熟悉办公事务——和领导讨论问题 Discussing Concerns with Superiors

和领导讨论问题　Discussing Concerns with Superiors

在工作中遇到问题在所难免。做何反应直接决定矛盾是否能迅速有效（quickly and effectively）地解决。如果在办公室处理问题时感觉压力重重（stressful），那去找老板当面讨论是一个不错的选择（take the initiative）。

走到领导面前时，首先要问他此刻是否有时间和你谈话，开门见山地说明谈话主题。

☉I was wondering if you had a moment to discuss a concern I’ve been having with……

我想知道您是否有时间跟我来讨论一件让我很担忧的事情。

☉Can I talk to you for a minute?I’d like to bring up some issues that I need help to resolve.

我能和您聊一分钟吗？有一些事情我需要您的帮忙。

☉I was wondering, is there anything we can do about……?

我就是想知道，关于……有什么事情是我们可以做的？

☉I have been working with a few challenges lately that I would appreciate your perspective on.

最近我在工作中遇到了些挑战，希望能够得到您的指点。

☉Can you give me some advice about what to do about……?

关于……该如何做，您能给我些建议吗？

☉Let me know if I can help you with anything.

如果我能帮你做什么，就告诉我。

评估事态

准确把握问题的严重程度（severity），确保（warrant）有和老板商谈的必要性。商讨前准备解决方案（potential resolutions），这表明你有能力分析事态并拿出解决之道。

☉I was thinking, it might be possible to……

我在想，也许能够……

☉Maybe this problem could be solved by……What do you suggest?

也许这个问题可以通过……来解决。您的意思呢？

☉Perhaps……could help resolve the issue.Do you think that is a good way to deal with it?

也许……有助于解决这个问题。您觉得那是处理这个问题的好办法吗？

☉The way I see it, we could do X or Y.The benefits of X are……，but I also see drawbacks.

依我看，我们可以做X或者Y。X的好处在于……但也有一些缺点。

☉Can you give me some direction on this?

在这个方面您能给我什么指示吗？

诚实待己

大家都不喜欢犯错，但勇于承认（acknowledge）错误有益于解决问题。把错误看作学习和提高自己本领（job skills）的机会。

☉I realize I might have contributed to this problem by……But I want to help solve the problem now.

我意识到可能是我……才造成这个问题。但是我现在想帮忙解决这个问题。

☉Perhaps if I hadn’t……，things might not have developed this far.I didn’t intend to make things worse, but now I want to make it better.

如果当时我没有……事态也许就不会发展到这步田地。我不是有意让事态更加严重的，但是现在我希望能够有所改善。

准备谈话

选择和老板谈话的合适时机，或请他安排一个适合（convenient）他的时间。可以事先记录下（jot down）要谈的内容，收集相关资料作为实例。遵守会谈逻辑格式（logical meeting format），清晰地解释问题，承认问题产生的原因，并请求建议。

A：What was the issue you wanted to talk about?

B：Our team is having problems meeting the deadline for our financial reports. I realize I might have contributed to the problem by being late in submitting our budget review.However, I think if we were able to delay some of the other projects and put them on the backburner while we move this project to the forefront, we should still be able to finish on time.Do you have any suggestions about how we can do that?

A：你想谈什么问题？

B：我们组现在在财务报告按时完工的问题上有点麻烦。我意识到可能是由于我递交我们的预算审核晚了才造成了这样的问题。但是，如果别的项目能缓一缓，把它们挪后一点优先做这个项目的话，我们是可以按时完成的。我们能否这样做？对此，您有什么建议吗？

总结

当你遇到问题时，向领导请教他的高见是个不错的选择。为了避免被训斥，事先要做好准备工作，比如潜在的解决方案、对问题产生的原因的分析等，并以充分的实例加以说明，最后问他：“对此您怎么看？”

Words　单词表

appreciate感激；欣赏

certainly当然，确信无疑

challenges挑战

contribute贡献

deadline时限，期限

flexible灵活的，多变的

forefront前沿，最前方

grab抓，抓取

perhaps或许，也许

perspective透视

realize意识到

standoffish冷淡的；不友好的

submit提交

suggestion建议

unproductive无出产的，不毛的

Phrases　短语表

anything we can do任何我们能做的

crunch numbers处理数据

deal with处理

give direction（on sth）在（某事上）给

have problems（doing sth）（做某事）有予指示困难

make things worse使事情更糟

on time准时

put（sth）on the back burner将（某物）保留，作为不重要的

refuse to（do sth）拒绝做某事

resolve an issue解决问题

the most I can do我最多能做的

this far这步田地

throw（sth）out the window将（某物）扔出窗外

Why don't you（do sth）你为什么不（做某事）

move back a deadline往后调整最后期限

实景对话1

A：Mr. Jones, I was wondering if you had a moment to discuss a concern I've been having with the financial reports. Can you give me some advice about what to do about our deadline?

B：Yes, I have a few minutes to spare now. Why don't you come down to my office with me and we can talk about it.

A：Great！Thanks！Let me grab my notes.

B：（In office）Now what was the issue you wanted to talk about?

A：I have been working with a few challenges lately that I would appreciateyour perspective on. I was wondering, is there anything we can do about the deadline for the financial reports.Our team is having problems meeting the deadline.I realize I might have contributed to the problem by being late in submitting our budget review.However, I think if we were able to delay some of the other projects and put them on the backburner while we move this project to the forefront, we should still be able to finish on time.Do you have any suggestions about how we can do that?

B：Certainly we can't throw everything else out the window while you crunch numbers for the financial reports. I don't see your suggestion as feasible.

A：Maybe this problem could be solved by moving back the deadline. What do you suggest?Can you give me some direction on this?

B：The deadline is not very flexible. The most I can do is give you a couple extra days……

A：That just might be enough.

A：琼斯先生，我想知道，您是否有时间跟我讨论关于财务报告的事？关于最后时限的问题，您能给我些建议吗？

B：好的，我有几分钟的时间。你来我的办公室吧，我们可以聊聊。

A：好极了，谢谢！我拿上笔记本就去。

B：（办公室里）你要谈什么问题？

A：最近我在工作中遇到了些挑战，希望能够得到您的指点。我就是想知道关于财务报告的最后时限，我们还有别的什么可以做的吗？按时完工对我们组来说有困难。我意识到可能是我递交的预算审核晚了才造成这样的问题。但是，我想如果别的项目能缓一缓，把它们挪后一点再把这个项目提前的话，我们是可以按时完成的。我们能这样做吗？对此，您有什么建议吗？

B：我们当然不能为了处理财务报告的数据而把别的都扔到一边。我觉得这个建议不可行。

A：也许这个问题可以通过放宽最后时限来解决。您的意思呢？在这件事情上能否给我们一些指示？

B：最后期限是定好的。我最多能再给你几天时间……

A：那就够了。

实景对话2

A：Do you have a minute?Can you give me some direction on something?

B：Sure. Come on in.

A：I was wondering, is there anything we can do about an unproductive employee?We've been having some communication problems between some of the members in our department. Several of the people in my department have been having trouble with Anna Smith.Since I work with her the most, I end up having most of the difficulties.She is now refusing to work with us.

B：Have you talked to Anna?

A：I was thinking it might be possible to solve this problem by talking to her directly, so yesterday I tried. Perhaps if I hadn't offended her yesterday when I asked her to finish the budget reviews, things might not have developed this far.I didn't intend to make things worse by talking to her, but now I want to make it better.Maybe this problem could be solved by transferring Anna to a different department.What do you suggest?

B：I will have to talk to Anna and also perhaps to some of the other members of the department to find out more about the situation.

A：Perhaps the Human Resources Department could help resolve the issue.

Do you think that is a good way to deal with it?

A：您有空吗？您能否就一些事情给点建议？

B：当然。进来吧。

A：我想知道，对一个消极怠工的员工，我们该怎么办？我们和部门内一些员工的沟通有问题。我们部门的几个人都和安娜·史密斯有过节。在工作上，我和她接触的机会最多，麻烦也最多。她现在拒绝和我们一起工作。

B：你和安娜谈过了吗？

A：我想过也许可以通过当面谈解决这个问题，所以昨天我试了一下。如果昨天我让她完成预算审核时没有冒犯她的话，事态也许不会发展到这步田地。我本无意把情况搞得更糟，现在我希望能够有所好转。也许把安娜调到别的部门可以解决这个问题。对此，您有什么建议吗？

B：我会和安娜还有部门其他同事谈谈，来了解更多的情况。

A：也许人力资源部可以解决这个问题，您觉得这是解决这个问题的好办法吗？