This is the business English podcast episode 396.
Test the waters with these office expressions.
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Hello, Michelle. How are you today?
I'm good. Lindsay, how are you?
Fantastic. What's going on?
What are we getting into?
Well, yeah, I have a question.
I mean, as a business owner, Lindsay, you probably have to test the waters a lot to see what works, right?
Oh my gosh. Yeah. everything we do, Michelle, is testing the waters.
We never know what's going to work.
That's what I love about business actually.
I like putting things out into the world and seeing what happens.
Yeah. It's probably very exciting, but it's probably very intimidating.
Yeah. You're always experimenting and seeing what happens.
Yeah. I mean, every time we build a course, we don't always know exactly what the response is going to be, candidly.
Right? We can, we spend months building our courses and then, and then we launch them into the world and see if they sink or swim.
That's a good one too.
Yeah. So Lindsay, today we're going to talk about this expression, um, test to the waters and the other idioms that you maybe already said for business that use water or swimming.
Ooh, this is really interesting.
I'm excited for this.
I love when we bring in imagery, real life imagery nature and we bring it into our English and it becomes crystal clear.
Oh my gosh, there's another one.
Crystal clear what we're trying to say.
Um, but speaking of courses, Michelle, we are launching a brand new course very, very soon.
Uh, what is this course about Michelle?
This course is about getting better in the professional world about starting to increase your ability to speak.
We have six or seven, I think, native speaker interviews that are with people who are in high up position.
So you're going to learn so much from this.
Yup. Big focus on fluency, speaking, practicing.
This is professional English level one that is coming out very soon.
So, to be one of the first to hear about it, go and get on the list. The early access list. Go to allersenglish .com slash professional and you will hear from us very soon.
All right? That's right.
Good. We have actually used some of these naturally.
I didn't even think about sink or swim.
I didn't even think to use that, but I just used it.
Oh, but it's funny.
You didn't even analyze your ...
I did not even think to use it.
No. Yeah. See? So there you go.
It was perfect. It was perfect.
So I know that's what happened.
I was thinking of test the waters and then I realized there's a lot more here.
Let's do a theme episode because again, as you mentioned, I kind of like this imagery.
And I also like sometimes teaching things in a way that is, oh, there's many about this one about water, about a certain theme, because I think it does help remember.
So yeah, yeah. different way to learn.
So the first one was test the waters.
Lindsay, what does that mean?
So test the waters is to give something a try in a low risk way.
Right? So maybe you try something out.
I'm open to the idea.
But let's just test the waters for a few days.
And then decide if we want to continue.
Right. So some things you might do to test the waters?
You might survey your audience customers.
You might talk with them.
You might make a mini -product and launch it and see what happens.
Yeah. Test the waters.
And that one is very different from sink or swim.
It's the opposite. Very different.
Isn't it? It's really the opposite.
Yeah, so, I mean, this is about failing or succeeding.
This is something will work or it won't.
So, you might say something like, this is a sink or for me.
My job is on the line.
Yeah. This also makes me think of sometimes you might hear couples talk about when they introduced their partner to their family, right?
And maybe their family is just really hectic or loud or crazy or something and you know, they didn't do anything to prepare them.
They just brought them to the family dinner and let them sink or swim.
And if they didn't swim, it means that they're not meant to be in the family eventually, right?
Not to be drastic, but it's going to be hard, you know.
Right? Right. Exactly.
There are these moments in our lives where in business or outside of business where there are sink or swim moments.
Yes. So yeah, yeah.
I think it's good because we need that direct feedback in life, right?
Are we meant to be in this place or not?
Should we try something different?
Yeah, exactly. All right.
What's another one?
Lindsay? Treading water.
Right. So this is, you know, how to tread water?
Michelle, are you a swimmer?
Do you know how to swim?" I know how to swim, but I'm not a good swimmer.
I'm not good at all.
I mean, I would not put me in the middle of the ocean.
How about you? Okay, well, I would not put anyone in the middle of the ocean.
That's a good point.
Even if the ocean was like just a little – not the middle of the ocean, but I wouldn't even put me in – just a little ways out in the ocean.
Well, I just ask you that because it's come to my attention that not everyone really knows how to swim.
I live in the middle of the country now.
I grew up on the east coast. I grew up, not my town was landlocked yes but my mom had grown up on the ocean in Connecticut and I took it for granted that most people learned how to swim as kids and knew how to swim.
Here not true. Not everyone knows how to swim which to me feels a little dangerous.
So you're a good swimmer?
I'm a pretty good swimmer but again, you put me in the middle of the ocean, forget it.
I mean all right to be clear no one's good.
We don't want anybody in the middle of the ocean.
Let's go. Yeah. So, basically, treading water means what, Michelle?
What are we doing when we're treading water?
Well, treading water literally means when you – I think of the swim test. Did you ever have to – maybe if you were at summer camp and they stick you in the middle of the pool.
Yeah, or swim lessons.
Yeah. I took swim lessons as a kid.
And you have to see how long you can – it's basically – you're not swimming.
You're just staying above the water.
Exactly. And you're just kind of pushing the water down.
And so sometimes you have to prove that you can tread water for a certain amount of time before you can go into the deep end or something like that.
Trying not to drown, trying to keep your head above water is the key, right?
To keep your head above water.
So more metaphorically, this means, basically that maybe you're trying really hard. You might not succeed.
You're trying to keep your head above that water.
It might not be working.
So what's an example?
We've been treading water with this account for months.
I just don't know that it will work out.
So, you're not making any gains, you know, but you're just surviving and...
You're not thriving.
Yeah. You're not thriving.
And I think to keep your head above water is another expression that we could have taught specifically.
We could have pulled that one out too, right?
And it points to treading water.
The same scenario is just used as well.
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Okay. And then, Michelle, we have drowning in X.
Right? Drowning in what?
Oh, gosh. I'm right.
Yeah. So that means, you know, this is being really overwhelmed.
Everything is coming down on you.
You're having a hard time staying afloat.
So in tax season, somebody could say, I'm drowning in W -2s, I can't wait until tax season is over.
Yeah, or you are drowning in emails, right?
This happens to me kind of all the time especially Monday mornings, you are kind of drowning.
Monday mornings are challenging in the business world, right?
You log in, you haven't checked your email for a couple of days and things are coming at you from all different directions.
Definitely. Absolutely.
And I like this next one, like a fish out of water.
This one's unique and interesting, what does this mean?
Yeah. I mean, if you think about a fish out of the water, I actually think we've taught this on all there's English, perhaps, but a fish out of water, it does, it's flapping all around.
It can't really survive, it can't survive.
Yes. So if you say you're, you feel like a fish out of water you're, it's unfamiliar.
You're not in your natural habitat.
You're new to a situation.
So my first day I felt like a fish out of water but I'm starting to get the hang of things.
Yeah, it just doesn't feel natural, right?
Yeah. Michelle, did I tell you about the time when I ran into the water to rescue a dog that was falling through the ice?
Did I tell you about that?
Oh, are you a hero?
It's so crazy. I don't even know why I did it because I was envisioning having to go in for Kiefer.
We were walking at this outdoor dog park, this huge dog park.
When was this? It was like two winters ago.
Colorado, and in Colorado, the ice can get really warm with the sun and the dog.
So I had imagined, oh, if Kiefer gets on the water, he might fall and I may have to go get him.
So all of a sudden, someone else's dog fell in and I just went into motion and I went and I tried to get the dog but of course, I fell in and then the owner fell in.
It was so dramatic.
It was crazy. I lost my phone.
I didn't lose my phone.
It was yeah, it was crazy.
So but how deep was the water?
Um, over my head for sure.
So out of here? Yeah, it was and it was really cold.
And that person buy you dinner or something?
It was a really weird. It's another story.
I'll tell you off the mic sometime.
But okay. She was in shock.
Actually, when she came out, she was totally in shock.
So she didn't really even like talk to me.
It was it was but it's okay.
I didn't do it for the recognition.
I did it because I was in, I had mentally rehearsed doing it, but I would have to do it for my dog.
And so when it came, so you see a dog struggling.
Yeah. It was crazy.
So anyways, it's that feeling of being trying to pull yourself up from the ice, but the ice keeps breaking.
I'm sure our listeners may have been in that situation before.
Yeah, guys, so if you're walking on a snowy day where there's a lot of ice, you want to be with Lindsay associate or just don't bring your dog.
So okay, well that's that's a great story.
Oh, yeah. Lindsay is that is there a time in?
We talked about how to test the waters a little bit but is there a time in your life when you felt like a fish out of water?
Oh, yeah, for sure.
I mean, when I first moved to Tokyo, you know, my first couple of days in Tokyo, I was completely overwhelmed.
I did not know what was happening.
And I was very confused.
You know, how to take the train, how to get anywhere, how to find my apartment.
What about you, Michelle?
Yeah, I think that, I guess moving to, well, in New York, I guess I wasn't a total fish out of water because I knew New York.
You knew New York, your family was from there too, right?
Yeah. Yeah. My parents were from there.
So it wasn't like a completely new place.
Yeah. But, um, man, when was the last time I felt like a fish out of water, I guess starting like, I guess Hey, maybe moving cuz now I'm more in the suburbs.
So like, we're trying to trying to get to learn and make all new connections and make new friends.
Sure, like that you can feel like a fish out of water sometimes, but actually it's been good.
Oh, I love that. Yeah, it's a good point.
Anytime you completely change your scenario, your environment, you might feel like a fish out of water, but you know what?
Humans learn quickly.
We learn quickly. We adapt, you know, and I bet you're doing a great job, you know?
All right, let's do a role play.
Yes. All right, so we're, of course, we wouldn't use all of these in the same one.
That's what happened.
The only thing that happens is sometimes with these episodes, it would be a little ridiculous to do all of these if one.
A little tacky, right?
Unless you're joking and then you're trying to do that, and that could be another episode for another day.
That's true. How do you how do you continue an analogy or a metaphor?
I that would actually make a fantastic episode.
I've heard this happening on a lot of podcast episodes lately like there was an episode on the journal about all the mess happening with the FAA and aviation, or there was an episode on the journal about Vale resorts.
And there were a lot of analogies about you know, like a black diamond and you know the snow conditions are not looking good and then they just continue the metaphor with each other they bounced it off of each other right that happens a lot of the news yeah and it's so cheesy but it's so cheesy and you have to make a remark when you do it so guys hit the follow button we will try to come back to that topic probably over on All There's English we'll do that topic that's a great one yeah it'll be fun So let's do this role play.
So here we are working together on a project at work.
All right, here we go.
Here we go. I'm really stressed about this.
After last presentation, I feel like it's sink or swim for us.
Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
Yeah, we're treading water a little bit, but we got this.
Thanks, Lindsay. I'm just drowning in work here and I feel like a fish out of water.
Oh, I know you do. But just test the waters a bit.
Think of everything as an experiment.
that? You're right.
we're in very different mentalities here.
Right? Yeah, I'm really having a tough week.
Maybe. Yeah, yeah. Exactly.
So I said after the last presentation, I feel like it's sink or swim for us.
And that's implying that how did the last presentation go?
Not very good. Right?
Yeah. You are on, you're in hot water a little bit, right?
Thin I love to do a part two of this episode.
There's a lot more.
Um, there's a lot more we could do and then you said, yeah, we're treading.
I said, yeah, we're treading water a bit, but we got this.
Right? So I'm admitting, you know, we're not making huge gains here, right?
We're just barely surviving.
We're keeping our heads above water, right?
And then I'm going to complain some more and say, I'm just drowning and work here.
So I have a ton of work and I feel like a fish out of water so I feel uncomfortable, unfamiliar with this kind of workload or whatever.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean you could be drowning in work but not feel like a fish out of water, but you've got both.
I got both. Oh my gosh.
Is there are times in life that are like this, you know?
Yeah. Um, and then, and then I said, I know you do, but just test the waters a bit.
Think of everything as an experiment.
And I have a very different perspective here.
I'm saying just try things.
See what works. see what sticks as we say for another expression exactly yep you just change your mindset yes so good yeah yeah good stuff here um michelle i want to recommend for our listeners guys go over to business english episode 3 9 2 go back and check that out does your business english add up i think that was the one we did about accounting is that right accounting language one with aubrey oh it's a different one okay but i'm sure it's a great one so go check it out guys All right.
Yes. Exactly. All right, guys, takeaway for today.
I mean, there were endless expressions dealing with water that we were coming up with naturally, even more than the ones we were listing.
So these are very, very natural, very good for in the business world, out of the business world.
If you haven't taken swim lessons, maybe think about it.
Maybe think about it.
You never know when you'll have to go rescue a dog, right?
Yes, that's right. You guys go over to allearsenglish .com, slash professional.
Get on that list to be ready for professional English level one when it comes out very soon.
All right, Michelle.
All right. This was fun, Lindsey.
Take care. Bye. Thank you for listening to business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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