Meeting Phrases: Disagreeing politely and diplomatically

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How do you disagree with colleagues in meetings?
You’re in an international meeting with people from all over the world and it’s time for you to agree or disagree with the solutions being offered. Unfortunately, you can only agree on one solution – so you have to disagree with someone.

However, disagreeing with a colleague at work can be problematic. If they believe you’re being too direct – or even rude or aggressive, it could have serious consequences for your business.

If this has happened to you, you may be working with a different business culture, one that expects disagreement to be softened or said indirectly to save face and maintain good working relationships.

Here are some common diplomatic and polite ways of saying “no” which you can use in meetings to disagree politely and diplomatically.

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Meeting phrases for disagreeing politely and diplomatically

1.  The partial agree

  • I agree with you to a point, but…
  • I understand what you are saying, however…
  • I see what you’re saying, but…

2.  Using words or phrases to soften your disagreement

  • I’m afraid, I don’t agree.
  • I’m sorry, but I just can’t agree.
  • Sorry, but I really can’t agree to that.

3.  Disagreeing using general doubt

  • Hmm, I wonder if it’s true that….
  • Hmm, I’m not sure it can work like that.
  • Hmm, I’m not sure whether it’s possible.

4.  Avoiding the negative

  • I don’t think that’s such a good idea. (NOT It’s a bad idea.)
  • I don’t think I can agree with you. (NOT I disagree with you.)
  • I’m not sure it’s the best idea. (NOT it’s the worst idea!)

Following these simple examples will help you maintain good business relationships when working with other business cultures and keep things positive and diplomatic in international meetings.  Want more ways to improve your meetings? Check out our seminar on facilitating meetings for more info on how.

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CEFR Levels: A Beginner’s Guide

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What is your CEFR level?

In Europe everyone talks about their language skills in terms of being somewhere between A1 and C2.

But what does this really mean? How do you really know what level you are? Does the next person have the same understanding of what that level really means? Do you even know what CEFR stands for?

In 273 pages the Council of Europe explain the whole concept and what each level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) mean.

The only problem is that I don’t actually know of anyone – language trainer, L&D professional, or client purchasing the training – who has read the whole thing. I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t.

There are though a number of more succinct explanations available on the internet. And most training institutions, Target Training GmbH included, have their own documents which explain it in the way they think is most accessible to their clients.

What are the advantages of using the CEFR for business language training?

  • It is based on can-do statements which is far more useful than just having , for example, a grammatical syllabus
  • The can-do statements are largely practical
  • Provided levels are assessed correctly, and participants are not put up a level purely because they have finished a course and the training institution wants a happy client,  a certain level of standardization is offered

What are the disadvantages?

  • Put a group of experienced language trainers in the room to discuss a participant’s level. There will always be some discussion as to what the level is. One person focuses more on grammatical errors, another only listens for fluency, another for the use of interesting language, etc
  • The CEFR is of limited use when assessing corporate language training. The broad bands mean that the time needed to move up a level is too great to be assessed on anything less than a 12 month basis (100 hours to progress from an A1 to and A2, up to 400 hours to progress from a C1 to a C2)
  • Lack of relevance. The CEFR was not designed with the corporate environment in mind. The can-do statements are very general

Is what really counts being measured with CEFR?

At Target Training, we aim to improve participants’ performance at work in English in a short time.  Progress is generally shown in terms of being able to participate better in a meeting (and for someone else to notice), being able to write emails quicker and better than they could before the training, etc.   Such progress is difficult to assess using the CEFR levels.

If you don’t agree, have a look at the can-do statements in the document mentioned above and the suggested language points in the British Council /EAQUALs Core Inventory.

They are wonderful for the general English classroom, but need adapting to the world of business. And we really need to consider whether versions adapted for the business world are really the best way of assessing levels and progress. Most of us who carry out level placement tests notice that there is a clear difference in an individual’s general and business level. There isn’t a difference in the CEFR levels, and as the can-do statements are general, the level assigned will be general. This might not be accurate for the corporate environment. Let us know what you think in the comments area below. Also, check out our methods and tools that we use to ensure high quality training at the workplace.

Presentation Fillers: 4 Quick Tips to Help

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Are you using too many presentation fillers when presenting?

Have you ever given a presentation and started using words like ‚umm‘, ‚erm‘, ‚well‘, ‚I’m not sure‘, ‚maybe‘, ‚how can I put this‘, etc. because you didn’t know what to say or how to answer someone’s question? Have you thought about the effect this has on your listeners? You want your listener to think that you know your topic very well, that you are well-prepared and that your English language skills are very good. Unfortunately, words and phrases like the ones above (which are called fillers) can leave your listener asking themselves why they should listen to you if you don’t really have anything important to say. Even worse, your audience might start focusing on these words instead of the topic of your presentation. That’s why it is important to know how to act when giving a presentation. Here are some tips for you to remember so your audience doesn’t get distracted by your words instead of hearing and remembering your intended message.

4 Tips to help decrease presentation fillers

1.  Know your material. This includes your slides, but also the English words you use on them, other jargon (or specific language) which is important to explain your product or strategy as well as verbs to make your presentation active. Using all of these correctly will reduce the need to use fillers because you are knowledgeable about your subject.

2.  Anticipate questions. Think about possible questions the audience might ask and the answers you might give before the day of the presentation. You might think this is a waste of time, but if you can anticipate the ideas and the vocabulary you might need in advance, you won’t need to use a filler phrase to gain time.

3.  Practice your presentation in advance.  While you might not need to memorize the presentation, you should go through it at least once before giving the presentation, (the more often, the better, however). Practicing the presentation means that you have said what you want to say out loud, that you have thought about your introduction and conclusion and that you have practiced using the visual aids, (slides, props, flipchart etc.) while speaking. This is not always as easy as it looks, especially while doing everything in another language! (For those of you who have a Target Incorporate Trainer in your company, you can ask them to help you with this).Contact us now

4.  Be comfortable with silence. Perhaps this sounds silly to you, but some people use fillers simply because they don’t like silence. In today’s world of constant sounds, it is an easy trap to fall into. This doesn’t mean, however, that saying something without content is better for your audience than saying nothing at all. Everyone, including your audience, needs a chance to think and organize their thoughts before responding to or asking a question. Allow them to do this without interruptions!

 

Finally, some words of advice. Don’t worry if you still use presentation fillers occasionally. Even native speakers sometimes use them. What’s most important is not to overuse them. Let us know if you have any comments below and good luck on your next presentation!  Also, check out our seminar on Presenting with IMPACT to get better results with your presentations.

Giving Constructive Criticism: Phrases and Tips

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How are you at giving constructive criticism?

Giving praise to someone, for example on a job well done, is easy and direct: “Well done!” – but what about doing the opposite, giving constructive criticism when someone’s performance is unsatisfactory?

The problem is that if the constructive criticism you give is too negative or direct, you might risk destroying a good working relationship with a valued member of your team.  Working  internationally means you also have to consider cultural factors when delivering constructive criticism, and it is very important to handle this with sensitivity.

Below are some standard phrases for giving both praise and constructive criticism, as well as some tips which can be used in a variety of cross-cultural situations to help you make your point sensitively and ensure that you get a positive outcome. After all, the reason for giving the criticism is to improve things in the future, right?

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Phrases for giving constructive criticism

 

Praise:  This team works very well together.
Constructive criticism:  I’ve noticed that the team has some problems communicating.

Praise: The performance of the database is excellent.
Constructive criticism: The database performance needs to be improved so that…

Praise: That sounds like a good idea.
Constructive criticism: I’m not sure that idea would work because…

Praise: I love this application.
Constructive criticism: I can see some difficulties with this application, it could be improved.

Praise: You are very well-trained in ABAP.
Constructive criticism: How about getting some training in ABAP?

Praise: The project was a great success.
Constructive criticism: What do you think is the reason we had problems with this project?

 

5 Tips for giving constructive criticism

  1. Where possible, give concrete examples for your criticism. This helps the other person to really grasp what you are saying.
  2. Give the other person a chance to explain and to fix things if possible, make sure this is a two-way conversation.
  3. Say what you would like in future – and why. Let the other person see the bigger picture and get an understanding of your perspective.
  4. When discussing lessons learned, make sure you get input from the other person i.e., the expert, on how to solve the problems.
  5. Agree on specific targets and timelines. That way, the person receiving criticism walks away with a concrete guide on how to move forward.

By making sure your criticism is truly constructive and culturally sensitive you can have more meaningful discussions and avoid damaging relationships. Just remember, in most cultures you can be more direct when complimenting people than when giving constructive criticism. Let us know if you have any other tips that have worked for you in the comments areas below.  Do you want to improve your ability in communicating difficult news?  Click here to learn more.

Meeting Rooms: Phrases for Booking Conflicts

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Do you ever have someone using the meeting rooms that you booked?

Have you experienced conflicts with the meeting rooms in your company? Imagine this situation: you’ve done hours of preparation for a meeting with your customer. Your slides, documents and ideas are in perfect order and you’re feeling confident. You meet your client in the lobby of the building and direct him upstairs to the meeting room you booked months ago, especially for this meeting. When you arrive, you feel a rush of panic: the door is closed and you can hear the sounds of a meeting in progress. You open the door. What should you do and say? It is important to knock on the door, enter slowly, excuse yourself and politely clarify the issue. Here are some phrases to help your issues with meeting rooms.

Phrases to use when discussing meeting room conflicts

 

  • Excuse me for interrupting. Do you have a booking? / Did you book this room?
  • I’m sorry to interrupt. Do you have a reservation? / Did you reserve this room?

The verb ‘to book’ is helpful when we need meeting rooms. We can also use the verb ‘to reserve’.

  • Sorry for interrupting, but I have a booking here. / I booked this room. / I reserved this room.

If you checked and you know you’re in the right place at the right time, it can help to be assertive and confident.

  • Hello. Sorry to interrupt your meeting, but I have a booking at 12:00.

If it’s close to 12:00, this can be a friendly way to suggest the person already in the room needs to finish his or her meeting in progress.

  • Hi. Sorry to interrupt your teleconference, but I think I have a reservation here at this time. Can we check the calendar?

It might be necessary to look together and see how the conflict happened.

 

While these phrases can help in the uncomfortable situation that two people have booked the same room, this doesn’t really solve the problem. Employees around the world complain about meeting rooms in their office. Bookings are changed, rooms are double-booked and appointments are modified at the last minute. Do you have any tips for how to manage this sticky situation? It would be great to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Want to improve your meetings overall? Click here for more information.

Polite emails: Hamburger Approach

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Do you send polite emails?  Each day at work we send and receive many emails.  The longer you spend writing and replying to emails, the less time you have for other important tasks.  Why should you waste time trying to be polite in emails when all you need is some quick information from someone or to give them a quick answer?  The answer is simple: relationships.  Building lasting relationships is key in business, and how you write your emails can help.  Taking a few extra seconds to show professional and personal respect can go a long way.  One easy way is by keeping in mind the ‚Hamburger Approach‘ when writing your emails.  You may have heard of this method for giving feedback as a manager.  A hamburger has three main parts: the top bun, the meat, and the bottom bun.  Here is how you can use these parts to create polite emails.

3 Parts of the Hamburger Approach for polite emails

1.  Polite introduction (top bun)

The goal here is to start off your email in a positive way.  This is especially helpful if you are delivering unpleasant news to your recipient.  Jumping right into your subject can be read as being very direct and abrupt.

  • I hope all is well today.
  • Thanks for your email Tim. (when replying to an email)
  • I hope you had a good holiday/weekend/business trip.

2.  Information/Request/Update (meat)

This is where you discuss the main point of your email.  It could be a quick answer, a request, etc.

  • Regarding the management meeting on Tuesday…
  • That proposal sounds good.  Let’s meet…
  • I am writing about the changes to our…

3.  Polite close (bottom bun)

The last part finishes the email in a positive way.  Without a phrase, like the ones below, your email will seem incomplete and unfinished.  This could lead to a negative impression for the recipient.

  • Thanks for your time and have a good day.
  • Feel free to contact me with any further questions.
  • I am looking forward to seeing you next week at the meeting.

Example of a polite email using the Hamburger Approach

 

Bill,

I hope all is well today and you had a good weekend.  I am writing about the change in the meeting agenda for our conference next week.  Could you please inform the others about the new schedule before the end of the week?  This is important to make sure everyone is prepared.  Thanks for your help.  I’m looking forward to seeing you next week in Boston.

Robert

 

You don’t have to use this approach with every email.  If you are emailing back and forth all day on a topic, this isn’t necessary.  It is important for the first or second email in an email exchange.  Keep this Hamburger Approach in mind and it will help you write polite emails.  Let us know if you have any other suggestions in the comments area below.  Want more help with polite emails or to improve your writing overall at work?  Click here for information.

Head, Hand & Heart: 3 elements all presentations need

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Every presentation is different. Or is it? In this short video, Chris Slattery, Managing Director and training enthusiast, outlines the three elements all presenters need to keep in mind to make sure their presentations runs well. By keeping the key elements of head, hand and heart in mind even the most inexperienced presenter can deliver a clear and memorable message.

Discover more about how we integrate the Head, Hand and Heart model into our seminars here.