Make a Sentence
talk it out
discuss a problem until it's resolved
* Before we escalate this to management, let's talk it out and see if we can find a solution ourselves.
band together
unite for a common purpose
* When the company announced layoffs, the department banded together to propose cost-saving alternatives.
Have you ever pulled off something at work that surprised even you?
succeed at something difficult
* The deadline is tight, but if we stay focused, I think we can pull this off.
Half the team didn't show up to the training session, which was frustrating
appear, arrive
get lost in the ____
weeds
heading for
moving toward (often negative)
* If we don't fix these supply chain issues, we're heading for a serious delay.
keep someone on their toes
keep someone alert and ready
* Our clients keep us on our toes with last-minute requests, but that's what makes us better.
What is the last thing you've passed on?
decline or refuse
* I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to pass on that project, my plate is already full.
I know everyone's busy, so I'll get right to the point: we need to cut the project budget by 15%
No small talk, direct talk
put a ___ face on
good
put a good face on
pretend everything is fine
* The quarterly numbers were disappointing, but the CEO put a good face on it during the investor call.
traced back to
connected or linked to the source
* The billing error was traced back to a glitch in the new invoicing software.
Do you find it hard to prevent yourself from getting lost in the weeds?
become too focused on small details
* Let's not get lost in the weeds during this meeting, we need to make a decision on the overall strategy first.
She poured her heart and soul into that client proposal, and it really showed.
put maximum effort into
traced back ___
to
figure out
solve, understand
* We need to figure out why customer complaints increased this quarter.
blow it
fail or ruin something
* We had one chance to pitch to that client and I feel like we blew it.
How often do you check in with your coworkers?
see how someone is doing
* I just wanted to check in on the status of the proposal before Friday's deadline.
When our main supplier fell through, our partner company gave us a lifeline by fast-tracking an order.
offer help when someone is in trouble
pass ___ something
on
let someone down
disappoint someone
* I don't want to let the team down, so I'm going to double-check every detail before the presentation.
keep up
maintain pace or standards
* It's been hard to keep up with all the regulatory changes this year.
What is a topic you like to bring up?
mention, raise a topic
* I'd like to bring up the budget issue at tomorrow's team meeting.
The merger has been stressful, but the team has soldiered on and kept productivity up.
continue despite difficulties
heading ___