Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on decision-making in English meetings.
Success in business depends on making good decisions. But making good decisions is not just an individual skill. It’s a group skill. Several people come together to discuss an issue, explore options, and decide which path to follow. With good information, a good decision-making process, and good meeting skills, the participants should be able to make the best decision possible.
So what kind of skills might be useful in decision-making meetings? Today we’ll explore techniques such as framing a decision, inviting discussion, and referencing criteria. We’ll also cover raising concerns and requesting more information.
In the dialog, we’ll hear a group of people at an engineering firm trying to decide on a tech support company to hire. Scott, as senior partner, is leading the meeting, while Anne and David and Kelly are participating. The group discusses their options in order to figure out the best company to hire.
Listening Questions
1. What does Scott say is the basic question they have to answer?
2. What consideration does Kelly bring up in the discussion?
3. What piece of information about City Tech does David want to know?
Download: Podcast MP3
