English Idoms: Unit 5 - COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

Person A: Our supervisor, Sally, called a meeting yesterday to talk about the communication problems in our group. She got the ball rolling by asking us to talk about the problems we were seeing. She asked us not to name names.

Person B: So did anybody step up to the plate?

Person A: Not at first. She had to encourage us. She said that we had to identify the problems before we could find the solutions because they go hand in hand. Maria spoke up first. She said she didn’t want to step on any one’s toes, but she thought the workload needed to be divided more evenly. Sally said that was a good start and that we were on the right track. We needed to get everything out in the open. She reminded us that no topic was out of bounds.

Person B: I though Maria brought the same problem up the last time, but Sally just gave her the runaround then. Sally said she would check with the vice president and get back to her, but she never did.

Person A: You’re right. I think Sally has been getting the same comment from other people, so she’s finally ready to listen. Jerry said he was feeling out of the loop because he doesn’t get included in the planning phases. Steven got angry about that. He said that if Jerry always says he’s too busy to come to the planning meetings, then how can he expect to be in the loop?

Person B: Wow, it sounds like Steven really screwed up when he lost his temper.

Person A: Yes, I agree. It was very unprofessional. Sally drew the line and reminded everyone that the purpose of this meeting was not to get  personal and lay the blame but to try to improve the communication channels. She told Steven to sit down and knock it off. She said we wanted to discuss his behavior later outside of the group. They agreed to take it off-line.

Person B: That’s funny. I thought Sally was the one who usually got angry in the meetings.

Person A: You’re right. She doesn’t exactly walk the talk. I think she needs to set a better example.

1. Get the ball rolling: start something

 He asked the first question in the meeting to get the ball rolling.

 She got the ball rolling with the new team by asking the staff members to introduce themselves.

2. Step up to the plate: take responsibility

 We hope the power company will step up to the plate and explain the power outrage.

 If the mistake is his, I hope he will step up to the plate and take care of it.

3. Go hand in hand: be associated with; go together

 Quality and efficiency go hand in hand. One usually accompanies the other.

 This material goes hand in hand with the software to guide the user.

4. Step on someone’s toes: get in someone’s way; interfere with someone’s job or responsibilities

 I don’t want to step on your toes, so let me know if this is OK.

 She was unpopular because she stepped on many toes.

5. Be on the right track: be going in the correct direction

 We don’t have the problem solved yet, but I think we are on the right track.

 If he says it’s a software problem, I think he is on the right track.

6. Out of bounds: not acceptable

 He was a problem student. His behavior was out of bounds, so he was sent to  the principal’s office.

 That topic is out of bounds during the meeting. We will discuss it later off-line.

7. Give someone the runaround: not answer a question or request; send a person somewhere else for an answer

 She always gives me the runaround when I ask her out. Do you think she’s not interested?

 I could tell she didn’t want to answer the question. She just gave me the runaround.

8. Be in the loop/be out of the loop: be included in the communication/not be  included in the communication

 Please send her copies of the e-mail about this so she is in the loop about this new project.

 I haven’t received any information on this project. I am out of the loop on this.

10. Screw up: make a big error or mistake

 She screwed up the order, and we had to start over again.

 I usually screw up when I’m really tired and I keep working anyway.

11. Draw the line: establish limits or boundaries

 We have to draw the line with this customer. They are demanding too much.

 Tell them we won’t make any more design changes.

 He drew the line with his teenage son and told him if he got another ticket, he couldn’t continue driving.

12. Knock it off: stop doing “something”  He has an annoying habit of tapping his fingers on the table, so she asked him to  knock if off.

 The children were running around in the library, so the librarian asked them to knock it off.

13. Take something off-line: talk about something privately/keep confidential

 Let’s take this discussion off-line to deal with the confidential items.

 We need to take this conversation off-line because it’s about the new technology for our company, and that isn’t public knowledge yet.

14. Walk the talk: do what you say you’re going to do

 If you want to be a good leader, you need to walk the talk so your employees will know you lead by example.

 She always speaks about the importance of listening, but she doesn’t walk the talk because she doesn’t listen very well.

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