I'm Rebecca from engVid.

Today I'm especially excited to welcome you to a new series that I've created called:

"How to Speak like a Manager".

In this series you will learn how to take general English and upgrade it to business

English.

Okay?

And we'll be doing that by looking at different verbs that you can use, adjectives, nouns,

and so on.

Okay?

But today in this lesson we will be focusing on eight verbs.

But you might be asking: "Only eight verbs and I can become a manager?"

Well, yes.

"Why?"

Because I'm going to show you how these eight verbs, to start with, can actually be used

in hundreds of ways, in different collocations or combinations of words, so therefore you'll

be able to use them in all kinds of situations.

Definitely in professional situations, but also in social situations or personal situations.

Okay?

So, let's start right now.

Okay.

So let's suppose what you want to say in general English or regular English is something like

this: "I need to find out what's wrong."

Okay?

Now, on this side is all the regular English or the general English.

Okay?

And on this side we're going to express the same idea, but in higher English, in more

advanced business English or more professional English.

And you're going to help me because I didn't write the word in yet.

You're going to help me because perhaps you already know some of these words, but even

if you know them you might not realize how many different ways we can actually use those

same words, and that's what I want you to be able to do.

Okay?

So suppose your idea in your mind is that: "I need to find out what's wrong."

So how can we say that in more professional English?

"I need to", the verb starts with "i": "I need to _______ the problem.

I need to identify the problem."

Okay?

So, our first word today is "identify".

Say it after me: "identify the problem".

Good.

Now, suppose the idea you're trying to convey is: "I need to fix the problem."

Okay?

"Fix" is a very ordinary word, so what better word could we use here?

"I need to _______ the issue or the issues.

I need to", you might know this word.

"I need to resolve", okay?

So, "resolve" is just like "solve", but usually we say: "Solve the problem", but we might

say: "Resolve the issue".

And "resolve" is an even higher, more advanced word.

And the higher vocabulary that you use, the more professional you will sound.

Okay?

And that's what our goal is.

Right?

Okay, next: "I need to give people confidence."

So what's a good word or verb for that?

"To give somebody confidence" is to, something starts with "m": "I need to _______ my employees.

I need to..."

Do you know this word?

I'm sure you've heard it.

"Motivate".

Okay?

Say it after me: "Motivate" or "motivate".

You can say the "t"; sometimes it's easier and clearer for people to understand you when

you say the "t".

So let's say the "t" now: "Motivate.

I need to motivate my employees" or: "I need to motivate my employees."

Okay?

Instead of saying: "I need to give people confidence", because you see that all the

verbs here are very ordinary, everyday verbs, and those are higher-level verbs.

Next: "I need to give clients my attention."

Again, we have a very weak verb here, so how can you say that: "I need to give my attention

to my clients or give clients my attention"?

The word...

The verb starts with "f": "I need to _______ on our clients."

What's the verb?

Do you know it?

"I need to focus", okay?

Say it after me: "Focus".

Be careful how you pronounce this word because otherwise it can sound improper.

All right?

"I need to focus on our clients."

Sounds a lot better than saying: "I need to give my attention to my clients."

Okay?

"I need to focus".

Next: "I need to spend as little as possible".

"Spend as little" means spend as little money.

So what's one word that captures that idea, to spend as little as possible?

It starts with "m": "I need to _______ our expenses or our costs."

Do you know what it is?

Okay?

So the word is "minimize".

Okay?

I've written it twice because this is the American way with a "z" or a "z", and this

is the British spelling with a "s"; both are correct.

So: "I need to minimize our expenses."

When you minimize something, you reduce it to as much as possible.

Okay?

"Minimize".

And, again, we're going to see so many different ways in which we can use this verb and all

of these verbs.

Okay?

Not just the way I've done it here with "resolve the issues".

We're going to see lots of other things you can resolve or lots of other things you can

minimize.

Okay.

Next: "I need to make as much money as possible."

Don't we all?

Okay.

So, what's a good verb for that?

Again, something that starts with "m": "I need to _______ our earnings".

"Earnings" means the money that you make.

So what's the verb?

It's very similar to "minimize"...

It's actually the opposite of "minimize", it is...

Yeah, I can hear some of you.

"Maximize", good.

Okay?

Again, I'm going to write it with the "z" or the "z", but you can also write it with

an "s" and it's correct.

What you need to do regarding that British and American spelling is stay consistent.

If you're using American spelling, then use American spelling; if you're using British

spelling, use British.

Okay?

Try to stay consistent.

Next: "I need to get more work."

We're not making enough money.

We need more work.

So instead of saying: "Get more work", we can say: "_______ more business".

What's that really good verb here?

It starts with "g": "generate".

Okay?

"Generate more business" means to make, create...

Create more business.

Okay?

Instead of just saying: "Get more work", which sounds very ordinary: "We need to generate

more business.

We need to create more business."

Okay?

And the last one: "I need to use the new ideas."

So, instead of saying "use", there is a verb that starts with "i" which means to put something

into practice, to use it: "I need to _______ the strategies" or "I need to _______ the

recommendations."

Do you know that word?

Okay.

"Implement".

Okay?

"To implement an idea" means to put it into practice.

So let's say you have an idea.

Okay?

That's great, we all have good ideas, but what are you going to do with that idea?

You want to use it, you want to put it into practice, you want to implement it.

But not only can you implement ideas, you can implement lots of other things which we're

going to talk about as we continue the lesson, but here we're talking about implementing

a strategy, which is a plan.

So, repeat after me now, just get used to saying these things out loud.

The more you say them, the more comfortable you will be saying them, and the more likely

you are to actually use them at work, or in a job interview, or something...

Or in your emails, your professional emails.

Okay?

Just get comfortable with them.

Are you ready?

"Identify the problem", "resolve the issues", "motivate my employees", "focus on our clients",

"minimize our expenses", "maximize our earnings", "generate more business", and "implement the

strategies".

Good.

Okay?

Now I'm going to show you how to take these eight words and use them in so many other

ways.

I'll be right back.

All right, so let's start with our first four words.

Okay?

"Identify", "resolve", "motivate", and "generate".

All right?

So let's look at how many different ways we can use these words, and these are just a

few of them.

Okay?

I've actually created for you a resource which has more than 100 words which you can use

in combination with just these eight verbs.

Okay?

So afterwards I'll tell you where you can download that from, from our website.

Okay?

But now let's look at some of the possibilities, how we can use these words.

So, the first word: "identify", so again: What does "identify" mean?

It means to find who or what.

Okay?

For example: If you want to start a new business, you need to also identify the risks of starting

a new business.

What is "the risk"?

The danger.

Okay?

The possible problems, the risks.

Or if you want to hire someone, you need to identify or find, you need to identify the

right person for the job.

Right?

Good.

That's part of a manager's role, to recruit good people.

All right.

Now, what I want to show you on this side is that you can not only use these verbs in

business and professional situations, but also in all kinds of other situations in your

life.

For example: You and your spouse might sit down and discuss the fact that we need to

identify the reasons why Johnny's not doing well in school, and how we can help him.

Okay?

"We need to identify the ways in which we can save money."

Okay?

So you see that we can use it in everyday life as well, but we're using higher-level

vocabulary.

Okay.

Now: "resolve".

Again, "resolve" is like solve.

Okay?

So: "We need to resolve the situation", "We need to resolve a crisis".

What's "a crisis"?

It's a very serious situation.

Okay?

Very bad, emergency kind of situation is a crisis.

All right?

"We need to resolve the disagreements between our children because they keep fighting."

Or: "We need to resolve the tension between these two neighbours."

Okay?

"Tension" is like stress.

Okay?

Next word: "motivate".

Right?

"We need to motivate our staff", "We need to motivate the team to do well."

All right?

"We need to motivate our kids".

"Kids" is like slang for children.

"Motivate our kids to do their homework", "I need to motivate my spouse to find another

job".

"Spouse", what does this word mean?

Husband or wife.

Okay?

And now the word "generate".

Okay?

So what is "generate"?

To create more of something.

So: "To generate more sales", of course that's usually the objective and the goal of most

companies, or to generate more revenue.

"Revenue" is just a business word for basically more money.

Okay?

All right.

Or: "You need to generate more interest in a particular subject."

Let's say your child is not interested in math or in some other subject, or geography,

and you want to generate...

You want to be able to help him to generate more interest in that subject or generate

more enthusiasm for helping you in the house.