[SOUND] Now let's move on to the next section of seeking clarification. Again, the information we discuss here applies to both written and oral forms, and especially in formal settings in a work place. Let's begin this section by talking about the importance of seeking clarification. Well, it is very important for you to seek clarification to check your understanding so that you do not misunderstand or misinterpret the meaning, or the intention of the message, and therefore do not undertake the wrong task or get upset by the wrong reason. So here are some suggestions on how'd you may seek clarification, so you could inform the person concerned that you do not understand, ask for repetition. Check your understanding. What would be helpful at this point would be that you tell the speaker the way you interpreted the message so that your audience can clarify whether you've got it right or wrong. And very importantly ask for feedback about the accuracy of your interpretation to ensure that you have not misunderstood the message. If possible, as for examples, to illustrate the points to make sure you really understand, and be prepared to be corrected if you ask for feedback. But don't take it personally, don't feel bad about it. It's work focused, it's not personal. Remember that. Here are some more direct and definitely not informal, and may even appear as more rude, expressions of seeking clarifications. Situations where people explain something and you simply reply by meaning to ask for clarification on something you don't understand may appear rude. More explanation please, or now I am even more confused can you say it again? Pardon. Say again. You mean to say, or you meant to say, or you're speaking to quietly please say it again. Expressions like this are very, very direct and very informal. You could probably only use it with so called of friends that you know or very informally. For example things like, pardon? You spoke so softly. Can you talk about the email etiquettes again? So this is very straightforward. Don't give people a choice in saying no to your requests to seek clarification. So expressions like these are probably just acceptable to use by those in high right positions in a large power distance culture or community, a more individualist society or culture where people focus more on themselves. And they're more able to express their opinions or in a masculine culture or community where the men are more able to be direct. And here are some more indirect expression that may appear more polite, and more formal in seeking clarification. To ask for more general clarification about the overall picture or overall concept you could say something like, would you or could you elaborate on whatever it is you want to elaborate on, or explain, or provide another way of explaining. So phrase your clarification message as a question, this will appear more indirect, and more polite, more formal. Something like, would you, or could you, explain the email etiquettes. So expressions like these are acceptable and more widely used in small power distance. Culture or community, collectivist culture or community, or more feminine culture or community, where there is more equality between those at the top and down at bottom, men and women, and more group-based. Sometimes it would also be helpful if you ask for a more precise clarification so that your audience, the person that you're seeking clarification from, would not have to explain everything for you again from the beginning to the end. So, be more specific about what you're trying to clarify. So, you can say something like could or can I confirm whether a or b is correct, or can you be more explicit about a certain aspect of content over a message that you don't understand. So be more precise and here are some expressions that you can use in more formal settings. Let's have a look at question three seeking clarification in the pre-lesson task. The situation is, Amy is on the phone to a very important client, Client A, one day. While Amy is on the phone, her very fierce boss walks into the office and says something Amy could not hear. He mumbles something like I need you to confirm da, da, Client A. Amy could not hear clearly what he says, but still nods and says yes, okay. Her boss then says, good, and walks away. At the same time, Amy nods to her boss, she also misses what Client A says, but acknowledges with a yes, okay. Client then says, thanks, goodbye. Now, what should Mandy do to clarify with her boss? What should Mandy do to clarify with Client A without knowing what her boss or Client A said Amy acknowledged with her response to show her understanding, or to show that she will complete the task without knowing exactly what it is. So what should be done to rectify the problem? Let's have a look at how cultural values are differences between people in a workplace could influence the way Amy should clarify the problem. In terms of power distance especially if it's an unequal distribution of power, culture, or community, Amy would have to change her tone and the language used. But regardless of power distance, Amy was wrong to acknowledge her understanding of the request from both her boss and Client A, when she did not know what we asked. So that was a big mistake at the beginning. So regardless of power distance within the culture, or community, or workplace, Amy would have to rectify the problem to clarify what we're asked. In a large power distance, culture, or community, however, Amy would have to explain her mistake, and ask for clarification in a more formal tone than she would in a small distance culture. That applies to her clarification with the boss and with Client A, and because the cases that Amy's boss is fierce, then this may suggest a formal tone would be required. In terms of masculinity and femininity values in a culture, especially in a masculine society, Amy would have to use a more formal and apologetic tone and language expressions. In terms of context, this was a work-related matter about requests that were made by Amy's boss and Amy's client, so definitely it should be communicated formally. The tone and language expressions should be formal and written down on record. So Amy would have to see clarification over the email. In terms of politeness, definitely this will apply and indirect as well in the way she seeks clarification. Meaning to say, she cannot say tell me. She would have to express her clarification politely, by asking, would you mind telling me again, da, da, da, whatever the clarification content is. In terms of how the seven principles of effective communication would affect communication in this case, let's have a look at some of the areas. In terms of coherence, conciseness, correctness, courtesy, and clarity, there was no problem at all. In terms of concreteness, Amy should have been more precise in her word choice. She replies to both her boss and Client A, yes, okay, okay is not a good word to use because it's so vague. What does okay mean? In this sense, in this context the, yes, okay, could have meant that Amy understood the message only. Or she could have meant to complete the task or both. She could have led both client A, and her boss to believe that she understood the message and would complete the task when she didn't know what the message was in the first place. So then the boss replied, good, and Client A replied, thanks, goodbye. So this completed the communication process. As far as Client A and the boss was concerned Amy understood and would take on whatever was requested of her to do. So, very bad communicator. In terms of completeness, Client A and Amy's boss presumably gave clear instructions because Amy had answered, yes, okay. So as far as Amy's boss and client was concerned, communication was finished, it was completed. But because Amy was a bad listener, she actually created in completion in the process of communication, and she would need to definitely seek clarification immediately to clarify what was asked of her. So incompletion in communication creates more work for all parties involved. If Amy's boss was talking and Client A was talking at the same time, she should have asked one of them, presumably the boss, to wait while she finished the phone call. And then she could say, I will get back to you in a few minutes. So that's how Amy should have dealt with the situation. But let's see what Amy should do to clarify what she didn't understand what she didn't hear before in the situation. So what would you do if you were Amy? How would you see clarification with both her boss and Client A? Let's see if your suggestion is similar to mine. If I were Amy I would definitely, immediately seek clarification with both client A, and her own boss in written form so that all information is noted down. So the way I would present the situation would be, I will explain what happens, I will explain to both parties individually that it was due to the distraction that I did not hear so omit to your mistake. Explain that there was a distraction, and be apologetic, and seek clarification now. This will have to be done. The clarification would need to be done immediately because up in a daily work life many things happen, and so people may forget what they said to you at a particular time in a particular place. So as soon as both parties departed, it would be good for Amy to see clarifications straight away. So Amy should refer to the specific event. Meaning, the time that the comment was made or the message was presented to Amy and the place so that this gives the other party the reference point. So refer to a specific place. And use language expressions like, may I ask you when you said, and give details, and ask what it meant. So very simply, take note of the time that you know the message was delivered to you and roughly whatever content you're able to provide to remind the other party what was said would be useful in seeking clarification, and of course, when this is done you have to be very thankful in your reply. If the other party say Client A was, or the boss cannot remember then you have to follow up with more details by say, at the time, for example, with the boss you can say, at the time I was talking on the phone with Client A, you came into my office, and you ask me to do something and I said yes, okay. What did you say then? So this is something how you can present the reminder to the other party. And then once you see clarification if you're still not clear do not feel bad. Keep asking until you are sure about what to do. Otherwise, the consequence of doing something when you acknowledge you know when in fact you don't know, the consequence or the implication could be a lot worse. And of course, when this is completed you have to be very thankful to the other party.
