7. Making Suggestions Business English Conversation and Listening Instructor: Hsin-Hsin Cindy Lee, PhD

Contents • Basic Rules and Concepts• Conducting Brainstorming Meetings• Practice • Writing Practice• Checkpoint

Introduction

Basic Concepts and Rules• Advising people to do things sounds easy. • However, if people reject your ideas, you may

feel very disappointed or even losing face. • One way of proposing ideas without worrying

that people may not like your ideas is to make tentative suggestions.

• Making tentative suggestions means you show an initial idea rather than strong opinion.

• You use subtle and polite language to deliver your ideas.

• Be objective, constructive and positive while making suggestions. That will be much better than being subjective, passive and negative!

Study the Useful PhrasesMaking tentative suggestions Ask other people’s views

• Why don’t we…• What if we…• I wonder if we could…• Should we… • What do you think if

we…• Perhaps we could…

(Comparison - Stronger and Direct Voice:)“I think we should…”“I don’t think we should…”

• What do you think…?• How do you feel

about…?• Do you have any views

on …?• May we have your

expertise in …?

Common Business Situations and Steps

A Common Business Situation –Having a Brainstorming Meeting• People need brainstorming meetings for various

purposes. ▫Most of them are used to collect ideas or opinions.

• In a brainstorming meeting, the chairperson invites ideas and discuss the opinions with other members.

• People don’t necessarily need to make a final decision in a brainstorming meeting.

• If you are a chairperson in a brainstorming meeting, your job is to invite as many opinions as possible. ▫You should ‘encourage’ everyone to talk.

• If you are a member of a brainstorming meeting, try to make contribution.▫Give as many ideas as possible!

Procedure of Conducting a Brainstorming Meeting

How to prepare a brainstorming meeting

Chairperson Participants• Understand your role in

the meeting. • Are you there to ‘rule’ , to

make a decision after you listen to people’s ideas?

• Or are you there to ‘listen to’ people’s ideas only?

• Identify your role and announce the objective of the meeting clearly to the participants at the beginning of the meeting.

• Preparation for a meeting is what a business professional should do.

• Study the agenda in advance and prepare your own opinions.

• If you are requested to state your opinion or propose an idea, make it tentative and polite so that you don’t offend anyone in the meeting.

Write your own expressions.

Study the Useful Phrases and Write Alternative Expressions

Chairperson Participants

• Opening the meeting▫ Good morning, everyone. ▫ ________________________

• Stating the subject/problem▫ Today, the purpose of this

meeting is….▫ ________________________

• Inviting Opinions▫ Do you have any ideas?▫ ________________________

• Encouraging Ideas▫ That sounds good. Continue.▫ _______________________

• Making suggestions▫ Why don’t we…?▫ ______________▫ ______________▫ ______________

You can say this…Chairperson Participants

• Opening the meeting▫ Hello, everyone. ▫ Do you know each other? Let me

introduce you one by one. • Stating the subject/problem

▫ As you know, there is a problem with…We are here to come up with some possible solutions.

• Inviting Opinions▫ David, shall we start with you?▫ Mary, would you like to say

something?• Encouraging Ideas

▫ Thank you. More ideas?▫ We are just collecting ideas now.

Let’s leave judgment later.

• Making suggestions▫Why don’t we…?▫What if we…?▫What do you think if

we…?▫Should we….?▫I don’t suppose we

could…▫Perhaps we could….▫I think we should

….?

Checkpoint •Why making tentative suggestions is useful? •What is the objective of a brainstorming

meeting?•If you are a chairperson in a brainstorming

meeting, how can you encourage people to speak? What can you say?

•If you are a participant in a brainstorming meeting, how can you make tentative suggestions? What are the useful expressions?

Do you have any questions?