatyn said, “banking is not simply about profit, but about personal relationships”. What’re your comments about this affirmation?As a customer, what functionalities do you like in online banks?  How much they weight on your decision to hire their services?
Are there any conveniences or special services exclusive to traditional banks?Is this trend for use-oriented services affecting other areas of our lives?

Motivation

Are you motivated in your job? What about your colleagues?What motivates you to do a good job?
Describe a situation when you were very motivated to do a good job.Are you ambitious?
If you were being underpaid in your job, what would be the best strategy to resolve this problem?Do you believe you can do a better job than you are currently doing?
Do you think you would get more pay and benefits or better grades if you did a better job?Does your company offer any incentives or bonuses to its staff? Is this effective?
Have you ever lost interest or motivation in a job?What obstacles stop employees performing to best effect?
What is the relationship between motivation and job performance?What do you think are the most important motivational needs for the majority of people?
How can a good leader motivate other people?Have you ever been a leadership position? If so, how did you motivate the people in your team?

Competition

Are you a competitive person?Have you ever worked in a competitive company?
What are the benefits of competition between colleagues?What are the drawbacks of competition between colleagues?
Does it bother you a lot if you lose at something?What do you think is meant by ‘healthy competition’?
Do you think there is such a thing as unhealthy competition?Do you agree with the expression ‘every man for himself’? “‘every man for himself means: something that you say that means that everyone in a particular situation is trying to do what is best for themselves and no one is trying to help anyone else”
Have you ever been ‘thrown in at the deep end’ at work? “thrown in at the deep end means: to make someone start a new and difficult job or activity without helping them or preparing them for it”Do you think competition between companies is a good thing?
What are the advantages of competition between businesses?What should a company do to keep ahead of the game? “ahead of the game means = to know more about the most recent developments in a particular subject or activity than the people or companies you are competing against”
What are some of the factors that cause small businesses to close?Do you think that new companies must either sink or swim? “sink or swim means = a situation in which you will fail if you do not make a lot of effort”

Meetings

How often do you have to attend meetings?Do you enjoy attending meetings?
Do you think that attending meetings is ever a waste of time?Have you ever been the chair of a meeting?
What are the qualities of a good chairperson?How can meetings be run effectively?
What things shouldn’t you do in a meeting?What is the most difficult meeting you have been to?
What are the most common problems experienced in a meeting?How should people prepare for a meeting?
Have you ever taken minutes in a meeting?Do you think it is difficult to reach unanimous decisions?
What are the advantages of telephone meetings?What are the disadvantages?

Making decisions

Are you good at making decisions or are you usually indecisive?Do you make decisions quickly or slowly? Explain…
Do you give things a lot of thought before making a decision?Do you have a strategy or method for making important decisions?
Do you ever ask the opinions of others before making important decisions?Have you ever been in two minds about what to do in a situation?
Have you ever made a big decision and then changed your mind?Are you good at weighing up your options before deciding on something?
Do you like to keep your options open or do you prefer to decide on something quickly?Do you ever have to make decisions in the workplace?
How is a good business decision made?What is a decision you made with good consequences?
Have you ever made a decision with bad consequences?Have you ever made an irrational decision?

Beliefs and opinions

Are you passionate about your beliefs? Explain…Do you ever try to impose your beliefs on others? Explain…
Does anyone ever try to impose their beliefs onto you?Have you ever been afraid to share your beliefs with anyone?
Do you have strong opinions on things? What things do you feel strongly about?Do you ever get into arguments with people who have different beliefs or opinions as you?
What is the best way to deal with different opinions in the workplace?Do you usually consider other people’s opinions before making a decision?
At work do you ever share your opinions on controversial issues? What type of response do you get?Do you always give your honest opinion, or do you sometimes tell a white lie to avoid upsetting someone?
Whose opinion do you value most and why?Are you easily persuaded in an argument? Explain.
What adjectives would you associate with an argumentative person?Would you describe yourself as an argumentative person?
How do you handle someone who disagrees with everything you have to say? 

Employability

What does employability mean to you?How can we develop employability skills while still at school/university?
What skills did you gain from your degree?What advice would you give to students about future employment?
What are the most important skills people look for in an employee?What was your career plan once you finished university?
Discuss whether you agree with the statement: “Don’t work for the money, work to do a good job!”Why is it important to be employable?
What are your strategies to become more employable?How do you demonstrate employability skills?
How can you progress your career?What are your soft and hard skills?         

Career break

In your opinion what’s the idea of a gap year?What are the reasons for career break?
How do you think employers see people who take a career break?What can be the flip side of a career break?
Should a career breaker keep up with the labour market and the latest developments in their industry?What kind of skills can diminish when you are out of work for too long?
Why can career breakers be viewed by employers as technologically obsolete?Why can returning to work after a career break be difficult?
What benefits can “relaunchers” bring for employers?Does a career break can give you a boost to think about your future work life?
Have you ever take a “sabbatical year”? If yes, how was that?Why your manager might block your sabbatical request?
Why your manager might endorse your sabbatical request?If you had the opportunity to have a career break, what would you do in this period?

Multi-level marketing

What is your opinion about MLM? Tell pros and cons.Have you ever worked with MLM? If yes, how was/is that. If no, would you work if you were invited? Why YES/NO?
Have you ever participated an MLM event? How was it? What do you know about this kind of event?Do you like selling? Why YES/NO
Do you know how to sell? In your opinion, is it possible to become a good salesperson even though you have never worked as it?Do you agree that all the MLM are pyramid schemes? Explain your point of view?
Have you ever been invited to participate of an MLM company? Did you accept? Why YES or NO?Which MLM companies do you know and what kind of products do you buy from them?
Are Multi-Level Marketing Products Inferior? Explain, give examples.Why Is the Success Rate So Low? Why Do So Few People Make Money?
Do you think is possible to work both on a traditional company and handle on an MLM company? Would you try if you could?Explain the difference between a Ponzi and a pyramid scheme.
What is the public opinion about the industry and how it works against the MLM businesses?In your opinion, would you consider MLMs harmful or harmless? Explain your answer.

MBA

In your opinion, is an MBA worth it? Why Yes or Not.What is your opinion about the video and Brian Wong statements?
Do you have an MBA? If yes, which one. Did it worth it? Why did you decide this course? If no, why did you decide not having an MBA? Do you have plans to do an MBA? Which one?Do you think doing an MBA can open up many job opportunities? Why yes/not?
Which areas do you think an MBA is essential and why?Can an MBA raise the salary? Why? Do you have any real-life experience with that?
Apart from MBA, which kind of courses do you think are essential to grow on your career?What kind of advice would you give to a person who is not decided yet about having an MBA?
What kind of jobs can you get with an MBA?Which MBA specialization pays the most?
And what about an MBA abroad. Is an MBA abroad worth the cost?According to Brian Wong the best part about business is “that you can learn so much just by doing it”. Do you agree with this statement? How true is it as far as your job is concerned?
In what ways would studying (taking an MBA for example) affect your networking?Do you think having an MBA would make you instantly more valuable?

Freelance work

Have you ever worked as a freelancer? What did you do and how was the experience? If you haven’t had the opportunity to work as a freelancer, would you accept working on it?What advantage makes you feel more interested in working as a freelancer and why?
What disadvantage makes you feel less interested in working as a freelancer and why?Does your company hire freelancers? If yes, what kind?
Did you know that is possible to work as a freelance and be paid in dollars or euros, living wherever you want? Have you ever thought to have this lifestyle? Why?In your opinion what would be the most challenge about having this kind of job? Explain.
In your opinion what would be the most interesting thing about having this kind of job? Explain.Nearly 55 million Americans have chosen this kind of job. In your opinion, why freelance work has recently become a popular career choice for many people?
Because of the crises, we have a lot of people in Brazil without a job. They could have worked as a freelancer while looking for a new job opportunity, but they didn’t. Why do you think Brazilians are losing this kind of opportunity?Which websites do you know which offers this kind of job?

Negotiation

How good are you at negotiating?What are some good negotiation tactics?
Do you do negotiations in your work, personal like or while shopping?In your current role, how often do you negotiate?
What is your opinion about the video, how do you think patience is important in negotiations?What’s the most complex negotiation you’ve handled?
What negotiation successes are you most proud of?Can you tell about a time you failed to reach an agreement in negotiations?
What’s your definition of negotiation success?How do you plan for negotiations?
Why are influencing skills key to negotiations?How do you ensure that your proposals are compelling?
Can you give me an example of a win-win negotiating?What strategies have you used to influence the other side in negotiations?

Startups

What kind of startup company do you like the most and why?In your opinion why do the startups companies have changed the way of business?
What is your opinion about the video?How do you think is possible to know the right time to build a startup?
In your opinion what factors matter the most for company success?If you could open a startup company what would be and why?
What is your opinion of young guys who opens a company with an amazing idea and become rich “overnight”?What are the big differences between Americans and Brazilian mindset, when we are talking about entrepreneurship?
What could be the biggest challenge about building a company with someone else instead of doing alone?In your opinion how traditional companies can compete with startups, what are the challenges involved?
Why Some Startups Succeed (and Why Most Fail)?What are the 3 things do you think an entrepreneur should consider before building a startup?

Language learning

What is your opinion about this sentence from the video: “people always say is that they’re going to frustrate native speakers: this just so not true!”What of the five myths do you feel you have the most and why?
Why do you think adults are such perfectionists when they are learning a language and they don’t want to embarrass themselves?Think about ideas to overcome the fear of speaking wrong, what would you suggest?
What different techniques do you have for learning vocabulary?What would be the worst thing that could happen with someone that said something wrong during an English conversation?
Express your opinion about this statement from the video “There are seven days in a week and someday is not one of them!”If learning a foreign language is not about gene or talent, why do you think some people learn easier than others?
What is your opinion about being old to learn a second language?Some Brazilians reached Spanish fluency easier than in English, what is your point of view about that?
In your opinion, which language is easier, English or Spanish? Why?We are the only country on the continent that doesn’t speak Spanish. So, it would be easy for us, getting Spanish fluency, but almost everybody does not speak Spanish, what is your opinion about that?
How easier is to learn a second language when you use your mother tongue to support the learning process? Does it help or not? Why?Have you ever studied English abroad? If yes, did it worth? If no, what is your opinion about studying abroad?

Investing

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘investment’?How important is it to invest?
Do you think you’ll have a lot of investments when you’re older?What kind of things can you invest in?
Do you like reading about investments?Would you like to put money into an investment bank?
What things do you think are risky investments?How is it possible to invest in people? Is this a good idea?
What investment opportunities that you missed do you wish you’d taken advantage of?What investment advice have you heard recently?
Do you think you are/would be a cautious or risky investor?What risks are there investing in the stock market?
What rates or return would you want/expect on money you invest?When should people start investing their money?

Career choice

What do you think makes people choose one profession over another? Vocation? Family influence? Market needs?How many people do you know who work in the profession of their choice?
How did money affect your career decisions?Are certain careers in your country dominated by men or women? If so, why do you think this is?
Do you know anybody who has started studying for a particular university degree and has later changed to another? How frequent do you think it is? Why do you think people do so?What makes changing careers so hard?
What is the best reason for a job change?Would you consider the military as a career choice? Why or why not?
How do you describe your career expectations?If money weren’t a problem for you, which job would you prefer?
When you make decisions about your career, do you often consider what other people will think of your decision?Do you already have your dream job?
Which college or courses are required for your dream job? Or were required if you already have your dream job!What are your fears about your career? How do they affect your career options and goals?

Politics

What do you think is the most important political issue at the moment?Do you enjoy debating politics with your friends? Do they have similar views to yours?
Do you think people’s political views change over their lifetime? How has your political views changed during your lifetime?What do you think of your country’s politicians?
Would you like to be a politician? Why, why not?What, in general, do you think are the qualities of a good political leader?
Should citizens be made to take some form of intelligence or general knowledge test before being allowed to vote?Did you vote in the last election? Are you going to vote in the next one?
What is the minimum voting age in your country? Should it be higher or lower?How do you decide your vote? Do you listen to all the arguments and then decide?
Is voting an important responsibility of a citizen? Should it be legally required?What springs to your mind when you hear the word “Politics”?
Why do you think voting is important or not?Who is the most controversial politician in your country and why?

Globalization

What are the good things and bad things about globalization?Is globalization good for the world?
What will globalization look like fifty years from now?Which countries do you think like or hate globalization most?
Could globalization have happened without the Internet?How would your life be different if globalization hadn’t happened?
Do you think globalization could end in a world with just one giant country?Why do you think so many people oppose it?
Do you think it would be a good idea if all barriers to trade were removed from the world and people could freely export and import without customs duties or any other problems? What impact would such a change have?Do you think it would be a good idea if people could live and work in any country they liked without restriction? What impact would such a change have?
How much cheaper do you think goods are to produce in a developing country than in a developed country? Why do you think this is?How should developed countries respond to the challenges presented by developing countries which have lower wage costs?
“Protectionism” refers to the practice of putting up trade barriers such as import duties so as to reduce or prevent the importation of goods from poorer countries and protect higher cost industries in more developed nations. What do you think of the morality of excluding goods from poor or developing countries?Do you think goods that you normally buy are cheaper/more expensive if produced where you live rather than imported?

Stress

What is your opinion about taking medicine to control stress?When can stress be a good thing at work?
How often do you think you feel too much stress?How can you judge what is the right amount of stress for you?
Is your stress caused by relationships with other people at work? Explain.Do you have anyone you can talk to when you are worried?
What do you do when you have stress in your job?Are there situations that you find stressful at work?
How do you handle stress when you have too much work to do?Does the place you work have a low-stress environment?
In what kinds of situations do you observe other people feeling stressed?What are some situations that make you feel stressful?
How can you eliminate stressful situations?How can you live a stress-free life?

Advices

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘advice’?How good are you at giving advice?
Have you ever given someone the wrong advice?Whose advice do you follow more, your parents’ or your friends’?
What advice would you give the leader of your country?What advice do you have about being successful at work?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?What advice do you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
What advice do you have for people who want to study English?What advice do you have about being successful with money?
What things do you ask for advice on?What advice would you give someone who is very busy and have a lot of things to get done in one week?
What advice would you give someone who is hates working?What advice would you give to your boss?

Dealing with a bad boss

How would you judge your boss?How do you know if you are dealing with a “bad boss”?
What do you do in your daily routine to be a great performer?Do you think there is a reason for “bad boss” behaviour?
How not to let “bad boss” behaviour affect your work?What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘boss’?
What makes a good boss a good boss?Why is it important to be considerate and give positive feedback?
Have you had good or bad bosses?Can anyone be a good boss?
Would you like to be a boss (why)?How does your boss lead planning skills? Is it poor and you have to deal with emergency after emergency?
What would managers learn in their training to be a good boss?How do you handle gossips among co-workers about a “bad boss”?

Fake news

What is your point of view about Donald Trump’s opinion?What is the worst problem about fake news?
Why do you think fake news spread up so quickly?What could be done to avoid fake news become viral?
What is the role of newspapers in society?Which kind of news is the best for you? Why? Newspaper? Radio? Televison? Internet?
Do you think the news influences people too much?What do you think is the most important thing the news should report?
Do you trust the information you get from the news? Why?How many hours a day do you spend reading about, watching or listening to news?
Which area of current events would you like to be more knowledgeable about? Why?What sections of a newspaper or website do you check for current events (health, technology, business, etc.)?
What recent events are you fed up hearing about?How often does the news greatly affect your feelings?

Gossip at work

What is your opinion about this sentence: “Gossip has this bully dimension and if you go straight to the source and confront someone who’s gossiping about you, chances are they’re never gonna do it again.”?Do your co-workers often gossip?
Why do you think people like to listen to gossip?What are the most common themes for gossip?
What are some ways which gossip can be harmful?Do you think gossip can be used for something good? Explain.
Why is it considered that women gossip more than men? Do you agree with that?Have you ever heard a rumor that got someone in trouble?
Has someone ever spread a rumor about you?If you discovered that someone had been gossiping about you, would you confront them?
What is the worst about gossiping in the workplace?In your opinion, what companies could do to avoid gossips between co-workers?
What is your attitude when a co-worker starts talking bad things about someone else?How do you feel if people gossip about you?

Human Rights

Have you ever thought how human rights affect business environment?What is your opinion: Is it the company’s fault for paying less than a living wage? Or is it the government’s fault for setting the minimum wage below the poverty line?
Do you know what are human rights?Do you think it is the UN’s* job to make statements about human rights or should it be the responsibility of individual governments? Why/why not?
Is it really reasonable to try to give the same rights to everyone in the world? Why/why not?Which of the human rights do you personally think is the most important?
Which countries do you think have a particularly bad record on human rights?Some people think that they can influence another country’s internal politics by boycotting its products or not visiting it as a tourist. How effective do you think this kind of action is?
If you know that a country still applies the death penalty, would it influence you in any way regarding visiting it or buying its exports?In the US, some have argued that there should be a provision to prevent governments collecting taxes from those who do not wish to pay. How do you react to this suggestion?
Which people in your country have ‘more equal rights’ than others?Do you think each government should have a minister/secretary for human rights?
What human rights do you know about?Do you think everyone in the world will one day have the same human rights? Why?

Stop Procrastinating

Why do people procrastinate?Who do you know that always procrastinates?
When is it good to procrastinate?When is it really bad to procrastinate?
What kinds of things do you put off doing?How do you feel when other people put off something you want done soon?
Who is the most patient person you know?What’s the difference between patience and procrastination?
Do you usually procrastinate when you have homework?What can procrastinators do to change their lives?
What kinds of things do people often forget?Have you ever known someone who was always early to important things?
Do you know someone who is always busy?Do you think people in some cultures are in too much of a rush?

Generation Gap

What is a generation gap?Have you ever felt a generation gap with your co-workers?
What do you think are some of the advantages or disadvantages of another generation?How can you overcome a generation gap?
Are people from the “older” generation always wiser and correct in their ways of thinking and choices? Why or why not?What is an example of a time you and your co-workers had an argument or disagreement because of the generation gap?
What are some topics that people of different generations disagree on? Is it possible for people of different generations to agree on things as well?Should teachers be aware of the generation gap between them and their students? What can be done about it? Can that gap be narrowed being adaptable, or should students adapt to their teachers?
What role does technology change play in creating a generation gap?Do you think older people are boring?
What do you like the most, work with younger people or older? Why?If you could give one important message to the next generation, what would it be?
How does a generation gap affect interaction between two people?How can a generation gap cause problems in the workplace?

Workplace privacy

What is privacy?What is your opinion about today’s subject?
Should companies monitor employees internet usage? Why Yes or Not?Do you feel that internet monitoring is an invasion of privacy? Explain your point of view.
What are the internet usage rules on your company? Do you agree with that?Have you ever had problems with an employee who did not respect internet usage rules? How did you handle it?
Do you think there are issues with privacy and social networking sites like Facebook?Do you think the company has the right to read your email and messages? Why?
Do you agree that monitoring instant messaging helps to avoid workplace violence between co-workers?What is the best way to talk with employees about their bad internet usage behavior in the workplace? How would you do this?
What would life be like with no privacy?If you were the company owner, what kind of internet usage rules would you implement in your company?
About this statement: “Disgruntled employees who have access to computer files containing trade secrets or proprietary information could conceivably use the Internet to distribute the information to competitors causing great harm to the company in the process.”. Do you think this is a situation that only happens in Hollywood movies or is it possible to happen in the real life? Have you ever worked in a company that it happened?What do you think about being monitored?

Retirement

At this stage of your life, are you beginning to make plans for your retirement years? Why?What would be a perfect retirement for you?
Where would you like to spend your retirement years? Why?During retirement, where would you like to stay, in the city or in the province?
Do you intend to look for another job after you retire? Why?Would you like to spend the rest of your life in another country?
What is your opinion about children have to support their parents financially after they retire?Would you like to live together with your children even if they are already married? Why?
What are your goals before you retire?Do you consider spending the rest of your career in your present company? Why?
Five years from now, what do you think would be the improvements in your career?Are you going to move to another company if you don’t get the promotion you are expecting?
If you can still work after your mandatory retirement, will you look for another job?Are you planning to open your own business when you retire? If yes, what kind of business would it be?

Advertising

How would you define advertising?Would you like there to be no ads on TV?
What products depend most on advertising?Is advertising a good or bad thing?
What factors are essential in making a good advertisement?How often your company invests in advertising? What kind of advertising they do?
What regulations should be applied to adverts to protect consumers?Is the purpose of advertisements to give information about products, or is their purpose only to project an image?
Some people complain that adverts stimulate an excessively consumerist society. What do you think?Have you ever not bought a product because you were irritated by the advert?
What do you imagine it would be like to work in the advertising industry?What do you think of the idea of “product placement” advertisements – the inclusion of particular branded products in films and soap operas?
Advertising for alcohol and tobacco is now severely limited – do the adverts, or their prohibition, have much impact either way?What makes an ad memorable?

Outsourcing

Is outsourcing (and “offshoring”) positive?Does the consumer benefit? Are prices lowered by outsourcing?
How can outsourcing benefit businesses?Does outsourcing encourage competition? Is this a thing?
Does outsourcing benefit developing countries?Does outsourcing foster international cooperation, and stability?
What kind of services most commonly get outsourced?Is outsourcing always the right business strategy?
In your opinion what is the main reason for a company implementing outsourcing, to cut costs or to focus on core business?Do you think the quality is cut when staffing costs are cut?
What does a CEO have to consider before he/she outsources?What are the pros regarding outsourcing for the company and for the employees?
What are the cons regarding outsourcing for the company and for the employees?Are there departments in your company that are outsourced? Which ones?

Climate change

What can we do to reverse the effects of climate change?How has business been affected by climate change over the last decade?
Is climate change really an important problem?How are climate change issues likely to affect a company’s business in the foreseeable future?
How do we know global warming is real?Who would you say has the biggest responsibility over climate change, corporations or the normal people?
How has climate change affected the world so far?What can we actually do to fight climate change?
Will the actions we take today be enough to forestall the direct impacts of climate change? Or is it too little too late?What can we realistically do to get off fossil fuels as soon as possible?
Is it necessary to be an expert to fight climate change? In your opinion, what can a regular person do?Can we consider climate change a global security threat or is it a problem solely for particular countries?
How would you say your company is worried about their environmental impact?If you could send a message to your govern, what specifically would you want them to do about climate change?

Year-end celebrations

Do you have end-of-year celebrations in your company?Give one example of one thing you learned from your co-workers/employer this year.
What was your best day and worst day at work during this past year?What do you think is the best part of working in your company? The worst part?
How important it is for a company to celebrate a good year?Were there any cringe-worthy moments in your job this year?
Is it important to maintain good behaviour and proper dress code even in a celebration?Do you have any disconcerting story about end-of-year celebration?
Have you ever witnessed any party go off the rail?What’s the main reason you show up for work each day, besides getting a pay-check?
Are you proud of what you accomplished this year? In what areas did you drop the ball?How can your chief or staff help you being more productive in the coming year?
What was the best and worst secret friend gift you’ve ever got?Is it possible to commit HR violations in an end of year celebration? Have you heard of any such story?

Working from Home

Can anyone work from home?How do you feel about working from home? Have you worked from home before?
What’s the biggest thing you struggle with while working from home?What would help you feel connected to others and counteract the potential loneliness of working remotely?
How would you manage distractions during the day? Is it a challenge for you?Do you feel as productive at home as you are at the office?
Can you work without direct supervision? How do you stay productive under limited supervision?What are the advantages of a work-at-home position?
How would you balance your work and personal schedules?How do you avoid embarrassing situations during an online meeting? Can an employee really be hold accountable for accidental unusual behaviour?
In case you have a problem while the rest of your team is offline, how would you handle it?Although working from home is not a recent creation, are the WFH policies clear?
Is it easy to “turn off work mode” at the end of the day?Do you agree that some areas are more productive working face-to-face? How true is that affirmation related to your job?

How to Get a Promotion

Do you have your eyes on getting a new position?Are you going above and beyond in your job — or Are you just doing what’s asked?
What are the reasons you, or anybody else, would wish for a promotion?Do you agree with the ideas on career advance presented on the video?
How would you deal with co-workers that were passed up for a promotion?Have you ever been denied a promotion? What reasons do you believe led your superior to make this decision?
Have you ever witnessed someone responding badly for not getting a promotion?How would you handle it if your company don’t promote you?
What tips or advice would you give someone being interviewing for a promotion?In which ways (both positive and negative) would your promotion affect the relationship with your colleagues and co-workers?
If you’re asked to tackle a position that benefits the company, but not you, would you accept?Do you think you still need to improve on some skills, or gain some knowledge to be eligible to a promotion?
Imagine you got a promotion today. What would be the first thing you’d do in your new position?When was the last time you got promoted?

Service with a smile

66% of customers switch companies due to bad customer service. How would you rate your current or last company based on this data?What makes a satisfied customer?
Does customer satisfaction lead effectively to business growth?How important is great customer relationship?
Does good customer service really start with a smile? IF not, where does it start?How do you like to be treated as a customer? Can a simple smile guarantee excellent customer service for you?
“If customers leave without a purchase, you have not failed. But if customers leave without a smile, you have”. How much truth do you consider that affirmation hold?Who has the majority of interactions with customers in your organization?
How do you know the correct way your customers wish to be treated?Is there any way that the techniques used for customer service can be used in real life situations?
How do you deal, in business or in normal life, with an irate person spitting bullets in your face?What is bad customer service?
Do you have any stories of bad customer service?Which companies do you think hold the record for bad customer service?

Being Productive

Does remote work impact on creativity and productivity?How do you measure your progress?
Do you count your finished tasks by number or by the level of importance?What are the things that most negatively impact your productivity?
What are the most important criteria that determine productive workplace behaviour?Some people thrive first thing in the morning, others in the evening hours.
When do you have the most energy?How you differentiate urgent work from important work?
Are you working too long or too short of a time for certain tasks?Have you learned to determine what “enough for today” looks like?
Can you describe in 3 sentences or less all the work you did today?What completed project would move you closer to a promotion or the next level in your profession?
What seems to be the biggest interruptions you have in a working day?What kind of activities require your undivided attention? What activities can you multitask?
How do you prioritise your tasks? What is your method for tackling your to-do-list?If you could only achieve one thing today, what would it be?

Corporate Culture

What makes you proud to work at your company?In your job, is risk-taking encouraged? And what happens when people fail?
What’s one thing you would change about your company if you could?What is the importance of diversity and inclusion in the corporative world?
How is conflict among co-workers resolved in your job?Titles aside, who in your current or last organization has the power to gets things done?
How does your manager — or, if more appropriate, how do you as a manager — support and motivate your team?What kind of flexible work arrangements – if any – do people have?
How do people at your company unwind and recharge after working hard?What is your relationship with your superiors and colleagues?
How would you characterize your current/last company’s overall management style?What activities do your company offer for employees?
Is there a specific dress code? Fitness incentives? Tuition reimbursement?Do you know of any companies that give back to the community? In what ways?
What actions are truly important to entice/create top talents?Which ones would you consider superficial offerings?

Building Confidence

What does confidence mean to you?In what areas of your life you would like to build confidence?
What would you do today if you had all the confidence in the world?How often do you doubt your professional/ personal competence?
What do you love about yourself and your personality?Do you think there is a difference between confidence and arrogance?
What’s the biggest threat to confidence? Is there any real relevance on doubting yourself?You cannot build self-confidence if you’re too intimidated to even get started. What is your take on this affirmation?
Who do you know that has the type of confidence that you would like to have?How can you learn to stop beating yourself up and really let go of perfectionism?
What is the relation between risk-taking and confidence?American writer Mark Twain said, “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval”. What does that quotation teach you about being confident?
What would you try to accomplish if you knew you could not fail?How do you become more confident?

Time Management

How do you plan your work?Can you tell me about a time your boss gave you too much work? How did you handle the situation?
Tell me about a time when you missed a deadline.How do you fight the feeling that “there is never enough time”?
How do you decide which tasks to do first?How do you know what you’re doing is a good use of your time?
What is your rule of thumb when it comes to managing your to-do list?Planning ahead is the key to a productive day. Do you agree with the idea? WHY Yes/No?
Would you describe yourself as an organized person?How would you react if you’re given a challenging or unfamiliar task within a short deadline?
Is there a well delimited line between important, essential and urgent work in your job?In your job, given the chance, what would you spend less time doing?
Why do you think it’s important to manage your time well?Are you happy with your current workload? If not, what would allow you the balance you need?

Authenticity

How important is appearance in the workplace?What role does geographic location play in a company’s dress code?
What is considered standard, appropriate business attire?Can any form of personal expression be the basis of a decision not to hire an applicant?
Should all employees – young and mature – dress and look the same?Would your company accept well if you show up tomorrow with a purple mohawk?
What is your personal intake about discrimination based on appearance and weight?Is it really important to express your personality in your workplace? Weren’t you hired for your professional skills?
Is having piercings and tattoos legal in the workplace?What does your company office look like? Are the individual workspaces decorated? Does the workspace seem inclusive?
Do employees that interact with customers need a special dress code?Do you believe your appearance has an immediate impact on your colleagues and superiors?
Which of those would translate bad in an office, in your opinion: Clothes that don’t fit or are too revealing; Strong perfume or strong body odour; Flashy nails or rattling jewellery; Tousled facial hair;Would you refuse working for a company with a rigid dress code?

First Impressions

What is a first impression? Why is a first impression so important?How long does it take, in your opinion, to form a first impression?
What’s your best tip for leaving a great first impression at a meeting or job interview?How can you make sure you are projecting a good first impression?
Have you met someone who you disliked right away even though you didn’t know them?Social networking websites are very popular nowadays. Would you say that it is possible to form impressions of people from their profiles?
Have you ever tried to make a great first impression but completely messed it up?In what jobs do people have to make very quick decisions based on first impressions?
What sort of body language helps make a positive first impression in business?Can offering compliments help with a first impression? What compliments would be appropriate in a business situation?
Are there some things you shouldn’t ask people you just met?What role do punctuality, a sincere smile and appearance play in creating first impressions?
Have you ever made a wrong, off base judgement of a person based on a first impression? What happened?“People like things that remind them of themselves”. Is this true for you too? Isn’t this a bit narcissist?

Finding Passion

What does passion mean to you?What are you really passionate about?
What’s something that, when immersed in it, you lose track of time?What do you usually daydream about?
How does your passion align with your actual job?If you were financially secure and didn’t need a salary anymore, how would you invest your time in?
What job would you like to try? Which one would definitely not be your cup of tea?What skills, talents, or abilities do you have that you are NOT excited about using?
In your opinion, is passion only for the rich, or an experience only the retired can enjoy?Should people spend energy pursuing their passion or developing their skills?
Have you ever won an award or a prize? What for?Where’s the overlap between what you’re currently doing and what you want to do?
What three things did you truly enjoy doing today?If you could send one piece of advice for your younger self, what would the message say?

Side Hustle

What do you think of the idea of pursuing a side hustle?What skills or interests do you have that could potentially generate profit?
Hypothetically speaking, how would you start a side hustle? What kind of business you’d pursuit?Do you have enough free time for extra activities?
Can you afford to start a business?How do you deal with failure?
Will your day job allow you time to have any kind of side hustle?Do you have any skills other people want?
What are some things people should consider before jumping into a new opportunity?When would be the best time for an alternative job, when you’re already working or when unemployed?
Would you be interested in hustling for fun instead of hustling for profit?Are you a “doer” OR are you more of a thinker?
Is there an age requirement for getting a business up and running? How old is too old?Do you identify yourself with the “go big or go home” mindset OR would you be comfortable with a humble beginning?

Job Presentation

How do you prepare before delivering a presentation?Describe a memorable presentation you’ve attended. What made it successful? (e.g. interesting topic, visual aids, entertaining speaker)
How do you adjust your presentations to different audiences? (e.g. people with and without technical backgrounds)Describe how you would present your company/products to a prospective client.
What would you do if you noticed that your audience looked bored during your presentation? Describe a time when you had to give bad news OR heard bad news in your job.
How do you prefer to communicate your team’s results to senior managers: through a detailed report or during an in-person meeting? Why?What tools do you use to create a presentation?
When is it appropriate for speakers to use humour?“I’m great at what I do, I’m not great at presenting what I do”. How does that affirmation relate to you?
What are your main worries when you have to deliver results or give a presentation?Have you ever been asked to make a presentation to your directors? How did it go?
What would you prefer, make a bad presentation to deliver good results or a perfect presentation to deliver bad numbers?What is the real relevance of a job presentation? Wouldn’t a detailed written report deliver the same message?

Skills for Future Employment

How will we be working in the future? Do you consider the new job requirements unusual?What are the types of employability skills required by employers today?
What will be the most important skills to be successful in the future labour market?Why are communication skills so highly prized by employers?
Did you find any tip given in the video unusual? Do you agree with all the requirements presented?Why is teamwork so important for today’s and future’s employees?
Are communicative skills really crucial in your area?What role does initiative play in your area? How important is it?
The Industrial Revolution required muscle from its workers, the future will require workers to be emotionally intelligent. Is that true for all professions?What can one do to acquire/improve their soft skills? Can those skills be learned/improved?
Talking about our country, do you consider job requirements in Brazil to be unrealistic? Why?Will there be enough work in the future? Are you prepared for the job requirements of the next 10 years?
What should be the importance given to acquiring soft skills in the university?Is the increasing ratio of millennials (and younger) in the workplace affecting how things are done?

Job Satisfaction

How important is it to be happy at work?Do you find your job meaningful? Are you still in love with your profession?
What is employee satisfaction? How important is it?On a scale of 0-5, how would you rate your work-life balance? Why?
On a scale of 0-5, how happy and satisfied are you with your current/last job? Why?Should all companies offer adequate opportunities for promotions and career development?
How likely are you to recommend your company or your last company as a good place to work?Is it important to bond with the people we work with? How is it relevant?
What kind of situations in your profession cause you an unreasonable amount of stress?What can one do to acquire/improve their soft skills? Can those skills be learned/improved?
Talk about the importance of benefits offered by a company for employee satisfaction.What factors would make you want to leave a job?
Have you ever experienced a boss playing favorites at work?Is there a relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover?

Having a Plan B

We hear many people saying “always have a plan B”, but what is plan B?Do you agree with the opinion shown in the video? Is it bad to have a Plan B? Why?
Should you always have a Plan B in life? What is your Plan B in case luck doesn’t favor you?What are the benefits of making a good business/life plan?
Does planning actually guarantee success? Why is planning so difficult?Can planning prevent problems?
Some say we should “hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. Is there truth in this affirmation?Have you ever regretted not having a plan B? Can you tell me what happened? 
How is your English study plan aligned to Chris Gardner 5C complex?What is the difference between having a plan and having a desired outcome?
Is there anything going on in your life that you can say “failure is not an option”?Have you faced many “nay-sayers” in your career or personal life? What’s your advice for dealing with them?
Have you ever needed a backup plan? Tell me what happened.Do you come up with a plan B only when plan A has collapsed?

Crisis Management

In your opinion, what is the first and most important thing to do in a crisis?What lessons can be learned in time of crisis?
Do you know anyone who is great at crisis management, whether they want to be or not?Is it important in a crisis to communicate with compassion, transparency, and optimism? Are there other ways to communicate better in this situation?
Do you see yourself as a person that could lead in times of need? How are your leadership abilities?How effectively can a company be prepared for a crisis? What could be a good source for feedback?
Have you ever worked in a company going through difficult times?Is there any difference between an issue and a crisis?
What would you probably do in a crisis: stand by your company or start looking for another job?Thinking about your current job or your line of work, what are the main sources for crisis?
Talking about the video, what would be a good response to the following situations: A. all employees find mistakes in their deposit checks. B. an employee inadvertently posts something offensive online using the company’s profile.Is it possible for a company to be crisis proof?
What would be the most critical mistake to avoid while managing an existing crisis?What do you think about the role of the Internet in terms of managing a crisis?

Happiness

How would you define “happy”, “peaceful” and “content” for yourself?What are you grateful for?
If you are not the happiest now, when will you be?How do you respond when you are unhappy, and how do you move past this unhappiness to re-center?
Who has helped you the most in your life? What do you do to give back to others?What gives you energy to rise every day and face your daily challenges?
What people in your life fuel you and, in return, are fueled by you?Is placing too much importance in happiness a bit selfish? What else do you value?
Do the people in your life align with your values?Are there any areas in your life where you are compromising? How does it make you feel?
Is it too difficult for others to please you? Conversely, are you too easy to please?Name something that, if happened this year, would make you considerably happier.
What is one example of something that you could do without?Is there any relevance in employee happiness for a company? Is there any way to increase employee happiness?

Managing People

What would you consider a red flag in a person in management position?What kind of advantages a skilled/experienced professional can bring to the table?
What could be the advantages of adding a beginner to your team?“The greatest people are self-managing”. How much truth is there in this affirmation?
As an employee, can you operate autonomously? How often do you need briefing and guidance?Is there anything you dislike about leadership and management?
Would you make a good Manager/Director for your company? OR Do you consider yourself a good Manager/Director for your company?Would you work in a position OR for a person that you can’t learn anything from?
What is necessary to enable a team to achieve its best objectives?What would be your reaction if you were assigned a task outside of your job description?
Do you ever lose sight of the framework for the tasks that need to be done?In your opinion, who is responsible for the lack of direction in a project?
65% of employees would rather have a better leader than a salary increase. What are your comments on this research?Do you have any example to illustrate the harm of micromanagement?  Is it always bad?

Success in life

How would you define success in life for yourself?How close are you at achieving a successful life?
What is your action plan when life gives you lemons?What is the best advice you’ve heard about being successful?
Is good parenting an essential ingredient of success?What role does luck play in becoming successful?
What is the biggest success you’ve achieved in your professional life?How does your idea of success differ from your parents’ idea of success?
Do you think people focus too much on appearing to be successful?When was the last time you had a good and proper reality check?
Some folks struggle, others sail through life. How bumpy has your road been so far?What were your greatest failures and what did they teach you?
What would you give up in order to make room for your goals?“An actor wants an Oscar, and a soccer player wants a World Cup medal”. And you?  What are you pursuing?

The art of negotiations

Do you have what it takes to be a great negotiator?Tell me about your last successful negotiation. What did you do to make it successful?
What are your best negotiation strategies?How do you handle tough negotiations?
What kind of things can negatively affect the outcome of a negotiation?What do you do if you reach an unfavorable result in a negotiation?
What would be the biggest flaw in a negotiator?Can a person learn to be better at negotiations?
What are the required qualities to become the best negotiator you can?Are there things in your life that are non-negotiable? What would you consider off-limits?
In what situations at work do you need to negotiate?Do you ever feel uncomfortable when bargaining?
Have you faced a situation where you were required to be more positive and persuasive while presenting your ideas?Do you always need to win a negotiation? What is the importance of meeting others half-way?

Grit and Persistence

Why grit is important in business? Is it important in real life as well?How does grit and perseverance relate to success?
Do you continue to press on when you hit roadblocks OR you simply give up?Can you think of one situation where perseverance is NOT the best option?
How do you decide if and when to stop pursuing a goal?Are women grittier and more persevering than men? Or are men grittier than women?
What is the one thing in your life that you’re too comfortable with? Is it time to change?How often do you feel discouraged when you face setbacks?
Thinking about personal and working life, do you finish ever single task that you begin?How far do you reckon one can go with just passion and perseverance?
Is there a difference between giving up and a momentary, strategic redirection of efforts ?Do you think modern times require too many qualities and traits from us?
Tell me about one time that you chose gratification over persistence.“We are what we repeatedly do.” Is that sentence a fact or a mere motivational?

Engagement

How important is employee engagement?How can a company keep employees engaged virtually?
What factors would directly affect your engagement?Do you believe your company has your best interests in mind when making business decisions?
Does your company care about you as a person OR are you a mere cog in the machine?“If my company succeeds, I succeed” Does this sentence make sense to you considering your current circumstances? 
What are the top three things that matter the most to you in life, and where does work fit in?How is the employee evaluation process in your company? Is it fair? Clear? Non-existent?
Do you believe you could count on your superiors to help you to succeed in your position?Have your superiors ever fought a battle for you? OR, if applicable, have you ever fought a battle for your subordinates?
Do you ever have the feeling that you’re missing out on significant time with your friends and family?Do you feel you’re being sufficiently compensated for the amount of work that you do? Are you overburdened?
In a scale from 0-5, how approachable are your superiors?What is one thing about your work experience that needs significant improvement?

Performance Review

When was the last time you received feedback on your performance?How did you do on the goals set for you during your last performance appraisal?
What, according to you, is the purpose of performance reviews?How can you avoid problems with performance appraisal?
What aspect of your performance are you most proud of?What would you say is your company’s level of satisfaction with the work you’re doing?
Have you ever got any feedback that you thought was unfair or inaccurate?If you could change one aspect of your current role, what would it be?
Which new ability or certification are you planning to acquire in the next 3-6 months?Are you worth much more than your salary?
What practical advice would you give someone that is consistently underperforming?What is the best/correct way to conduct a performance review?
Are you the kind of person that brings joy only when you leave the room?Can performance reviews be considered problems galore? Can they be used for finding valid solutions?

Risk Assessment

What activities in your daily life are likely to cause you harm if something goes wrong?What are your profession’s top risks, how severe are their impact and how likely are they to occur?
Does your company have an assessment process for identifying risks?Can a company just invest in more technology to improve their risk assessments?
How effective is your current or last company in managing its top risks?Who is most likely to be at risk of harm in your workplace?
What type of training and/or communications should employees receive regarding risks?What could be the issues caused by moving from the office to working from home?
If a company conducts a formal risk assessment once a year, isn’t that enough?How important would a data breach response plan be for your company?
Why would a company invest time and resources in worrying about the unknown?“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong” is the adage stated by the Murphy’s law. How realist is this related to your working environment?
What is your role in assessing and managing risks?Would you work for a company that ignores physical security rules?

Resilience

What causes a person to be resilient?What are some common characteristics of resilient people?
What was a time when you were resilient?Why is resilience an important skill to cultivate?
What are some careers where being resilient is essential?]Describe a situation when you or someone you know has demonstrated resilience.
Think of someone you know who is resilient. How do they show they are resilient?Dr. Brooks mentions optimism being a quality that someone who is resilient carries. What does optimism mean in this context?
Can you think of other qualities besides optimism that would help someone be resilient?Do you see resilience as being a quality that someone can learn or develop? If so, how?
What small steps do you think you can take toward becoming more resilient?How do adversity, beliefs and consequences relate to resilience?
What can you say to yourself when you’re are having a tough time with a challenging skill or situation?How does power posing help you be resilient in tough situations?

Leisure and Downtime

Do you plan your downtime? How much of it do you have in a month?Do you think modern lifestyles give enough time to people for leisure?
Do you think people today have more time to relax as compared to those in the past?In our scarce leisure time, what should be our priorities?
If you had 1 day for yourself alone, how would you spend this day?Have you heard about bleisure? How would this concept make your life happier?
Is there a hobby you think about starting one day? What is it? Why are you postponing it?Are there classes to help you learn a new hobby near where you live? If so, have you attended any of them?
Generally speaking, what would be the most worthwhile thing a person can do with their leisure time?How do leisure activities benefit you personally and professionally?
Would you say you use your free time productively?Would a better enjoyment of your spare time during the day make you any happier?
Is there a reason why our best ideas come up when we’re away from the job?What is quality time to you? How much of it do you actually have?

Haggling

Why is it important to haggle? What is the point?Are you used to haggling? What strategies are the most effective?
Is haggling unethical or uncomfortable for you? Can it cause offense?How would you talk a car dealer down on price?
In what occasions is haggling socially acceptable? Is there a situation where it is expected?Should everybody learn to haggle? Is it a soft skill worth acquiring?
If you could pay any vendors less for the goods or services you purchase, would you?When was the last time you patiently waited for an upcoming sales or holiday promotion?
How would you respond to customers that are always bargaining the price?Have you ever entered a negotiation just for the fun of it?
Is it normal to haggle for a salary increase? Would you feel bad about it?What are some reasons people give for wanting a price reduction?
What is the difference between haggling and a negotiation?Should you always be fair when you haggle for a better price?

Employee Termination

What are some valid reasons for employee termination?What about just cause terminations? What kind of employee behaviour would justify them?
What questions would you ask when getting fired?How long would it be too long for an employee’s poor performance to continue?
Have you ever fired someone? When was the last time you yourself got fired?Do you think it is a company’s obligation to warn an employee that his or her job is in jeopardy? Or do you think the employee themselves should come to that conclusion?
Should a company always provide a terminated employee with a reason for the termination?Is there any relevance in considering the employee’s side of the story before a termination?
What kind of support would you give to a friend who has been fired?Have you ever been unfairly dismissed even after doing a good job? What would you do if you ever faced this situation?
Have you ever been made redundant? What is the difference between a termination and a redundancy?Is it okay for a company to dismiss a worker while on leave or immediately after returning from it?
Have you ever been responsible for training an employee that would replace you? How would you feel in this situation?How dangerous can office gossip be in this situation? Is there any way to avoid it happening?

Training

What is the purpose of training and development in organizations?Does your company offer any training program? Do you think they are useful?
What kind of training would staff in your company benefit from the most?Have you ever taken part in a training program that was useless? What was wrong with it?
Can you think of a training program which would be useful to you in a long shot?What sort of skills do you think young people in your country lack the most?
Do you think your government should offer free work-related training to young people?Should employees in every company receive free English language training?
Would you say that employees in your company need to improve their computer skills?Will online training be very big in the future?
If you can learn something from a book, there is no point going to a class. Do you agree?What would you say is the difference between education and training?
Do you need to have a university degree to work for your company? Do you think this is right?Talking about your job/area, what kind of training would make significant difference in your immediate performance?

Mergers and Acquisitions

Why do companies sometimes choose to merge? What are the advantages of doing so?What can go wrong when two companies merge?
Does M&A have any significant impact on employee retention?Can you think of a famous example of two companies which merged? What were the possible that made them make that decision?
Do you think it is likely that in future your company will merge with another one?Is it better or worse for the market when two competitors merger into a single company? Why?
Have you ever worked in a company that went through an integration process? What concerns can it bring to the employees?What should a manager do to ensure a successful merger?
In general, is it a good thing when large companies acquire smaller ones?If your company was acquired by a larger one, do you think your job would be at steak? Or would you have more stability?
What are the advantages of working for a bigger company?What are the advantages of working for a smaller company?
When a small company is acquired by a larger one, does it lose its core values?If you had built up a successful company over many years and your main rival offered you twice its value, would you sell it to them?

SMART Goals

When is the right time for goal setting?What are some common goals that every person has?
What’s the first question that you must ask yourself when setting goals?What is your number 1 priority for this year? for the next 2 years?
What is the actual relevance in achieving your goals?People often say, “new year, new me”. What have you done so far this year to become a new you?
What can you do to go past the enthusiasm of setting goals and actually achieve something?How can we avoid getting so busy that we can’t manage to look ahead?
Speaking long term, is there anything that you want?What is the role of persistence and commitment to achieving your goals?
What is your assessment on the “shoot for the stars” expression?  How’s it related to your goals?When is it time to stop creating new goals?
What kind of things are too important to go unplanned? Which ones would you leave to chance?“A goal without a plan is just a wish”. Based on this quote, how do you evaluate your English study plan?

Money

Do you know if your company made a profit last year? What were the reasons for achieving this result?What do you think are the future prospects of your company? Will it grow and make more money?
Some companies avoid paying taxes by bending the rules of the tax system. Is this immoral or just a normal business practice?Have you ever invested money in the stock market? Do you think it is a good idea?
If you had a million euros or dollars to invest, what sort of business would you invest in?Would you be able to handle the responsibility of having a larger budget? Why or why not?
Do you have any good business ideas which could make a lot of money?How quickly will you burn through the money you have right now?
How healthy is your country’s economy right now? How likely is that situation to change in a few years?Do you think there will be another recession in the near future?
Do you think that profit is the purpose of business?Some people say that “money makes the world go round.” Do you agree?
Is it possible to create a world without money? How would it work?Would you describe yourself as frugal or as a big spender?

Import&Export

How much do you know about what your country imports and exports?Is there a particular product you would love to see imported into your country?
What is your city/country’s most famous export?Does your country have a good trade relationship with the rest of the world?
Do you think the government of your country should do more to protect local industries?Do you prefer buying products produced in your own country or from abroad?
Do you agree with the amount of taxes on imported products? What is the last imported product that you bought?Is absolute free trade between countries possible? Is it desirable?
Has international trade made the world a better place?Do you think international trade will continue to increase in future? How will it change?
Can trade between countries be used as a force for better international relations? Or does it just generate competition?If you could start your own import/export business, what goods would you trade with?
Is import and export good business? How does it affect the economy?In your opinion, what’s the one thing everybody should know about importation/exportation?

Positive Reinforcement

What are the benefits of positive reinforcement?“Treat yourself” means doing something good to yourself, like having some drinks after work. Would this kind of rewarding motivate you to be more productive during working hours?
What are some positive reinforcement examples?What strategies can be used when positive reinforcement fails?
Isn’t using positive reinforcement to strengthen behavior the same as bribery?“Rewarding employees for good behavior is a bad idea because this will decrease their intrinsic motivation”. Is this true?
Isn’t positive reinforcement the same as flattery? How do you differentiate one from the other?Can positive reinforcement be used to eliminate inappropriate or distractive behaviour?
What is the proper place and time for corrective feedback? Does that undermine, interrupt, or “poison” the work of positive reinforcement?“Criticize privately, praise publicly” is there wisdom in this strategy?
Do you have a story you can share about a time when you were criticized in your job? Was the criticism properly delivered?Can public praise generate jealousy? Do you think any co-worker of yours would envy you for being praised for a good job?
When was the last time you were praised?What about negative reinforcement? Is it a valid tool? In what situations would you apply it?

Team Building

People say, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link”. What does that say about your current/last team?How can you be sure you’re not the weak link in your department’s chain?
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about “team building exercises?”Can you really create a sense of belonging and increase motivation using team building activities?
Can you think of some good team building exercises which might actually work?Even if taken by surprise, would you have 1 good thing to say about every colleague in your office?
What is the effect of high employee morale in teamwork and productivity?What’s one misunderstanding that’s happened on your team recently? How was it resolved?
Is good teamwork essential to the kind of work you do?Have you ever been part of a team which failed to achieve its objective? What went wrong?
What are the main reasons why teamwork sometimes breaks down?Are you normally very active in group discussions and meetings or do you just sit there to listen?
Are there occasions when it is better to work as an individual rather than in a team?Who is responsible to ensure that teams make good decisions and keep a smooth workflow?

Women in the Workforce

Have you ever heard the terms “Glass Ceiling” or “Boys Club”? How do these terms represent your company or your area or expertise?What policies can be put into place to move all organizations toward equality?
Does it matter to you if your boss is a man or a woman? Do you think there is a difference in leadership styles?How can women in the workplace make their mark?
Are women working in corporate world at more risk of being underestimated/undervalued?What is, in your opinion, the representation ratio of women in leadership positions?
What barriers women face in developing careers across their working life?Have you heard/experienced any career impediment based on gender?
Do you admire any female leader? What for? Do women in the workforce require OR deserve special treatment? How would you draw a line between respect and favoritism?
Aristotle defined the principle that “equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally.” How does that apply to the situation of women in the corporate world?In 2018, Australia, Canada and UK were among the 10 out of 100 countries with worst record of women’s workforce equality, Brazil was ranked 51 out of 100. What do you make of this information?
Philosophical question: Will we ever reach gender equality in the workplace?Should the fact that a woman may want to become a mother impact negatively in her career?

Strategic Thinking

What sort of knowledge does a leader need when developing good strategy?In your opinion, what strategies are important for a person who is starting a new business? What advice would you give to this person?
What major strategy errors do you think new managers make?What are the most important factors to consider when expanding a business?
What are your company’s current strategies and goals? Are you ever told about these plans?If you were in charge of your company, are there any strategy changes you would implement?
What strategies can smaller companies use to compete with larger companies?What strategies can larger companies adopt to maintain an advantage over their rivals?
Should it be the management or the workers who develop a company’s strategies?Should profit always be the main goal of a company?
Do you think strategy should leave room for change and improvisation OR should it always be set in stone?When was the last time you had to use strategic thinking to solve a problem? What was it about?
If you were responsible for revising your department’s strategic plan, what would you do differently?If you’re not a CEO, a manager or a leader, how relevant strategic thinking would be?

Networking

Have you ever attended a networking event?Are networking events important? Have you ever got a job from this kind of events?
If you meet a talkative person at a networking meeting, how can you get out of this situation?Are you the type of person that can walk up to a complete stranger and start a conversation?
What are some of your best rules for networking on social media?What is the biggest business networking mistake a person can make?
Is there a certain networking etiquette that you wish more people would follow?Are some professionals more inclined to be conversationalists? Introverts? What image people normally have from your area of expertise?
Do you a have a favorite conversation starter? What is it? Has it always worked?What would be the right questions to ask to get others to open up?
What questions/topics would make you immediately lose interest in a conversation?What’s a good advice for people looking to make the very best first impression?
Do you think telling someone about an opening in your company before the vacancy is advertised can be considered cheating?Do you participate in forums, discussion boards or events related to your career? Can those events be considered a good source for networking?

The Importance of Feedback

Do you like to receive feedback?What is your view on the importance of receiving feedback?
How do you approach giving someone difficult feedback?Are some people more sensitive to criticism? How do you yourself handle it?
How do you deal with people that are always defensive? Isn’t feedback a tool for fostering improvement?Do you agree that feedback is better given sooner rather than later?
Have you ever received surprisingly negative feedback?What happens if you don’t agree with the feedback you receive? What would you do?
Can you give an example where you have been delighted/wowed by receiving useful feedback?Bill Gates said about feedback “We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve”. Do you agree with him?
In your opinion, can feedback be classified into “good feedback” and “bad feedback”? If yes, can you provide examples?Do you get enough feedback on your job?
If your boss is stingy with pointers and advice, how do you encourage him/her to give you more?Feedback should be about behaviour not personality, why so many people take it personally then?

Burnout

What do you know about burnout? What could be the causes of it?How does it affect your working life and productivity?
How often do you lack energy, feel disconnected or negative about your job? Do you remember any episode when that happened to you?Is burnout the result of a personal or professional failure? Can burnout happen even if you love your job?
What makes you stressed? What do you do to relieve stress?Can working from home contribute to burnout? How so?
What should people do about stress at work? When does it stop being normal or acceptable?How do you know if you’re burnt out? Have you ever experienced it?
If you’re snowed under, can you say NO to more work?What aspects of your work can be considered root causes for a future burnout experience?
How might you help if somebody in your life/working life might be burning out?How can a manager/team leader spot an employee burnout signs?
Is it possible to recover from a burnout episode? What strategies can be used?If it is so common, why is burnout still taboo?

Corporate Social Responsibility

What is Corporate Social Responsibility?How’s your company/last company involved in CSR?
Do you, as a person, worry about companies helping social causes?Why should companies go the trouble of adopting CSR at all? What are the benefits?
Where does your organization stand on adopting and living out a corporate social responsibility strategy?Do you know if your company offers mentorship or training program? How can that help the community?
How can corporate social responsibility be improved?Can a CSR program bolster a company’s reputation?
Which activities are considered as CSR? Is there any regulation about it?The opinion given on the video can be considered a bit cynic. How can we know that CSR is not used for big companies that are just pretending to be nice?
Can a company financially benefit for having a good CSR record? How so?Do you think a CSR program would dovetail well with your company’s mission?
How important is it to you that companies operate on a socially responsible level?Which companies do you know that are going the extra mile? What kind of nonprofits they support?

Imposter Syndrome

Have you ever heard of Imposter syndrome? Have you ever suffered from it?What is the problem with Imposter syndrome? How can it be prevented?
Why do we sometimes feel like a fraud even though we´re eminently qualified for our jobs?Do you credit your success to chance, connections, or some other external factor?
In your opinion, are there people that cheat on life to achieve their goals? What do you think about it?How can you avoid the trap of comparing yourself to others?
Where would you draw the line between doing your best and thinking you’re the best?Talking about your professional life, can you say that you got what you deserved?
What is your best strategy to overcome self-doubt?When you start a new job, do you fear not being able to catch up fast enough? Is this sensation normal?
Can this imposter syndrome be related to the nagging inside voice of your inner saboteur?How can self-awareness and self-acceptance help you win the fight and boost your inner confidence?
Can imposter syndrome be blamed on performance or abilities? Or is it just internal insecurities?Around 70% of people in the US have experienced impostor syndrome. Can this have any impact on the workplace?

The Dangers of Social Media

How can social media affect employment?How can social media prevent you from getting a job?
Can you lose your job over social media? Can it cause you a job termination?IYO, what kind of social media behavior reflects badly on a person’s reputation?
What types of social media mistakes have you seen that damaged someone’s career?How can the simple act of posting a photo or quoting an article damage your career or reputation?
To what extent do you think your company monitors individual employees social media activity?Have you ever groused about your job on social media?
Do you consider social media screenings to be ethical? Can employers legally check it?What situation would justify an employer overreaching into an employee right to free speech?
How does social media employment screening help employers and how may it hinder them?“One tweet can ruin your life”. What does this affirmation mean to you? Are you losing sleep tonight?
What can you do to ensure you don’t lose out on a job because of your social media activity?Why should people intimate views on things that are not work-related impact their working life?

Competitive Advantage

Why should a company care about competitive advantage?Do you know who your company’s biggest competitors are? Do you know their strengths and weaknesses?
Competitive advantage is often gained through offering costumer great value. How can this be achieved?How would you respond to your customer when they ask, “Why should I do business with you?”
Have you ever heard of the blue ocean and red ocean concepts? How can they be used by a company planning its strategy?What’s most important to your customer when they are buying what you are selling?
In the eyes of customers, what are a company’s most positive attributes?There are several strategic benefits to the existence of competitors. Can you cite some of them?
What makes your current/last company unique?What would happen if a company didn’t have competitive advantages relevant to the marketplace?
What can a company do to make it harder for competitors to match, offset, or leapfrog their advantages?Does your current/last company have a reputation and recognizable industry position?
Sun Tzu’s book called “Art of War” is adopted and quoted often in business strategy. Is there any actual relation between making war and doing business?New enterprises such as Uber and Airbnb managed to create their space in the red ocean, what are their competitive advantages?

Greenwashing

What exactly is greenwashing, and why should we care?Are you an eco-conscious consumer? Do you need to be a tree-hugger to care for the Earth?
What are some examples you’ve heard of greenwashing?What are the dangers of greenwashing from a business perspective?
What is the motive behind companies using the practice of greenwashing?Why does greenwashing have such a negative impact?
What influences a company to greenwash its products in this era when information gets around so easily?How can greenwashing be stopped?
How do you know if a company is greenwashing?How has the world evolved in terms of building a sustainable economy?
What are greenwashing consequences for consumers, and citizens?Do you know any company that have been caught in greenwashing attempts?
Can a business force their workforce into volunteer work to give itself a good image?If a company is caught red-handed practicing greenwashing, what can be done to mitigate the consequences?

Living Wage

What is the difference between a minimal wage and a living wage?Why should the minimum wage become a living wage? Are there disadvantages to doing this?
Do you consider the pay wage in Brazil to be fair? Can it cover all costs of living?“Make the highest quality goods possible, at the lowest price possible, paying the lowest wages possible”. How  does that affirmation reflect the reality of the salaries?
How can the national living wage affect businesses?Why should business professionals care about or support a living wage?
How high is the risk of any wage increase to translate bad for the common workers? Can it lead to layoffs?Should employers be required to pay a living wage?
Why wouldn’t big corporations reduce their profit by a little to pay their workers a little more?What if companies increase all labor to pay a “livable wage,” and it is still not enough? What other factor influence living expenses?
Would you accept a job in a company that considers productivity as the sole measure for paying wages?What would be the advantages for a company to pay a living wage?
Why is the concept of “honest pay for honest work” elusive for so many workers?How does an increase on the pay wages benefit the economy?

The Impact of Technology in the Workplace

What is the impact of technology in the workplace?Are companies spending too much on technology?
How is technology impacting how we work and learn?What changes in technology are likely to affect your career field?
“Learning and enhancing your skills are vital in this technological era.” What do you think about it?Would you use technology to encourage healthier habits? Like wearing modern smartwatches?
The necessity to stay connected always conflicts with poor internet connection and bad signal. How do you deal with this issue?How is technology aiding health care workers and organizations?
What technologies are needed to work from home?What is a disadvantage of technology that affected the work environment today?
Is technology more beneficial or harmful to workers?Specialists say the future of work might be ‘hybrid’? What is your intake on this?
Which is the most advanced technology in the world?Conferencing tools have become commonly used, so much so that people now report suffering from “zoom fatigue”. Are you tired of appearing on the camera?

Antitrust

What is Antitrust Law?What is the purpose and relevance of such legislation?
What impact does Antitrust legislation have on business?It is impossible for a small business to monopolize an industry so antitrust laws are solely for the big boys. Is this affirmation true?
In what ways do antitrust laws protect small businesses?What are some common violations of antitrust laws? How can a company avoid violating them?
How does antitrust law work in Brazil?What else can the federal government do to help maintaining a competitive economy?
What companies do you know that have been found guilty of breaking antitrust laws?Is the concept of a self-regulating market a fantasy? Why does the market need restrictions?
How can consumers make sure that companies (i.e. petrol and gas distributors) are not committing antitrust violations?What would be the disadvantages of a company cornering a specific market?
Without fair competition, would big companies keep focused on innovation and customer satisfaction?Where should we draw the boundary between good competition and bad competition, and what can be done to improve fair trade?

Tax Avoidance

What is tax avoidance? How can it affect the economy?Is tax avoidance unethical? Is it a crime?
What are probably consequences of tax avoidance?What makes tax avoidance a business ethics issue?
If companies can find ways to stay in business, doesn’t that help the economy?Why would multinational corporations justify avoiding paying their fair share of taxes?
Why do small businesses participate in tax avoidance and tax evasion when they can’t afford the penalties?Is there a way to minimize corporate taxes? Would it make it easier for them to pay their fair share?
What’s the real difference between tax evasion and tax avoidance?Apart from legal penalties, can the stakeholders be potentially harmed by a company mishandling taxes?
Satirical British writer Tom Sharpe said: “All is fair in love, war and tax evasion”. Does that mean companies have a right to “try to” pay less taxes?Why does the government focus on corporation tax: don’t businesses contribute to other taxes as well?
Is there tax avoidance in Brazil? What local factors contribute to it?How would the heavy tax burden in Brazil force companies to adopt tax avoidance practices?

Working Under Pressure

How do you respond to working under pressure?Can you give an example of when you worked well under pressure?
Why do employers value the ability to work under pressure?Writer Brian Tracy said: “Nobody works better under pressure; they just work faster.” How is that sentence true or false for you?
Under pressure situations may demand good leadership. Do you remember any situation where your leader made a difference, for better or worse?Have you ever witnessed someone having an outburst because of too much pressure? How likely is that to happen in your workplace?
“Throughout my career, I have done some of my best work under pressure”. Do you agree with that sentence?Do procrastinators work better under pressure?
When facing pressure from work, start with high-priority tasks. How does the Eisenhower matrix work?How do you ensure that stressful situations in your personal life don’t affect your work performance?
Why is this topic present in 10 out of 10 job interviews? Are companies bent on pressuring their workers?What should a person do if they’re not so keen on high-stress situations?
Give examples of how the ability to work under pressure can be developed or evidenced.Would you be able to develop the mental readiness for tasks by learning to expect the unexpected? How come?

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