How to Agree and Disagree in Business Situations
At work, we often have to express our opinions about something. In this lesson, we will look at some useful phrases that you can use in discussions at work.
Useful Phrases
What is your opinion?
What do you say?
Do you have any ideas on...?
In my opinion...
I'm not so sure about that, to be honest.
I beg to differ.
That is an interesting point, but...
Hmm, I’m not sure whether that's possible.
I understand what you are saying, but...
You have a point there.
That is a great idea!
Here are a few tips to follow when having a discussion at work.
Be polite.
In a business discussion, it is crucial to stay polite and show respect for the opinions of others.
Be considerate when disagreeing.
When you disagree with someone, you should tell them that their opinion is valuable, but you disagree.
Ask for the opinion of others.
After expressing your opinion, it would be good to ask what the other person thinks: “Do you like this idea?”, “What do you think about it?”, “What are your thoughts on that?”, etc.
Be an active listener.
Listen carefully to what the other person is saying and show that you are paying attention by using brief verbal affirmations, such as: "I see", "Uh-huh", "Yes", "That's interesting", etc.
