Accepting ideas, raising objections & suggesting.

You’re sitting in a ‘problem solving’ meeting and want to put in your two cents. Accepting ideas presented or given is simple especially because you’re basically agreeing: Phrases like: “Yes, that’s a good/great idea.” “Well, that’s (certainly/definitely) worth a try/go” “That sounds like a good idea/good to me.”

The difficulty comes when you disagree or at least have reservations about the suggestion(s) given and want to raise objections. It goes without saying that (a bit of) ‘diplomacy’ is crucial so as not to hurt anybody’s feeling.

So here goes:

“Yes, but … (what about trying ……?)”

“That might be all right but (could/n’t we …?)”

“It’s a good idea but (what if we do/did ….?)”

“I’m afraid*, I’m not so sure about that because ..”

You may want to suggest an alternative by using one of the ‘suggesting phrases’ in brackets.

*Notice how ‘I’m afraid’ is often used to soften the blow.

to put in one‘s two cents (seinen Senf dazugeben), to be worth a try/go (einen Versuch wert), to have reservations (Bedenken haben), to raise objections (Einwände vorbringen), it goes without saying (Es versteht sich von selbst), crucial (sehr wichtig), to hurt anybody’s feeling (jdn kränken) in brackets (in Klammern), to soften the blow (den Shock (ein wenig) abmilden)

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