Ask for repetition
Meetings - making things clear
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Read the extract from a meeting between three senior managers from different departments in an investment bank. Agustin (A) has some bad news to announce 10 his colleagues Brian (B) and Cecilia (C). Brian and Cecilia cannot believe what they're hearing!
А: Well, good morning, everyone.
В: Good morning.
С: Good morning.
А: You're probably wondering why I called this urgent
meeting at such short notice. I have some bad news for
you. We have a rogue trader
В: Sorry, I missed that Could you say it again?
А: I said we have a rogue trader. Like Nick Leeson at
Barings and Jerome Kerviel at Societe Generale. We
have someone who has been trading beyond his
authority
С: Can I get this clear? You're saying that there has been
fraud?
А: Yes, it appears so. On a massive scale. Two billion euros.
С: Sorry, how much did you say?
А: I said two billion euros.
В: How did you arrive at the figure of two billion?
А: Its just a guess
В: What exactly do you mean by 'guess'? Don't you
know?
А: Theperson involved was trading complex financial
instruments. Derivatives It's very difficult to estimate the
losses.
С: Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be saying
that you have no due what the person was trading and
no clue how much money he has lost.
А: Please allow me to explain, I cannot know every detail
of every transaction of every trader. I have spoken to
the individual's line manager this morning, and the
figure of two billion looks like a reasonable guess.
В: You mentioned that the person was trading complex
derivatives. Could you be a little more specific?
А: At this stage, no.
В: So, in other words, you don't understand the trades. And probably the line manager doesn't understand either.
А: Perhaps I haven't explained myself clearly. What I meant
was that we're investigating the matter. There are
certain aspects of the trades that seem to have escaped
our internal controls.
С: Could I Just say something? I don't believe what I'm
hearing! Does anyone in this place know what they're
doing?
А: Can I just finish my point? What I was trying to say was
that this is a very serious matter and I cannot blame
individuals or go into details until we have proof
В: I just hope that the media haven't found out about this
yet.
А: There are three journalists waiting in my office.
t Notice the different ways to make things clear. At line 7 Brian asks for repetition. At line 12 Cecilia uses her own words to check (paraphrasing). At line 15 Cecilia clarifies an individual point.
The phrases youneed
Ask for repetition
Sorry. / missed that Could you say it again? Sorry. I don't understand, can you explain that again? Can you run through I go over that again, please?
Use your own words to checkSo. in other words, ...
If I understand you correctly,.... Is that right? Can I get this dear? You're saying that. . Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be saying that...