Feedback, Teamwork and Talking to Your Manager

Good English at work is not only about grammar. It is also about relationships: how you ask for help, how you receive criticism, how you tell your manager about a problem, and how you work with people from different backgrounds. These conversations can feel difficult in any language. This lesson gives you simple patterns and phrases to make them easier.

Receiving feedback

Feedback is information about how to do better. Even when it is delivered badly, it can contain something useful. Try to stay calm, listen, and ask questions.

Thank you for telling me.
Could you give me an example?
What would you like me to do differently?
I understand. I will try to improve this by next week.
Could we check again in two weeks?

• Do not defend yourself straight away. First listen to the end.
• Ask for specific examples. General comments such as not good enough are hard to act on.
• Write the points down.
• If you do not agree, say so politely and give your view later: I see it a little differently. Could we look at the figures together?

Giving feedback

When you lead a team or train someone, you will give feedback. A simple pattern helps: describe the situation, the behaviour, the effect, and the request.

Yesterday's report had several mistakes in the totals. This caused a
delay for the finance team. Could you check the formulas before
sending next time? I am happy to help you with this.

Thank you for staying late to finish the order. It helped us deliver
on time, and the customer was very happy.

• Talk about actions, not about the person's character. The report had mistakes is better than You are careless.
• Say something positive and honest too, not only problems.
• Give feedback soon, and in private for criticism.
• End with support and a next step.

Asking for help

Could you help me with this, please? I am not sure how to start.
Do you have five minutes? I would like your advice on the schedule.
I tried A and B, but they did not work. What would you suggest?
Could you show me how to do it the first time?

Say what you have already tried. It shows effort, and it saves time. Asking early is better than staying silent and making a big mistake later.

Reporting a problem or a delay

Managers prefer to hear bad news early. Tell them the problem, the effect, what you have done, and what you need.

I want to let you know that the supplier is late. The delivery will
come on Friday, not Wednesday. This may delay the customer order.
I have called the supplier and asked for a firm date. Could you
approve a different supplier as a backup?

Saying no or setting limits

I would be happy to help, but I have two tasks due today.
Could we do this tomorrow, or could someone else help?
I can finish A or B by Friday, not both. Which is the priority?
I am not able to take this on right now. Can we talk about it?

Asking about priorities is very useful. It makes the manager decide, and it makes your workload visible.

Talking about your career and pay

I would like to talk about my development. Could we find a time?
I have completed the training, and I have taken more responsibility
for the monthly report. I would like to discuss my salary.
What skills do I need to develop to move to the next role?
Could you tell me what the goals for the next six months are?

• Prepare facts: what you achieved, what you learned and what you now do.
• Choose a good time, and ask for a meeting in advance. Do not raise it in a hallway.
• Say what you want, honestly and politely, and listen to the answer.
• Rules about pay differ by company and country, so check your contract and your company's process.

Working in a multicultural team

• Speak clearly and simply. Avoid idioms and slang that people from other countries may not know.
• Check understanding. Ask Does that make sense? and Let me summarise.
• Be patient with accents and different English. Everyone is learning.
• Learn about differences. Cultures differ in how direct people are, how they use titles, how they show disagreement and how they manage time. Ask and observe instead of assuming.
• Include everyone. In meetings, invite quieter people: Meena, what do you think?
• Be careful with humour. Jokes often do not travel across cultures.

Respect and boundaries

• Everyone deserves respect at work. Harassment, bullying and discrimination are not acceptable, and many countries have laws and company policies against them.
• If you experience or see this, write down what happened (date, place, words, witnesses) and use your company's process, such as your manager, HR, a union or a legal helpline in your country.
• Keep copies of important messages.

Your task

1. Think of one piece of feedback you received. Write how you could respond using three phrases from this lesson.
2. Write a message to your manager reporting a real or imagined delay, with the problem, effect, action and request.
3. Write a short message asking a colleague for help. Say what you have already tried.
4. Prepare three facts for a conversation about your development.

How to check it worked

• Your delay message has the four parts and is under 80 words.
• Your help request says what you tried.
• You can give feedback about an action without criticising the person.