Ask for repetition

Meetings - making things clear


 


 

 

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...