How to Give and Receive Feedback in English - Business English Lesson

商务英语——提供和接受反馈意见

Hi, I’m Marie. Welcome to Oxford Online English! 

嗨，我是Marie。欢迎来到Oxford Online English！

In this lesson, you can learn how to give and  respond to feedback in a professional environment.

在本节课里，您可以学到怎样在一个专业的 场境里提供和回复反馈意见。

You’ll see different ways to give  positive or negative feedback,  

您会看到提供正面或负面 反馈意见的不同方式，

and how to give negative feedback  in a more direct or indirect way.

以及怎样用更直接或间接的 方式给出负面反馈意见。

Before we begin, check out our website: Oxford  Online English dot com. Do you want to see  

我们开始之前，看看我们的网站： Oxford Online English dot com。您想看

a range of video and listening lessons  to improve your English, all 100% free?  

一个全部100%免费的、范围广的视频和 听力课程来提高您的英语吗？

We have that! Do you want to take online  classes with a professional teacher?  

我们有！您想上一位专业 老师的在线课程吗？

We can do that, too! Oxford  Online English dot com.

我们也有提供！ Oxford Online English dot com.

By the way, don’t forget to turn on the subtitles  for this video if you need them! All our videos  

此外，如果您想，不要忘记打开这部 视频的字幕！我们所有的视频

have English subtitles. You can turn them on  now: just click the ‘CC’ button in the bottom  

都有英文和中文字幕。您现在可以 打开它们：就点击视频播放器

right of the video player. On mobile, click on  the settings icon to change your CC settings. 

右下方的“CC”按键。在手机上，点击 设定图标来改变您的“CC”设定。

Let’s start by looking at how  to give positive feedback.

我们从看看怎样提供正面 反馈意见开始。

Hi, you wanted to talk to me?

嗨！您想和我谈谈？

I did? Ah, yes, I remember! It won’t take long.

我有吗？啊，是的，我记起来了！ 那不会花太久时间。

Is there a problem?

有问题吗？

No, not at all! Actually, I just  wanted to tell you I really liked  

没有，完全没问题！实际上，我只是 想告诉您我真的喜欢

how you handled the meeting with Omnitouch.

您怎样去主持全触式会议。

Oh, thanks!

哦，谢谢！

It was a challenging situation. None of us  thought they would come in with so many difficult,  

那是一个挑战性的场合。我们都没有 想到他们会遇到很多困难、

technical questions, and, honestly, that guy  – what was his name? Brian? – I thought he was  

技术问题，以及，坦白地说，那个伙计 ——他叫什么名字？Brian？——我想他

being quite aggressive. I admired the way you were  able to keep your cool and stick to the point.

很咄咄逼人！我佩服您能够保持冷静 并坚持您的观点的方式。

Sure, I suppose it wasn’t the easiest meeting,  

当然，我认为那不是一个最容易的会议，

but it wasn’t too stressful. I’m  used to situations like that.

但是，那也不会太紧张。 我习惯像那样的场合。

Yes, but still, not everyone  can stay calm in that position.  

是的，但是，我还是要说没人能在 那种位置能保持平静。

Also, the visuals you prepared for  our presentation were very impressive.  

此外，您为我们的演示所做的视觉 效果准备令人印象非常深刻。

They looked professional, but also  communicated key information clearly.

他们看起来是专业的，但也 明确地传达了关键信息。

Glad you think so.

很高兴您也这样想。

Anyway, I just wanted to let  you know. Keep up the good work!

随便，我只是想让您知道。 继续做好工作！

Will do!

我会的！

In the dialogue, you heard different  ways to praise someone’s work.

在对话里，您听到赞赏某人 工作的不同方式。

Look at some sentences. 

看一些句子。

Can you remember the missing words? If not,  you can review the dialogue if you want. 

您能记得缺失的单词吗？如果不记得 了，如果您想，您可以复习对话。

Here are the answers. You can use these phrases  

这里是答案。您可以以其他方式 来运用这些短语。

in other ways. For example: ‘I really liked  how you explained everything so clearly.’ 

例如：‘I really liked  how you explained everything so clearly.’“

‘I admire the way you never miss a deadline,  even when we’re under a lot of pressure.’ 

”I admire the way you never miss a deadline,  even when we’re under a lot of pressure.”

‘The way you dealt with that customer’s  complaint was very impressive.’ 

“The way you dealt with that customer’s  complaint was very impressive.”

What about you? Can you think of other  ways to complete these sentences? 

您呢？您可以想像其他的方式来 完成这些句子吗？

Think about your work recently. Have your  colleagues done anything which impressed you? Use  

想想您近来的工作。您的同事做了 任何事情让您印象深刻吗？  用您

your own ideas to complete these sentences. Pause  the video and say your examples out loud now. 

自己的想法来完成这些句子。现在， 暂停视屏并大声地说出您的例子。

What about ‘keep up the good  work’? This is a general phrase.  

那“keep up the good work”呢？ 这是一个一般用语。

You can use it when you’re pleased with  someone’s work, and you want to encourage them.

当您满意某人的工作，并且您想 鼓励他们时，您可以使用它。

Next, what if you need to give  someone negative feedback?

接下来，如果您需要提供给某人 负面反馈意见呢？

Can I have a word?

我可以说下吗？

Sure, what is it?

当然，那是什么？

Well, I had a chance to look  through your draft proposal.

好，我有一个机会 浏览您的提案草稿。

Oh?

哦？

I’ll cut to the chase: it needs a lot of  work. This is a long, complex document. It  

我会切入正题：那需要大量的工作。 这是一份长的、复杂的文件。

needs to be well-organised, clearly laid-out,  and make a good impression on whoever reads it.

它需要是井井有条、布局清晰， 并给读者留下好的印象。

So, what needs changing?

那么，需要改变什么呢？

Honestly, I think you need to go back to the  drawing board and think about how to organise your  

诚实地说，我认为您要重新开始， 考虑怎样组织您的想法。

ideas. Currently, it’s hard to follow because it’s  incoherent. You jump from one topic to another,  

目前，它很难读下去，因为它是不 连贯的。您从一个主题跳到另一个，

which makes it difficult  to focus on your main idea.

那让聚焦在您的主要想法变得很难。

Huh…

喔…

Also, you need to pay more attention to detail.  I checked some of the data you quote, and many  

您也需要更注意细节。 我检查了一些您报出的数据，

of the figures are inaccurate. I didn’t check  everything, because that’s your responsibility.  

很多数字是不准确的。我没有检查 所有的，因为那是您的责任。

Remember that their legal department will  also be looking through this, so it needs  

记住，他们的法律部门也会查看 这个，所以，它必须是

to be watertight. Double check any figures or  other data you’re using and don’t cut corners.

无懈可击的。再检查一次您使用的所有 数字或其他数据，不要偷工减料。

OK, that’s my fault. I’ll be more careful.

好，那是我的错误。我会更小心。

Finally, you need to tidy up the  language. There are spelling mistakes,  

最后，您要整理一下讲法。有一些拼写 错误、不合语法的句子、

ungrammatical sentences, missing punctuation,  and so on. I hope it’s obvious that you can’t  

少标点符号，等等。 我希望您不能在像这样的

make spelling mistakes in a piece of writing  like this; it won’t make a good impression.

一小篇文字里犯拼写错误是显然的； 那不会留下好印象。

No, of course not.

没有，当然不会。

So, do you think you can deal with this and get  a revised draft to me by the end of the week?

那么，您认为您可以处理这个，并在本周末 给我一份修改好的草稿吗？

Sure, I’ll do that.

当然，我会的。

When giving negative feedback, you can choose  between being more direct or more indirect.

在给出负面的反馈意见时，您可以 选择更直接或更间接。

This depends on many things:  the country you’re in,  

这取决于很多事情： 您所在的国家、

corporate culture, your relationship with  the person you’re talking to, and more.

公司文化、正在与您谈话的人和 您之间的关系，以及更多。

Here, you saw some ways to give negative feedback  directly. Look at some phrases from the dialogue. 

在这里，您看到一些直接给出负面反馈 意见的方式。看看对话里的一些短语。

Imagine someone asks you to explain what  these phrases mean in English. How would  

想像某人要求您解释这些短语在英语里 意味着什么。您怎样做？

you do it? Pause the video and think about  how to explain the meaning of these phrases. 

暂停视频，考虑怎样解释这些 短语的意思。

‘I’ll cut to the chase’ signals that  you’re about to say something negative  

“I’ll cut to the chase”示意您在用直接的 方式说一些负面的

in a direct way. It’s a way  to introduce a criticism. 

反馈意见。那是一种引入 批评的方式。

‘Go back to the drawing board’  means to start something again.  

“Go back to the drawing board”  意思是重新开始某些事情。

You use this phrase when something is not going  to plan, and you need to start again from zero. 

当某件事情没按计划进行，您需要重新 从零开始时，您使用这个短语。

If you cut corners, you rush your work,  or you don’t pay enough attention to it.  

如果您切掉了基角，您在赶工， 或者您没有足够留意它。

If you tell someone ‘don’t cut corners’,  

如果您告诉某人“don’t cut corners”，

you are telling that person to work  carefully and pay attention to detail. 

您在告诉那个人小心地 工作，并留意细节。

Generally, if you want to give feedback  directly, you’ll use simpler statements  

一般来说，如果您想直接给出 反馈意见，您会使用简单的带

with ‘you’. For example: ‘you need  to pay more attention to detail.’ 

“you”的陈述。例如：“you need  to pay more attention to detail.”

‘You should double check your  figures before you send it.’ 

“You should double check your  figures before you send it.”

‘You can’t go into a meeting  like that unprepared.’ 

“You can’t go into a meeting  like that unprepared.”

Direct language is generally simpler. You can use  ‘you’ + a verb, as in ‘you need to’, ‘you should’,  

直接的讲法一般是较简单的。您可以 使用“you” + 一个动词，像是

‘you shouldn’t’, ‘you can’t’, and so on.

“you need to”、“you should”、  “you shouldn’t”、“you can’t”，等等。

Now, what about giving negative  feedback in a more indirect way?

现在，那么用更间接的方式 给出负面的反馈意见呢？

Do you have a minute?

您可以抽出一分钟时间吗？

Sure, what’s up?

当然，怎么啦？

There’s a little issue I wanted to discuss  with you. Actually, there have been some  

有一个小问题，我想和您讨论。 实际上，有一些关于

complaints about the language and humour you  use in meetings and in the office generally.  

您在会议里和办公室里常用的 说法和幽默的抱怨。

More than one person has complained to me that  they find it unprofessional and offensive.

不止一个人向我抱怨他们觉得 那是不专业以及有冒犯的。

Really? Like what?

真的吗？比如哪些？

I don’t want to get into specific cases. I just  want to remind you that this is a workplace,  

我不想进入特定的事例。我只是想 提醒您这里是工作场所，

and there are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.

有我们都必须遵守的 一定行为标准。

So what? No jokes allowed?

那么，怎样？不允许开玩笑吗？

That’s not what I’m saying, but it’s important to  understand that not everyone will have the same  

那不是我正在谈的，但是，理解不是 每个人都有与您相同的

perspective or sense of humour as you. It’s  advisable to be cautious with your choice of  

看法或幽默感是很重要的。建议您 谨慎地选择用词，特别

words, especially in meetings or other situations  where perhaps not everyone knows each other.

是在会议里，或其他可能大家 都不互相了解的场合里。

This seems a little unfair, given that you’re not  

这看起来有点不公平， 因为您没有说是谁

saying who made these complaints,  or what I’m supposed to have said.

提出了这些抱怨， 或者我应该说什么。

Well, this is just a friendly chat, but I have  also observed some examples of these issues  

好吧，这只是一个友好的闲聊， 但是，我有直接地观察到这些

directly. I don’t want to take this further, but  I would like you to keep these things in mind;  

问题的一些例子。我不想更进一步， 但是，我希望您记住这些事情；

hopefully we can avoid similar issues in future.

希望我们今后可以避免类似的问题。

In this dialogue, you saw how to  give negative feedback indirectly.  

在这个对话里，您看到了怎样间接地 给出负面的反馈意见。

Here’s a question: what are some  features of indirect language? How  

这里有一个问题：间接说法的 一些特点是什么？

is indirect language different from the  direct language you heard in part two? 

间接说法和您在第二部分听到的直接 说法的区别是怎样的？

Indirect language is generally softer and more  impersonal. When giving negative feedback,  

间接说法通常是更柔和、更非人称性的。 当你给出负面反馈意见时，

if you want to be indirect, you’ll  generally avoid sentences with ‘you’.

如果您想要是间接的，您通常 会避免有“you”的句子。

Instead, you’ll use impersonal constructions,  for example with ‘there’. You heard ‘There  

取代的是，您会使用非人称性的结构， 例如，用“there”。您听到“There

have been some complaints about the  language and humour you use in meetings.’ 

have been some complaints about the  language and humour you use in meetings.”

‘There are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.’ 

“There are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.”

Or, you might use impersonal constructions  with ‘it’, as in: ‘It’s important to  

或者，您可能使用搭配“it”的非人称性 结构，像是：“It’s important to

understand that not everyone will have the  same perspective or sense of humour as you.’ 

understand that not everyone will have the  same perspective or sense of humour as you.”

‘It’s advisable to be cautious  with your choice of words.’ 

“It’s advisable to be cautious  with your choice of words.”

Take that last example. How would  you say this in more direct language? 

拿那最后一个例子来说。您怎么用更 直接的讲法来说这个？

You would say something like: ‘You need to  be more cautious with your choice of words’,  

您会说某些像是：”You need to  be more cautious with your choice of words“，

or ‘You should be more cautious…’ 

或”You should be more cautious…“

Also, indirect language tends to be less  specific. In the dialogue I avoided going  

间接讲法也倾向于不太具体。 在对话里，我避免涉及

into details about the problem. I didn’t say who  had complained, or describe specific incidents.

问题的细节。我没有说谁抱怨， 或描述特定的事件。

Think about the differences between direct  and indirect language that you’ve seen here.  

考虑下您在这里看到的直接讲法和 间接讲法之间的区别。

When you need to give someone negative feedback,  it’s good to decide which approach to use,  

当您需要给某人负面反馈意见时， 那有助于您决定使用哪一种，

and control your language accordingly.

并相应地控制您的语言。

Right, so, about the new design for the logo…

对了，那么，关于标志的新设计…

Yeah, I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

是的，我很想听听您的想法。

First of all, the colours  look strange, don’t you think?

首先，色彩看起来有点 奇怪，您觉得呢？

Sure, I’m aware of that. I made the prototypes  on my laptop while I was on the road,  

当然，我清楚那个。我在路上的时候， 在我的手提电脑上制作了原型，

and the screen isn’t good enough for design  work. I’ll adjust the colours on my desktop.  

荧幕对设计工作来说不够好。 我会在我的桌面电脑调整色彩。

I know how I want it to look.

我知道我想要它看起来是怎样。

OK, that sounds good. Now, I like the  basic design, with the overlapping circles.  

好，那听起来不错。现在，我喜欢带 重叠圆圈的基础设计。

I do think the text should be larger.

我认为文字要更大一点。

Alright, I can look into that.  Sometimes it’s hard to balance the  

好吧，我可以再研究一下那个。 有时，当您改变

proportions when you start changing  things, but I’ll see what I can do.

东西时，很难去平衡比例，但是， 我会看看我能做什么。

Then, I think the thing I like least is  these triangles on the right. Overall,  

然后，我认为我最不喜欢的是 右边的这些三角形。 总的

it looks too busy. There are too  many shapes and different parts.

来说，它看起来太乱了。 有太多 的形状和不同的部分。

Well, there I have to disagree with  you. Our logo now has triangles inside  

好吧，在那里，我不同意您。 我们的标志现在在圆圈里有三角形。

a circle. This new logo takes the same  elements, but presents them in a new way.  

这个新标志采用了相同的元素， 但以一种新的方式呈现出来。

It’s different, but there’s also some continuity  with the current logo, which I think is important.

那是不同的，但是，有目前标志的 一些延续，我认为那是重要的。

Hmmm…

嗯…

I mean, I can try to come up with some more  ideas, but I don’t think this particular logo  

我的意思是，我可以试着提出 更多的想法，但是，如果您

makes sense if you take the triangles  out. Plus, it’ll look unbalanced.

拿掉三角，我不认为这个特定标志 可行。加上，它看起来不平衡。

Look, I like it overall, but I  don’t want to rush this decision,  

看，我总体上喜欢它，但是， 我不想草率地做决定，

and I think you could improve on  this design with a bit more time.  

我认为您可以花更多一点的时间 来改进这个设计。

How about you come up with one or two more  versions, and then we’ll decide as a team?

您多提出一个或两个版本，然后 我们会作为一个团队来决定？

OK, that sounds fair. I’ll see what I can do.

好，听起来公平。 我会看看我能做什么。

When someone is giving you feedback,  you can respond in different ways.

当某人在给您反馈意见时， 您可以用不同的方式回答。

You can acknowledge their point,  

您可以承认他们的观点，

or agree with it. You can promise to  take action. Or, you can disagree.

或者同意。您可以承诺要采取行动。 或者，您可以不同意。

Look at five phrases you heard in the  dialogue. Can you remember the missing words? 

看五个您在对话里听到的短语。 您记得缺失的单词吗？

Pause the video if you need more thinking time.

如果您需要更多的时间，暂停视屏。

Let’s see the answers together. To acknowledge or agree with a  

我们一起来看看答案。要承认或 同意某人提出的一个

point someone makes, you can say ‘I’m  aware of that’ or ‘That sounds fair’.

观点，您可以说“I’m aware of that”或 “That sounds fair”。

You could also use phrases like ‘I understand,’  ‘I get it’, or ‘I take your point.’ 

您也可以使用像“I understand”、“I get it” 或”I take your point“这样的短语。

To promise to take action when  someone gives you feedback,  

当某人给您反馈意见， 要承诺采取行动，

you could say ‘I can look into  that’ or ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

您可以说”I can look into that“或 ”I’ll see what I can do.“

You could also say ‘I’ll work on  that’ or ‘I’ll get on it right  

您也可以说”I’ll work on that“ 或”I’ll get on it right

away’. ‘Get on it’ means to start working  on something. It’s a more informal phrase. 

away“。”Get on it“意思是开始做某事。 那是一个比较不正式的短语。

To disagree with someone, you could  say ‘I have to disagree with you.’

要不同意某人说的，您可以说 ”I have to disagree with you.“

If you want to be more indirect, you  could say ‘I’m not sure I agree’,  

如果您想更间接一点，您可以说 ”I’m not sure I agree“、

or ‘I have a different perspective on that.’ If you want to be more direct, say something like  

或者”I have a different perspective on that.“ 如果您想更直接，说些像是

‘I don’t think that’s true’  or ‘I don’t agree with that.’ 

”I don’t think that’s true“ 或者”I don’t agree with that.“

Now, you should know different ways  to give and respond to feedback.  

现在，您知道了给出或接受反馈 意见的不同方式。

You can review parts of the  video again if you need to.

如果您需要，您可以再 复习任何一段视屏。

Thanks for watching!

感谢观看！

See you next time!

下次见！