Clear, practical English for intermediate and advanced learners. Speak Better English with Harry helps you use natural English with confidence in real situations — at work and in everyday conversations. Each episode focuses on vocabulary, collocations, phrasal verbs, and expressions that native speakers actually use, explained clearly and simply by an experienced native English teacher. This podcast is ideal if you already know the basics and want to sound more natural, fluent, and confident when you speak English.
Learn how to ask your manager for help in English without sounding unsure or incapable at work. In this Business English podcast episode, you’ll learn natural ways to ask for advice, request clarification, explain when you’re stuck and get the support you need from your manager.
This lesson is for intermediate and advanced English learners who use English at work and want to communicate more confidently with managers and colleagues. Improve your workplace English and learn practical English phrases you can use in real professional conversations.
In meetings, you may know exactly what you want to say but still need a few extra seconds to find the English. You may also hesitate because you’re not sure whether a phrase sounds natural, too direct or too weak.
Take my free Meeting English Quiz and try 8 real meeting situations. You’ll see which answers work well in English and where you may need better phrases for meetings.
If you’d rather work on your English with a teacher, book a free trial lesson. We’ll look at the situations you deal with at work and decide what you need to improve first.
Hi there. This is Harry and welcome back to my podcast on Business English. And today we're going to talk might have in the workplace. And today's podcast is about how without sounding that you're ways that you can ask for help. So it's not just a casual question where you ask a colleague for some help, but this is your boss, your reporting line. So in addition to you looking to sound unprofessional and you assistance, but sound clear and So it's really all about the and how you put them across. So we've got twelve particular situations, and I'll give you So it's business English. And I'll cover this and emphasize what the objectives are. And at all times what we're level of professionalism in your if you're out of your depth and Okay, so let's get on. Let's set the scene. So you've been given, let's say, you've made a start and you have you see as a little bump or a not able to get past it. So it might be to do with It might be the first time that you've seen an issue like this, or it's just something that causes you to stop and think, hmm, Yeah. I need help here. So you might know the job in what the manager expects of you And how would he look on it? So you go along, you pop into but could you help me with this Now, you may be from a cultural isn't so common or as is very where you work at a fast pace environment, and where speaking as a sign of weakness. Now, just to warn you that in English speaking workplaces, asking for help isn't a weakness. Normally it isn't. It's really looking at head, and it becomes a strength, confidently and clearly. Often your bosses would prefer prefer you to ask because it And let's face it, it will probably make them feel good and feel useful that they're able to help you. So in this modern world, you're You're expected to be able to ask in a clear way and also respectful. And when you're dealing with to contribute to the team's assisting in the smooth running Okay. And also of the project that And these projects can only trust in the process and you fear putting your hand up and Now when we say help, we're not and say you're you're fearful of That will certainly sound weak, individual problems where it So let's look at a few examples. And for those of you who use together a short quiz called It has eight common meeting what you're already doing well little more help. You can take the quiz at use the link in the description So you've already made progress, So for example, I've already into a problem. What would you suggest? Now here you've made it very clear that you've started the project. You've completed a large portion of the work and you're setting out exactly where the problem is. So there's no question that back to the boss unfinished or So let's look at an example. You've spoken to two suppliers and you've asked them if they can split or change the delivery date, but neither option solves the problem. So you say to your boss, I am to both of our suppliers and and the date, but I'm still with the date. What would you suggest? Here the boss will see that you're reaching out to him for help you with. So he will hopefully suggest something like, well, look, tell them if they're not prepared to work with your dates, then you may have to cancel the order and you may have to look for another supplier. In this way, your problem is You got the boss's support. So overall, happy days. Second example. I've got as far as ex but I'm unsure about why would you take a look? So here again you've made You're in control, you're establishing that you have made boss, his or her help with just The whole task is not the And this is really important. You specify what you have a Okay, so let's give an example. You've completed most of a the figures you've used for, You're not sure if these figures So you say, I've got as far as the quarter for forecast, but I'm not sure about the sales assumptions. Could you take a look? And here it's a very clear statement of what progress you've made and what the problem is. The problem isn't everything. It's just related to the The manager will ask you to Okay. He'll discuss the assumptions recommend an adjustment. Or perhaps he may even suggest the end of the forecast as an readers are going to be. Again. Problem solved. Okay, let's move on to example Before I go any further, could I So a very clear A request to Before I go any further, could I And we're emphasizing here one You're not saying you are stuck You're specifying that you have have one issue and you want to Okay, now just a little note of Make sure it is only one point. If you say in your question one don't give them three or four. If it's one point, make sure it Okay? Don't bullshit them and don't So you let the boss know you perhaps in the wrong direction. So an example you've started let's say the latest out for you, but you're not requirements apply to this you're working on. Okay. That could be to do with an So you say, before I go any further, could I ask you, do I use these new requirements with this? They will reply simply, yes you Or indeed they may confirm it by telling you to go and talk to the IT people or the legal department just to get clarification. Again. Problem solved. Okay. Next you have an idea and perhaps you have come up with a solution to an issue, but you want your manager's input or their judgment on this particular problem. So you say, could I run this before it goes live or before I So. Could I run it past you? Okay. The boss will know that you have you've come up with this simply want a second or more else sees it, particularly if it Now, just little point here. What does run by someone mean? If you ask your boss, can you What does it mean? Again, it's colloquial English and it's commonly used in business English. And really it means before you sign off on something, to run it by somebody simply means you would like their input, their recommendation, their view, their critique. Okay. So can I run it by you? Can I run something by you. They're all colloquial And as I said, they're only a recommendations, some input, So again, you're very clear. You're very confident in what you've done to date and you're making a polite request for your boss's input. And it's always recommended to seek agreement before implementing something new anyway, particularly if it's some procedures that you want or if they're new, then there's no harm in looking to your boss for some input. It saves you making a mistake. It saves you having to go back So when you run something by someone, that means you're going to get their agreement or their acceptance to what you have suggested. Okay, let's go on to the next I've narrowed it down to two Which one do you prefer or I've narrowed it down to two Which one do you prefer or Now you've already done the You've narrowed the choices that You've eliminated most of the other options, and you're going to request your manager to give their weight to one preferred option. Which one do they really prefer? Okay, so you're looking for his assistance to make the final judgment. So let's have an example. You've researched several suppliers, and after the process, you've come down to a choice of two particular suppliers. One cost less while the other is more expensive, but that other one can guarantee a delivery date. So you say to your boss, I've Option A is cheaper, but option Which one would you recommend? Now they may kick it back to you and ask, well, what do you think? In which case you're involved in the process and they think enough of you to ask you for a final recommendation. Once you got that again, problem Okay. Example number six. Here's what I'm planning to do. Tell me if you do it Now here you've arrived with a You've thought it out and it's well structured, and you're not simply dropping another problem on an already overloaded boss's desk. And they wouldn't believe me. Be very grateful if you did that Okay, so you've come up with a solution and you want their input. Let's have an example. So two people unexpectedly So you've come up with a the work completed. Here's what I'm planning to do. I'll move Anna onto it now, and I'll ask Mark to cover the other work. Tell me if you think I should do Now, this will look really professional to your boss because you've already selected the people. And what you're really asking Is he okay with this? Does he see any situation when these two people, Anna and Mark, will not be able to work together? Okay, so you're asking him to what you have suggested or some it a little bit. Okay, so let's move on a little You need the experience of someone like your boss because they have done many of these tasks before. So we're going to look at of the boss is really important. Now, this is not an unusual can never beat experience. So we're not throwing work back on the boss, but looking for their input. We're looking for the experience get the job completed. So number seven, I know you've dealt with this or come across this before. How would you approach it? The important point here is that you're not handing over the problem. You're asking for their input You will deal with the problem. You need to have a difficult One of those difficult performance for some reason has And you know, your manager has in the past. I know you've dealt with it How would you approach it? How would you begin the conversation with him or with her? So it's a request for a little insight, using the years of experience that the boss has dealing and handling with sticky conversations. Number eight. This is the first one I've done. Is there anything I should look Note here you're definitely not saying you've never done this before and I'm not able to do it. What you're saying to them is I've done most of the work. But before I get stuck into Are there any little hints or So you're eager to start, but a few helpful tips would go a long way to avoiding unnecessary pitfalls. You don't want an A to Z of how You're simply asking a much more problems that may not be obvious So an example, you understand the problem, the process, and you've prepared everything you need. But this is the first time the whole thing yourself. So you say to your boss, this is Is there anything I should watch So it's a request for help from a more experienced boss, and he will help you in whichever way he can. Now next example. What would a good version of You understand the task at hand, boss expects is not so clear. So you're asking your manager You're not asking him how to do You're not asking him to have what result is he expecting. It's very clear and how he envisages it is what you're looking for. So an example you've been asked to prepare, let's say, a short briefing for the senior management team. You know what information needs You know what should be included, but you're just unsure as to how much detail they expect. I know what needs to go into the one for the board before. What would a good version of Again, absolutely clear. There is no intention to pass the buck like a parcel back to your boss. You want a little input into the finished product and how it will look. Okay, now other problems you might have is where you need something only a boss can give you. So there are lots of situations boss knows who to talk to or So let's have a look at an Are you happy for me to finish prefer a briefing first? So here you're involving him You've prepared the document, You know how to finish it, and but you just feel it might be off in advance. So to present it to him first so everybody will have buy in. Okay. And it's a very sensible For example, you've prepared, the customer changed the order. You're ready to send it. But one part is slightly outside So you need to get some input I've updated the quote with the Are you happy for me to send it or would you like to see it first? So here you're getting his buy There's no problem. You've done as requested. You've prepared the document. What you would like is the say about the discount so that that it has been signed off. Okay, now we're getting near the So here's example number eleven. I can move this forward, but I access to some information. Could you help me with that? This is a classic problem that The boss has a way to unlock involved that might, um, not For example, they might not know They might not want to give information without somebody else's approval. So here you're looking for some So you have all the contract You have the documents prepared, little bit of help. It could be a piece of information to add or to drop in. It could be a decision in It could be access to an email. There's lots of things. It could be. And your boss has the ability to So you're letting the manager But the lion's share of the work Perhaps it is just figures only person, and another person may and you need his help for that. Okay, so very clearly you're not You're just making sure that the that he will follow up with response for you that you're not Now, you might put it this way I followed up with Jack or Mary, but I'm not getting any response. Could you step in? Okay, so the manager knows you've done what you were asked to do. Progress has been made, but you've hit a block and that somebody isn't responding in time. Okay, so it needs something from department, and the boss is the to action that. Now here we've used this Could you step in? So when we use this expression colloquial English, it simply into my shoes? Could you help me by calling him or her and unblocking whatever is blocked? So when we say, could you step It means could you temporarily email, make a call, and whatever Okay, let's look at an example. You have everything ready. All you need is the marketing team to agree that they would be ready on a particular date, but they've not replied to emails or returned calls. So you need the help of the big Could you step in and help, We need an answer ASAP by And again, problem solved. Okay, so there are twelve examples of expressions and words and phrases that you can use that will get you help from your boss. They're very clear and very It will show, if anything, that you're prepared to ask for help You're not putting your hand up saying, I'm incapable of doing this, or I have no confidence in it. You will do the exact opposite. You will show that you have confidence and the smarts to ask for help. So we've looked at ways in which for input, without sounding You are very specific with the It's very, very polite and the Yeah, he knows the work is done, are you indicating that you're And this is a really important point to ensure that you come out of this looking professional. So you'll notice in all the are no constant apologies. You are not saying sorry or It's very professional. It's very clear you're not So make sure that you try and practice this in the next project or next work that you have. Or when you're doing something and you want to ask help from practice and use this. Okay. So as always, if you need any help or you'd like some more examples, you know where to find me. www.englishlessonviaskype.com you and always happy to help. So this is Harry thanking you for listening and as always, join me again for the next lesson.
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