Effective Management Communication
BUSINESS SETTINGENGLISH GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY
Section 1: Key Phrases and Examples
"What do YOU think?"
Usage: Asking for employees’ insights and fostering open dialogue.
Example: "I have a few ideas about how to improve the process, but before I share them, what do YOU think we should focus on?"
"We'll get through this together."
Usage: Providing reassurance during difficult projects or times of uncertainty.
Example: "The client requested some major changes, but don’t worry, we'll get through this together. I’ll be here to support you."
"Here’s why I made that decision."
Usage: Explaining the reasoning behind a tough decision to ensure clarity.
Example: "We’re shifting our focus to the new market because of its growth potential. Here’s why I made that decision: it offers more long-term stability for our team."
"Where do you want to be in 5 years?"
Usage: Showing interest in an employee’s career goals to support their growth.
Example: "We’re mapping out the development plan for the team. Where do you want to be in 5 years, and how can we help you get there?"
"Your feedback was spot on."
Usage: Acknowledging constructive feedback and showing appreciation.
Example: "Your feedback was spot on during the last meeting. Implementing those changes made a big difference."
"What would make that easier?"
Usage: Offering help to remove obstacles.
Example: "I noticed the project timeline seems tight. What would make that easier for you to manage?"
"Take some time off – you've earned it."
Usage: Recognizing hard work and encouraging employees to take breaks.
Example: "You’ve been working tirelessly to meet the deadline. Take some time off – you've earned it."
"Do you have enough direction to run with this?"
Usage: Checking if an employee understands a task fully before they begin.
Example: "You’ll be leading the next presentation. Do you have enough direction to run with this, or should we discuss further?"
"I love that you took a risk. What did you learn?"
Usage: Encouraging experimentation and growth by discussing lessons learned.
Example: "That was a bold move trying a new strategy. I love that you took a risk. What did you learn from it?"
"How can I better support you?"
Usage: Offering leadership and help to your team.
Example: "You’ve been leading this project well. How can I better support you to keep things moving smoothly?"
Section 2: Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises
"We have a few different options for this campaign. ______________ to get things started?"
"That was a tough project, but ________________. Let’s talk through the next steps."
"This decision wasn’t easy, but I want to be clear about ________________."
"It’s been a while since we’ve talked about your goals. ________________?"
"I really appreciate your input from the last review session. ________________!"
"This is a challenging project. ________________ to keep things moving forward?"
"You’ve done a fantastic job these last few weeks. ________________."
"I want to make sure you're comfortable with the next steps. ________________?"
"That was a creative approach to solve the issue. ________________. What did you learn?"
"You’ve done well, and I want to ensure we keep that momentum. ________________?"
Section 3: Role-Play Dialogue
Situation: An IT Project Follow-Up Call between a Project Manager (PM) and a Developer (Dev)
PM: Hi there! Thanks for hopping on the call. Before we dive in, I’d love to hear your perspective on the project status. What do YOU think?
Dev: Thanks for asking! I think we’re on track, but the database migration is taking longer than expected.
PM: Got it. That’s good to know. What would make that easier for you to speed up the migration?
Dev: Maybe if we had an extra set of hands on the backend for a week or so, we could meet the deadline more comfortably.
PM: That sounds like a solid plan. I’ll talk to HR and see if we can arrange that. I want you to know, we’ll get through this together. I’ll make sure you have the support you need.
Dev: Thanks! That would help a lot.
PM: Great. Also, while we’re at it, I know you’ve been working hard. Take some time off – you’ve earned it after we close this sprint.
Dev: I appreciate that! I’ll definitely consider it.
PM: By the way, I noticed you tried a new approach with the database optimization. I love that you took a risk. What did you learn from the process?
Dev: I learned that we could reduce query times by 20%, but we might need more thorough testing to ensure stability.
PM: That’s impressive! It’s good to see you thinking ahead like that. Your feedback was spot on during the last sprint review, and those insights helped guide our current progress.
Dev: I’m glad to hear that!
PM: One last thing: How can I better support you during the final stages of the project?
Dev: Honestly, I think just having clear communication with the client will help us avoid any last-minute surprises.
PM: Absolutely. I’ll make sure we have all the details from them locked in. Do you have enough direction to run with this till next week?
Dev: Yes, I do. I’ll keep you posted if anything changes.
PM: Perfect. Thanks for the update, and thank you for all your hard work so far. Talk to you soon!
Dev: Thanks! Talk to you later.
This lesson helps students practice meaningful communication in a business setting, with a focus on using supportive, constructive phrases to enhance team collaboration.