Welcome back, my friend. You’re tuned into Episode 5 of “Business English Made Easy,” and I’m your host, Victoria, here to guide you to executive excellence.

This time, we’re stepping into the heart of the corporate world—the boardroom. Picture the sleek tables, the plush chairs, and the powerful presence you’re about to command. Yes, we’re talking about the language of leaders, the English that opens doors to executive success.

Today, we’re unlocking the phrases that power high-stakes discussions and decisions. Whether you’re pitching a vision or steering a strategic talk, the words you choose can elevate your influence.

So, ready to lead with confidence and speak with authority? Let’s turn your aspirations into real boardroom bravado, starting now!

But before we begin, download this week’s worksheet here!

Opening the Meeting

When opening a meeting, it’s important to start by welcoming the participants and going over your goals and schedule. It’s essential to make everyone feel welcome, especially if they’re meeting each other for the first time.

If you use these phrases, your business meeting will get off to a great start.

I wish to thank you all for coming on such short notice.
Thank you all for coming.
I would like to thank you for being here on time.
I appreciate everyone being here.
First, I’d like to welcome you all.

After you’ve welcomed your attendees and thanked them for coming, you can take some time to introduce yourself as well as give others the opportunity to introduce themselves.

Here are some phrases to use:

Let’s go around the table and introduce ourselves.
Let’s introduce ourselves quickly.

Goals

Once the meeting has started and everyone is feeling comfortable, it’s important to get focused and let your attendees know the goal of the meeting. Even if they’ve known about the meeting for weeks, people need reminders on why they are there and what is to be accomplished. Make sure everyone is on the same page.

Our aim today is to…
We are here today to decide on…
By the end of today’s meeting, we need to…
I’ve scheduled this meeting so that we…

Staying Focused

Once people start to talk, it’s very easy for a meeting to get off track. You, as the leader, have to keep everyone focused on what the meeting is about. This is no easy feat. Some meetings are set up to give timely information on recent events, while others are meant to celebrate progress.

You can stay in charge and keep the meeting on track by using these phrases:

If nobody has anything else to share, let’s move on to…
I think that covers it. Now we can go to our next topic.
Let’s move on to our next point.
Since we’ve covered this issue, now we can go to the next one.

Asking questions

There may be instances in the meeting in which you need to ask a question. You may need further clarification, or there may be something you need to learn from one of the other participants. You can ask people to repeat themselves. You can let them know that you’re not sure what they mean or you can ask for feedback.

Here are some phrases to use:

Can you run that by me one more time?
Can you repeat that in a simplified way?
I don’t fully understand what you mean. Could you explain it from a different angle?
Could you explain to me how that is going to work?

The person leading the meeting or giving the presentation can also ask:

Are there any more comments?
What do you think about this proposal?
Are there any areas of this project we haven’t considered?

Concluding the meeting

When the meeting is over, it’s important to make sure that everyone feels good before leaving the conference room. This means thanking everyone for their time and summarizing the main points that were talked about.

Here are some phrases to help you:

To conclude, we have decided on…
That just about covers everything for today.
We have covered everything from our agenda.
We will have to finish here, but our next meeting will be scheduled for…
If there’s nothing more to discuss, we can end here.

And that, my dear listener, brings us to the end of today’s journey through the boardroom in English. You’ve done such an amazing job sticking with me through every phrase and tip!

We’ve covered how to start a meeting, how to share our ideas, and how to ask good questions. Remember, with each word and sentence, you’re not just speaking English, you’re building your path to success.

Now, to make sure you really got it all, download the worksheet that goes with today’s episode. It’s like a little treasure map to help you remember and practice what we learned.

Before we part, I want to say a big, warm thank you for spending this time with me. It’s not just about learning English; it’s about growing confident and ready to shine in those big, important meetings.

And hey, don’t forget, I’m always here to help you step up your game. So, until next time, keep practicing, stay curious, and I can’t wait to catch you on the next episode of Business English Made Easy.