During any kind of meeting, it is important to make your voice heard. If you have been invited to the meeting, it means the decisions that are made will probably affect your work, your schedule or your environment in the future. If you feel strongly about something, it's essential that you bring it up. This can be daunting if English is your second language. Sometimes, you might need to take a moment to think about how to phrase what you want to say. In business meetings in Britain and Ireland, for example, people tend to use very polite language or indirect ways of asking questions or raising a point. In mainland Europe or America, it's much more acceptable to be direct without seeming rude.
In these pages, you will find advice on how and when to speak up, whether you are delivering or attending a meeting. For example, if you need to interrupt the meeting to make a point, you can use the following phrases:
I'd like to interject here. |
Could you hold that thought for a moment? There's something I'd like to say. |
While we're discussing this, I have a point to make. |
While we're on the topic could I bring up... |
Can I say something? |
If I can have the floor for a moment… |
I'd like to mention... |
I have a point to make here. |
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After you've made your point, you might want to check if other people are in agreement or if they support your proposal or statement:
Does anyone/everyone else agree with me? |
Do you have the same opinion? |
I'd like to hear everyone's opinion. |
How do you all feel about this? |
I think the majority are in agreement with me here. |
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Or, you might like to voice your support for someone else's proposal:
I'm completely in agreement here. |
I can't disagree with what Paul is saying. |
That's a really good point. |
I think the evidence speaks for itself. |
I suppose you're right. I hadn't thought about it like that before. |
You make a strong argument/case. |
I don't have a problem with that suggestion. |