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Today's lesson is the second in a series about handling suggestions in meetings.
Last time we looked at how to make suggestions, and this time we're going to look at how to respond to suggestions.
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Business is a team sport and behind every successful team is a healthy internal dialogue and debate.
If you want to succeed in business and be a good team player, you need opinions and the skills to express them effectively.
But that doesn't only mean making your own suggestions.
It also means responding to other people's suggestions.
So in this lesson we'll learn different ways of responding to suggestions.
That includes responding positively, by accepting or praising the idea.
It also includes rejecting ideas or casting doubt on them.
In today's dialogue, we'll listen to a marketing team meeting at a sports shoe company.
The four colleagues are talking about a new ad campaign.
They are making suggestions for a spokesperson or recognizable figure to promote their shoes.
During the discussion, they use a variety of techniques and language to respond to suggestions.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
1.
What does Miguel think of Sven's idea to hire an overweight business executive as a spokesperson?
2.
How does Karen react to Miguel's suggestion of hiring a famous sports star?
3.
What is the group's response to Karen's final suggestion of hiring a golfer?
Okay, now let's talk about who we want to use as a spokesperson for this product.
Let's go around the table.
Shall we use a sports star or someone else?
Sven, what do you think?
Well, one possibility would be to use a famous overweight business executive or CEO.
Someone who is really successful.
Sorry, can I come in here?
Yes, go ahead, Miguel.
That's a good idea, but I'm not sure it would work.
Why not?
Well, for one thing, our customers want to be fit, not fat.
Well, then what do you suggest?
Perhaps we should just use a famous sports star, like we usually do.
If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
You know what I mean?
We could try getting Rooney, or Nadal.
Good suggestion, but I can see one or two problems with that, to be honest.
Oh?
First off, our target markets are in the UK and the US.
We need someone who both Americans and Britons really like.
Secondly, our target customer is kind of special.
I've got a suggestion.
Go ahead, Charles.
It's just an idea, but how about choosing someone from a sport where it's normal to be heavy?
American football, for example.
Heavy, but agile.
Overweight, but strong and fast.
You know what I mean?
Right, I can see what you mean.
What do others think?
Yes, that might be worth trying.
Okay, but what about the UK?
Who are we going to use on this side of the Atlantic?
Hmm, let me think about this.
Shall we try to find someone in golf?
That's popular in the US and in the UK.
That way we can kill two birds with one stone.
That's not a bad idea.
Yeah, I think that's worth trying.
Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the language used to respond to different suggestions.
At the start, Karen invites ideas for a spokesperson.
Okay, now let's talk about who we want to use as a spokesperson for this product.
Let's go around the table.
Shall we use a sports star or someone else?
Sven, what do you think?
Well, one possibility would be to use a famous overweight business executive or CEO, someone who is really successful.
Spann's suggestion of using an overweight or heavy person hints that the new shoe is for large people.
Let's hear what Miguel thinks of this idea.
Sorry, can I come in here?
Yes, go ahead, Miguel.
That's a good idea, but I'm not sure it would work.
You might notice that Miguel's approach is quite careful.
First, he asks if he can speak before responding to the suggestion.
He doesn't say directly that he doesn't like the idea.
In fact, he says it's a good idea.
But Miguel then casts doubt on the suggestion.
He wants people to question whether it is good or not.
He does this by saying, I'm not sure it would work.
By saying he's not sure about it, he's carefully rejecting the idea.
Let's try some more ways of rejecting an idea by casting doubt on it.
I wonder if other people would like that.
Next, Miguel is asked to explain his opinion.
Let's listen.
Why not?
Well, for one thing, our customers want to be fit, not fat.
Well, then what do you suggest?
This is a good reminder that if you're going to criticize or cast doubt on other people's ideas, you better be ready to make your own suggestions.
Let's hear Miguel's suggestion and how Karen responds.
Perhaps we should just use a famous sports star like we usually do.
If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
You know what I mean?
We could try getting Rooney or Nadal.
Good suggestion, but I can see one or two problems with that, to be honest.
Miguel thinks their old approach was good enough.
He suggests using a sports star like Rooney, an English soccer player, or Nadal, a Spanish tennis star.
Karen begins her response with a compliment, good suggestion, before saying but.
This approach is a soft way of introducing a rejection.
We start by saying yes or good idea, then say but before explaining our reasons for rejecting the idea.
Karen doesn't explain her reasons yet, but just says there are one or two problems.
Karen also softens her reaction with the expression to be honest.
That's a simple way to make it clear you're about to give your true opinion.
Let's practice using this yes-but approach to reject ideas with a couple of short dialogues.
What if we moved into a smaller space?
That could work, but there's not much available right now.
Now let's hear Karen explain the problems she sees with Miguel's idea.
She focuses on their target markets and target customers.
These expressions refer to the regions and groups of people they are trying to appeal to.
First off, our target markets are in the UK and the US.
We need someone who both Americans and Britons really like.
Secondly, our target customer is kind of special.
I've got a suggestion.
Go ahead, Charles.
As we can hear, Charles tells everyone he has a suggestion before he actually says what it is.
In this way, he's preparing people for his idea.
Let's hear what that idea is and how Miguel responds.
It's just an idea, but how about choosing someone from a sport where it's normal to be heavy?
American football, for example.
Heavy but agile.
Overweight but strong and fast.
You know what I mean?
Right, I can see what you mean.
What do others think?
Yes, that might be worth trying.
Miguel doesn't reject the suggestion. but he doesn't seem really excited about it either.
He accepts it, but with some hesitation.
To accept the idea cautiously, Miguel says it might be worth trying.
That word might is like saying maybe.
To show cautious acceptance, we often use words like might or could, or expressions like I guess or I suppose.
Let's run through some more examples of this kind of cautious acceptance.
Well, that could be good.
Yeah, that's one idea.
I guess that might work.
Miguel tentatively accepted Charles' idea.
But Sven has some doubts, as we can hear.
Okay, but what about the UK?
Who are we going to use on this side of the Atlantic?
Hmm, let me think about this.
Shall we try to find someone in golf?
That's popular in the US and in the UK.
That way we can kill two birds with one stone.
That's not a bad idea.
Yeah, I think that's worth trying.
The problem with Charles' idea is that American football isn't popular in the UK.
Fortunately, Karen has another idea.
Her suggestion is to find someone in golf, which is popular in both countries.
The group thinks this idea is great.
As you can hear, they praise the suggestion with strong language.
If someone suggests an idea you think is really good, you can express this directly and clearly.
Let's practice some more ways of accepting a suggestion by praising it.
Great idea!
Let's do it!
Alright, we've heard lots of examples of responding to suggestions.
In their discussion about who to choose as a spokesperson, there have been many suggestions.
Some were rejected, one was cautiously accepted, and the last one provoked a very positive response.
Now let's practice some of the language we learned in today's lesson.
In a moment, you'll hear a series of suggestions.
I'll explain how you can respond to each of these suggestions.
Then after the beep, you could say your answer.
Once you've gone through all the examples, we'll hear some model answers to compare to yours.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
To save money, why don't we reduce our marketing budget?
Respond by saying you understand but that sales might go down.
Well, we could eliminate staff mobile plans.
Now respond by saying you're not sure that would work, to be honest.
So, how about we try to reduce energy consumption?
Respond to this suggestion cautiously by saying you guess that might work.
Okay, I know.
Why don't we move to a smaller office?
Respond to this last suggestion very positively by praising it as a great idea and saying let's do it.
How did you do?
Let's listen to some example answers.
You'll hear each suggestion followed by a model answer.
To save money, why don't we reduce our marketing budget?
Answer.
I understand what you're saying, but sales might go down.
Well, we could eliminate staff mobile plans.
Answer.
I'm not so sure that would work, to be honest.
Answer.
I guess that might work.
Okay, I know.
Why don't we move to a smaller office?
Answer.
Great idea.
Let's do it.
That's all for this lesson on how to respond to suggestions.
We've learned how to cast doubt on a suggestion and to carefully reject an idea.
We've also looked at how to cautiously accept a suggestion and how to praise a good idea.
For more practice.
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Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.
