You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Edwin and I'll be your host for today's lesson on collocations related to implementing a plan.
In business, good planning is important, whether you're talking about a long-term strategy or a short-term project.
But a plan itself means nothing without action.
It's not what you decide to do that matters, but what you actually do.
And what you actually do with a plan is called implementation.
Implementing a plan is all about deciding who will do what and when they will do it.
In this lesson, we'll listen in on a meeting about how to implement a marketing plan.
During the discussion, you'll hear lots of useful expressions that we call collocations.
A collocation is a natural combination or group of words.
For example, I've already used the collocation to implement a plan.
We don't say do a plan or activate a plan The natural expression is to implement a plan.
Native speakers use collocations like this automatically, and you can learn to use them as well.
By studying collocations, you'll improve your vocabulary and sound more fluent.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to pick out some of these collocations and we'll discuss them later in the debrief.
In the dialogue, we'll hear Carlos, Viv, Byron, and Marion.
The small company they work for has just had a new marketing plan developed by a consulting company.
Now they are meeting to figure out how to implement the plan.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
One, Carlos asks for volunteers on one aspect of the plan.
What exactly does he want the volunteers to do?
Two, as there's lots to do on the website, what does Byron need to do as the lead?
Three, what is Carlos going to do in three weeks' time?
Alright, so I think Bridge Consulting did a bang-up job for us on this marketing framework, but implementing the plan is going to be the real work.
Yeah, I'm with you on that.
We have to translate this into action.
Exactly.
And we've got a rough timeline, but now we need to decide who's going to do what.
There are twelve action items here, so everyone will have a part to play.
Let's start right at the top with revising the website.
Anyone want to take the lead on this?
Just so we're clear Carlos, and looking ahead to the other actions, you mean someone to see things through on all aspects of the website.
That would include not just point one, but also points two and three collecting feedback on the site and managing online reviews.
Or were you thinking separate people would carry out each action?
If I can jump in, I'd say that if we're working towards a better web presence overall, it would be more consistent if one person handles everything.
Agreed.
It's best if one person takes ownership of all three.
It might involve a couple of people doing the work, but we need a lead.
Fair enough.
And so, is that something you'd like to sign up for, Byron?
You've got the right skill set for it.
Yeah, all right.
I'm game.
I'm thinking that there's a lot to do here, so as long as I can delegate some tasks along the way, I'm good.
I'm certainly willing to help out on the website.
Great.
And I think it's especially important that all the website stuff happens in a timely manner.
We might have to flex the timeline in some places, but we need to stick to it as closely as possible.
You bet.
So I'd like to follow up with you three weeks from today and see the results of the feedback and your proposed revisions.
No problem, Carlos.
I'm going to block out time for collecting feedback next week, and then Marion and I will come up with some ideas.
Fantastic.
So, what's next here?
Number four is PR activities.
That means white paper, local media stuff, and taking care of press releases for our new services.
Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the language and collocations used during the meeting.
Alright.
So I think bridge consulting did a bang-up job for us on this marketing framework, but implementing the plan is going to be the real work.
Carlos starts very positively by saying that the consulting company did a bang-up job or excellent work on the marketing framework or plan.
But the real work is in implementing the plan.
That is, it's about making the plan happen.
To implement is a natural choice of verb when we talk about making a plan happen.
So let's practice some more ways of using this expression.
Starting next month, we will implement our marketing plan for the Midwest region.
HR has called a meeting to discuss implementation of the new benefits plan.
To implement a plan is a common expression, but there's another way we can express this idea.
Let's listen.
Yeah, I'm with you on that.
We have to translate this into action.
Viv is agreeing with Carlos, and she emphasizes that they need to translate the plan into action.
We usually use the verb translate to talk about changing ideas from one language to another, but you can also use it to talk about changing ideas into action.
Let's try a few more ways of using this expression to translate something into action.
If we're going to translate this idea into action, we'll need some serious investment.
Dave sure seems confident, but he's never proven that he can actually translate our decisions into action.
Alright, now let's get back to the dialogue, as Carlos introduces the first action item.
Exactly.
And we've got a rough timeline, but now we need to decide who's going to do what.
There are 12 action items here, so everyone will have a part to play.
Let's start right at the top with revising the website.
Anyone want to take the lead on this?
Carlos wants to figure out who will do what in implementing the plan, and he emphasizes that everyone will have a part to play.
That just means everyone will have a role or a job in implementing the plan.
The first action item is revising the website, and Carlos wants someone to take the lead on this part.
The person who takes the lead on something becomes a leader.
It doesn't mean that person has to do all the work, but rather that he needs to figure out how it gets done.
Let's go through some more ways of using this collocation to take the lead on something.
We need an experienced manager to take the lead on these negotiations.
Henry will take the lead on promotions while Annette will oversee the product launch.
Now, you'll notice that Carlos didn't just tell someone to take the lead on the website.
Instead, he asked for volunteers.
This is a great way to get the right people for the right tasks involved in implementing the plan.
If someone volunteers for a task, there's a good chance they'll be committed to it.
What are some other ways we can ask for volunteers when discussing how to implement a plan?
Let's run through a few more examples.
Is there someone who'd like to help out in this area?
Could I get someone to volunteer for this part of the market research?
Now let's get back to the dialogue.
Just so we're clear Carlos, and looking ahead to the other actions, you mean someone to see things through on all aspects of the website.
Carlos has asked for a volunteer to lead the website revisions.
But Byron needs some clarification.
He wants to know if the lead will see things through on all parts of the website.
To see things through means to make sure something gets finished.
It's part of taking the lead on something.
If you don't see things through, it means they are not completely translated into action.
Let's practice some more examples of this expression, to see things through.
We've got some great ideas here.
Now we need to invest the time and money to see things through.
Did Tad manage to see things through on that market research or should I ask Randy to do it?
Next, Byron explains what he means in more detail.
That would include not just point 1, but also points 2 and 3 collecting feedback on the site and managing online reviews.
Or were you thinking separate people would carry out each action?
To be clear, Byron explains that action items 1, 2, and 3 are all related to the website.
So his question is whether Carlos wants a leader for all three items or whether different people will carry out each action.
When you hear to carry out, don't think about the action of carrying.
Carry out just means to do something, like an action in a plan.
In fact, talking about implementation is all about deciding how actions will be carried out.
So let's try some more ways of using this expression.
I'm happy to report that we have carried out four of the five action items from our sales plan so far.
Thanks Ian.
I'm glad you've agreed to carry out the first three actions on our list.
Before Carlos has a chance to answer Byron's question, Viv wants to interrupt, or jump in.
If I can jump in, I'd say that if we're working towards a better web presence overall, it would be more consistent if one person handles everything.
Viv thinks that it would be better if one person took care of all the actions related to the website, because they are working towards a better overall web presence.
In other words, it's not just a better website they're working towards, but better everything online.
That includes things like managing online reviews.
But what does work towards something mean?
Well, the thing you work towards is your goal.
Every plan has goals, so there are several things you are working towards during implementation.
Let's practice some more ways of using this expression.
Let's be ambitious here and work towards launching the beta version by the end of July.
Wendy believes that we should be working towards completely rewriting our policy manual.
Let's hear what Carlos thinks of Viv's idea.
Agreed.
It's best if one person takes ownership of all three.
It might involve a couple of people doing the work, but we need a lead.
Carlos clearly agrees with Viv.
He wants a lead for all the web related action items.
The lead is the person who takes the lead.
And another way to say take the lead is to say you will take ownership of something.
Ownership isn't just about owning or having physical objects.
It's about taking responsibility for something.
When you implement a plan, you want to make sure people have ownership over the different parts of the plan.
Now let's run through a few more examples of this collocation, to take ownership of something.
I think it's best if one person from finance takes ownership of developing this plan to cut costs.
If each manager takes ownership of changes in his or her department, we should make good progress.
Now back to the dialogue, as the group figures out who will take ownership of the website.
Fair enough.
And so, is that something you'd like to sign up for, Byron?
You've got the right skill set for it.
Carlos already asked for volunteers.
But sometimes people need a bit of encouragement to sign up for something.
We often say that we sign up for a course or training, but we can also sign up for a certain role or a group.
Notice that Carlos also mentions that Byron has the right skill set or abilities for the website-related actions.
This will help motivate him to take ownership of it.
Let's try a few more examples of this expression.
To sign up for something when talking about how to implement a plan.
We'll need at least three people to sign up for overseeing these focus groups.
I'm sure glad Devon signed up for the budget committee.
She really knows how to get things done.
So, is Byron willing to sign up as lead on the website tasks?
Yeah, alright, I'm game.
I'm thinking that there's a lot to do here, so as long as I can delegate some tasks along the way, I'm good.
Byron says he is game, or willing to sign up for the website tasks.
But he is concerned that there's a lot to do, so he wants to make sure he can delegate some tasks.
In fact, taking the lead on something doesn't mean you have to do everything yourself.
Instead, you need to delegate or give other people some of the work to do.
The common expression we use in this situation is to delegate tasks.
In simple terms, it means telling someone to do something.
What are some other ways to use this expression, to delegate tasks?
Let's practice a few more examples.
I am going to delegate several tasks to each team member on this website project.
If you don't learn to delegate tasks effectively, your own task list will be too long.
Now let's get back to the dialogue.
I'm certainly willing to help out on the website.
Great.
And I think it's especially important that all the website stuff happens in a timely manner.
We might have to flex the timeline in some places, but we need to stick to it as closely as possible.
Carlos sounds pleased that Marion will help out with the website work, which he stresses must be done in a timely manner.
This is a useful expression when you want to say that something needs to be done quickly or in a reasonable amount of time.
Let's run through some more ways to talk about doing things in a timely manner.
I'll just ask Dale to do it.
Can the consultant you've recommended complete the surveys in a timely manner, preferably by June?
When Carlos talks about doing the website work in a timely manner and sticking to the timeline as much as possible, he's stating a priority.
In any plan, some things are more important than other things.
And so when we discuss implementation, we have to state quite clearly what the top priorities are.
How else can we do this?
Let's practice a few more ways of stating priorities.
Let's put the branding project right at the top of our list.
Doing this market research is our number one priority for now.
Nothing else can happen until we figure out what the competition is doing.
Before anything else, we'll need to get approval from finance for this.
So once you have people to carry out certain action items, how will you know that they're completing the work?
Let's listen.
You bet.
So I'd like to follow up with you three weeks from today and see the results of the feedback and your proposed revisions.
To find out if planned actions are being completed, you need to check with the people responsible for them.
So, in three weeks, Carlos wants to follow up with Byron on the website actions.
In other words, he's going to talk with Byron about what's been done.
Let's run through some more ways to use to follow up with someone.
Could someone follow up with Manning Brothers about that proposal they said they'd submit?
Frank, I'd like you to follow up with me once you've had a chance to talk with all the regional reps.
Now let's hear Byron's short-term plan for working on the website.
No problem, Carlos.
I'm going to block out time for collecting feedback next week, and then Marian and I will come up with some ideas.
Of course, carrying out a plan takes time.
And in your busy work life, you often need to make or reserve time for certain activities or tasks.
To express this idea, we often say to block out time.
You can just think of the different blocks in a calendar or daily schedule.
When you block out time, you put certain activities in those blocks in your schedule.
Let's practice some more examples of blocking out time.
We need to finish these designs by Friday, so I'd like you to block out time for it this week.
As part of this product launch, we need to block out time for planning the media event.
The team has used lots of great collocations to talk about who will take care of the first three action items.
Now at the end of this part of the meeting, we can hear Carlos introduce the next item.
Fantastic.
So, what's next here?
Number four is PR activities.
That means white paper, local media stuff, and taking care of press releases for our new services.
So who will take care of the PR, or public relations, activities?
We'll have to wait until next time to find out.
Now it's your turn to practice some of the collocations we've looked at in this lesson.
In a moment, you'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat the whole sentence, including the missing word.
Remember a collocation is two or more words that we commonly use together, so pay close attention to the words before the beep.
For example, if you hear I'd like us to begin implementing this next week.
You can say, I'd like us to begin implementing this plan next week.
After each response, we'll provide the correct answer.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
Thanks, Ron.
I think it's great that you're taking the on the office design answer.
Thanks, Ron.
I think it's great that you're taking the lead on the office design.
The market is changing fast, so let's release this product in a timely Answer.
The market is changing fast, so let's release this product in a timely manner.
Nora, will you be able to block out some?
This week to help on the report?
Answer.
Nora, will you be able to block out some time this week to help on the report?
I'm going away for two weeks, so I'll be delegating some of my to others.
I'm going away for two weeks, so I'll be delegating some of my tasks to others.
This is a great plan, everyone, but now we need to translate it into English.
This is a great plan, everyone, but now we need to translate it into action.
That's all for this lesson on collocations for talking about implementing a plan.
We've covered lots of vocabulary in collocations for talking about who is going to do what and when.
We've also learned how to ask for volunteers and state priorities.
Thanks for listening and see you again soon.
