This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 13.
How to jump into a Business English conversation with confidence.
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Hey there, Michelle. What's going on? Hey, Lindsay.
Not too much. Not too much. I'm good. How are you?
Good. I heard you just came back from a conference, a TESOL conference.
How was that? It was really good. Thanks.
A lot of interesting things to learn. I met a lot of really nice people, you know.
So it was very fun and very interesting.
That's cool. Super cool. And did you have any situations where you had to jump into a conversation that was already happening, like a loud, intimidating conversation?
No. I don't know. I mean, it was okay. But I definitely have had that kind of thing happen in the past, right?
Where you're like, having to just, you know, you really want to get a point across.
And it's really hard because everybody's talking, right?
So I can't think of a specific time at the conference because everybody's like a teacher there, right?
So everybody wants to listen. Yeah. Teachers are such good listeners.
Yeah, I think so. I think so. So it was really, really interesting.
But I definitely have had that experience where, you know, you're trying to say something and it's very difficult.
Yeah. Well, the thing is, I know this is a common worry of our listeners, right?
So this is a perfect lesson for our listeners today.
The question is, how do we jump into a conversation that's already loud, especially in the business space, right?
We're going to focus today's episode on the business space because we know that a lot of our listeners are working in English and that sort of thing.
So American business culture can be really loud and intimidating.
I mean, you know, what do people do when they get excited?
They talk loud and they speed up, you know, they speed up and they speak up, speed up, speak up.
Exactly. And what do they do when they want to be heard?
Like, have you ever been in this situation where someone's talking or you're talking and then someone wants to talk?
They talk over you, right? When they want to be heard, they just talk right over you.
They just speak louder than you. Yeah, actually, I was watching last night.
I was watching like one of the news shows about, you know, the election.
And it was a panel of people talking. And sometimes, you know, of course, they all, you know, have a different point of view.
And so they were just talking all at the same time.
And I was just laughing because I'm like, well, I can't hear any of you.
Oh, my God. That would be really good practice for our listeners to go ahead and just watch shows like that where just to kind of get used to that style.
And, you know, this actually reminds me a lot of a situation that I was in when I was doing my training to become an ESL teacher in Vermont.
And we were an international group of five of us.
Actually, I think three of us were American and one of us was from the Philippines.
There was a woman from the Philippines. And, you We would all work in a group of four and we would talk over each other just like that because we were excited.
Right. We wanted to be heard and we would just talk louder than the other person when we wanted to be heard.
That's a normal style for us. We don't take it personally.
We don't really get offended most of the time.
Sometimes it can be offensive. But anyways, by the end of the week, the woman from the Philippines made it clear to us that she was extremely uncomfortable.
Extreme, like almost to the point that she was very, like very upset, kind of emotional about it.
Right. And it was a very visceral experience for me to understand, like, wow, this is not the way all cultures participate and communicate.
And we need to be more sensitive to how other cultures might want to communicate because she couldn't get in.
She had no idea how to enter that conversation.
It was so intense. Yeah, and that's what happened last night when I was watching this show is one of the panel members kept on trying to say something.
And then the other woman was saying – there were like five of them.
And the other woman said, oh, let me just finish this point.
And then, okay, so he was waiting patiently.
You could tell he just wanted to speak. He just wanted to speak.
And then when she finally finished her point, somebody else started talking.
Oh. And I felt so bad for this guy because he just wanted to say his point and he couldn't.
So, yeah, I mean, it's very I can understand that that would be very intimidating.
I mean, it can be it can be very hard for me, too, because you don't want to feel rude, but you but you need to like you have to get in there.
Right. Yeah. Or else you're just not. I mean, I think I may have used this analogy before on the show, but.
It always makes me think of like jump rope.
Like, you know, when you're the third person and you have to be the, you know, like two people are like swinging the rope and you have to jump in.
You have to find like an appropriate time.
And sometimes you just have to watch it for a while and like think, when do I go?
When do I go? Yeah. You don't want to get hit.
And the other part, the problem here is that, at least in this business culture in the U.S., you're kind of judged by – I feel like we have a real bias towards people who are quite verbal, who are communicative.
And you're judged by your ideas. So often you're judged, your professionalism, your skills, your expertise are judged based on what you say in those conversations.
So if you can't get in, you may have brilliant ideas.
But no one knows that. So you don't get the recognition.
Right. Right. Yeah. And and on top of that, so it's hard for native speakers like us.
And then on top of that, for our listeners, it's especially hard because they may not have the vocabulary that they need to jump in.
Right. Right. Right. So maybe we should help them with that.
Maybe we should help them today. Maybe we should.
Awesome, Michelle. Good setup. Good setup.
Thank you. Thank you. Yes, yes, yes. And I just want to say, guys, before we go into today's phrases, you can always get the transcripts from today's episode immediately downloadable.
If you go to allearsenglish.com forward slash transcripts with an S on the end, you can get that now and follow along with our episode today.
Very cool. Yes, yes. Really good way to learn.
If you want to understand every word we say on this show, you need the transcripts from this week.
Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash transcripts.
That's allearsenglish.com forward slash transcripts.
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Exclusions apply. See details online. Okay, Michelle, then let's just dive into it.
Let's say that our listener is in a business meeting, let's say in the US or maybe the UK, and a bunch of native people are there and they're the only person from abroad and they have a good idea.
They need to get their idea heard, right?
Because that's how we're judged. How do we jump in?
Mm-hmm. Okay, well, there are a few different phrases that you could say.
So the first one you could say is just really simple, right?
Excuse me, could I say something? Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and I think that if we can maintain our composure as we say these phrases, I think the thing to do here might be to use the opposite energy of the other people in the group, you know?
Ooh, interesting. Because if we try to match the energy of the people, they've been doing that their whole lives, the way they've been jumping on top of each other.
So we can't compete. So if we have a different energy, like for this woman from the Philippines, with my example, the reason she got our attention...
It was because she had the opposite energy.
Right. Ah, you kind of surprise people. Yeah.
She didn't try to compete with that. It's like a pattern interrupt, right?
Yes. So we want to, so energy is the way we convey our body language, our tone of voice.
So we're using these phrases in a calm and collected manner.
Silence is actually very persuasive. Yes, yes, that's true.
Okay. So that's the first phrase. Excuse me, could I say something?
Second phrase, Michelle. What's the second one?
I have something to add here. Okay, good.
So that's important. You know, you're saying like what I have to say is a value and I have something to add.
I like that. And the next one I like because it makes me think of the jump rope.
Right? Sorry, can I jump in here? Yeah. And I like this one too because jump in is quite casual.
Right. Right. Definitely. So you're not taking yourself too seriously.
Right? You're being casual about it, but you're being clear that you have something to say and you want to be heard.
You want to be listened to. Exactly. Exactly.
Very important. Okay. And the last one is just quite straightforward, right?
Right. Yeah. The last one is, I'd like to say something.
Okay. Good. So today we're only going to give you guys four simple phrases because you don't need 25 phrases from today's episode.
You only need four. This is more than enough, guys.
Choose one and use it at your next meeting when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Yeah, it's scary. I mean, it's it's just taking that first step.
And since you have the vocabulary, it should be easier.
But it is scary. It is scary. And I don't even think that it's only like about, you know, culture.
I think it's just also about your personality.
Right. So some people are more comfortable with it.
You know, I don't know. I mean, it could be a cultural thing.
And it could just be, you know, I have certain friends who are, you know, shy and that can be really hard for them.
And so it can also be a personality thing.
So don't think that, you know, this isn't a problem for people, even if they're native speakers.
Yeah, I think you're right. And it can be a personality thing, a cultural thing.
It could also be a context thing regarding the topic of conversation.
Like if the topic is something that really is your expertise and you know it better than anyone there, you might feel more confident jumping in.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. Exactly.
So, so, you know, don't be intimidated. Know that everyone, you know, I think probably most people have had this problem where they feel a little intimidated.
So you're not alone. Yes, I know. I have.
Me too. Yeah, for sure. I feel it a lot, actually.
You know, I felt this a lot in graduate school.
You know, I felt like I was kind of shy speaking up in graduate school, actually, for some reason.
I was in a head spin a lot of the time. But I don't know.
So, yeah, so these will be useful. So, Michelle, let's jump into a little bit of a conversation here.
And we'll show our listeners how we use one of the phrases.
Okay. Okay. Okay, so we're at a meeting and there are other people and I'm leading the meeting.
Michelle is at the meeting and there are other people in the meeting too, but we don't have anyone else for the conversation.
Okay, so the report is due next Wednesday at 5 p.m.
When you turn in your report, please be sure to... Sorry, can I jump in here?
Oh, yes. What is it, Michelle? Well, I don't think it's possible to have the reports done by Wednesday at 5 p.m.
I'd like to ask for an extension on behalf of my team.
Why don't you meet me down the hall after the meeting and we'll discuss it more.
Okay. Oh, we'll go deeper into that. Oh, boy.
Are you in trouble? I don't know. That didn't sound too good.
That wasn't like a sure. I mean, you know, things have to get in on time, right?
Fine, fine. But we did listen to you. You know, we did stop the conversation.
We listened. We turned our attention towards you because you used what phrase, Michelle?
I said, sorry, can I jump in here? And I did say it.
What you were saying, Lindsay, it was interesting about kind of, you know, maybe slowing it down in a way or like not matching, you know, the tone to get people's attention.
So I did say it. I did say, sorry, can I jump in here in kind of a fast, anxious kind of way?
Because sometimes you have to. And then I slowed it down.
So once I got the attention, I slowed it down.
So you can do it either way. Yeah. I see what you mean.
Yeah. Yeah. You just have to see what works with your colleagues, you know, with your team.
Everyone's team is different. People are different.
Where are your teammates from? Right. And what are their personalities?
So it just depends. But I think we do need some kind of a pattern interrupt there to be listened to.
Sometimes it's too bad, but it's also exhausting.
Just just talking on top of everyone, just adding another layer to that craziness.
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly. Oh, my gosh.
Okay. So, guys, I want to remind you that this is a very charismatic phrase, right, Michelle?
I mean, this is one of the building blocks of charisma.
And, you know, we address topics that are similar to this one in our new course, The Charismatic Connector, where we show you the charisma equation, the five strategies that you need to be charismatic in English.
So to get a free video course to get started with this strategy, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash charisma.
If you want to build these skills for that business success that you want, you know, we all want to be successful at work.
We want to be well-liked at work and we need the right vocabulary to do it.
Right, Michelle? Absolutely. Absolutely.
Yeah, for sure. Cool. This has been a good one, Michelle.
I like this topic, actually. Me too. Me too.
Good. And we'll finish it up on that. And I will see you back here next time, Michelle.
All right. See you soon, Lindsay. Bye, guys.
Take care. Bye. Thank you for listening to Business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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