世．界．之•窗－怎麼樣批評才能打動人心？

工商時報【Nikki Lu】 閱讀暖身讚美人人愛聽，說出口也容易，當要告訴人哪裡做得不夠好，就比較難啟齒了。這篇文章討論對下屬、同儕，甚至老闆，怎麼用英文給有建設性的批評。進入本文前請想一想，這些單字英文怎麼說：A.不經意 B.輕蔑的 C.不表態 " 'It doesn't sound like you.' One of the nicest things a generous critic can tell you is that a particularly (1)off-key email or comment doesn't sound like you. It's generous because that's precisely the sort of feedback we can use to improve our work. And it's nice because it means that not only do you sound like something, you sound like something worthy of (2)sticking with."──Seth Godin 創業家Seth Godin說，對一封荒腔走板的email或留言，最有善意、最寬厚的批評是：「這不像你會說的話。」這句話寬厚，因為它幫助我們改進表現。有善意，因為這表示你的表現應該在某一水準，並且值得保持下去。 Based on this sentence, career website Daily Muse gives some further examples. "Once you lead in with this phrase, follow it up a statement that elaborates on how they can improve. What positive attribute does the other person usually demonstrate that's missing from whatever they said or did? Did that email they shot off look rushed, and you're used to everything they submit being typo-free? Did they make a comment that was (A)inadvertently offensive or shortsighted?" 職涯網站Daily Muse進一步提供了例子： 「從這句話開頭後，詳細說明可以如何改進。這個人通常展現哪項正面特徵，是這次的發言或表現中所缺乏的？是不是他們的email看起來像倉促發出，而平常一個錯字也沒有？他們的發言是否不經意地冒犯人，或顯得目光短淺？」 Here are a few sentences Daily Muse suggests. [Section] doesn't sound like you. Could you explain how [proposed idea] would work more clearly? The comment you made on our call didn't sound like you. It came off as (B)dismissive, which I know would never be your intent. This draft doesn't sound like you. Could you take another stab at it including more data to support your points? This update doesn't sound like you. I'd love to see you share more of your direct involvement in the work! Daily Muse建議了以下例句。 [某部分] 不像你說的話。可以更清楚地說明 [提出的想法] 如何進行嗎？ 電話裡說的話，不像你平常會講的話。你聽起來很不屑，我知道那不是你的本意。 這份草稿不像你平常擬出的東西。可以加入更多資料支持你的觀點嗎？ 這樣的進度更新聽起來不像你。我希望你分享更多工作中直接參與的狀況！ How to give your boss honest feedback, then? Be specific and provide examples. Being vague "can sometimes (3)come across as criticism," according to Daily Muse. "This is especially true if it's not your boss, but your boss' boss, who's asking you for feedback on your immediate supervisor. Blurt out something vague and (C)non-committal sounding, and it might just seem as if you're complaining for no reason-or searching for something negative to say because you think it's expected of you. Instead of falling into that habit, offer real suggestions for a workplace issue. If you have an idea on how something could be better executed-for example, the weekly meeting with freelance consultants doesn't feel productive because there's no agenda-speak up." "…you're likely to be 'perceived as helpful,' as most solution-oriented feedback tends to be." 那麼要如何坦承回饋意見給老闆？ 要具體、要有實例。Daily Muse說，話說得模模糊糊，「有時反而讓人覺得你在批評。」 「特別是老闆的老闆，向你詢問對直屬主管的看法，回應不清楚、不表態，只會讓人覺得你是沒來由地抱怨，或是硬擠出負面意見。與其落入這樣的習慣，不如提供工作上真正的建議。覺得事情換個方式執行會更好──例如，和顧問的周會產出不高，因為沒有議程-就直接提出吧。」 「這樣的表達讓人覺得有幫助，解決導向的意見大多如此。」 資料來源：Daily Muse 世界公民，這是商業英語的last mile！ 很多人都說，英文好薪水會加倍，可以換到外商工作、可以更輕鬆溝通……英文確實可以為你做很多很多事，但是，它能為你的人生帶來的最大祝福是：找回失去的自信、耐心、膽量……還有，花了二十年還在跟英文纏鬥的人，人生不要一輩子都在跟英文纏鬥吧，要嘛放棄它不要有罪惡感，要不就征服它帶來成就感，英文學習的最後一站，報名電話（臺北）02-27215033、（新竹）03-5782199，www.core-corner.com