Business English from All Ears English BE 383: When Is It Acceptable to Hesitate in American Business Culture?
Mar 9, 2025
The hosts dive into the complexities of hesitation in American business culture, highlighting when it's acceptable to pause. They discuss the role of hesitation in interviews and presentations, providing practical tips to enhance communication. With insights on thoughtful responses, they encourage reflection before answering. The importance of taking action over excessive planning is emphasized, promoting spontaneity for growth. Lastly, engaging activities to boost language skills are shared, highlighting the significance of connection in effective communication.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Buy Yourself Time
- When you don't know an answer, buy yourself time with filler phrases.
- Avoid saying "I don't know" and instead narrate your thoughts or compliment the question.
Practice Taking Action
- Practice taking action in low-stakes situations to overcome paralysis.
- This trains your brain to act quickly, like sending a text invite before planning all the details.
Strategies for Unknown Answers
- If you should know the answer but don't, say something like, "That's a fantastic question. I'd love to look into that further."
- In a meeting, say, "Let me take that as a follow-up."