Requesting Resources or Support
A team member is presenting a case for needing additional resources, budget, or support from other departments to complete a task or project.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
initiative
A plan or project started by a person or group to achieve a goal, often used in business to refer to a new program like the 'Phoenix' project.
optimize
To make something as effective as possible, like improving outreach efforts to get better results with less effort.
outreach
Efforts to connect with people outside your group, such as marketing to attract new customers or partners.
dedicated
Focused completely on one task or role, meaning a specialist who works only on the project without other distractions.
bandwidth
In a work context, it means the amount of time or capacity someone has to handle tasks; if stretched thin, it means they are very busy.
incur
To experience or cause something unwanted, like higher costs from using an external service.
rationale
The reasons or logic behind a decision or plan, used when explaining why something is needed.
reallocate
To move resources, like money or funds, from one area to another to better fit current needs.
feasible
Possible to do easily and practically, often said when something seems workable after discussion.
metrics
Measurements used to evaluate performance, like numbers showing success in a project.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Can you elaborate on why a full-time specialist is essential?
This is a polite way to ask for more details or explanation. Use it in meetings to seek clarification. 'Elaborate on' means to explain in more detail, and 'essential' means very important or necessary.
While our marketing team is excellent, their current bandwidth is stretched thin with ongoing campaigns.
This sentence uses 'while' to show contrast between two ideas: praising the team but explaining a limitation. It's useful for justifying needs in discussions. 'Stretched thin' is an idiom meaning overworked.
An external agency would incur higher costs and lack the deep project-specific knowledge we need.
This compares options negatively to support your choice. Use it when arguing against alternatives. It highlights drawbacks like cost and knowledge gaps to strengthen your case.
We've done some preliminary research.
This introduces evidence or data to back up your request. 'Preliminary' means initial or early-stage. Say this before sharing estimates to show preparation in professional talks.
Reallocating travel funds sounds feasible, but we'd need to review that thoroughly.
This shows agreement with a condition. 'Feasible' means possible, and 'thoroughly' means carefully. Use it to express cautious support in budget discussions, balancing yes and caution.
Success will be measured by a 20% increase in social media engagement.
This explains how to evaluate results using specific targets. It's key for setting expectations in projects. The passive voice 'will be measured by' focuses on the method, not the person doing it.
I'd like to see a more detailed breakdown of the proposed reallocation.
A polite request for more information. 'Breakdown' means a detailed list or analysis. Use this in meetings to ask for specifics without being demanding.
Please send over the detailed budget proposal and job description.
This is a clear action request at the end of a meeting. 'Send over' is informal for 'send to us.' Use it to assign follow-up tasks and keep momentum.