Meetings
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Meetings P1
Transcript of Meetings
Meetings
P1
Meetings
P2
INDEX
1. BEFORE YOU START
2. PLANNING AHEAD
3. HOW TO SPICE UP YOUR COMPANY MEETING
4. THE LANGUAGE OF MEETINGS
5. SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS
6. TO MEET OR NOT TO MEET?
7. AGREEING TO DISAGREE
8. COULD I JUST...?
9. DEALING WITH DIFFICULT QUESTIONS
10. ORGANISING CHAOS: LEADING MEETINGS
11. DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE
12. HOW TO RUN A MEETING LIKE GOOGLE
13. DOUBLE-CHECKING
14. WHY MOST MEETINGS STINK
15. PROBLEM SOLVING
16. WHEN CULTURES MEET...
17. AND NOW THE END IS NEAR...
18. MINUTE BY MINUTE
19. COCA-COLA IN CRISIS
AUDIOSCRIPTS
PHRASE BANK
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1. Before You Start
DISCUSSION
In pairs, complete and discuss the statements below.
make find waste
chat discuss exchange criticise
Meetings are...
1) an ideal opportunity to ............... points of view. 2) the best place to ............... key decisions. 3) a safe environment in which to ............... important issues. 4) a rare chance to ............... with people from other
departments.
5) the only way to ............... out what’s really going on. 6) an open invitation to ............... each other. 7) the perfect excuse to ............... an entire morning!
Which is closest to the kind of meetings you have?
1.1 Listen to ten business people from different countries complaining about meetings. Match each extract with the correct topic below. Then read the statements again. Do you agree or disagree with them?
a. there’s no fixed agenda b. meetings are boring c. preparation is lacking d. only the boss’s opinions counts e. it’s all about status
f. the follow-up is never clear g. the venues are inappropriate h. meetings go on too long i. no decisions are made j. interruption is a problem
Are you assertive in meetings? What if the meeting is held in English? Complete the questionnaire using the words below by ticking () the appropriate column. Then discuss each point.
things conversation
rubbish conflict
silences room
people time
Questionnaire Agree Disagree
1) You shouldn’t interrupt too much – it just creates ............... .
2) If someone’s talking ..............., I’m afraid you just have to stop them.
3) You should always try to avoid embarrassing ............... in meetings.
4) You must always think before you speak – take your ............... .
5) You can’t expect everybody to see ............... your way all the time.
6) You mustn’t let other ............... push you around.
7) You don’t have to wait until the ............... stops before you speak.
8) If people refuse to listen, you can just walk out of the ............... .
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Each sentence in the questionnaire contains a modal verb. Match each modal verb to its meaning below.
a. it’s a good idea b. it’s a bad idea
c. it’s necessary d. it’s not necessary
e. it’s acceptable f. it’s not acceptable
TASK
Look at the halves of famous quotes about meetings (see Handout 1). Work in pairs. Match the beginnings to the ends of each quote. Which pair can complete the quotes the fastest?
Afterwards, discuss the following points about each quote as a group.
Is the quote positive or negative? Do you agree with it? Why or why not? Which is your favourite? Why?
2. Planning Ahead
DISCUSSION
Look at the following quote. Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
"Failures don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan." Harvey MacKay (1932-), businessman, columnist and author.
2.1 An HR manager, Anna Baxter, is preparing to interview three candidates for a new post. She is discussing her plans with her colleagues Marianne and George. Look at these suggestions. Which three suggestions are accepted?
1) What about interviewing them by phone? 2) I think we should invite them here on different days. 3) Why don’t we invite them here on the same day? 4) We could also ask them to work together on a
small project. 5) Let’s get some coffee.
Look at the sentences again. Underline the expressions used for making suggestions. Listen again. How do they respond to suggestions 1-4?
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Work in pairs. Match the situations with the appropriate suggestion. Then take it in turns to practise making suggestions.
Situation Suggestion
1) A colleague wants to have lunch. a. search on the Internet
2) You are launching a new product. b. meeting with her boss for an appraisal
3) A friend is unhappy with her salary. c. the new Italian restaurant
4) You need a new supplier. d. meeting with HR director to talk about vacancies
5) A colleague looks unwell and tired. e. a weekly meeting
6) Your boss needs help with phone calls in English. f. an email to all customers
7) There are communication problems in your office. g. leave early
8) A colleague wants to work abroad. h. take a language course
2.2 Marianne needs to arrange the interviews. Look at her diary and listen to her first call to one candidate, Charles Lawson. Today is 3rd June.
1) What dates are difficult or impossible for Charles? 2) What possible dates do they choose? 3) Do they arrange a time?
Complete the conversation on the next page with words from the box, then listen again and check your answers.
good how about available time shall free afraid
say busy when free afraid
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Marianne So, ...............1 are you ...............2?
Charles Which week are you talking about?
Marianne Either next week – week twenty-three, or the week after – week twenty-four.
Charles Next week is difficult, so I’d prefer the week after.
Marianne Right. That’s the week beginning Monday the 14th. ...............3 Tuesday the 15th?
Charles I’m free that day but the following day I’m in Madrid.
Marianne Are you ...............4 on the 17th and 18th?
Charles I’m ...............5 I’m ...............6 the morning of the 17th.
Marianne OK, so ...............7 we ...............8 the afternoon of the 17th and then all day on the 18th?
Charles That would be fine. What ...............9 is ...............10 for you?
Individually decide which of the phrases below correspond to the functions. Then check your answers in pairs.
Changing arrangements Confirming arrangements Making arrangements
1. 2. 3.
Would Thursday at 5 o’clock suit you?
What about / How about July 21st?
When would be a good time?
That would be fine / great / perfect.
Could we meet sometime next month?
I’m afraid I can’t come (on) that day.
Could we fix / arrange / it for another day / time / date?
We’ve got an appointment for next month, but...
Sorry, I’m too busy next week.
No, sorry, I can’t make it then.
Sorry, that was...
I just want to check / confirm that? You said...
To confirm that...
Can I / Can you confirm that by email?
Individually complete the phrases by filling in the spaces without looking back at the previous activities. In pairs compare your answers. Then check as a group – can you add any alternative phrases?
1) Could we .............. sometime next month? 2) When .............. a good time? 3) Would Thursday at 5 o’clock .............. you? 4) What about / .............. about July 21st? 5) That would be .............. / great / perfect. 6) No, sorry, I can’t .............. it then. 7) Sorry, I’m .............. next week.
8) We’ve got an .............. for next month, but... 9) I’m .............. I can’t come (on) that day. 10) Could we .............. / arrange it for another day / time / date? 11) I just want to check / .............. that? You said... 12) To .............. that... 13) Can I / Can you .............. that by email? 14) .............. that was...
A Singaporean exporter (who works for the company Computech) plans to send goods from Singapore to Greece. He wants to
have a meeting with a Greek shipping company, Intership. Look at the dialogue outline on the next page. Suggest suitable phrases for each step in the conversation, then practise the dialogue with a colleague. Refer to the Phrase Bank as necessary.
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Intership Computech
“Intership, good morning.” Greeting. Introduce yourself.
Check name. Confirm / Correct.
Offer to help. Ask for appointment with Mr Dionis.
Ask what it’s about. Explain that you want to discuss transport of goods from Singapore to Athens.
Acknowledge – ask when would be a good time. Suggest next week.
Reject – Mr Dionis is away. Beginning of next month? Agree. Suggest Monday 3rd.
Reject – on Monday Mr Dionis is busy all day. Tuesday? Agree. Suggest 10.00am.
Agree – ask for an email to confirm. Offer to book hotel. Agree to email. Hotel booking is not necessary. Signal end of call.
End call / thanks / refer to an email etc. End call.
2.3 Now listen to the recording of a model answer. How was it different to your own?
TASK
Work with a partner. Take it in turns to be Marianne and arrange times with the other candidates. Use the diary again. Remember the dates you have already agreed with Charles Lawson.
1) Marianne (Student A) call Emilie Thomas (Student B) to find two days she’s free. Student B, turn to Handout 2. 2) Student B now you are Marianne. Call Student A (see Handout 3), Philip Johnson, to find two days he’s free.
DISCUSSION
Read these points about what makes a successful meeting. Which do you agree with? Can you add any more points?
The best number of people for a meeting is six or fewer. Never have food or drink during a meeting. Always start and finish a meeting on time. You should sit round a table when you have a meeting. A meeting must always have a leader.
3. How to Spice Up your Company Meeting Read the article on the next page and match the ten headings to the ten tips for planning successful meetings.
Formulate the agenda carefully Break the ice Organize the physical environment Never underestimate the power of food Repetition
Set goals for your periodic meeting Invite guest speakers for audience participation and excitement Diversify your presentation methods Encourage questions to get a dialogue going Be punctual
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How to Spice Up your Company Meeting Are you the planner of the monthly or periodic company or department meeting? They can be deadly dull1 if you’re not careful. You know the drill. A bunch of talking heads line up to give people company information. People are interested, but the most effective meetings woo their attention with thought-provoking questions and answers, audio-visuals and participation. These tips bring you success. Here’s how:
1. …………… Start your meetings, presentations and training sessions with an ice-breaker or warm-up activity. In a large meeting or a short meeting, the icebreaker can be a single question that gets people thinking and talking with their neighbor. As an example, ask a question that causes people to raise their hands. The length of the ice-breaker depends on the length of your meeting, so plan wisely2.
2. …………… If every speaker talks to the audience, in lecture format, even interested heads soon nod3. Ask people to talk in small groups. Use audio-visual materials such as overheads, PowerPoint presentations and pictures. If you’re talking about a new painting process, show your employees before and after parts. Pass around positive customer surveys and comment cards.
3. …………… Your customers have lots to say to your workforce about their needs and quality requirements. One client organization that partners with non-profit, charitable associations features guest speakers from the organizations that receive their donations. Speakers from organizations your employees support financially are dynamite.
4. …………… Ask people to write down their questions in advance of the meeting and during the meeting. Allow time for questions directed to each speaker as you go. If you can’t answer the question immediately and correctly, tell the people you’ll get back with them when you have the correct answer. If questions exceed time, schedule a meeting on the topic.
5. …………… An often-overlooked, but very important, successful meeting tactic is to ask each speaker to repeat out loud4 every question he or she is asked. The person asking the question then knows the speaker understood the question. Other people attending the meeting can hear and know the question, too, not just surmise5 the question - perhaps incorrectly - from the speaker’s response.
6. …………… You can’t present every aspect of the company’s business at a one hour meeting. So, decide the important, timely6 issues and spend the meeting time on them. Take into consideration the interests of the majority of the attendees as well. Remember, you have other methods for communicating company information, too. It does not have to take place at the meeting.
7. …………… Identify the needs and interests of the majority of the participants. Start with good news that will make the attendees feel good. Vary the order of the speakers on the agenda each month. You don’t want people bored by sameness. Distribute important items across the agenda so people don’t tune out7 the end of the meeting, or think the final items are less important.
8. …………… An article in the Wall Street Journal, several years ago, stated that U.S. managers would save eighty percent of the time they waste in meetings if they did two things correctly. The first was to always have an agenda. The second was start on time and end on time. I’ll add that you need to allot8 each speaker the amount of time necessary to cover their topic. Hold them to their time limit - nicely.
9. …………… This can ensure people are attentive to the meeting content. No one should sit behind or to the side of your speakers. Make sure there are seats for all attendees, and if taking notes is required, a surface to write on, too. Make sure visuals are visible and that people can hear. You may need to use a microphone. You can pass props9 or samples around the room for viewing.
10. …………… Food relaxes the atmosphere, helps make people feel comfortable, helps people sustain positive energy levels and builds the camaraderie of the team. Ensure you meet the diverse needs of your group with the food you serve. As an example, offer fruit and yoghurt in addition to donuts. Don’t forget to offer vegetarian and kosher10 alternatives.
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Match the highlighted words in the article with their definitions.
1) [verb] infer from incomplete evidence; 2) [adverb] sagely; with wisdom; 3) [verb] to grant, allocate, give in small portions; 4) [adjective] not active or brisk; boring; 5) [adverb] using the voice; not silently; 6) [verb] to be almost asleep; 7) [adjective] conforming to the requirements of Jewish dietary law; 8) [verb – slang] to stop paying attention to a person or situation; 9) [adjective] done or happening at the appropriate or proper time; 10) [noun] any movable articles or objects, often used on the set of a play or movie;
DISCUSSION
Discuss the advice in the article. Do you agree with it? Do you think they would ‘spice up’ your company meetings?
4. The Language of Meetings
MEETING COLLOCATIONS
Look at the group of words below. Work in pairs. Take it in turns to select what you think is a correct collocation of verb + ‘a meeting’. You get one point for each correct choice. You lose one point for an incorrect answer. Which pair wins?
interrupt call off skip assist have
wind up tell arrange put off open
adjourn cancel put on bring forward fix
call postpone organise manage jump
conduct chair hold attend close
COMMON MISTAKES: MEET OR KNOW?
Be Careful: There are some fundamental differences between meet and know in English:
We use .............. for a first encounter with someone, or for specific encounters. After the first encounter it often takes a long time to ‘get to ..............’ a person. .............. cannot be used for actions which take place at specific moments. .............. is not normally used for cities or countries – use ‘have been to’ instead. For news or information we do not use .............., use ‘to find out’ or ‘to hear’.
Complete the sentences below with an appropriate word or words.
1) Do you ..............Peter? 2) Of course I .............. him, I .............. him at a party last year. 3) .............. you .............. India? It’s a fantastic country. 4) He’s a very well .............. actor.
5) Where did you .............. him? 6) I .............. about the accident on the news last night. 7) Julia, have you .............. Peter? 8) Do you .............. where the toilets are?
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COMMON PHRASES
4.1 Complete the following extracts from meetings using the words in the box. Then listen and check your answers.
point question answer situation fact position option problem
A. A scheduling meeting
A. Right. Basically, the... B. But we’re not in a... A. I know. Jan, what’s your...
................ ...is this: the contract is ours if we want it. ...to take on another project right now, are we? ...on this?
B. An IT meeting
A. Look, it’s not just a... B. Of course not. It’s also a... A. But that’s out of the...
................ ...of software, A1essandro. ...of hardware. The entire system needs upgrading. We can’t afford that kind of capital outlay.
C. A marketing meeting
A. Sales are down. One... B. That’s no longer an... A. Well, then we’ve no...
................ ...would obviously be to cut our prices. ...for us. We’re barely breaking even as it is. ...but to rethink our whole marketing strategy.
D. An HR (Human Resources) meeting
A. Well, there’s no easy... B. I don’t think that’s the... A. That might have been the...
................ ...to this, but how about voluntary redundancy? ...but maybe we could reduce people’s hours. ...if we didn’t already have a strike on our hands!
E. A strategy meeting
A. Now, let’s not make a... B. Well, I’ve no... A. No, but that’s not our...
................ ...out of this. What if we just pulled out of Sudan? ...with that, but our partners won’t be happy. ...is it? The political situation is just too unstable.
F. A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) meeting
A. I’ll get straight to the... B. I agree with you. But the... A. That’s beside the...
................ We’re getting too many customer complaints. ...is we don’t have the staff to deal with them. We shouldn’t be getting them in the first place!
G. A crisis meeting
A. I’m afraid the... B. Look, we’ll deal with that... A. You’re right. What this...
................ ...is serious. And if the press get hold of the story... ...if and when it arises. Let’s not panic just yet. ...calls for is calm and careful planning.
H. A budget meeting
A. The... B. As a matter of... C. That may be so, but the...
................ ...is, we’re simply not spending enough on R&D. ...we’ve doubled our R&D budget this year. ...remains we’re losing our technological lead.
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TASK
Work with a partner to write a short dialogue using at least five of the expressions above. Read it out to the rest of the class. Can they write the next line of your dialogue using another one of the expressions?
5. Successful Meetings
DISCUSSION
Do you spend too much time in meetings? Why are meetings sometimes too long? What are the characteristics of a successful meeting. Brainstorm ideas in pairs.
5.1 Listen to Allan Case, an engineer, talking about the characteristics of successful business meetings. He makes five of the eight points below. Identify the correct order of these points. Do you agree with him?
There is a written agenda.
Clear objectives – known to everyone.
Respect for the time available / time planning.
Good chair – effective control.
Emotions are kept under control.
Good preparation.
Everyone gets to say what they need to say.
Reaching objectives.
5.2 Here is an incomplete agenda for a meeting of an Environmental Research Unit. Listen to the recording of the start of this meeting. You will hear the opening remarks from the chair, Victor Allen. Note the objectives of the meeting by filling in the spaces in the agenda.
Look up the words in the box on the next page in a dictionary, if necessary. Individually complete the dialogue between a new employee and his boss about how staff meetings are held with words or phrases in the box below. In pairs compare your answers.
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agenda attend items apologies call
minutes approves consensus proxy arising
quorum Chairperson AOB informally casting
Employee So how do staff meetings work in this department, then?
Boss
Well, we have them monthly, and everybody is supposed to ..............1 . If we want to discuss something we tell the secretary beforehand, and she puts it on the ...............2. We all receive this about a week before the meeting, along with the ..............3 of the last meeting. We begin the meeting by signing a list of the people present, and the Chair reads out a list of ..............4 received from people who can’t come.
Employee What’s ‘the Chair’?
Boss Since out head of department is a woman, instead of saying ‘Chairman,’ or ‘Madame Chairman,’
we just say ‘Chair.’ Some people say ..............5’ but ‘Chair’ is shorter.
Employee OK. And then?
Boss
The first two items are usually to ask the meeting whether everyone ..............6 of the agenda, and of the minutes of the previous meeting. If necessary we then discuss matters ..............7 from the minutes. We then go through the ..............8 on the agenda. The last one is always ..............9, or Any Other Business, so we can add things that haven’t been included on the agenda. For important decisions, if we can’t reach a ..............10 we have a vote. If there’s a tie and the votes are even, the Chair has a ..............11 vote.
Employee And what happens if you can’t be there, can you ask someone else to vote for you?
Boss Oh, no. We don’t have ..............12 votes. You have to be there. Especially as we need 50% of the staff to have a ..............13, without which nothing can be voted on and no decisions can be taken.
Employee And you only have them once a month?
Boss
Well, I suppose we could ..............14 an emergency meeting if there was something urgent to discuss, but it hasn’t happened recently. You know, most of us work individually, we have our specific jobs to do, and we don’t need to discuss too many things with the whole department. We collaborate ..............15 when necessary, like we’re doing now, and only have meetings to discuss things that concern everybody. Otherwise, meetings are a waste of time. I still remember a line from Peter Drucker, the management theorist. He once wrote, “You can either work or meet. You can’t do both at the same time.”
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TASK
In groups, work out a brief agenda, with the appropriate order, for a meeting of the marketing department of Axis Finance Ltd., a medium-sized financial services company. Your agenda should include the points listed here.
AOB minutes of previous meeting date of next meeting
personnel changes chair’s opening address new projects
marketing plans for next year review of marketing performance in
the current year apologies for absence
Did all the groups agree on the same order for the agenda? If not, defend your point of view.
6. To Meet or Not to Meet?
DISCUSSION
“Meetings are called by managers who get lonely.” Sue Gaulke, management trainer.
Roughly how much of your working week do you spend in meetings? Which of the following attitudes is closer to your own? Indicate your position on the scale below and compare with a partner.
Meetings: where the real work gets done!
Meetings: a practical alternative to work!
Read the article below. Would you have liked to work for Harold Green? Is he anything like your boss?
The King of Meetings The average executive spends half their life in meetings. If there was a king of meetings, it would have to be former ITT chief, Harold Green, a remorselessly driven workaholic who believed that facts and analytical rigour could – and surely would – conquer all. Every month more than fifty ITT executives flew from all over the world to Brussels to spend four days pouring over the figures. Clocks in the meeting remained resolutely on New York time. The room housed a 90-foot long table. The curtains were drawn and the executives survived on a diet of hamburgers and statistics. The shareholders didn’t complain. Between 1959 and 1977, when Green was chief executive, ITT’s sales went from $745 million to nearly $328 billion.
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Some of the things you might discuss in an information-sharing meeting are listed below. Match a word from the first column with a word from the second one.
production balance market staff profit distribution quality sales IT
advertising cost supply product customer recruitment salary training price
appraisals margins channels sheets methods development campaigns chains control
procedures support cutting budgets setting projections relations trends reviews
DISCUSSION
Use the template below to help you talk about the meetings you attend. Use some of the phrases above or choose others that are more relevant to your own line of business.
“Well, a lot of meetings I go to these days tend to be about .............. and usually that will involve discussing things like.............. . The most important figures we look at are .............. . So I’ll probably have to prepare .............. and issue copies before the meeting. If there’s any real disagreement, it will generally be about .............. . But, frankly, the worst thing about the meetings is .............. .”
Are there any alternatives to meetings? If so, what are they? Brainstorm ideas in pairs.
Work in pairs. You are each going to read different articles about possible alternatives to business meetings. Before you read them, look at the headlines below. What do you think the solutions are? Then read the articles (see Handouts 4 and 5) to see if you were right.
“Jet lag hater’s guide to business travel.”
“Work when and where you like!”
Explain your article to your partner. Discuss whether you agree with what it says or not. If not, why not? Compare your answers with the rest of the group.
Work in pairs again. Look at the following ten definitions. They all refer to words or phrases in the two articles. Can you find them all between you? There are five in each article.
1) tiredness caused by international travel;
2) marked by or given to doubt;
3) to work excessively hard;
4) what you say to persuade people to buy;
5) not producing the desired results;
6) financially very solid;
7) objective or target;
8) people in general;
9) the times at the beginning and end of the working day when many people are travelling to or from work;
10) to have or display in an ostentatious or proud manner;
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DISCUSSION
Which of the following would you consider doing by phone rather than face-to-face? Discuss your reasons with your partner. Would a video facility make a difference?
a project meeting a job interview a negotiation a crisis meeting a sales presentation
7. Agreeing to Disagree “Why is there no conflict at this meeting? Something’s wrong where there’s no conflict.” Michael Eisner (1942-), head of Disney.
7.1 Four marketing executives at a cosmetics company, Marvel Plc, are talking about licensing their ‘Luc Fontaine’ product range to an Asian manufacturer. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.
1) Why do the marketing executives at Marvel Plc want to license their ‘Luc Fontaine’ product range? 2) What advantages does Susan Li offer to Marvel? 3) According to Barbara, what is the disadvantage of offering a licence to Susan Li? 4) What suggestion does Barbara make to her colleagues?
Listen again and complete the extracts.
Marcia Alain, how ...............1 about this? Is she the right person for us?
Alain Definitely. In my opinion, she’s ideal.
Marcia Right. Valerie, what ............... ............... ...............2?
Valerie I ...............3 because she’s very good at marketing. I’ve met her several times.
Marcia Barbara, you’re shaking your head. ............... ............... ...............4?
Barbara I’m ............... ............... ...............5 agree. I don’t think she’s suitable at all.
Marcia So what do you suggest then?
Barbara ............... ............... ............... ...............6 find someone else. I do have someone in mind. In my opinion, his company has a lot to offer. ............... ............... ...............7 meet him and see if he’s interested?
Which of the phrases in the dialogue are for:
a. asking for opinions? b. giving opinions?
c. agreeing or disagreeing? d. making suggestions?
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Add the following phrases to the appropriate section of the Useful language table below.
1) Does anybody have any strong feelings about...? 2) As far as I’m concerned... 3) Well hold on... 4) From my point of view...
5) I’m not sure I’d totally go along with that. 6) I take your point but... 7) I guess you’re right. 8) I couldn’t agree more.
Asking for opinions Agreeing Making suggestions
How do you feel about...?
What do you think?
What’s your opinion?
What’s your view?
That’s true.
I think I’d agree with you there.
Absolutely / Exactly.
I think so too.
I think we should...
How about...?
Why don’t we...?
Maybe / Perhaps we could...
Giving opinions Disagreeing
I think... / I don’t think...
In my opinion...
I see / know what you mean, but...
I’m afraid I can’t agree.
Maybe, but...
Practise using the phrases above. You will each receive a handout (see Handout 6) with a controversial opinion about a current affairs issue. You will also receive a role card which will give you your opinion on the subject (see Handout 7). This is the role you must follow during the task. If it is your issue being discussed, you must introduce and lead the debate. Discuss the issue until it is finished or a consensus is reached. After you have finished, try to guess what it said on the other students’ role cards. Swap role cards and start with a new issue.
TASK
Role play this situation. Jonson, a large department store in Chicago, USA, is losing money. Its main product areas are food, clothing and household furniture. Seventy percent of its revenue comes from clothing, twenty-two percent from food and eight percent from furniture. Three directors of the company meet to discuss the company’s problems and how to solve them.
Work in groups of three. Read your role cards then role play the discussion.
Student A: turn to Handout 8. Student B: turn to Handout 9. Student C: turn to Handout 10.
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8. Could I Just...?
DISCUSSION
What do you think is the most effective way to do the following? Underline your answers.
Interrupt in meetings Prevent interruption
I raise my hand.
I cough.
I say Errrrm...
I say the speaker’s name.
I just start speaking!
I gesture that I haven’t finished.
I raise my VOICE!
I avoid eye contact with the other person.
I just keep talking!
I glare at the person interrupting.
Rearrange the words to make expressions. Label them interrupting or preventing interruption. Which two can be both?
1) just minute a 2) me let finish 3) no me out hear
4) on hang second a 5) again to sorry interrupt 6) could if finish I just
7) here can just I in come? 8) just I something say can? 9) what I finish could just saying was I?
TASK
Work in groups. Read the text Fast talking (Handout 11) to check you understand it. Then take turns reading the text aloud to the group in under a minute. Your partners will interrupt you as often as they can to stop you reaching the end of the text.
Notes for reading. After each interruption, use a preventing interruption expression and read on. Don’t answer any questions. See how far through the text you can get. Good luck!
Notes for interrupting. You may find it easier if you begin each interruption with Ermmm. To be even more effective, use the reader’s name as well: Errrm, Maria. Can 1just come in here?
This is a test of your assertiveness and determination. Remember the famous words of film mogul, Sam Goldwyn:
“Don’t talk to me when I’m interrupting!” Sam Goldwyn (1882-1974), movie mogul and producer.
Try the activity again, this time without the time limit. The people interrupting should not only interrupt, but also ask questions. The reader should try to deal with each question before moving on.
8.1 Four executives are discussing changes to company working practices. Listen to the meeting and answer these questions.
1) Why does Nancy think the open-plan office is a good idea?
2) Why are two of the people against introducing an open-plan office?
3) What proposal does Carl make to deal with the problem mentioned?
4) Why is Max against hot-desking?
5) What change in working practices does Nancy want?
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Listen again and tick () the expressions in the Useful language table that you hear.
Interrupting Dealing with interruptions
Could I just say something / comment on that?
Excuse me, but could I just say...
Hold on a minute.
Sorry to interrupt but...
Hold on. Can I finish the point?
Let Stefan finish, please.
I’d like to finish if I may.
Just a moment, please...
Asking for clarification Clarifying
How do you mean...?
What exactly are you saying / do you mean?
Are you saying we need to...?
Sorry, I don’t follow you.
Can you explain in more detail?
What I mean is...
What I’m saying is...
No, I was thinking of...
To be more specific...
To clarify...
Making proposals Rejecting proposals
I suggest...
I propose that...
How about...
We could...
Sorry, I don’t think it’s / that’s a good idea.
I’m not sure I agree with you there.
It / That just won’t work.
Well, I’m not happy about it / that.
Individually complete the phrases with words or phrases in the box below.
agree bring up let wouldn’t not only that just say
1) Can I ............... something? 2) I’d like to ............... the point of...
3) Sorry, but I ............... say that. 4) I agree, and ............... but ...
5) But wouldn’t you ............... that...? 6) Please ............... me finish.
Use the outline to recreate a dialogue with a partner. Choose alternative interruptions and ways of handling interruptions.
Person speaking Person interrupting
“The fall in sales is mainly due to the recession affecting world markets.”
Interrupt: ask for clarification
Polite response: 5% / most product areas / especially oil processing / also due to sale of Anglo, UK subsidiary
Interrupt: ask why Anglo was sold.
Reject interruption: no time /discussed before
Try to move on to future prospects: good Interrupt: disagree
Respond: you disagree / forecasts are much better Interrupt: you want to talk about new markets
Respond: promise to discuss this later / but first... Interrupt: suggest a break
Respond: reject the idea
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TASK
Role play this situation. You are managers of a television production company, Zoom International. You are discussing these two proposals for changes to company policy. Student A: Turn to Handout 12. Student B: Turn to Handout 13.
1) Zoom International (ZI) could reduce costs by offering staff a 10% increase in salary instead of a company car. If ZI makes the change, staff will have to provide their own car for business use, using their own money.
2) ZI could increase security at their head office. At present, a security guard checks staff who enter the building. In the future, staff will have to go through a barrier where they insert an identity card. If they do not have an identity card, they cannot enter the building. In addition, they must, at all times wear an identity card with their photograph on it. There will be two female receptionists behind the barrier.
9. Dealing with Difficult Questions In situations such as job interviews, dealing with clients, meetings and giving presentations, the ability to deal with difficult questions is very useful. There are different reasons why questions might be considered difficult. For example, the person:
a. doesn’t know the answers. b. knows the answer but doesn’t want
to tell the truth. c. knows the answer but finds the
question inappropriate.
Look at these questions and decide why they might be difficult (a-c above). In what situations might they be asked?
1) Why did you leave your last job? 2) How do you react to criticism? 3) The figures don’t make sense. Where did you get them from? 4) So, how much do you earn? 5) You say the sales are up ten per cent. Can we have a breakdown, please? 6) I still haven’t received my order. What’s going on?
Dealing with difficult questions requires answers that:
a. buy time b. have been carefully prepared to make a good impression c. repeat positive messages to avoid direct answers d. avoid answering by asking another question
9.1 Listen to six people deal with difficult questions. Which strategies are used? Some answers combine more than one.
Match the following headings to the Useful language in the table on the next page. Can you add anymore?
Proposing solutions Looking at problems from different angles
Giving reasons for opinions Playing for time
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1. 2.
That’s a difficult / interesting / tricky one...
Let me see, ...
Well, it (really) depends on...
Having said that...
On the other hand...
At the same time...
3. 4.
In this situation / case, I’d...
What I’d do / say is...
If it were the case that...
On the grounds that...
For the reason that...
Seeing / given that...
TASK
Work in groups. Prepare difficult questions to ask other groups about the following topics. Then practise asking and answering the questions with another group. Respond using the Useful language as much as possible.
the company the economy your teacher a bad sporting performance
DISCUSSION
Attitudes to critical questions vary from country to country. In some cultures any form of questioning or criticism in public is very impolite. In others it is important to speak out and criticism is not taken personally. What is common in your culture?
10. Organising Chaos: Leading Meetings “Either lead, follow or get out of the way.” Sign on the desk of Ted Turner, founder of CNN.
DISCUSSION
How much influence do you have at the meetings you participate in? When it comes to meetings would you rather lead, follow or simply get out of the way? Why are some meetings successful and others unsuccessful? Think about a regular meeting you attend and consider the following:
Who is the most powerful person in the room? Does he / she actually lead the meeting?
What are the seating arrangements – fixed or flexible? Does anyone tend to dominate the discussion? Is that
ever a problem? Are there people who hardly speak at all? If so, why are
they there? Who, if anyone, is the most ‘dangerous’ person in the
room?
Explain to a partner how the meeting works. A simple diagram may help you.
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Match the definitions (1-12) to the words and phrases (a-l).
1) the person in charge of the meeting 2) the people at the meeting 3) to go to a meeting 4) a list of topics to be discussed 5) one topic on the list 6) the last topic on the list 7) to make a suggestion formally 8) to support a formal suggestions 9) a method of making a decision 10) an official record of what was said and/or decided 11) to say that you cannot go to a meeting 12) what needs to be done after the meeting and by whom
a. action points b. chairperson c. propose d. attend e. to send your apologies f. item g. vote h. any other business (AOB) i. participants j. second k. minutes l. agenda
Combine a word from each box to make ten common problems with meetings. Do you have these problems in your meetings?
communication communication time point- hidden
pulling inadequate late over getting
barriers wasting preparation breakdowns agendas
rank scoring runs sidetracked starts
Which of the above collocations relate to:
a. misunderstandings? b. failing to finish on time? c. competition between colleagues? d. talking about irrelevant issues? e. secret intentions or objectives? f. using your status to get what you want? g. things which make people reluctant to talk?
Read the quote below. Does it strike you as a good idea? Which of the problems from the previous exercise might it help to solve? Which would it probably make worse?
“Suppose you removed the table from your conference room and replaced the seats with armchairs. Suppose you turned it into a living room. How much would this affect your meetings? That’s how much your meetings are about power, not communication.”
Five alternative approaches successful companies have taken to the problem of meetings are listed below. What do you think they might involve?
1) the non-stop meeting 2) the mobile meeting
3) the recreational meeting 4) the democratic meeting
5) the virtual meeting
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10.1 Listen to an extract from a business news programme and match the approaches on the previous page to the companies that have adopted them. Could any of the ideas work in your company? Would any be thought ridiculous?
a. Federal Express b. another.com c. Xerox Corporation d. Michaelides & Bednash Media e. St. Luke’s Advertising
10.2 A venture capital firm is discussing the start-up company it had talks with last week. Listen to three extracts from their meeting and answer the questions.
1) Who’s absent from the meeting and why? 2) What are the main goals of the meeting? 3) What’s the main area of conflict in the meeting? 4) Who do you think the main troublemaker is? 5) What follow-up tasks are assigned? 6) Does timeofyourlife.com’s business plan sound good to you?
7) In your opinion, how effective was the chairman of the meeting?
10.3 A group of managers are discussing whether to offer an employee a full-time contract. Listen and tick the expressions in the Useful language table that you hear.
Starting Setting objectives
OK, let’s get down to business.
Right, can we start, please?
The purpose of this meeting is...
The aims of this meeting are...
Asking for reactions Dealing with interruptions
How do you feel about...?
What do you think?
Could you let him finish, please?
Could you just hang on a moment, please?
Keeping to the point Speeding up
I’m not sure that’s relevant.
Perhaps we could get back to the point.
I think we should move on now.
Can we come back to that?
Slowing down Summarising
Hold on, we need to look at this in more detail.
I think we should discuss this a bit more.
OK, let’s go over what we’ve agreed.
Right, to sum up then...
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Hold a meeting to discuss the duties and responsibilities of a chairperson. You are all equally responsible for making sure that:
everyone has a chance to put forward their views no individual dominates
everyone keeps to the point notes are taken
Present your ideas to the other groups. What were the advantages / disadvantages of not having a chairperson in your meeting?
Did everyone have a chance to give their ideas? How did you stop any individuals dominating?
Did your group manage to keep to the point? How did you decide who would take notes?
TASK
You are managers of a retail fashion chain called Space. You are holding your regular management meeting. Use the Managing Director’s notes below as an agenda for your discussions. A different person should chair each item.
1) Dress Code: Following complaints from customers, we need to discuss ideas for a dress code for all employees as well as guidelines on personal appearance.
2) Policy for Smokers: Non-smoking staff complain that staff who smoke take frequent ‘cigarette breaks’ outside the store. Should smokers work extra time to make up for the time lost?
3) Commission Payments: At present, commission is based on quarterly sales at each store and is divided equally between all staff. Now, our Sales Director wants each person to receive commission according to their individual sales.
4) End-of-year Bonus: Staff receive sales vouchers as an end-of-year bonus. The vouchers give discounts on a range of good at major department stores. Some managers are proposing to issue no sales vouchers this year. Instead, staff will be invited to an end-of-year party.
5) Staff Turnover: Staff tend to be young so employee turnover is high. As a result, training costs have increased dramatically. What can be done to keep staff longer?
11. Dealing with Difficult People
DISCUSSION
Look at the following examples of behaviour that a chairperson might have to deal with in a meeting. Which situation(s) should the chairperson deal with most urgently? Compare your ideas with your partner. Discuss what strategies the chairperson could use in each situation.
A participant looks bored and is not contributing to the discussion.
Every time anyone makes a suggestion, one participant responds with a negative comment. They say why an idea won’t work, but don’t make any positive suggestions.
Two participants keep having private, whispered discussions during the meeting.
A participant doesn’t want to listen to anyone else’s ideas. They keep interrupting and try to dominate any topic discussed.
A participant is not very willing to give an opinion. A participant keeps introducing irrelevant topics to the discussion.
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11.1 Listen to extracts from four meetings. Match the meetings 1-4 to the behaviours a-d.
a. Try to introduce irrelevant topics b. Respond negatively to other people’s ideas
c. Try to dominate d. Do not respond initially
Match a-d with two of the phrases (1-8) the chairperson uses to deal with them. Listen again and check your answers.
try to dominate do not respond respond negatively try to introduce irrelevant topics
1) We need consensus. 2) You obviously feel strongly about this. 3) If nobody has any better ideas, how about...? 4) It is important we keep to the point on this. 5) I’d like to hear what other people think. 6) So, how do you think we should approach this? 7) We’ve got a lot to get through and time is running out. 8) Thank you for your comments. We’ll take them into consideration.
Look at the suggestions below for dealing with difficult situations and choose the response that you think would work best.
1) Help calm a difficult situation by acknowledging how the person feels.
a. You’re obviously pretty angry about this. b. I can see that you feel strongly about this.
2) Try to find out why the person is being difficult. a. Can you explain why you feel this way? b. Why are you being unreasonable?
3) Show that you understand. a. I can sympathise with your concerns. b. I realise why you’re panicking about this.
4) Encourage quiet participants when they contribute, even if you don’t agree with their ideas.
a. Thanks for your suggestion, but you really need to think it through a bit more.
b. I think the basic idea is good, but perhaps we could discuss some of the details.
5) Be firm if people try to use the meeting to speak about personal grievances. a. This isn’t the best place to discuss this. b. Leave your personal differences out of this.
TASK
You are going to role-play four short meetings. For each meeting, read the situation and objective on the next page and look at your information in your Handout. You are the chairperson for one of the meetings and a participant for the other three. When you are the chairperson, start the meeting by outlining the objective. During the meeting, try to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate and deal with any negative tactics that participants use.
Student A turn to Handout 14. Student B turn to Handout 15.
Student C turn to Handout 16. Student D turn to Handout 17.
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Meeting 1 Meeting 2
Situation
Your company manufactures a car which has always been popular with older consumers and families because the brand image is safe and reliable. For the last two years there has been a steady decline in market share.
Objective
Discuss whether to stay with your current consumers or create a new brand image to appeal to another segment of the market.
Situation
Your company is sponsoring a new magazine aimed at businesspeople who are learning English. You are on the committee liaising with the publishers.
Objective
Think of five subjects for articles to suggest to the publisher for the first edition of the magazine.
Meeting 3 Meeting 4
Situation
Your company manufactures camping and outdoor adventure equipment. A mistake by the purchasing department means that you now have a large quantity of waterproof material that is surplus to requirements. It is not possible to return the material to the supplier.
Objective
Brainstorm ways that you could put the material to use.
Situation
Your company has invested a lot of money creating a brand identity for a new toothpaste. An employee has just discovered that the product name sounds like the word toothache in the language of one country where you plan to market the toothpaste.
Objective
Discuss possible ways to approach the problem.
12. How to Run a Meeting Like Google
DISCUSSION
Imagine you are going to be interviewed by a top business website for your expertise on meetings. What are your top six tips for running successful meetings? Brainstorm ideas in pairs and make a list.
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
Now read the article How to Run a Meeting Like Google on the next page and match the six headings to the six tips Marissa Mayer gave when interviewed on the same subject.
Discourage politics, use data Hold office hours
Assign a note-taker Stick to the clock
Carve out micro-meetings Set a firm agenda
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How to Run a Meeting Like Google I can recall a Dilbert cartoon in which several people sat around a table while the meeting organizer said, "There is no specific agenda for this meeting. As usual, we’ll just make unrelated emotional statements about things which bother us…" That pretty much sums it up. The majority of meetings are unstructured, uninspiring, and unproductive. But they don’t have to be that way. Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice-president of search products, holds an average of 70 meetings a week and serves as the last stop before engineers and project managers get the opportunity to pitch their ideas to Google’s co-founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. At Google, much of the work takes place in meetings, and her goal is to make sure teams have a firm mandate, strategic direction, and actionable information, while making participants feel motivated and respected. Mayer’s six keys to running successful meetings follow:
1) …………… Mayer requests a meeting agenda ahead of time that outlines what the participants want to discuss and the best way of using the allotted time. Agendas need to have flexibility, of course, but Mayer finds that agendas act as tools that force individuals to think about what they want to accomplish in meetings. It helps all those involved to focus on what they are really trying to achieve and how best to reach that goal.
2) …………… A Google meeting features a lot of displays. On one wall, a projector displays the presentation, while right next to it, another projector shows the transcription of the meeting. Yet another displays a 4-foot image of a ticking stopwatch. Google executives are big believers in capturing an official set of notes, so inaccuracies and inconsistencies can be caught immediately. Those who missed the meetings receive a copy of the notes. When people are trying to remember what decisions were made, in what direction the team is going, and what actions need to be taken, they can review the notes.
3) …………… Mayer sets aside large blocks of time that she slices into smaller, self-contained gatherings on a particular subject or project. For example, during her weekly two-hour confab with the co-founders and CEO Eric Schmidt, she sets aside five- to ten-minute segments – or longer, depending on the subject – devoted to such specific areas as weekly reports on how the site is performing, new product launches, etc. This method offers enough flexibility to modify the agenda just before the meeting, should anything pressing occur. It also instills discipline that keeps the meeting tightly focused. By setting aside micro-meetings within a larger block of time, she accomplishes more.
4) …………… Beginning at 4pm, for 90 minutes a day, Mayer holds office hours. Employees add their name to a board outside her office, and she sees them on a first-come, first-served basis. Sometimes project managers need approval on a marketing campaign; sometimes staffers want a few minutes to pitch a design. During office hours, Mayer can get through up to 15 meetings, averaging seven minutes per person.
5) …………… This idea can and should apply to meetings in organizations in which people feel as though the boss will give the green light to a design created by the person he or she likes the best, showing favoritism for the individual instead of the idea. Mayer believes this mindset can demoralize employees, so she goes out of her way to make the approval process a science. Designs are chosen based on merit and evidence, not personal relationships. Mayer discourages using the phrase "I like" in design meetings, such as "I like the way the screen looks." Instead, she encourages such comments as "The experimentation on the site shows that his design performed 10% better." This works for Google, because it builds a culture driven by customer feedback data, not the internal politics that pervade so many of today’s corporations.
6) …………… To add a little pressure to keep meetings focused, Google gatherings often feature a giant timer on the wall, counting down the minutes left for a particular meeting or topic. It’s literally a downloadable timer that runs off a computer and is projected 4 feet tall. It makes sense, imposing structure amidst creative chaos. The timer exerts a subtle pressure to keep meetings running on schedule. Mayer does have one caveat when it comes to the timer—maintain a healthy sense of humor about it. The timer was counting down to the end of my interview with Mayer—but she turned it into a fun and friendly reminder instead of an abrupt end to our discussion.
Keep in mind that these techniques work well for Google. They may or may not be appropriate for your place of business. But these six keys should give you some new ideas about how to transform your meetings from a waste of time to time well spent.
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DISCUSSION
Look again at Marissa Mayer’s advice. Were any of her ideas the same as yours? Discuss her ideas, analysing how you could use her advice in the meetings you have.
13. Double-Checking
DISCUSSION
When you’re in a meeting in English, it is easy to lose track of what is being said. Who do you find the hardest to understand?
native speakers other non-native speakers people who speak to fast people with strong accents
Here are six simple ways of checking what someone has just said. Write in the missing pairs of words.
see + be catch + slow missed + say follow + run ‘m + go understand + explain
1) Sorry, I ............... that. Could you ............... it again? 2) I didn’t ............... that. Could you ............... down a bit? 3) I don’t ............... . Could you ............... what you mean? 4) I ............... not with you. Could you ............... over that again? 5) I don’t ............... you. Could you ............... through that again? 6) I don’t quite ............... what you mean. Could you ............... a bit more specific?
Which of the above do you use when you
a. didn’t hear? b. didn’t understand?
In meetings where you are discussing facts and figures, saying ‘Sorry?’ or ‘I don’t understand’ is not always enough. Sometimes you need to be more precise. Look at these extracts from meetings. Complete the responses with the correct question words.
who where when what how long how much
1) A. The problem is money. B. Sorry, ............... did you say? A. The problem is money. B. Oh, as usual.
2) A. We have to reach a decision by next week. B. Sorry, ............... did you say? A. Next week. B. Oh, I see.
3) A. An upgrade will cost $3,000. B. Sorry, ............... did you say. A. $3,000, at least. B. Oh, as much as that?
4) A. Ildikó Dudás spoke to me about it yesterday. B. Sorry, ............... did you say? A. Ildikó Dudás – from the Budapest office. B. Oh, yes, of course.
5) A. The company is based in Taipei. B. Sorry, ............... did you say? A. In Taipei. B. Oh, really?
6) A. The whole project might take eighteen months. B. Sorry, ............... did you say? A. Eighteen months. B. Oh, as long as that?
13.1 Listen to the conversations and check your answers.
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TASK
Work with a partner to practise clarifying specific points. You are going to read about two different companies, both called Budweiser. Speaker A turn to Handout 18. Speaker B turn to Handout 19. The first and last ones are done for you.
Work with a partner to put this summary of the texts in the correct order.
American Budweiser is the world’s bestselling 1
than forty different countries. Its slogan is
other hand, is one
fewer resources than US Budweiser, it markets its product in more
output than its nearest
of the world’s oldest and most
brand of beer. The company that makes it is the biggest in
slogan was ‘Budweiser: the King of Beers’. Czech Budweiser, on the
famous beers. With far
competitor, Heineken. By far its most successful advertising
the world with 50% greater
simply: ‘Budweiser: the Beer of Kings’. 12
Underline all the comparatives and superlatives you can find in the summary. How many are there in total. Compare your answers with a partner.
14. Why Most Meetings Stink
DISCUSSION
“When the result of a meeting is to schedule more meetings it usually signals trouble.” Mike Murphy, business writer.
Look at the cartoon and the quote. Discuss your reaction to them. Do the situations described sound familiar? How many meetings do you think you have attended in your life? How many of them were actually useful?
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Read the article Why Most Meetings Stink, where a business correspondent interviews Simon Ramo about his long experience of meetings. In pairs, try to predict what questions the interviewer asked him.
Why Most Meetings Stink After attending 40,000 of them, 92-year-old business whiz and research scientist, Simon Ramo has a few tips. He has written several business and technical books, and even a couple on tennis, including Tennis by Machiavelli. His latest is Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings: Getting Things Done When People Are Involved. Senior Correspondent Larry Armstrong recently called up the 92-year-old co-founder of what became TRW – the R is for Ramo – and asked for a meeting. Q. ……………1 A. Two come to mind. The first is purely quantitative: I started going to meetings around age 20. So over 70 years I estimate
that I’ve gone to more than 40,000. Not too many people have that much experience. Another one: I’ve spent time and effort observing the process, and that’s not true of everyone who attends meetings. I’m not the only one who has noticed that meetings can be improved and that too many are unnecessary, but not everyone who notices these things does something about it.
Q. ……………2 A. I have never known of the issue receiving the attention of top management. Those organizations that do a better job of
meetings happen to be led by people who take an interest in wanting some productivity about the process. It’s the individuals who stand out rather than the companies.
Q. ……………3 A. The most important thing is to be prepared, to know the subject and purpose of the meeting, and what you hope it will
achieve. If you can’t find the time to prepare for meetings then you should stop calling so many. Another is to know the people who are invited. Think ahead as to which individuals are most likely to make the greatest contribution, and anticipate others who you’ll have to, as tactfully and gently as possible, interrupt to move the discussion along. Finally, keep the objective of the meeting constantly in your mind so you’ll keep moving toward the goal. But if the goal changes during or because of the meeting, be prepared to invent Plan B.
Q. ……………4 A. Yes. Some for the better, some for the worse. As an example, information technology has made it possible for a lot of details
to be made available quickly to a large number of people, so attendees can be better informed about anything being discussed. That’s a positive. The negative is that people now present too much detail. With charts being created mostly by computers, people don’t stop with the main points; they can’t resist the unnecessary elaboration.
Q. ……………5 A. Technology has increased the potential for bringing new distractions, though I don’t know that the total distraction level has
changed. Are cell phones in meetings any more or less distracting than people being called out to take phone calls? Or people reading incoming e-mails instead of paying attention to the speaker?
Q. ……………6 A. Almost everyone I know who has seen the book has felt compelled to comment about that chapter. If you attend enough
meetings, it’s inevitable that you’ll doze off sometimes. Al Carnesale, the chancellor at UCLA, told me about the advice he got when he was younger: "When you wake up, don’t say ‘what?’ Say ‘why?’”
Now look at the real questions the interviewer asked on the next page. Match them to the gaps in the article. Were they the same or similar to your questions?
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a. Why are some companies better at running efficient meetings than others? b. I really liked the chapter on dozers and dozees, the people who doze off during meetings and the presenters who cause
them to fall asleep. Any tips for dozers? c. Over the years, has technology changed meetings? d. What are your credentials as an expert on meetings? e. Do you have any tips for chairing meetings more efficiently? f. Has technology created more distractions in meetings?
DISCUSSION
In small groups, look at the advice Simon Ramo gives in the article again. Which of his points do you agree with? Which of them do you think you can use to improve your meetings? Are there any points he makes that you don’t agree with?
14.1 You are going to watch part of an episode of the US sitcom ‘The Office’ (about 10m) where Michael Scott, the
Regional Manager of the Scranton branch of paper company Dunder Mifflin Inc. goes to the company’s corporate headquarters to participate in a meeting. During the course of the meeting characters make several mistakes of different natures. Using the table and pictures below, make a list of the mistakes and the names of the characters who made them.
Michael Jan Craig David Josh Dan
Name Mistake
Watch again. Work in pairs and answer the following questions. Which group can get the most right answers?
1) Who is Michael going to meet? 2) Which city is corporate headquarters in? 3) What is the date? 4) How many people did Craig fire from his branch in September? 5) What had previously happened between Michael and Jan? 6) Did Josh’s branch meet their pre-year targets? 7) What is the general reaction to Michael’s film? 8) What kind of meeting was Craig expecting?
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15. Problem Solving 15.1 Listen to two directors discussing the problem of staff taking too many days of sick leave and answer the questions.
1) What are the first three solutions proposed by one of the directors to solve the problem of absenteeism? 2) What do the directors finally decide to do?
Match the comments below to the correct headings in the Useful language table.
a. Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages. b. My solution, then, is to... c. We have a number of options. d. Let’s look at this a different way.
e. Let’s think about the consequences of... f. It might be worth considering... g. What we’ve got to do now is...
Stating options Balancing arguments
There are several ways we could deal with this. Let’s look at the pros and cons.
On the one hand... On the other hand...
Changing your approach Considering less obvious options
Let’s look at this from another angle.
We could try...
Discussing possible effects Making a decision
If we do this, then...
The best way forward is to...
Stating future action
The next thing to do is...
Listen again. Tick () the expressions in the Useful language table that you hear.
TASK
Role play this situation. You are senior managers at a hi-fi manufacturer. Your company is losing market share. You strongly suspect your main rival is using unfair methods to promote its products. For example, you are almost sure that your rival has been:
making cash payments to main dealers; offering expensive gifts to important customers.
Hold a meeting to consider how to solve the problem.
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16. When Cultures Meet... In Riding the Waves of Culture, communications expert Fons Trompenaars shows how different cultures have different discussion styles. The diagram below illustrates his results. The lines represent the two speakers and the spaces represent the silences. When lines and spaces overlap, this shows that people are speaking at the same time.
Culture 1 Long silences
No interruption
Culture 2 Short silences
Some interruption
Culture 3 No silences
Constant interruption
Work with a partner. On the diagram on the previous page, where would you typically place:
a. Asians? b. Middle Easterners? c. Africans?
d. Northern Europeans? e. North Americans? f. Australasians?
g. Southern Europeans? h. Latin Americans? i. your own nationality?
16.1 Listen to extracts from three business meetings. Which of the cultural types are you listening to?
Work in three groups. Choose one of the three case studies (see Handouts 20, 21, 22) about a British salesman’s experience in one of three different countries. Read the text and do the vocabulary exercises in your group. Then look at the next question.
Form new groups with people who read different case studies. Discuss the different attitudes to:
relationship-building time
hierarchy power
corruption delegation
technical matters
In which of the three countries would you feel most at home?
Look at sentences a-g below which can all be used in an initial meeting with a prospective supplier. Which ones are useful for:
organising a series of questions?
asking for sensitive information and being polite?
summarising or confirming what you already know?
a. Can I start by asking some general questions about your company?
b. Could you tell me how long you have been in this business?
c. Your head office is in Chicago, isn’t it? d. Could I ask how many people you employ? e. OK, let’s move on to your training seminars... f. So you could offer us customised training, is that
right? g. Do you mind if I ask which other companies you
have supplied?
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You are a supplier meeting a prospective international client for the first time. Before making any offers, you have to find out about the buyer’s needs and interests. Discuss the following questions.
Should you spend more time listening or talking? How important is it to check the information you already have? Is it better to ask too few or too many questions? What kind of questions are most useful?
Look at questions a-d below. Which one...
asks about priorities?
gets more information?
checks to see if you have the correct information?
is hypothetical?
a. You want to train about 50 people, is that right? b. What else would you like to have? c. If we included follow-up training in the package, would that be of interest to you? d. What is more important for you: high quality or low cost?
TASK
You are going to role-play a meeting between a buyer and an international supplier. In this meeting, the supplier will ask questions to find out about the buyer’s needs. The buyer is Elegante, a retailer selling women’s fashions via the Internet and direct mail. This company is interested in holding a training programme in database analysis for their staff.
MEETING 1: A representative from Headlamp Inc. meets with the training manager at Elegante. The meeting takes place at Elegante’s offices in Paris. Students from Group A: You are the training manager: turn to Handout 23. Students from Group B: You represent Headlamp Inc.: turn to Handout 24.
MEETING 2: This time, a representative from Infos meets with the training manager at Elegante, again at Elegante’s offices. Students from Group A: You represent Infos: turn to Handout 23. Students from Group B: You are the training manager: turn to Handout 24.
17. And Now the End is Near... “There are things you can predict in life: tax, death and more meetings.” Mike Moore, Sydney Morning Herald.
DISCUSSION
In pairs discuss:
1) How does a meeting usually finish in your country? 2) What do you think are the differences between the end of meetings in your country and the UK or USA?
Read the advice on the next page about ending meetings and identify:
a. three recommendations on how a meeting should end b. what should happen after a meeting
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“Regardless of the type of meeting (information or decision making), it is important to close with a restatement of objectives, a summary of what was accomplished, and a list of agreed action that needs to be taken. After the meeting, it is essential to follow up with action. A brief memorandum of conclusions should be written and distributed. Inform appropriate people who did not attend the meeting about essential decisions made. Finally, each meeting should be viewed as a learning experience. Future meetings should be improved by soliciting evaluations and deciding what action is required to conduct better meetings.” Marion Haynes, Effective Meeting Skills.
Individually, delete the ONE word that does not go with the noun to make a natural collocation.
1) When are we going to call / hold / have / make the next meeting? Do you think we could delay it / postpone it / anticipate it / bring it forward?
2) It’s getting late, and I think we should halt / close / finish / adjourn the meeting. It looks like we’ve reached a promise / a conclusion / a decision / a stalemate.
3) I’d like to give / advance / express / put forward my own opinion on this issue / material / matter / question before we adjourn.
4) We’ve had a full and frank / constructive / viable / fruitful discussion on this issue, and I’m sure we can reach a decision / an agreement / a consensus / a concord.
5) It would be dangerous / risky / soon / premature to jump to any conclusions. Let’s leave it for the next meeting.
6) So let’s leave the decision for another time because it’s clear that it’s going to have wide-ranging / full / far-reaching / serious implications, and we need to take into account / consideration / study a number of things.
7) Before we can make / take / have / reach a decision, we’ll have to make / undertake / register / carry out a detailed study.
8) So I think we’ve covered everything today. John will bring us / present us / get us / find for us the figures on that, and we can look at the matter at greater length / in more detail / more profoundly / further next session.
9) So, we’ve scheduled to meet / congregate / convene / get together the same time next month. 10) Well, I really look forward to see / seeing / meeting all of you again next time. It’s been happiness / a pleasure /
delightful / a joy, people. Keep up the good work.
Complete the useful collocations by filling in the spaces with the words in the table.
account get together detail stalemate present
undertake jump hold meeting far-reaching
a. to …………… the next meeting b. to reach a …………… c. to …………… to conclusions d. to have …………… implications e. to take into ……………
f. to …………… a study g. to …………… the figures h. to look at the matter in more …………… i. to schedule to …………… j. to look forward to …………… you
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17.1 Listen and complete the Chair’s closing remarks on a meeting to decide whether to outsource distribution or build a warehouse.
“…………… to sum up... We’ve compared the case for building our own warehouse with our current practice of outsourcing distribution. We’ve looked at two main points: one, the cost; and two, efficiency in delivering to our customers. …………… we have seen, we’ll break even on the investment in the warehouse in just five years. ……………, we can expect to save costs on distribution. What’s more, the warehouse will enable us to deliver faster and more efficiently to our customers. My conclusion is, ……………, that the new warehouse should be built as soon as possible. …………… we can have the benefits of greater cost savings …………… greater efficiency in the future. Thank you for your attention. Any questions?”
Complete the example phrases in the Useful language table with the parts of the phrases below.
don’t mind for coming to everyone ASAP
email you get invitation appreciate
enjoyed having us excuse me expecting a call
heading urgent things good meeting you glad
Apologise for leaving Give a reason for leaving
Sorry, but I have to go now.
Well, if you’ll ...............1 I’m going to leave you with Sarah.
Sorry, but if you ............... 2, I need to be ............... 3 off.
I have another meeting in five minutes.
I’m ...............4 from the States and I need to go over a few things beforehand?
I’ve got ...............5 to do.
Express satisfaction Make a promise
It’s been good having this discussion.
It’s been very ................6.
I’ve really ............... 7 talking today.
It’s been great. I’m ............... 8 I came.
I’ll see to it that you all get a copy of the minutes.
I’ll ............... 9 the information requested.
I’ll ...............10 round to sending you that ...............11.
Thank the other people Thank the host
I appreciate you coming today.
Thanks very much ...............12.
Thanks ...............13 that came.
Thanks for your hospitality.
I / we ...............14 you having us.
Thanks for ...............15.
Thanks for the ...............16.
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Complete the Chair’s closing remarks with words from the box below.
seems that go into as well as better position fruitful
call it a day go ahead as for requested by brings us
henceforth thus number of factors due to highly
“So, that …………… to an end today I’d say. It …………… we’ve covered everything we have time for. I must say that it’s been …………… constructive. We’ve managed to …………… quite some detail on the case for introducing the new computer software package as …………… the accounting department. …………… greater efficiency, as we’ve seen from the figures presented here, we’ve decided …………… to switch to the new system – …………… saving on cost, …………… time. So, that’s a …………… . …………… the other main item on the agenda, as you know, we’ll have to postpone it until the following meeting. Besides, I really think we need to take into consideration a …………… on that one. It could be risky jumping to conclusions. Well, Paul will be getting us the facts and figures, so we’ll be in a …………… to discuss it then. Well people, it’s been a most …………… meeting. Let’s …………… here. I hope to see you all next time around. And, let’s try to be a bit more on time please.”
TASK
In pairs, use the outline below to create a chair’s closing remarks for a meeting. To make this more realistic, add names and other details as required. Practise your closing remarks together.
1) Indicate that the meeting is almost over.
2) Check that no one has anything else to say.
3) Restate the purpose of the meeting.
4) Introduce a summary of the decisions taken.
5) Ask if everyone is happy with your summary.
6) Say that a colleague will organise a presentation next week.
7) Fix a date for a new meeting.
8) Thank people for coming.
17.2 Now listen to a recording of model closing remarks.
18. Minute by Minute
DISCUSSION
Which of the following statements do you agree with? Why?
1) The person who takes the minutes plays a key role in the meeting.
2) When taking minutes at a meeting, you should do the following:
a. write down everything that is said; b. record only the information that is
important for the future; c. record any decisions that are taken; d. write the starting and finishing time
of the meeting; e. write a brief summary of each point; f. record what action is to be taken and who is responsible for it.
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Underline the most important aspects of layout and language style for minutes in the text below. Compare your points with a partner. Were there any differences?
Are You Up to the Minutes? At every business meeting someone is assigned to ‘take the minutes’. This person notes down all the important points made at the meeting and later writes up a clear summary of what was said and decided. It is generally agreed that the minutes should be sent within 24 hours to all the participants and anyone else affected by the content. This ensures that people stay focused on the issues raised and keep future action points clear in their minds. Minutes are sent to make sure that things discussed at meetings actually get done.
Layout: When writing minutes, you should follow the standard format as outlined here.
1) subject and date of the meeting 2) list of participants 3) summary of the chairperson’s 4) introduction 5) summary of opinions and suggestions exchanged 6) action points decided upon, people assigned to each action and deadlines given 7) date and time of next meeting
Language styles: The style of language is quite formal. Sentences should be short, clear, concise and easy to read. It is important to summarise only the most important points, not include everything that was said. Long speeches made at meetings should be summed up, using bullet points for clarity. The minutes of even a long meeting shouldn’t be longer than one page.
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Look at the extracts from minutes a-d and decide which parts:
1) refer to an earlier meeting 2) record important facts
3) record opinions 4) record a discussion
5) highlight action to be taken
TASK
18.1 Listen to two short extracts from meetings and write a minute to summarise each of the points discussed. Only record the key information.
Point 1: Petra reports Point 2: Rosa reports
18.2 Listen to two more extracts from meetings and write a minute to summarise the result of the discussions. Only record the decision taken in the meeting and / or the action point.
Point 3: What was agreed? Point 4: who should do what?
19. Coca-Cola in Crisis
DISCUSSION
What is the best thing a manager can do in a crisis? In pairs, match a word from the first box with a word from the second box. Which do you think are good advice?
deny stay delegate buy blame be
admit take make act be collect
someone time calm decisive everything responsibility
honest data charge quickly nothing promises
Work in groups to act as crisis management consultants to the Coca-Cola Company. It is May 1999 and the world’s most famous brand is in trouble...
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19.1 Listen to the first part of the case and answer the questions.
1) How many Cokes are sold each day? 2) How would you describe Coca-Cola’s advertising strategy? 3) What has just happened? 4) Which markets are directly involved in the crisis? 5) Calculate how much those markets are worth in annual sales.
19.2 Listen to the second part of the case and answer the questions.
1) What do the following figures refer to? a. +25% b. -13%
2) What is the significance of these figures? 3) What have the inspectors at the Belgian bottling plant found? 4) What is the toxicologist’s verdict? 5) Who is benefitting from Cola-Cola’s current problems?
TASK
Hold a strategy meeting for your client to decide what recommendations to make to your client. As well as the information you have just heard, consider the following:
Should there be an immediate product recall in spite of the lack of solid evidence?
In the absence of any proof of contamination, should Coca-Cola appeal to the four European governments to lift their ban? Or even threaten legal action against them?
Should any decision be postponed until the final results of the tests become available? Or will this just give the competition time to increase its market share?
How should the company try to persuade the public that there’s no real threat?
Should there be an official apology? Or would that look like an admission of guilt?
Should Coca-Cola blame its Belgian bottling plant and their shippers, whilst exporting Coke directly to Europe from the USA?
What kind of public relations exercise would restore confidence in the world’s number one brand?
Prepare an agenda for the meeting. Make sure you assign someone to act as Chairman. Another person should also take the minutes. Try to reach a consensus of opinion and outline a clear action plan for the crisis.
19.3 If possible record the meeting. Then, watch it again and analyse your personal performance using the form in Handout 25.
19.4 Listen to the final part of the case and find out what really happened. How do your recommendations compare with the action Coca-Cola actually took?
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Audioscript 1.1 Extract 1 It’s a joke, really, this idea that everyone’s opinion is valued. I mean, how much can you disagree with the boss? After all, she’s the boss! Extract 2 You often leave a meeting not really knowing what you’re supposed to do next, what the action plan is. I usually end up phoning people afterwards to find out what we actually agreed. Extract 3 Nobody seems to come to the meeting properly prepared. If you want a copy of the report, they don’t have it with them. Need to see the figures? They’ll get back to you. It’s hopeless! Extract 4 You often get several people all talking at the same time. So no one’s really listening to anyone else. They’re just planning what they’re going to say next. It’s survival of the loudest! Extract 5 They’re usually badly organised. Nobody sticks to the point. People get sidetracked all the time. It takes ages to get down to business. As they say: ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ Extract 6 You know even before you begin who’s going to argue with who. The facts don’t seem to matter. It’s all about scoring points, looking better than your colleagues and impressing the boss. Extract 7 I try to stop them over-running. We sometimes hold meetings without chairs. That speeds things up a lot! I’ve even tried showing the red card to people who won’t shut up, like in football. Not popular. Extract 8 The same two or three people always seem to dominate. The rest of us just switch off – doodle, daydream, count the minutes. I sometimes play Tomb Raider on my laptop with the sound off. Extract 9 Well, to be honest, everybody knows we don’t actually decide anything in meetings. The boss already knows what he wants to do anyway! Extract 10 Well, nothing interesting was ever discussed in a boardroom. That’s why it’s called a boardroom – people go there to be bored. Most offices are unsuitable for long meetings. And as for breakfast meetings, no way! My idea of a breakfast meeting is breakfast in bed with my wife.
Audioscript 2.1 (A = Anna, M = Marianne, G = George)
A So it looks like we have three good applicants on the shortlist. One is local and two live abroad. Any suggestions for the next step? Marianne?
M What about interviewing them by phone?
G No, I think I’d prefer to meet them in the flesh.
M In that case, I think we should invite them here on different days.
G I’m not sure. Why don’t we invite them here on the same day?
A That’s a good idea but I think we probably need two days. We could have dinner together to see how they get on with people and then interview them the next day.
G How about asking them to make a short presentation about our marketing strategy?
M Nice one.
A We could also ask them to work together on a small project to see how they work in a team.
M OK. Why don’t I call them today and see if we can find two free days in the next two weeks?
A Fine. Why don’t you do that now? While you’re doing that, we’ll think about a project they can work on. Let’s get some coffee and talk about it. Any ideas, George?
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Audioscript 2.2 (M = Marianne, C = Charles)
M Hello, is that Mr Lawson? C Speaking. M This is Marianne from Clips UK. How are you? C Very well thank you. M I’m calling to tell you that you have been shortlisted for the job. C Have I? Fantastic! M Yes, congratulations! I’m now trying to arrange the second interviews. C Hang on. I’ll get my diary. Right. M So, when are you free? C Which week are you talking about? M Either next week, week 23, or the week after – week 24. C Next week is difficult so I’d prefer the week after. M Right. That’s the week beginning Monday the fourteenth. How about Tuesday the fifteenth? C I’m free that day but the following day I’m in Madrid. M Are you available on the seventeenth and eighteenth? C I’m afraid I’m busy on the morning of the seventeenth. M OK. So shall we say the afternoon of the seventeenth and then all day on the eighteenth? C That would be fine. What time is good for you? M Late afternoon. Is four thirty OK? C Four thirty’ll be fine. I can leave here about eleven. M Fine. Now, I need to talk to the others before I can confirm so I’ll call you back later. Is that OK? C That’s fine with me. I’ll speak to you later. M OK. Bye.
Audioscript 2.3 (R = Receptionist, A = Alex Hall)
R Intership, good morning.
AH Hello, my name’s Alex Hall from Computech Arcos in Singapore. R Sorry, did you say Alex Hall from Computech Arcos? AH Yes, that’s right. R Okay, how can I help you, Mr Hall? AH Well, I’d like an appointment with Mr Dionis. R Can you tell me what it’s about? AH Certainly. I’d like to discuss the transporting of goods from Singapore to Athens. R I see. When would be a good time for you to come here? AH May I suggest next week? R I’m sorry, next week’s not possible Mr Dionis is away next week. How about the beginning of next month? AH Yes, that would be okay. Could we say Monday, 3rd of May? R Er, unfortunately, Mr Dionis is busy all day on that Monday. He could make it Tuesday 4th. AH That’s fine. Shall we say 10am? R Yes, that’s a good time for us. Er... can I ask you to confirm by email? And would you like us to book you a hotel? AH I’ll email you -and, thank you, but no, the hotel booking isn’t necessary. I think that’s everything, for now. R Right, many thanks, we look forward to your email to confirm the meeting. Goodbye, Mr Hall. AH Bye for now.
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Audioscript 4.1 Meeting A
A Right. Basically, the position is this: the contract is ours if we want it.
B But we’re not in a position to take on another project right now, are we?
A I know. Jan, what’s your position on this?
Meeting B
A Look, it’s not just a question of software, Alessandro.
B Of course not. It’s also a question of hardware. The entire system needs upgrading.
A But that’s out of the question. We can’t afford that kind of capital outlay.
Meeting C
A Sales are down. One option would obviously be to cut our prices.
B That’s no longer an option for us... we’re barely breaking even as it is.
A Well, then we’ve no option but to rethink our whole marketing strategy.
Meeting D
A Well, there’s no easy answer to this, but how about voluntary redundancy?
B I don’t think that’s the answer, but maybe we could reduce people’s hours.
A That might have been the answer if we didn’t already have a strike on our hands!
Meeting E
A Now, let’s not make a problem out of this. What if we just pulled out of Sudan?
B Well, I’ve no problem with that, but our partners won’t be happy.
A No, but that’s not our problem, is it? The political situation is just too unstable.
Meeting F
A I’ll get straight to the point. We’re getting too many customer complaints.
B I agree with you. But the point is we don’t have the staff to deal with them.
A That’s beside the point. We shouldn’t be getting them in the first place!
Meeting G
A I’m afraid the situation is serious. And if the press get hold of the story...
B Look, we’ll deal with that situation if and when it arises. Let’s not panic just yet.
A You’re right. What this situation calls for is calm and careful planning.
Meeting H
A The fact is, we’re simply not spending enough on R&D.
B As a matter of fact, we’ve doubled our R&D budget this year.
C That may be so, but the fact remains we’re losing our technological lead.
Audioscript 5.1 (I = Interviewer, AC = Allan Case)
I What do you see as the most important characteristics of a successful meeting?
AC I think it’s important that everyone is well prepared. Certainly everyone should prepare for the meeting – which is possible in all cases except emergency meetings where there’s no time for much preparation. A second point is that in every case, people should understand the objectives of the meeting. Also, the role of the chair is important. The chair should do a good job, keep control and keep the meeting focused on the objectives. That means the meeting reaches its aims.
I And what about the timing of the meeting?
AC Yes, I agree, the meeting should keep to the timing – start and finish on time. That’s also important.
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Audioscript 5.2 (VC = Victor, VN = Vince)
VC Okay, I think we should begin. Thanks for coming and, as you know, this is... we’re here for our ERU Quarterly meeting. As you know from the agenda there are three main issues to discuss. The first is to review the budget for present projects – Hydroclear and PCB reduction. Secondly, we’ll look at the future outlook for the Unit. Finally, we’ll examine the money question, funding alternatives. So – any comments, any suggestions, or is everyone happy with that agenda? Okay then let’s start with item one on the agenda. I think Professor Camden has prepared a statement on the Hydroclear budget, so I’ll hand over to him.
VN Thank you, Mr Chairman. Well, with the Hydroclear project, I would like to summarise the crisis on funding: each year we have higher costs and the money coming in to support the project is less. I have produced a report on the main choices and...
Audioscript 7.1 (M = Marcia, A = Alain, V = Valerie, B = Barbara)
M OK, we all agree we want to increase our revenue by licensing our ‘Luc Fontaine’ product range. As you know, Susan Li, one of our contacts in Hong Kong, is very interested. Alain, how do you feel about this? Is she the right person for us?
A Definitely. In my opinion, she’s ideal. She’s well-known in Asia, she’s got an excellent reputation in the industry. She’s got a modern factory and a large customer base; I’d say she’s just what we’re looking for.
M Right. Valerie, what do you think?
V I agree because she’s very good at marketing. I’ve met her several times. She’ll work twenty-four hours a day to get a sale. Just the sort of person we want.
M Barbara, you’re shaking your head. What’s your opinion?
B I’m afraid I can’t agree. I don’t think she’s suitable at all. All her products sell at the lower end of the market. They’re in the cheaper price ranges. But our Luc Fontaine range is exclusive. The male and female perfumes are for people who don’t mind spending a lot of money to look good. They’re not a good match for what she’s selling.
M So what do you suggest then?
B I think we should find someone else. I do have someone in mind. I met Hiroshi Takahashi recently. He’s based in Nagoya. His healthcare company is doing really well. He makes various skin products and sells them under well-known European labels. In my opinion, his company has a lot to offer. Why don’t we meet him and see if he’s interested?
Audioscript 8.1 (C = Carl, N = Nancy, M = Max, S = Stefan)
C Can we move onto the next point, the open-plan office? Nancy, would you like to begin?
N I like the idea. It’s good for communication. People see each other at the office, it’s er... it’s good for team spirit, too. There’s more interaction between people, and people work harder when they’re on display.
M I’m not sure I agree with you there. With open-plan offices, there’s a problem of privacy.
C OK Max, thanks. Erm, Stefan, what do you think?
S I agree with Max about privacy. What if you want to have a private conversation, or make a private phone call?
C Well... erm... I suggest we use meeting rooms for private conversations or calls.
S Meeting rooms? Yes, that’s true, I suppose...
M Could I just say something? I don’t think it works.
C Let Stefan finish please, Max...
M Well, I’m not happy about it. I don’t think we should have a vote about it now. I mean, I think we need a report or an extra survey done about this.
C How do you mean ‘an extra survey’? Are you saying we need to bring in a consultant?
M No, I was thinking of some inside the company.
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C OK, I think a report is probably better. I propose that someone prepares a report on the open-plan idea, by, say, the end of the month. Is everyone agreed?
All Yes. Right. Fine.
C Right, we can move onto the next item on the agenda, ‘hot-desking’. Max?
M Frankly, I was shocked to see the proposal about hot-desking. I don’t think it’s a good idea at all. It will upset people and it just won’t work.
C OK. How do you feel about it Nancy?
N I’m pretty sure hot-desking won’t work unless we have an open-plan office. I don’t think hot-desking works in closed offices.
S Sorry, I don’t follow you, Nancy. What exactly are you saying?
N What I mean is, we could change to an open-plan system, but I’m against introducing hot-desking now. It’s not good to change everything too quickly. Staff need time to get used to changes.
Audioscript 9.1 1) I’m very glad you asked that question. Very important indeed, can it wait till the end? I’m sure things will be a lot clearer by then. 2) As I had gone as far as I could down that career path, I needed to find new goals and new challenges to develop and improve my
skills. 3) I’m afraid I can’t find any record of your order. Could you give me the invoice number and the exact date of the order and I’ll get
back to you? 4) I realise the recent unemployment figures are of great concern to many people right now, but you have to remember that this
government has created more jobs than any other in the last 25 years. 5) I can’t say how much changing the design will cost, but do you really think it’s sensible to consider doing so at this late stage? 6) Despite the recent fall in share price, the company remains confident that its strategy is absolutely correct in the current trading
environment and that it will be well-placed to take full advantage of any economic upturn.
Audioscript 10.1 Coming up on CBN Business: an interview with media king and head of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch, stock market report and Katy Alexander with the week’s business news roundup. But first, suffering from boardroom blues? Tired of taking minutes at meetings that take hours? Tess Liebowitz may have the solution...
According to diplomat and economist JK Galbraith, ‘Meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.’ Therefore, logically, if you really do want to do something, it’s the meetings you must dispense with. But can you dispense with meetings altogether? And what would take their place? At several well-known companies they think they’ve found the answer.
At high-profile UK advertising agency St. Luke’s, meetings are simply considered ‘a ceremonial and rude interruption to people’s working day’. So they’ve introduced meetings-on-the-move. Any member of staff can hold a meeting anytime, anywhere – in the elevator, in a local cafe or just sitting cross-legged on the floor. Anywhere, that is, but in a boardroom!
At Internet company another.com they’ve gone one step further by building a ‘park area’ right in the middle of the building. Staff can go sit on the park bench amongst the flowers or even play on the swings while they hold meetings! They used to have real grass too, but watering it became a problem.
At media strategy company, Michaelides & Bednash they’ve come up with a different solution. All employees, irrespective of status, work around one enormous central table. Meetings become unnecessary when everyone in the company is sitting just across the table from you the whole time. The working day is a constant meeting!
At the Xerox Corporation a more down-to-earth approach has proved successful. All staff, from junior management upwards, are trained in chairing skills and get an equal opportunity to use them. This breaks up hierarchies in the workplace, creating democratised meetings, where everyone can practise their leadership skills.
Finally, at Federal Express, they’ve been experimenting with technology. Using specially designed software, people sit around a large U-shaped table at workstations connected over a local area network. Meetings stick strictly to the agenda, are highly focused and more or less silent. Items instantly appear on the participants’ screens and people simply key in their views rather than voice them. The software allows you to attach further comments and to see graphically how your position differs from the consensus. The only problem is the price – $35,000 for the fully functional system!
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Audioscript 10.2 Extract 1 A OK, thanks for coming, everybody. Erm, has anybody seen Lance, by the way? He was supposed to be here. B Oh, yeah, he phoned to say his flight in from Chicago had a two-hour delay. He said to go ahead and start without him. A Oh, I wanted his input on this one. OK, never mind, let’s get started, then, shall we? Erm, so, as I said in my email, the purpose of
this meeting is to review last week’s talks with the people from timeofyourlife.com and, secondly, to decide if we’re interested in taking things further. Luis is going to fill us in on the background. Luis?
C Yeah, thanks, Ross. Well, now, timeofyourlife is a really exciting business proposition. Basically, the idea is that ordinary people can buy a kind of timeshare in various luxury goods that they could never afford to buy outright. What happens is you buy points online at the timeofyourlife website and you can use these points to buy, like, a Ferrari for a day, a Rolex Oyster for a weekend or a Jean-Paul Gaultier original for an evening! Neat, huh? I just love this proposal...
D Er, sorry to interrupt, but is this going to take long, Luis? Only I have an appointment at eleven and we have all read the summary on this company already.
A Jack, could Luis just finish what he was saying? We’re looking at twenty million dollars in seed capital here. I don’t want us rushing into anything. But perhaps we could speed things up a little, Luis. We are short of time and by the end of this meeting I’d like some kind of decision on this.
Extract 2 C So, as you can see, the advance publicity alone is attracting half a million visitors to the timeofyourlife website every day. A Sorry, Luis, but we seem to be getting side-tracked here. This is all very interesting, but can we go back to what we were discussing
earlier? C Oh, OK. Sure. A Perhaps we can come back to this later. Tell us about their logistics. D Can I just say something here? A Hold on a minute, Jack – you’ll get your chance in a moment. D It’s just that I thought we’d agreed we weren’t investing in any more dotcoms. B No, Jack. That’s what you wanted. But nobody actually agreed. D Tania, we’ve been through this. E-commerce is dead. We learned that the hard way. B Wait a minute. Who was it that said that we should...? A OK, OK! Let’s all just calm down, shall we? We’re here to talk about this proposal we have on the table. Tania, what’s your
position on this? B Well, I agree with Luis that it’s a great business plan. Like you, I’m a little concerned about the logistics, though. The
procurement and delivery system for a business like this would be extremely complex. And the insurance costs could be prohibitive.
C Now, hold on a second! This is all covered in the proposal, Tania. What are you saying? I thought that you were with me on this one.
A Luis, I think what Tania is trying to say is she likes the idea but the figures don’t quite add up. B Exactly. A OK, maybe we should take a short break at this point, grab a coffee and meet back here in fifteen minutes. Extract 3 A OK, so just to summarise what we’ve said so far. Basically, we like the timeofyourlife idea. D (groans) A At least most of us do. We’re aware of the risks involved in a major investment in an e-business, but we think the concept has
great potential. We need to make another appointment with these people because we have some doubts about their logistics. Luis, can I leave that one with you?
C Sure. I’ll get right on to it. A We’re also a little concerned about the amount of insurance a business like this would need. Tania, can you get back to me on
that? B No problem, Ross. A Great. I think that’s about as far as we can go at this stage. Thanks, everybody. I’m afraid we’ll have to stop it there. E Hi, guys. Sorry I’m late. Tania told you the story, right? Say, did I miss anything here?
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Audioscript 10.3 A Good, everyone’s here now. There’s coffee if you want it. Right, can we start please? As you all know, Roberto’s been working as
assistant to Carla Nuñez for six months now. He’s just finished his probationary period. How do you feel about offering him a full time contract?
B I’m not sure we should do it really. It says in this report that he’s been late to work a few times and he can be rather... C Oh, I don’t think that’s too important... A Could you let her finish please? C Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to butt in... C Another thing about Roberto I’m not happy about. He leaves exactly on time every day. Also he doesn’t have lunch with us very
often, you know, he goes off on his own... A I’m not sure that’s relevant. C Mmm, maybe. A I think we should move on now if we’re going to finish by 11 o’clock. We do have other promotions to consider. B But what about his actual work? In my opinion, it’s fine. He’s done some really good things. A Well, I think we should discuss this a bit more. What exactly do you mean by ‘good things’? A Well, thanks very much, Maria. You’ve made your views very clear. OK, let’s go over what we’ve agreed. Roberto will have a
further probationary period of three months. After that, we’ll have another look...
Audioscript 11.1 Meeting1 (R = Rick, S = Sunil, C = Chair) R There is no point in going over all this again. There’s only one way to approach it. S Actually, Rick, I think there might be another way. R No, Sunil, let me finish. We all know that this is the best way to deal with the problem. C Thanks for your contribution, Rick, but we need consensus on this. I’d like to hear what other people think. Sunil, what were you
saying...? Meeting 2 (C = Chair, L = Lisa, R = Roy) C OK. Any ideas on how we could improve staff morale? OK. Well, if nobody has any better ideas, how about cutting departmental
managers’ bonuses unless morale improves? Would that work? L I’m sure there are other ways to approach this. C Great. Go on... L Umm, well, I think communication problems between departments might contribute to this. I know that a lot of my staff feel
frustrated when other departments aren’t aware of their deadlines. C Good. Thanks, Lisa. Roy, does the design team have a similar problem? R Yes, we do, actually. C So, how do you think we should approach this? R Well, perhaps we could have a weekly interdepartmental meeting to discuss key project deadlines. C Yep, great idea. Paulo, do you agree? Meeting 3 (S = Sylvie, F = Frank, C = Chair) S ... so, if we introduce more training seminars, everyone should feel more confident about using the new system. F Look, this is a complete waste of time. My staff won’t accept a new system. S Oh, come on, Frank, if we motivate people and get them on board, there is no reason why it shouldn’t work. F You have no idea what a problem this will be for my department. C Frank, if I could just come in here a moment. You obviously feel strongly about this. Can you explain why? F OK. Last year we introduced a whole new system. My staff were unhappy about the change and I worked really hard to convince
everyone that it was a good idea, and I’m concerned that it’ll de-motivate the team. C OK, I can understand your concerns now. Thank you for your comments. We’ll take them into consideration when we look at
how to handle this.
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Meeting 4 (C = Chair, E = Emma)
C Let’s look at the visuals for the two designs and see which one we want to go with, OK?
E Oh, look at that colour. Isn’t it lovely? That’s just the shade I want for my new kitchen, but I’m having a real problem finding it.
C We haven’t got much time here, so could everyone who wants to go with design one raise their hands, please? OK, so, how long will it take to make samples?
E I’m really pleased with how the work on my kitchen is going, though. It looks lovely. I’ve just bought...
C Can I just remind everyone that it is important we keep to the point on this? We’ve got a lot to get through and time is running out.
E Right, sorry.
C OK, Emma. Now, about those samples...
Audioscript 13.1 Extract 1
A The problem is money.
B Sorry, what did you say?
A The problem is money.
B Oh, as usual.
Extract 2
A We have to reach a decision by next week.
B Sorry, when did you say?
A Next week.
B Oh, I see.
Extract 3
A An upgrade will cost $3,000.
B Sorry, how much did you say?
A $3,000, at least.
B Oh, as much as that?
Extract 4
A Ildikó Dudás spoke to me about it yesterday.
B Sorry, who did you say?
A Ildikó Dudás – from the Budapest office.
B Oh, yes, of course.
Extract 5
A The company is based in Taipei.
B Sorry, where did you say?
A In Taipei.
B Oh, really?
Extract 6
A The whole project might take eighteen months.
B Sorry, how long did you say?
A Eighteen months.
B Oh, as long as that?
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Audioscript 15.1 A We’ve got to do something about it. People are taking too many days off sick. Sick leave increased by twelve percent last year. I got
the figures today. On average staff took fourteen days off sick – that’s far too many. B Absolutely, it’s really damaging for us. It’s affecting the service we can give our customers and it’s costing us a lot of money each
year. It can’t go on. A OK, well, as I see it, there are several ways we could deal with this. We could get tough and simply say, no paid leave at all for the
first three days someone is sick. Or we could do it another way er... offer staff a bonus at the end of the year if they don’t take much sick leave. And there’s a third option. We could bring in a doctor and physiotherapist for staff and free health tests and counselling. They could check up on staff who are taking far too much sick leave, the ones who think it’s extra holidays for them.
B Let’s look at the pros and cons of the first option: no paid leave for the first three days staff are sick. On the one hand, I think it will reduce the amount of sick leave because people will lose pay when they’re off work. On the other hand, it’s very unfair to people who are genuinely sick, you know if they’re suffering from a bad cold or flu for example. It wouldn’t be popular with the staff, or with the unions...
A Well, let’s look at this from another angle. It might be worth using a completely different approach. We could try sending a questionnaire to all staff, asking them to suggest ideas for reducing absenteeism, because of sickness. Of course, we’d explain why the present policy isn’t working.
B Mmm, good idea. If we do this, then they’re most likely to buy into any new scheme. Yes, it should work well. A Right. So... the best way forward is to sound out staff and get their opinions. A survey will give us all the data we need. B And the next thing to do is to prepare a questionnaire. I take it you want my department to do that? A Yes, if you would. Could you have a draft questionnaire ready by next Monday, for our meeting? B Yes, I think we can manage that. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.
Audioscript 16.1 Extract 1 A OK. You’ve all had a chance to look at the quarterly sales figures. B Yes. They’re terrible. A Agreed, but if I could just finish. We’re 30% down on projections. The question is: why? C Can I just come in here? It’s seems to me that our marketing strategy is all wrong. B Now, just a minute. Are you trying say this is our fault? C Well, what else can it be? We’re offering generous discounts... B Look, sorry to interrupt again, but... C No, hear me out. We’re offering very generous discounts to our biggest customers as part of our introductory offer. And sales are
still slow. Something’s going wrong, and I say it’s the marketing. B Well, if you ask me, the problem is the product itself. C And what is wrong with the product? Babyslim is an innovative addition to our product line. B Innovative, yes. But there is no market for diet baby food. I said so at the very beginning. Who’s going to admit they’ve got a fat
baby? A You know, maybe he has a point... Extract 2 A So, that’s the position. The company has been officially declared bankrupt. B Yes. A And our chief executive officer has been arrested on charges of corruption. B Yes. A Of course, our company president has been on television to make a public apology. B Of course. A But there was nothing he could do. B Of course not. Gentlemen, it is a black day in our company’s proud history. A Yes. A very black day. Very, very black. C Can I just come in here? B Please, do. C Well, it’s just a suggestion, but shouldn’t we all be looking for new jobs?
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Extract 3 A Now, just a minute, just a minute! B There’s no way we’re going to accept this! A Could I just...? B They can’t make English the official company language! A Could I just...? B If head office thinks we’re all going to speak English from now on... A Could I just finish what I was saying? B Frankly, it’s bad enough that we have to speak English in these meetings. A Please! Let me finish... No one is suggesting we can’t speak our own language. B But that is exactly what they are suggesting! C Can I just say something? B Go ahead. C Well, as I understand it, this is only a proposal at this stage. A That’s precisely that I was trying to say – before I was interrupted. B Now, hang on a second... C If I could just finish... The idea is to introduce English gradually over the next two years. B Oh no! Not while I’m in charge of Human Resources. A Yes, well, that brings us on to item two on the agenda: restructuring the Human Resources department.
Audioscript 17.1 So to sum up... we’ve compared the case for building our own warehouse with our current practice of outsourcing distribution. We’ve looked at two main points: one, the cost; and two, efficiency in delivering to our customers. As we have seen, we’ll break even on the investment in the warehouse in just five years. After that, we can expect to save costs on distribution. What’s more, the warehouse will enable us to deliver faster and more efficiently to our customers. My conclusion is, therefore, that the new warehouse should be built as soon as possible. Then we can have the benefits of greater cost savings and greater efficiency in the future. Thank you for your attention. Any questions?
Audioscript 17.2 (J = John, V = Victoria, F = Fred)
J So I think that’s about as far as we can go, isn’t it, Vict... ?
V Yes, I think so, unless there are any more questions?
J No, I think we’re through at that. Fred?
F Okay.
J So, can you summarise, Victoria?
V Yes, well, we’ve discussed the Spanish Basque Country as a possible site for locating a new plant. The area looks a good long-term prospect and there is a high quality transport infrastructure and telecommunications systems – also excellent. The one thing we have to make more enquiries about, to find out more about, is the financial aspect relating to choosing a city location – or a small town location. So... that’s all.
F Good. That’s it then?
J Okay, thanks for coming. Oh Fred, can I have a word about something else... er... thanks.
V I’ll see you later.
Audioscript 18.1 Point 1 (C = Chair, P = Petra)
C Petra, can you tell us what the programme is for the Korean visit next week?
P Well, unfortunately, I can’t. We’ve had an email to say that the visit is likely to be postponed by a week or two. Until I know for sure, I can’t finalise the programme.
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Point 2 (C = Chair, R = Rosa) C Rosa, how are things going with the preparations for the trade fair? R Fine. We’re all on schedule. I’ve been able to book our usual stand by the main entrance, which of course is great for business. The
only thing is that costs have gone up astronomically this year. The stand is costing $1,000 more than last year. So, I don’t think we’ll be able to stay within the budget.
C So, we’ll need to review the budget? R Yes, I’m afraid so.
Audioscript 18.2 Point 3 (C = Chair, A = All) C OK, are we all agreed then? Future committee meetings will be moved to Thursdays to avoid the clash with departmental
meetings. Is everyone happy to keep the same start time of 10am? A Yes. Point 4 (C = Chair, T = Terry) C We need someone to draw up a new reporting form that will be easier to use. Terry, would you be able to do something about
that? T Er, yes. C Perhaps you could email a draft to everyone for comments. Then we can agree on a final version at the next meeting.
Audioscript 19.1 The mighty Coca-Cola has been the world’s number one brand for so long, it’s hard to imagine anything threatening its position of global dominance. One of the company’s own publicity brochures proudly declares: ‘A billion hours ago human life appeared on Earth; a billion minutes ago Christianity emerged; a billion seconds ago the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan Show – a billion servings of Coca-Cola ago was yesterday morning.’ Quite a claim. And one that makes a loss of consumer confidence unthinkable. But take yourself back to May 1999. The unthinkable has just happened. Hundreds of people in Belgium and France have become ill after drinking what they claim is contaminated Coke. And when the cause of the problem cannot quickly be established, the famous soft drink is officially banned in both countries as well as Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The price you pay for being the brand leader is that customers expect quality, as Coca-Cola’s CEO is the first to admit. ‘For 113 years,’ he says, ‘our success has been based on the trust that consumers have in that quality.’ Now that trust is shaken. In fact, the four countries banning Coke only represent two per cent of the company’s $18.8 billion in annual sales. But within a week consignments exported from Belgium to other countries as far apart as Germany and the Ivory Coast have also been seized by officials. Though no definite proof of contamination has yet been found, the panic is starting to spread...
Audioscript 19.2 1999 is not a good year for soft drinks companies. Though the Dow is up 25%, both Coke and Pepsi, normally well ahead of the market, are down by around 13%. Coca-Cola is not going to rush into a highly expensive product recall. In any case, early examinations of the Belgian bottling plants find nothing unusual and an official toxicologist’s report concludes that the 200 cases of sickness are probably psychosomatic. But while Coca-Cola is deliberating over what action to take, rivals Pepsi and Virgin Cola are quick to fill the gaps left on the supermarket shelves. And Coke’s refusal to react until it has conducted a thorough investigation is starting to look like a denial of responsibility...
Audioscript 19.4 This is how Coca-Cola actually handled the problem. Initially, full-page advertisements were taken out in European newspapers to reassure the public that the quality of Coke was ‘irreproachable’. This was not totally successful as the public at that time could still remember a similar contamination scare at Perrier some years before and all the talk was of pesticides on fruit and mad cow disease. But, fortunately, the source of the Coke contamination was eventually traced to a strange fungicide on cans shipped from Dunkirk and poor carbon dioxide at Coca-Cola’s bottling plant in Antwerp which makes the Coke taste a little different but does no real harm. It wasn’t the Coke itself but the cans that were contaminated. Coke took the necessary measures and, at enormous cost to the company, all 17 million cases of Coke were withdrawn. Finally, in a spectacular public relations coup, and as an apology to the Belgians who had been ill, Coca-Cola offered a free one-and-a-half litre bottle of Coke to each and every one of Belgium’s ten million citizens! Coke was immediately back in the stores.
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Phrase Bank A collection of useful phrases related to meetings.
Making arrangements Would Thursday at 5 o’clock suit you? What about / How about July 21st? When would be a good time? That would be fine / great / perfect. Could we meet sometime next month?
Changing arrangements I’m afraid I can’t come (on) that day. Could we fix / arrange / it for another day / time / date? We’ve got an appointment for next month, but... Sorry, I’m too busy next week. No, sorry, I can’t make it then.
Confirming arrangements Sorry, that was... I just want to check / confirm that? You said... To confirm that... Can I / Can you confirm that by email?
Setting objectives There are four items on the agenda... I suggest we take them in this order. Could we take ... first? ... will come up under item 3. The purpose of this meeting is... The aims of this meeting are...
Starting Let’s start with... Shall we begin with...? So, the first item on the agenda is... ... would you like to kick off? ... would you like to introduce this item? OK, let’s get down to business. Right, can we start, please?
Closing an item Right, I think that covers the first item. Shall we leave that item? If nobody has anything else to add...
Next item Let’s move on to the next item... The next item on the agenda is... Now we come to the question of...
Moving off the point This might be a good point to mention... It’s not on the agenda, but... By the way...
Referring forward / back We’ll come to that later (under item 3). That point is coming up in a moment. As we said earlier...
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Keeping to the agenda Can we just deal with...? Let’s just deal with... Can we come to that in a moment? I’m not sure that’s relevant. Perhaps we could get back to the point.
Speeding up / slowing down
Shall we skip the next item? I suggest we take that up at another meeting. I think we should move on now. Can we come back to that? Hold on, we need to look at this in more detail. I think we should discuss this a bit more.
Interrupting Excuse me, may I interrupt? Just a moment... Can I say something here? Bella, sorry... Could I just say something / comment on that? Excuse me, but could I just say... Hold on a minute. Sorry to interrupt but...
Dealing with interruptions Just let me finish. I’ll come to that in a moment. I haven’t finished what I was saying. No, wait a moment... May I just finish? Hold on. Can I finish the point? Let Stefan finish, please. I’d like to finish if I may. Just a moment, please... We haven’t heard from Peter. Can we hear what Sylvia has to say? Just let Thomas finish. Could you let him finish, please? Could you just hang on a moment, please?
Commenting Yes, ... ... that’s interesting. ... that’s a good point. ... I see what you mean.
Considering alternatives Have you considered...? What about...? There’s another way of looking at this. ... is worth considering.
Emphasizing I’d like to point out... Let me emphasize... Can I just draw your attention to...?
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Referring You said... You know what you said about... Somebody mentioned...
Open questions What sort of...? Could you tell me...? I’d be interested to know...
Closed questions Do you plan to...? Is there...? Did you...? Are you going to...?
Leading questions Shouldn’t we...? There isn’t ..., is there? We’re ..., aren’t we?
Probing questions What exactly do you mean by...? I’m not sure I really understand... Could you go into more detail about...?
Reflective questions So you’re worried about...? If I understand you...
Asking for opinions What do you think? Peter? [rising intonation] What’s your opinion? How do you feel about...? What’s your view?
Giving opinions I think / feel / believe... In my opinion, we should... In my view... / My view is...
Making proposals I suggest... I propose that... How about... We could... I think we should... How about...? Why don’t we...? Maybe / Perhaps we could...
Rejecting proposals Sorry, I don’t think it’s / that’s a good idea. I’m not sure I agree with you there. It / That just won’t work. Well, I’m not happy about it / that.
Commenting on opinions That’s a good idea / an excellent idea. That’s very interesting. I’m sure we’d all agree with that... That’s a very good point / an important point.
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Clarity of ideas I don’t see what you’re getting at. I’m not sure what you mean. I’m not sure what you’re saying. It’s not clear what you mean.
Relevance of ideas We’re missing the point. We’re getting off the point. Let’s get back to the main point. He / she has a good point.
Problems of time We’re rather short of time... I’m afraid we’re running out of time. We’ll have to leave that to another time.
Total commitment I’m 100% behind you. I entirely agree with you. I couldn’t agree more. Absolutely / Exactly.
Limited agreement I agree, but... I’m not against it, but... Yes, I’m with you. I think I’d agree with you there. I think so too.
Wait to be convinced I can see what you’re getting at. There are two sides to the argument. On the one hand... on the other hand... I’m not sure / convinced about... I just think we need more time. I see / know what you mean, but... Maybe, but...
Total disagreement I totally disagree. I couldn’t agree less. I’m afraid I can’t agree. You must be joking! [idiom]
Responding positively That’s true. That’s marvellous. That’s great. That’s fine.
Responding neutrally OK All right. I see your point. I understand your concern.
Responding negatively That’s crazy. That would be a disaster.
Completing the agenda Right, it looks as though we’ve covered the main areas / main points. I think that just about covers everything. Is there any other business? Is there anything more to discuss?
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Summarizing Before we close, let me just summarize the main points. Shall I just go over the main points? So, to sum up... OK, let’s go over what we’ve agreed. Right, to sum up then...
Agreeing and assigning actions
So, what’s the next step? Ann, could you let us have a report...? David has agreed to look into... So, Nina, you’re going to write up... Basically, I’d like you to...
Asking for clarification Could you just explain / clarify...? I’d like to clarify one thing. How do you mean...? What exactly are you saying / do you mean? Are you saying we need to...? Sorry, I don’t follow you. Can you explain in more detail?
Clarifying What I mean is... What I’m saying is... No, I was thinking of... To be more specific... To clarify...
Ensuring that everything is clear
OK, is that clear? Let me just clarify one thing. Do you all see what I’m getting at? So, I hope everything’s clear. Obviously... / Clearly...
Closing the meeting Let’s stop there. I’m afraid we’ll have to finish here. I declare the meeting closed. [formal] Let’s call it a day. [informal]
Add your own phrases here
