FUNCTIONS:

Agreeing

Disagreeing

Hesitating

Introducing your opinion

Asking for opinions

Expressing preferences

Asking for clarification

Expressing likelihood

Speculating, guessing

Advice and recommendations

Describing a picture

Agreeing

I think you’re right

I would go along with the idea

I completely agree with you

That makes perfect sense

You have a point there

Absolutely, that’s spot on!

I couldn’t agree more

Disagreeing

That’s not how I see it

I couldn’t agree less

You must be kidding

That’s a ridiculous idea, don’t you think?

With all due respect, I must disagree

I’m afraid I can’t see it that way

No way, that’s nonsense!

Hesitating

I’m in two minds about it

I have some reservations regarding that

I’m not entirely convinced

There’s something that gives me pause

While I’m not entirely opposed, I do have some doubts

Introducing your opinion

To my mind

I reckon

In my opinion

As I see it

It seems to me

I would argue

From my point of view

Asking for opinions

Don’t you think …?

What’s your attitude to …?

What’s your opinion of …?

Are you in favour of …?

What’s your position as regards …?

You don’t support …, do you?

Expressing preferences

I prefer…

I would rather…

My preference would be…

I tend to favour…

If I had to choose, I would…

I lean towards…

I am inclined to…

I’m a big fan of…

I really enjoy…

I’m into…

I absolutely love…

I’m crazy about…

I’m fond of…

It’s right up my alley

It’s my thing

I can’t get enough of…

It appeals to me

It’s growing on me

I wouldn’t miss it for the world

I’m not a big fan of…

I don’t really enjoy…

I’m not into…

I can’t stand…

I’m not fond of…

It’s not my cup of tea

It doesn’t do anything for me

I’m sick of…

It gets on my nerves

It puts me off

I’d rather not…

It leaves me cold…

Asking for clarification

Could you please elaborate on that?

Would you mind explaining that further?

I’m not quite sure I understand. Could you clarify?

Could you provide more details?

Can you expand on that point?

Expressing likelihood

“It’s a foregone conclusion that…”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that…”

“I am almost certain that…”

“It’s highly likely that…”

“Chances are that…”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if…”

“It’s possible that…”

“There’s a chance that…”

“It’s unlikely that…”

“I doubt that…”

Speculating, guessing

“It seems to me that…”

“My gut feeling is that…”

“From what I gather…”

“If I were to guess…”

“It would appear that…”

“I reckon that…”

“I suspect that…”

“In all likelihood…”

“There’s a distinct possibility that…”

“It’s plausible that…”

Advice and recommendations

“You might want to consider…”

“Perhaps you could try…”

“If I were you, I would…”

“One thing you could do is…”

“Have you thought of…”

“May I suggest…”

“It might be beneficial to…”

“Consider this approach…”

“Why not give this a go…”

“If it were up to me, I’d…”

Describing a picture

“In the foreground…”

“In the background…”

“In the center of the image…”

“On the left side of the picture…”

“On the right side of the picture…”

“At the top of the picture…”

“At the bottom of the picture…”

“The picture depicts…”

“The image illustrates…”

“The photograph shows…”

“One can see…”

“Notice how…”

“This scene captures…”

“This photograph highlights…”

DICTIONARY

Add new and interesting words from this lesson to your English dictionary.

Store your words and expressions in this handy dictionary. You can create groups and play games based on your entries. There is also a practical importing feature.

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Zespół The Blue Tree

Briefing the big boss
Learn more words

THE BLUE TREE

Better
Communicator

CEF B1

CEFR B1

Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image

warm up

Answer the questions below. Then listen to the sample answers and report back on what you’ve heard.

How approachable are the managers in your company?
TRANSCRIPT

The managers in my company are generally approachable, but I think it depends on the individual. Some are more open to casual conversations, while others prefer a formal setting. It’s important to understand their style before approaching them. Personally, I feel that if you come prepared and respectful, they’re usually willing to listen.

Have you ever heard about managing up? What do you think it is?
TRANSCRIPT

I’ve heard about managing up, and I think it’s about working well with your boss and ensuring that you’re making their job easier while also advocating for yourself. It involves understanding their priorities, how they like to communicate, and aligning your work to support their goals. It’s like managing the relationship with your manager to make sure both sides succeed.

How can subordinates increase their chances of being heard by their superiors?
TRANSCRIPT

To increase their chances of being heard by their superiors, subordinates should be clear, concise, and direct. Having a solution-oriented mindset also helps. It’s crucial to do your homework and understand what matters most to your manager, and then present ideas that align with those priorities. Timing and context are key, too—choosing the right moment to pitch an idea can make all the difference.

LISTENING

Listen to the audio. What is the main message of this HBR Management Tip?

reading

Briefing the Big Boss

1. There’s no shortage of advice on how to 2. brief a senior leader: Keep it short, 3. front-load the message, and so on. But you can’t 4. undervalue the interpersonal dynamics in the room when you’re presenting 5. crucial information to the big boss. So before the meeting, identify the senior leader’s most trusted advisor. Consult with that person ahead of time so they’ll be able to 6. vouch for you and back up the information you’re presenting. Their support will help you earn the senior leader’s trust. Next, 7. familiarize yourself with your boss’s instructions. For example, what are their 8. nonverbal cues that 9. indicate that they want you to either say more or hurry up. You need to adapt your style in real time based on their reaction — so make sure you know what those signals are. Finally, find out how your boss engages with material. Are they someone who pushes back on points? Are they a quiet listener? Or do they ask a lot of questions? Being aware of these things ahead of time will make you more effective in communicating the right message under pressure.

This tip is adapted from “How to Brief a Senior Executive,” by Grant T. Harris

nie brakuje

przedstawić coś krótko

od razu przejść do rzeczy

niedocenić

istotne, bardzo ważne

ręczyć za kogoś, poprzeć kogoś

zapoznać się z czymś

niewerbalne sygnały

wskazać

COMPREHENSION

Answer the questions below. Try to throw some of the newly learned words into your answers.

  • What are some pieces of advice on how to brief a big boss?
  • What shouldn’t we undervalue?
  • Why is it a good idea to find someone who could vouch for us?
  • What should we familiarize ourselves with?
  • How does learning how our boss engages with a material help us?
  • Are there any other tips that can help us be more effective presenting under pressure?

Time for a short summary. Watch this video and read all the questions. Do you think it could be practical to take them into consideration when you are briefing the big boss?

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll.

Which piece of advice from the article do you find most practical?

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COMMENTS

What advice would you give to a colleague who had to present in front of the Management Board for the first time?

How important is it for the success of a business that top management are approachable and easy to talk to?

Share your views and experience here.

1 Comment

  1. Mariusz

    All of these tips about briefing the big boss are valuable. If I could add my advice, it would be connected with type of people. Before the presentation you should answer one question: “Are most of the audience introverted or extroverted? ” When you have this information, it will be easier to prepare tailor-made argument. In my opinion, it is very important to ask people questions during your talk. Questions can help you to engage your audience. it will also help you see how interested they are in the topic.

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