Read the strength of a soft objection: complete the softening word
I'm not sure that's quite what we had in mind.
Shall we park that for now and come back to it?Each sentence is a senior colleague objecting to a proposal in the softest possible wording. One word of the fixed softening frame is missing. Write that single word, then open the answers to see how firm each objection really was.
1. With ___, I think the figures tell a rather different story.
2. I'd want to ___ back on the timing, if I may.
3. That's not ___ what we had in mind.
4. Shall we ___ that for now and revisit it next quarter?
5. It might be worth a ___ look before we commit to anything.Show the answers
1. respect
2. push
3. quite
4. park
5. secondEvery one of these is a rejection. Item 1 is the most formal frame in the set and usually introduces a flat contradiction of what was just said. Item 2 announces disagreement while pretending to ask permission for it. Item 3 says the work will have to be redone. Item 4 closes the topic; the promised return rarely happens. Item 5 sends the proposal back for revision without saying what is wrong with it. Answer each by conceding and offering to rework, never by defending the original.