Valerie: Hmmm, yeah, I see what you mean, yeah… So, Mira, as I was saying before, I’m very curious about the construction of the space, and I think my readers will be too. How long did it take? And how did you decide on the look and feel of your café?

Mira: Hmm well, it was a… complicated process, which took months. I was lucky enough to work with a great contractor, but… we did have some communication problems.

Mira: Thank you for inviting me to your office, Giovanni.

Giovanni: Sure, it’s nice to see you. I like to meet all my clients in person, especially at the beginning of the building process.

Mira: Yeah, nice to see you too. So… I’d like to go over the plans together before we start. As I said on the phone, I want this café to feel like a safe space. A place where people can gather together… or enjoy a cup of coffee alone Syrian style!

Giovanni: Uh huh… ok…

Mira: So… I’d like to incorporate arches… high ceilings… some tile mosaics. Um... I’ve marked here, on the blueprints, the walls which don’t support the weight of the building… the walls which aren’t um… what's the word again? Uh... load bearing. This is where I think we can cut out some arched doorways.

Giovanni: Mmm hmmm… One moment… Let me just finish this…

Mira: Also, we should make sure the electrician comes before the mosaics are done, because I don’t have the money or the time to get them done more than once. And then for the high ceilings, I checked with the architect and right now the space just has false ceilings, so I believe we can -

Giovanni: (To Mira) Excuse me. (On the phone) Hi! Yes… Uh huh… Uh huh… yeah the plan was to start next Tuesday. Uh huh. Right… right… okay I’ll talk to you then. Buh-bye.

Sorry about that. You were saying? About the ceilings?

Mira: Yes, well… I was wondering if you or someone from your team could simply double-check the blueprints for the load-bearing walls, just to confirm that the doorways can be cut out… And we should schedule the electrician before the mosaic artist, and the ceilings should be...

Giovanni: So you want what kind of doorways again? Ehm… sorry for the interruptions. It’s a busy day today. Hmmm… we will have to consult with the architect about the ceilings. And you said something about tiles, right? A mosaic artist?

Conor: Welcome, dear listener, to today’s episode of Talking on the Job. I’m Conor, your host and English language mentor, here to help you navigate the world of English in business and at work. I’m calling today’s episode Building a Business, because that’s exactly what Mira is trying to do. She’s trying to give the contractor some instructions for building out the space for her café. But it doesn’t seem to be going very well, does it? And when it comes to giving instructions, it’s all about technique! So this seems like the perfect time to point out some useful tips for giving clear instructions.

Conor: I have three handy tips for you. Let’s start with the first two. Number one: Request. When giving instructions, start by saying "I would like you to"… Or, if you want to be more direct, you can say "I need you to"… This helps the listener focus on what you want them to do.

Conor: Number two: Pause. After giving each instruction, pause to give your listener time to process the information, just like I’m doing now, for you! 

Now let’s listen in on how Mira uses these two strategies to give Giovanni her instructions.

Mira: As I was saying… I need you to check the blueprints to confirm that the arched doorways can be cut out of the non load-bearing walls. And, I would like you to remove the false ceilings. I want high ceilings, and I already confirmed with the architect that this is possible. I also need you to let me know, please, when the electrician is coming as soon as possible, so I can schedule the mosaic artist after that. Does that all make sense?

Conor: Ok, Mira clearly knows what she’s doing! She used both "I need you to" and "I would like you to". And she paused after each instruction. See what I did there? So, now on to the third tip.

Conor: Tip number three is: Confirm. Check to make sure your listener understands what you want them to do. After giving your instructions you can say "Ok, got that?" Or "Does that make sense?". This gives your listener the chance to ask for more information, if they need it.

Conor: Let’s go back to the contractor’s office and listen in again on how Mira gives Giovanni instructions. Pay special attention this time to how she confirms that Giovanni understands her.

Mira: As I was saying… I need you to check the blueprints to confirm that the arched doorways can be cut out of the non load-bearing walls. And, I would like you to remove the false ceilings. I want high ceilings, and I already confirmed with the architect that this is possible. I also need you to let me know, please, when the electrician is coming as soon as possible, so I can schedule the mosaic artist after that. Does that all make sense?

Giovanni: Erm… it does, yes. Of course.

Mira: Ok, great!

Giovanni: Let me repeat what you said, just so I can make sure we are on the same page. You said you’d like me to check the blueprints so we know where we can cut out the arched doorways you want. That’s fine. And you asked me to remove the false ceilings, which won’t be a problem. Also, you told me to let you know when the electrician is scheduled to work. I’ll do that as soon as I’ve spoken with her. Did I miss anything?

Mira: No - that’s it! Working together, I’m sure we can get this café open on time, and looking exactly the way I want it to… even if we do encounter some problems along the way, which I suppose we will…

Conor: Alright, Mira! Did you catch all the strategies she used there for giving instructions? She started each request with "I would like you to", and "I need you to…" she paused after each instruction, and confirmed that Giovanni understood her by asking, when she was done, "Does that all make sense?" And did you notice? Giovanni also did something really clever there. He repeated, in his own words, what Mira said. That will help him remember what she wants him to do! And he used a really handy expression. He said he wanted to repeat her instructions, "to make sure they are on the same page", meaning he wants to make sure they both understand and agree on the next steps. And it seems like they are, in fact, on the same page! I wonder… what’s the next step for Mira in building her business? And… I bet I’m not the only one with that question…

Valerie: Wow… ok… so it looks like you were able to overcome those communication problems. And the arches, the high ceilings, the mosaics… they all look amazing. But… what was the next step in the process? Did you start construction right away?

Mira: We did, yes! Giovanni and his team got to work right away. But actually the next step for me was sourcing the coffee. I worked with a vendor who was recommended to me by some friends…

Conor: So, dear listener, next time you have to give instructions at work, remember those three tips: request, pause, confirm – and I’m sure your coworkers will be able to follow your instructions successfully. And if you’re receiving instructions, you might consider repeating them in your own words, just to make sure that you and your coworkers are on the same page. Feel free to let me know how it goes, by sending me an email at podcasting@babbel.com. Don’t forget to write Talking on the Job in the subject line.

Conor: Check out the transcript for a review of the tips you’ve heard today, and for some more resources. The link is in the episode description. And I’ll see you next time, as we continue to follow Mira in the process of building a business. Bye for now!

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Useful strategies for giving instructions:

Request: Start with "I’d like you" to or "I need you to"

Pause: Pause after each instruction, so the listener has time to process the information

Confirm: Check for understanding by saying "Ok, got that?" Or "Does that make sense?"
Ask the listener to rephrase your instructions in their own words
 

Key vocabulary:

To be on the same page as someone: To understand and agree with someone about how things should be done