024_Requesting_Action

024_Requesting_Action

This is the third of four episodes dealing with English for business meetings. In this episode, Nichibei student Masato asks Ray Parnell how to make a polite request in a meeting.

Kevin:

Hello and welcome once again. This is Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great place to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones. This is the third of four episodes dealing with meeting skills. This episode we have a question from Nichibei student Masato.

Masato:

Hello Kevin.

Kevin:

Hi Masato.

Kevin:

And also here again is Nichibei instructor Ray Parnell.

Ray Parnell:

Hello Kevin.

Kevin:

So Masato, we talked a little bit yesterday about your situation, but I’d like you recap your situation.

Masato:

Ah, just a moment… recap? I’ve never heard that before. What does it mean.

Kevin:

Well, recap is actually an abbreviation of the verb recapitulate. To recapitulate means to summarize and state again the main points.

Masato:

OK, I’ll recap my situation….I was listening to your last two podcast about English for business meetings and I thought of two situations I want to ask you about.

Kevin:

That’s what we’re here for, go ahead.

Masato:

OK, my question is about requesting action from people within my company. I’m a manager in a section with several English speakers and usually when I order them to do something, I just make a direct request, right? I can just say “David! send a report on the Singapore project” That’s OK right?

Kevin:

Sure, that’s OK. I guess you could say “Please”.

Masato:

Yeah, Please send a report. My problem is when I’m making a request to my bosses. Some people have said my requests sound too strong and are not polite enough. So that’s my recap. what can you suggest?

Kevin:

Thanks Masato. That was a very clear recap. Now let’s turn to Ray Parnell for some advice on this. Ray what do you think?

Ray Parnell:

I think you’ve identified a very important point when using English for business. That is, who are you talking to and what is their position. I think the English you use for your subordinates is OK.

Masato:

Sorry, … subordinates means?

Ray Parnell:

Oh, subordinate. It simply means a lower-ranking staff member.

Masato:

Thanks

Ray Parnell:

So, you just need some more polite patterns to express the same thing. All right?

Masato:

Ah yeah, that’s right.

Ray Parnell:

Well as you may know, a general rule is that more polite sentences are longer.

Shorter and more direct sentences are less polite. So let’s get started with some standard phrases.

First I’ll suggest this phrase….I’d really appreciate it if you could….. and then add your request for example, send the report on the Singapore project. Go ahead and give it a try.

Masato:

I’d really appreciate it if you could send the report on the Singapore project.

Ray Parnell:

That sounds fine. Now let’s try another polite request. Let’s use the phrase…Do you think you could…. You might use it like this…Do you think you could send me the report on the Singapore project? Go ahead, you give it a try?

Masato:

Do you think you could send me the report on the Singapore project?

Ray Parnell:

That’s good. Let’s do one more. This next phrase sounds very polite. it’s … I wonder if you could possibly…. and then add your request. Let’s hear you request the Singapore report again.

Masato:

I wonder if you could possibly send me the Singapore report.

Ray Parnell:

Good job! That’s fine. Now if you use phrases like that when making a request, I’m pretty sure you’ll make a polite impression.

Masato:

Thanks Mr. Parnell. That should do it.

Ray Parnell:

Glad I could be of help.

Kevin:

Let’s review the words and phrases for this this episode. Recapitulate… or the abbreviation recap. Subordinate. I’d really appreciate it if you could help me? Do you think you could help me? I wonder if you could possibly help me?
Before we go, let’s check with Ms. Ono in the Nichibei office. Ms. Ono, you have an announcement about registration for the Summer term

END