3.2. Discussions: Opinions & Suggestions
3.2.1. Work in small groups, discuss the following questions.
1)Do people usually agree with your opinions or suggestions?
2)Whose opinions or suggestions do you always agree with? Why?
3.2.2.Opinions game.
Think of a one or two word subject of your own, write that subject on a small
piece of paper and give it to your teacher. The teacher will then mix up your papers and give one to each student. You will have to express your opinion on this subject. You have one minute to prepare your talk: formulate a key message, illustrate it with a fact, give a recommendation. Then you will form groups of two or three and give a talk to your partners, they will give a short reaction. When you’ve finished, change roles.
3.2.3. Read the text and say how a manager should behave in a meeting.
Don’t State Opinions in Meetings Too Soon
For a manager, opening your mouth can be dangerous. Psychological research has shown that:
·Just saying something out loud, even if it’s incorrect, increases the speaker’s belief in the statement.
·Hearing another person say something out loud can increase a listener’s belief
in the statement. This effect is even more powerful if the speaker is perceived as an authority figure or an expert.
To reduce the risk of biasing yourself (and others), avoid stating a position on an issue before you have to. Start by asking questions with an open mind, learning, and hearing what others have to say. Good conversations go through stages:
·data gathering: Everyone in the conversation is asking questions, gathering data, and learning about the problem.
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·discussion: People have an open-minded discussion about the data they’ve gathered, ask further questions, and identify unknowns that need to be investigated.
·brainstorming: People begin throwing out possible solutions as openmindedly as possible without attacking each others’ proposals. This maximizes idea creation and cross-fertilization.
·evaluation: The team begins discussing the pros and cons of each possible course of action.
·proposal: A particular course of action is proposed and reviewed very carefully.
·decision: One or more proposals are chosen and the team moves forward together on implementation.
In managing the flow of a conversation about a question, it is better to start by trying to draw the other participants into the conversation and see what they know. This ensures that their ideas are included in the discussion and that they know and feel they were included. Remind yourself mentally at the start of the discussion to try to have an open mind on the topic and not jump to conclusions. Only later on in the conversation begin focusing the conversation around possible solutions and finally focusing the team on what appears to be the best possible solution.
Much time can be wasted in a conversation and much needless friction produced when a person begins strongly advocating for a particular solution too early without allowing time for open discussion and brainstorming first. A person who reasons poorly yet is overconfident in their conclusions is most prone to make this mistake. Since they reason poorly, they’re likely to reach a poor conclusion, and since they’re overconfident, they’re less likely to recognize that they made up their mind too quickly and reached a non-optimal conclusion.
The problem is made worse when a person starts advocating a particular position more strongly than the facts justify simply because they’ve publicly committed to that position and now their whole fragile sense of self worth hinges on whether the group accepts their hasty conclusion or not. Managing the flow of a meeting poorly,
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jumping to conclusions too quickly, and emotional insecurity among the participants can create a toxic brew from what could and should have been a simple, painless, open-minded discussion of possibilities. Above all, don’t get your own ego mixed up in the question of whether you’re right or wrong about a particular point. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem!
Reach a conclusion as soon as you need to, but not sooner. Speak up at the right time, but not sooner. You’ll make better decisions with less friction!
3.2.4. Answer the questions to the text.
1)What are the dangers of speaking too soon?
2)What stages do good conversations go through?
3)Why should the other participants be drawn into the conversation?
4)Who is most prone to make serious mistakes in a discussion?
5)What can create a ‘toxic brew’ from what could and should have been a discussion of possibilities?
3.2.5. Read the conversation, say who the decision-maker is.
YUKIO |
It's quite true that this machine is not scheduled for replacement under our |
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capital investment programme until 1994. But it is costing us more than it's |
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worth in lost production and unscheduled maintenance. |
HARRY |
Well, perhaps we could do our sums on that and see how it comes out. We |
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have agreed on several previous occasions that the spending limits on |
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capital expenditure mustn't be overstepped |
YUKIO |
But these production shortfalls are quite unacceptable, especially when the |
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market is just beginning to recover. |
FRANK |
We may have to be a bit flexible on this one, Harry. |
HARRY |
Being flexible’s one thing, bending over backwards is something else. |
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There's plenty of leeway in the production schedules – we've got two months' |
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supply of hinge and door fittings stockpiled in the warehouse. And for the last |
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five years, all the maintenance on that injection moulder has been done |
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entirely in-house, and we haven't had to purchase a single spare part. |
YUKIO |
Look – in today's 'Financial Times': "The economy is on the upturn. Any |
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slack in production capacity will soon be taken up". |
FRANK |
We can't afford to be wrong-fooled if demand does start to recover. |
YUKIO |
Two hundred thousand – can we meet that out of revenue reserves? |
HARRY |
You're joking. The total reserve is only two fifty, and we're holding a |
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proportion of that against deferred taxation. |
YUKIO |
Well, of course, I'm only a production engineer, so I don't pretend to |
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understand these things. But I thought we could set off capital investment |
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against tax, with a one hundred per cent depreciation allowance in the first |
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year. |
HARRY |
Not these days we can't. They've changed the rules. The thing is that our |
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tax position for the last financial year is still very unclear. It may have to |
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go to arbitration, and that could take months. We can't afford to get a big |
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tax assessment if we've just spent all the money on a machine – even if the |
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machine is tax-deductible in the long run. |
YUKIO |
What about a grant? This is a Development Area! Look at all the jobs we |
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have created! |
HARRY |
We might be able to get a cheap loan from the Welsh Office. |
YUKIO |
And we can sell the old machine. It must be worth something. |
HARRY |
From what I've heard, it's only fit far scrap. Scrap value won't be more than |
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five hundred – we'll probably end up paying someone to take it away. No, |
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leave it with me, Yukio. I've got your payback figures, I may be able to |
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swing it. |
3.2.6. Fill in the chart with the expressions from the conversation in 3.2.5.
Making suggestions /
proposals
Giving opinions
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3.2.7. In the conversation above the management committee choose their words carefully to express disagreement in a polite way. Read it and find the words or phrases that show you the following:
1.I don't believe what you have just said is correct.
2.Don't you remember that we all said we wouldn't spend more money than we had planned?
3.We can't allow the factory to make fewer goods than we planned for.
4.Perhaps we should treat this as a special case.
5.It's not as special as you say it is.
6.We shall lose money if we aren't ready for an increase in orders.
3.2.8. In this conversation a human resource manager and two colleagues are discussing ways of improving the staff’s health and fitness. Arrange the phrases in the correct order. Say who is chairing the meeting.
TANYA |
a) |
Mm, I don't think I like the idea very much. It wouldn't be good |
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for morale. A lot of our staff smoke – they'd be against it, I'm sure |
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of that. I think we should improve the food. A lot of the dishes |
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aren't healthy – there's far too much fatty food, not enough fish, |
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fruit and vegetables. |
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b) |
Mm, I don't know. It sounds interesting, but it could be very |
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expensive. A group fee for all our staff would probably cost a |
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fortune. |
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c) |
Yes, it's worth checking out, I suppose. A lot of staff might enjoy |
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having a swim at lunchtime or after work. And a sauna is very |
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relaxing, I must admit. |
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VINCENT |
d) |
I think we should do a lot more to improve our staff's health and |
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fitness. What do you think, Monica? |
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e) |
Right. That's a good idea. A lot of firms do that. And how about |
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having a no-smoking policy in the staff restaurant? What do you |
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think about that, Tanya? |
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f)True. We could change the menus and offer healthier meals. I like that idea.
g)I don't know, Monica. It'd be very expensive to set up a service like that. Anyway, we have a company doctor. That's her job, isn't it? I've got another suggestion. We could talk to the manager of our local sports centre and arrange a company membership. What do you think, Tanya?
h)What's your opinion, Monica?
i)I can't agree with you there. It's got a very good pool and sauna. If we could negotiate a low membership fee, it might be worth considering, surely.
MONICA |
j) |
I agree. There are all sorts of things we could do to help staff to |
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become more healthy and stay healthy. For one thing, we could |
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offer them a free medical checkup every year. |
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k) |
What about setting up a counselling service, Vincent? Some staff |
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are under a lot of stress. It affects their work and they need |
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professional help. |
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l) |
I think you're right, Tanya. It'd cost a lot and I'm not sure how |
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many staff would actually use the centre. Some people say it hasn't |
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got many facilities. |
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m) Maybe, but there are so many other things we could do. Things |
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which are less expensive, but they'd improve people's health just |
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as much. Let me tell you about a few ideas I have... |
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3.2.9. Work in groups of three, choose who will lead the discussion. You are members of the human resources section of a large company. Discuss how to deal with the given problems. Use advice given in the text and expressions from
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the lesson and the additional vocabulary below.
1.More and more staff are taking time off work because of stress-related problems.
2.A large number of employees are suffering from headaches, backache and chest pains because of overcrowded offices, poor ventilation, and badly designed furniture and equipment.
3.Some employees are depressed because they feel they have no control over their work and are never involved in decision-making.
3.2.10. Role play this situation, see cards for students A, B, C in the Attachment.
Use advice given in the text and expressions from the lesson and the additional vocabulary below.
Jonson, a large department store in Chicago, USA, is losing money. Its main product areas are food, clothing and household furniture. Seventy percent of its revenue comes from clothing, twenty-two percent from food and eight percent from furniture. Three directors of the company meet to discuss the company's problems and how to solve them.
Making a suggestion / proposal
Strong |
Neutral |
Tentative |
I strongly recommend that… |
I propose / suggest that… |
I would propose that… |
I suggest most strongly that… |
My proposal / suggestion |
If I may make a suggestion, |
I advise you most strongly |
is… |
we could… |
to… |
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I would like to put forward a |
In our view, it is high time |
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proposal that… |
that… |
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I wonder if I might suggest… |
In my view, the only viable |
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Wouldn't it be a good idea to…? |
solution is… |
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Wouldn't it be better to…? |
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Expressing support |
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Total |
General |
Partial |
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I am fully in favour of ... |
I am in favour of … |
My |
initial |
reaction |
is |
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This proposal has my full |
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I would certainly give my |
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favourable, but … |
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support. |
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backing to … |
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With |
certain reservations, I |
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I can thoroughly recom- |
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I would certainly endorse such |
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would support your proposal. |
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mend that … |
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a proposal. |
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I shouldn't like you to think |
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I should like to express my |
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I see no objection to that. |
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that |
I'm necessarily against |
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total support for this ... |
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I would not be opposed to |
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this in any way, but I can't |
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I totally agree with … |
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that. |
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help wondering … |
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I entirely approve of … |
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Expressing opposition |
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Total |
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General |
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Tentative |
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I am totally opposed to |
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I am opposed to the proposal. |
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On the face of it, this seems |
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the proposal. |
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I'm afraid I can't support the |
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quite a good suggestion, but … |
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I see no valid reason for |
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proposal. |
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I can see many problems in |
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supporting the proposal. |
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As it stands, I would not be |
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adopting this. |
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Frankly I think that's out |
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able to give it my backing. |
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I'm not sure the proposal is |
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of the question. |
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Without substantial changes, I |
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feasible. |
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I'm afraid this proposal |
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cannot give the proposal my |
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This proposal is likely to |
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leaves a great deal to be |
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support. |
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present difficulties. |
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desired. |
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I'm not convinced that this |
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proposal is really worthwhile. |
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Asking for an opinion |
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Asking for a reaction |
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What's your opinion of …? |
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Could I ask for your reaction to …? |
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What's your position on …? |
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I was wondering where you stood on this question? |
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What do you think of …? |
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Where exactly do you stand on this issue? |
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I'd like to hear your views on … |
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I wonder if you'd like to comment, Mrs Lang? |
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Giving opinion |
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Strong |
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Neutral |
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Tentative |
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I firmly believe that … |
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I think that … |
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It seems to me that … |
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I'm absolutely convinced that… |
In my opinion, … |
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I would say that … |
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It's my belief that … |
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It's my opinion that... |
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As far as I'm able to judge … |
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There's no doubt in my mind that… |
As I see it, … |
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I think it would be fair to |
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It's quite clear that … |
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As far as I'm concerned… |
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say that … |
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I'm certain that … |
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From my point of view… |
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It's my considered opinion that… |
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Expressing agreement |
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Strong |
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Neutral |
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Partial |
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I completely agree. |
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I agree. |
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I would tend to agree with you |
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I agree entirely |
with |
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I think we are in agreement on that. |
on that. |
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your point of view. |
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I think you're right. |
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I agree with you on the whole, |
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I'm of exactly the same |
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I think we can accept your |
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but it could be said that… |
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opinion. |
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position on that. |
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I agree in principle, but… |
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I'm in total agreement. |
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Although I agree with most of |
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By and large I would accept |
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what you've said, I find it |
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your views, but… |
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difficult to agree with your |
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point about … |
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Expressing disagreement |
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Strong |
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Neutral |
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Tactful |
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I totally disagree with you. |
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I don't completely agree with |
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I agree up to a point, but… |
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I don't agree at all. |
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you on that. |
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To a certain extent I agree |
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You |
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completely |
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I really can't agree with you on |
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with you, but… |
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mistaken. |
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that. |
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You have a point there, |
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I disagree entirely. |
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I can't say that I share your view. |
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but… |
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Under |
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circumstances |
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We'll have to agree to differ. |
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I take your point, Mr |
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could I agree to that. |
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I'm not totally convinced by |
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Hoffman, |
but have you |
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What you are saying is |
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your argument. |
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considered…? |
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just not feasible. |
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I can't accept your point of view. |
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I can see your point of view, |
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I can't help feeling that … |
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but surely… |
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I feel I must disagree. |
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I have some sympathy with |
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I really must take issue with you |
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your position, but… |
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here. |
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Softening strong disagreement |
Softening neutral disagreement |
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Frankly, … |
To be quite frank, … |
I'm afraid … |
I'm sorry, … |
With respect, … |
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To put it bluntly, … |
With respect, … |
I respect your opinion, of course, however … |
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