This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 111.
Let's put a pin in it. How to delay something at work.
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Offer ends August 10th. allearsenglish.com slash connection hello michelle how's everything in new york city what's going on yeah everything is good over here just busy busy busy running around but everything is good how are you i'm good i'm good you have a vacation coming up yeah that's exciting do and you do too I do.
Oh, my gosh. We're all traveling and living our lives.
We'll bring back some good stories. I'm sure I will have some ridiculous stories of very bad Arabic.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Well, I look forward to discussing our travels.
I'm sure we'll have some episodes about it.
You know it. You know it. Michelle, do you ever have to put a pin in something when it comes to work?
A pin in something? Hmm. Yes, sometimes that does happen.
You kind of have to hold off on something.
I mean, yeah, Lindsay, what this expression we're going to talk about this today and how it's used, but basically the what's the idea?
Yeah. I mean, this is somewhat new to me, actually.
And I know this is sort of in style in the corporate world, but I think it means to delay something.
Is that right? To do it later? Yeah. To hold off on something.
It's like, yeah. Yeah. So, but we're going to get more into that.
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Yes. Hit follow on this show, guys. I mean, Michelle, put a pin in it.
I mean, first of all, it's kind of weird.
How does it sound something we're talking about a little metal thing that can prick you and it hurts, right?
A pin. Yeah. Why would that mean to delay something?
I don't really get it. Can you explain why would that mean to delay something?
That's a good question. You know what? I haven't dissected the idiom, but yeah, it's just like, I guess maybe because it's kind of holding together or it's holding space for something.
Good question. I didn't really, you know, get into that, but we're going to talk about it more.
This came up because we used it in a recent episode and I was thinking that it would be good time to really talk about it more.
Okay. So it basically means to pick it up later, to pick something up later.
Then, guys, another episode that you could listen to of the Business English podcast is episode 88, which is three steps to discover your unique genius.
Oh, love that concept. The whole genius, your unique genius.
We all have a genius. And maybe... there's something that we can do with delaying certain things so that we can spend more time in our genius right in our zone of genius i love it okay good stuff right okay so when might you want to put a pin in something lindsay oh my gosh well for example Now, I know this is used a lot at meetings.
So if you're at a meeting and it gets off track, but you know the topic's important and you want to tell your colleagues that that topic is important, you say, let's put a pin in it.
Let's put a pin in this. Right? of reminds me of we just did an episode um about this this idea of like when you want to bring up something oh just to mention briefly right right yeah so it's a similar idea of just but this is more saying let's hold off that one's more about let me mention this right right this one is more like let's hold off altogether And it's also the placement, right?
So the one we taught before in a previous episode, that was on Business English.
Was that episode on Business English, Michelle?
Yeah, I think it was our last time we recorded, I think.
Oh, okay. Yeah. So recently, that what we taught you before was at the beginning of what you're going to say.
This kind of comes more at the end after someone has brought the thing up and you are going to be the one to say, okay, that's important, but let's put a pin in it until later.
Right, right, right. Exactly. So good, good.
So also, let's say there's a decision that needs to be made, but more information is needed in order to do so.
That could be another time like, oh, well, we can't really get into this because we need more information.
So let's put a pin in it until then. yeah that's also really great i mean there's always so many things going on in parallel things just happen in parallel certain things are prioritized every day over others because you're waiting you have dependencies at work this is another key term in the corporate world dependencies you're waiting for someone else so you're going to use this a lot guys another situation michelle if there's a conflict that needs to be ignored until a task is completed.
Do you mean like an interpersonal conflict between people?
Michelle, what do you think? Could be, could be, or even with an assignment, if something can't be figured out until something else.
I mean, I guess it kind of goes along with what you were just saying, Lindsay, like you need, sometimes that can really hold things up at work.
You can't complete one task until another one is finished.
Yep. Prioritizing is such a big skill, right?
This is so hugely important. And as you get into the higher levels of management, guys, at any company, you have to have ninja prioritization skills.
Yeah. So we've talked about that too. And we talked about what was it?
Eisenhower's urgency. What was it? Urgency. important yeah yeah the matrix yes 100 yeah i love it and this can this be used in our personal lives as well sometimes on this show we like to show things that are useful for business and life Sure, this can absolutely be used in your personal life.
But I think that it is very useful for meetings and things like that, things that would be in the workplace.
But there's... Oh, man, I think there was... Actually, of course, it was on Friends.
Oh, Michelle. Is that where they use this expression?
Yeah, to put a pin in something. What was the scenario?
What were they talking about? Do you remember?
I think it was something to do with Ross's ex-wife.
And then, like, maybe... Oh... Oh, I can't remember, but it was an emotional scene and they said, oh, it's time to take the pin out.
And so, yeah, I can't I can't quite remember, but it can be used in your personal life.
Love it. Okay, Michelle, let's get into some deeper examples so our listeners know exactly when they should use this or when they could expect to hear this.
Guys, because understanding something will help you hear and listen better, really, because someone will say this and you'll know what they're saying, right?
Yes, yes. So, Michelle, do you have an example for our listeners?
I do, I do. So here we go. Thanks for bringing this topic up, Toby.
Let's put a pin in it until next month's meeting because then we can really pay attention to this important issue. nice nice yeah very very typical i feel like i would definitely hear this at work yes what's another one i think we should put a pin in this until we hear back from the contractors we just need more information and don't want to jump into anything um or one more is i know this is problematic but let's just put a pin in it for now because we really have to just get this presentation done And it's good to be able to say, I know this is problematic.
That could be another skill we could teach another day.
Michelle, how do you present something and say at the beginning to qualify?
Say, I know this might cause some stress or some controversy.
Yeah. Useful skill. Yeah, very useful. So Lindsay, I mean, how I mean, gosh, I'm gonna ask this question, but we already kind of talked about it with that urgency, the Eisenhower urgency principle.
So when do you put a pin in something? And when do you put it give it immediate attention, right?
So we really have talked about that a lot already.
But you know, just making sure that you have your tasks in mind and have that list and know what is important, right?
Yeah. What are the repercussions of not addressing this thing immediately?
What's going to be law? What's the opportunity cost if you don't address it?
Versus is there something else that could take that priority place?
We're constantly reprioritizing things. It's just the way life works. these days with the internet, with our emails being flooded.
It's just how we do it. And sometimes we take things in steps.
We've been having some challenges with your internet connection, Michelle, right?
Just to let everyone know. No, I don't know what you're talking about.
What? Right. So we've taken that in steps.
You know, we've said, let's stop the bleeding immediately.
That's another expression. Do one thing.
Take one step and then we'll put a pin in it until we can take a bigger step and a better step to ultimately solve the problem.
Right. Right. Oh, man. Anyway. So another thing.
Well, we also, you know, guys, we also talked about the expression bigger fish to fry.
Right. Um, so, uh, we have talked about, you know, priorities at work, personal life, all sorts of things, but let's teach just a couple expressions, um, before, before we get going about priorities.
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Exclusions apply. See details online. okay so table something so michelle another good one which basically means the same thing right yeah so put something off yeah let's table this idea it's a good one but we'll talk more after q2 and you know this is really important i would say in our team meetings at all there's english we get a lot of good ideas coming in from the team and you know If you're leading the meeting, you need to be able to say something to let the team know we're going to think about it later.
We're going to write it down and we're going to come back to it.
But there's just no way we can address all those amazing ideas at one time, you know?
Right. And, you know, you want to talk about goals for the future, but you can't do everything all at once.
You just can't. No way. Anything else, Michelle?
Do we have one other? Sure. Well, you could say to hold off, right?
So let's hold off on that for now. So let's hold off on that until we hear back from the developer.
Exactly. Let's hold off on that until we hear back.
Again, this goes to dependencies, dependencies at work.
You need all the information from all the parties and then you can make a decision.
Good stuff. Right, right, right. And then there's one more, if you can see on that last page.
I see it. Let's pick this back up later.
Let's pick this back up. Pick back up, Michelle.
Interesting sort of weird combination of two phrasal verbs at one time, one phrase.
Love it. Gotta love that. You could also just say, let's pick this up later.
Right? Yeah. Yeah. Same idea. So should we do a role play?
Okay. So here, Michelle, we are in a meeting and then you are coming up with some ideas.
So here we go. All right. So that's why I think we should start this new partnership.
What do you think? we put a pin in it until we get through the next quarter sure that's fine let's let's table it for now okay but i am really interested let's pick this back up later uh okay we'll hold off for now yeah and it can get kind of awkward if you're always saying that do people are able to pick it up later i feel like we do that a lot because things take longer than you think they will maybe you have three goals big goals in a year and it could take longer than a year to achieve those three goals so to pick up a new idea is a big deal and so we need these skills guys especially when you're at leadership levels which many of you are right absolutely so um let's go through this so you said uh can we put a pin in it until we get through the first through the next quarter yes and then you said let's uh sure that's fine let's table it for now so what you're doing here michelle is you're af you're affirming what i've said Key skill.
And then you said, okay, but I am really interested.
Let's pick this back up later. Nice. And then again, you're affirming again.
So we need this vocabulary. Guys, you need that variety.
There are four ways to say this that we're sharing today, all useful.
So you're not going to say, okay, we'll pick it back up later.
You're going to say, okay, we'll hold off for now because you're affirming what I've just said.
So you're showing your agreement, your solidarity.
That's important. Yeah, for sure. Very important.
So this was good. So Lindsay, what's the takeaway for today?
I think that it matters that we don't try to do everything all at once.
Oh my God, we've made that mistake at All Ears English.
We get so excited and we want to do so many big, wonderful things.
And then we end up burning ourselves out, Michelle, if we try to do too many things at once.
But we need the language to communicate that we want to come back to something.
Right, right, right. Yes. Well said, Lindsay.
I mean, anything else you want to say on top of that?
I mean, how does it feel, Michelle, when you're on a team where your management or the leadership level is driving you in 25 different directions?
It doesn't feel good, right? Right. Yeah.
You want to kind of be able to focus and to get excited about things and know that that if you say if you're in management and you say let's pick this back up later or let's put a pin in it for now and you never actually come back to it then the team is going to feel um you know yes yes you know like okay well what am i doing i'm not saying that's happening to me i'm just saying i'm just thinking of an example we've got some real life management stuff going on no it's a good no no no no that has nothing to do with it but yeah it's like yeah you want to feel like you're being listened to Okay, so I think that's the takeaway for today, right?
It is, if you say, let's put a pin in it.
I mean, it's also not just leadership level that says that.
It's people who are in charge of different departments, decision makers at any level of the company.
If you say, let's put a pin in it, there's also a certain responsibility you have.
Yeah, be genuine. Yeah, to swing back around and at least examine.
You don't have to do everything everyone suggests.
Of course not. But you want to give it a look.
Give a look at it. Examine, is this the right thing for us to do as a team?
So really important point, Michelle. I love it.
All right. Awesome. Well, I'm glad we talked about this today and I will talk to you later.
Okay, Michelle. Take care. Talk soon. Bye.
Bye. Bye. Thank you for listening to Business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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