ESL Podcast 188 - Correcting Misunderstandings at Work

counterpart - a person who does the same job as you do, but in a different organization or different part of the same organization

Do you know who your counterpart is in the Washington DC office?

corporate structure - company organization

Looking at the corporate structure at this company, it's clear that the managers are responsible for each office's salespeople.

to report directly to - to have as your immediate boss; to be responsible to with no one in between

My manager won't listen to my ideas. I wish I could report directly to the president.

CEO - chief executive officer; a manager who is usually has the most power and responsibility in a company and is in charge of the money and planning for the whole company

The new CEO is planning to make some big changes to how we do business.

that's not quite right - a very polite way to say that someone is wrong or that they have misunderstood

When I saw the plan for the new garden, I told them, "That's not quit right. There should be more trees on this side."

local - something that belongs to or relates to an area or neighborhood

There are a lot of local musicians who would be interested in playing at our event.

regional - something that belongs to or relates to a region, usually including more than one smaller area

Now that she's won the local contest, she'll compete at the regional level.

to supervise - to watch and tell others how to do work

Can you supervise the workers at this location and make sure that the job is done right?

COO - chief operating officer; a manager who is in charge of the day-to-day activities in a company

The employees are unhappy about how the office is being run and wants to have a meeting with the COO.

oversight - management or supervision

How will you have oversight of your project if you move to the Berlin office?

that's not what I meant - a polite way of saying that someone is wrong or have misunderstood, but more direct than "that's not quite right"

• You don't like my present?
• That's not what I meant. When I said that I don't usually wear this color, I meant that I'm glad to try this new color.

we were actually thinking... - a polite way to begin to correct someone who has just said what they believe you mean, but are incorrect

If you want, we could come back here after dinner, but we were actually thinking of going dancing.

to free up - to release from responsibility; to create free time

My schedule is really busy this week, but I can free up some time next week if you want to get together for a meeting.

to attract - to get someone's interest; to get others to like something/someone

Do you think the new TV shows on that channel will attract new viewers?

that's not it - a direct way of saying that someone is wrong or have misunderstood

You think that I don't want to go with you to visit your parents, but that's not it. I just don't have time right now to take a trip.

what I'm trying to say is... - a phrase that tells the listener that you are going to say something (again), but in a different way, because the listener has misunderstood; used also when you have difficulty saying something

What I'm trying to say is that no matter what you decide, I'm still going to move to Detroit.

to have (one's) wires crossed - to have a miscommunication; to not understand each other

I think we had our wires crossed when we talked on the phone last week.

that's fine with me - that's okay; I agree

If you'd prefer to eat at a different restaurant than the I picked, that's fine with me.