BEP 418 - 项目英语：与承包商处理冲突（上）

您正在收听的是《商务英语播客》，专为忙碌职场人士打造的商务英语播客节目。

You're listening to Business English Pod, the business English podcast for professionals on the move.

欢迎回到《商务英语播客》，今天我们开始两节系列课程的第一节，主题是项目管理与分包商合作。

Welcome back to Business English Pod for the first in a two part lesson on project management and dealing with subcontractors.

本节课我们将探讨如何管理与外部承包商的冲突。

In this lesson, we're going to look at how to manage conflict with an external contractor.

开始之前提醒大家，本课PDF文本及数百节其他课程资料均可在BEP官网获取。

Before we get started, a quick reminder that a PDF transcript for this lesson, along with hundreds of others, is available on the BEP website.

高级会员还可解锁每节课的额外学习资源。

Premium members can also access extra resources for every lesson.

要申请免费试用，请访问www.businessenglishpod.com。

To take a free trial, just head over to www.businessenglishpod.com.

很少有项目能完全一帆风顺地推进。

Very few projects run perfectly smoothly.

涉及变量太多，不出问题反而不正常。

There are just too many variables involved to expect nothing to go wrong.

所有项目中最棘手的变量之一就是相关人员。

One of the trickiest variables in any project is the people involved.

而人员问题中最难处理的，莫过于与分包商或外部供应商的冲突。

And some of the trickiest people issues are conflicts with subcontractors or external vendors.

与分包商产生冲突几乎不可避免。

Conflict with subcontractors is almost inevitable.

不同企业有着各自的目标、优先级和沟通方式。

Different companies have different goals, priorities, and communication styles.

懂得及早处理紧张局势的项目经理能够防止事态升级，并维持高效的工作关系。

Project managers who know how to handle tension early can prevent escalation and maintain a productive working relationship.

这能让每个人都专注于成果而非怨恨。

And this can keep everyone focused on results instead of resentment.

妥善处理冲突需要非常微妙的平衡。

Managing conflicts well requires a very tricky balance.

你需要直接解决问题并明确责任，同时保持外交手腕。

You need to address issues and accountability head on while remaining diplomatic.

你需要设定预期，但要避免过多指责。

You need to set expectations but steer away from too much blame.

在此过程中参考文件以达成共识会非常有帮助。

And it can be very helpful as you do this to reference documents to achieve clarity.

在今天的对话中，我们将聆听软件开发公司项目经理西莉亚的电话交谈。

In today's dialogue, we'll listen to a telephone conversation featuring a project manager named Celia at a software development company.

她的公司已将新银行应用的支付网关模块外包。

Her company has outsourced the payment gateway module of a new banking app.

现在她正与分包商的拉杰讨论他们首次交付未达预期的问题。

Now she's talking to Raj from the subcontractor about their first delivery, which doesn't meet expectations.

在收听对话时，请尝试回答以下问题。

As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.

第一，西莉亚在对话开始时直接提出了哪些问题？

One, what are the problems that Celia introduces directly near the start of the dialogue?

第二，西莉亚参考了什么文件来澄清他们的协议？

Two, what document does Celia refer to in order to clarify their agreement?

第三，在对话结束时，西莉亚明确提出了几点期望。

Three, at the end of the dialogue, Celia sets some clear expectations.

她对这些行动预期的时间表是怎样的？

What's the timeline she expects for the actions she mentions?

所以最终算是勉强解决了。

So it sort of worked out in the end.

不过言归正传。

But back to business.

你对最新版本有些顾虑是吗？

You had some concerns on the latest build?

是的。

Yes.

说实话，问题不少。

Quite a few, really.

首先，我们从API获取的结果不一致。

For starters, we're getting inconsistent results from the API.

但更重要的是，加密级别不符合规范要求。

But more than that, the level of encryption doesn't meet specs.

必须是256位AES加密。

It has to be AES two fifty six.

否则就无法通过PCI DSS认证。

Otherwise, it's not going to pass PCI DSS.

嗯，这确实是个大问题。

Well, that's certainly not good.

但公平地说，你们的部分要求确实不够明确。

But to be fair, some of your requirements weren't crystal clear.

我们是按照我们理解的优先级来推进的。

We were working off what we thought were your priorities.

好的。

Okay.

但如果你看一下7月5日修订的规范，里面明确要求符合PCI DSS标准。

But if you have a look at the revised spec from July 5, it says PCI DSS compliance required.

这不是可有可无的选项。

That's not a nice to have.

啊，对。

Ah, right.

嗯。

Yeah.

我现在看到了。

I see that now.

说实话，那份文档有三个版本。

Honestly, there were three versions of that document.

我觉得有些措辞发生了变化。

I think some of the language shifted.

我们并非故意忽视这点。

It's not like we ignored it.

理解。

Sure.

但那是已经签字确认的版本。

But that's the version that was signed off on.

4.2节详细说明了我们的预期内容。

Section 4.2 lays out exactly what we expected.

我们团队在第三次迭代时也标记过这些关键问题。

Our team flagged these as critical back in Sprint three too.

我记得那些标记。

I remember the flags.

嗯。

Yeah.

还是觉得范围有点模糊，不过好吧。

Still think the scope was a bit fluid, but okay.

这个责任我来承担。

I'll take the hit on that one.

说实话，比起追究谁漏掉了什么，我更关心如何解决问题。

Honestly, I'm less worried about who missed what and more about how we fix it.

发布日期马上就要到了。

We've got a release date coming up fast.

有道理。

Fair enough.

我们当然会全力确保做好这件事。

We are certainly committed to getting this right.

很好。

Great.

我们需要的是：修复项的明细、预估工时，并且务必包含静态和动态应用安全测试。

So here's what we need: a breakdown of fixes, estimated hours, and be sure to include both static and dynamic application security testing.

最迟下周末前完成。

End of next week latest.

好的。

Right.

这要求有点高，不过我会看看能否调配些资源。

That's a bit of a tall order, but I'll see if I can shift some resources around.

但我需要先和团队确认一下。

I'll need to confirm with my team though.

非常感谢。

Appreciate it.

我们真的想避免任何进一步的延误。

We really want to avoid any more delays.

所以我对未来的计划是这样考虑的。

So here's what I'm thinking for future.

现在让我们重新过一遍对话，看看西莉亚用了哪些语言技巧来管理与分包商的冲突。

Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the language and techniques Celia uses to manage the conflict with their subcontractor.

我们从拉吉结束寒暄、询问他们交付的支付模块最新版本开始。

We begin when Raj shifts away from some small talk to ask about the latest build or version of the payment module they've delivered.

所以最终事情算是解决了。

So it's sort of worked out in the end.

不过言归正传。

But back to business.

你对最新构建版本有什么担忧吗？

You had some concerns on the latest build?

是的。

Yes.

确实有不少问题。

Quite a few, really.

首先，我们从API获取的结果不一致。

For starters, we're getting inconsistent results from the API.

但更重要的是，加密级别未达到规范要求。

But more than that, the level of encryption doesn't meet specs.

必须使用AES-256加密。

It has to be AES two fifty six.

否则将无法通过PCI DSS认证。

Otherwise, it's not going to pass PCI DSS.

Celia毫不犹豫地向Raj直陈她的顾虑。

Celia doesn't hesitate to tell Raj exactly what her concerns are.

她直接告诉Raj，作为软件组成部分的API返回结果不一致。

She tells Raj very directly that the API, which is part of the software, is giving inconsistent results.

这意味着它未能按预期运行。

This means it's not functioning as expected.

构建版本的另一个方面也不符合规范或他们制定的具体要求。

Another aspect of the build doesn't meet specs or match the specific requirements they've laid out.

像这样直接处理问题是很明智的。

Dealing with issues very directly like this is smart.

如果你不明确表达你的关切或不满，你可能无法获得所需的改变。

If you are not clear that you are concerned or dissatisfied, then you might not get the changes you need.

我们还能通过哪些方式直接提出问题？

What are some other ways we can introduce issues directly?

让我们再试几个例子。

Let's try some more examples.

我们对测试结果非常担忧。

We're more than a little concerned about the test results.

坦率地说，有些交付成果未能达到要求。

Frankly, some deliverables have not been met.

考虑到所有延误，显然原定时间表已不再适用。

With all the delays, it's clear the timeline doesn't work anymore.

我们发现很难在每件事上都等待这么久才能得到回复。

We are finding it difficult to wait so long to get a response on everything.

Raj是如何回应Celia的担忧的？

How does Raj respond to Celia's concerns?

让我们听听看。

Let's listen.

嗯，这确实不太好。

Well, that's certainly not good.

但公平地说，你们的部分需求并不十分明确。

But to be fair, some of your requirements weren't crystal clear.

我们是基于对你们优先事项的理解来开展工作的。

We were working off what we thought were your priorities.

好的。

Okay.

但如果你看一下7月5日修订的规范，上面明确要求符合PCI DSS标准。

But if you have a look at the revised spec from July 5, it says PCI DSS compliance required.

这不是可有可无的选项。

That's not a nice to have.

据Raj所说，这些要求并不完全明确或绝对清晰。

According to Raj, the requirements weren't crystal clear or perfectly clear.

当然，如果所有协议都只是口头约定，误解就难免会发生。

Of course, if all of your agreements have just spoken, misunderstandings are bound to happen.

所以我们才要把内容写入提案、合同或协议中。

That's why we write things down in proposals or contracts or agreements.

这正是Celia强调需要更明确的地方。

And this is what Celia talks about to get greater clarity.

她提到了一份非常具体的文件，其中详细说明了软件必须满足的合规要求或特定标准。

She talks about a very specific document that has details about compliance or specific standards the software has to meet.

正如她所说，这些都不是锦上添花的要求——我们通常把想要但非必需的内容称为'锦上添花'。

As she says, these are not nice to have, which is what we call things that we want but are not required.

白纸黑字的协议让人无从争辩。

People can't really argue with a written agreement.

因此通过引用文件来澄清问题是最稳妥的方式。

That's why clarifying issues by referencing documents is a surefire approach.

让我们再举几个在与分包商发生冲突时引用文件的例子。

Let's run through some more examples of referencing documents during a conflict with a subcontractor.

合同里明确写着安装工作将在3月4日前完成。

The contract states quite clearly that installation will be completed by March 4.

需要明确的是，你的提案中没有提到持续的服务与支持。

Just to be clear, your proposal doesn't mention ongoing service and support.

按照时间表，你们现在的进度应该超前很多才对。

According to the timeline, you should be much further ahead than you are now.

看看这份协议。

Have a look here at the agreement.

上面写着需要每周提交进度报告。

It says weekly status updates.

那拉吉看到技术规范里的内容后会妥协吗？

So does Raj back down when he sees what's written in the specs?

对。

Right.

是的。

Yeah.

我现在明白了。

I see that now.

说实话，那份文件有三个版本。

Honestly, there were three versions of that document.

我觉得部分措辞有变动。

I think some of the language shifted.

我们并非故意忽视这一点。

It's not like we ignored it.

确实，但那是已经签署批准的版本。

Sure, but that's the version that was signed off on.

第4.2节明确列出了我们的预期要求。

Section 4.2 lays out exactly what we expected.

我们团队早在第三轮迭代时就已将这些标记为关键问题。

Our team flagged these as critical back in sprint three too.

显然，西莉亚已准备好处理这个问题。

Clearly, Celia is ready to deal with this issue.

她准备了所有支持论点的文件材料，并具备以圆滑方式处理问责问题的技巧。

She's got all the paperwork to support her arguments, and she has the skills to address accountability diplomatically.

我们必须确保人们遵守协议和标准。

We need to be able to hold people to agreements and standards.

西莉亚的做法是清晰、冷静且圆滑地讨论协议内容。

Celia does this by talking very clearly, but calmly and diplomatically about the agreement.

同时她会强调这些问题是关键或极其重要的。

And she emphasizes these issues as critical or very important.

让我们再梳理几种以圆滑方式处理问责问题的方法。

Let's run through some more ways of addressing accountability diplomatically.

我希望大家都能承诺在未来改进沟通方式。

I'm hoping we can all commit to improved communication going forward.

很抱歉，但您似乎对您团队的职责存在误解。

I'm sorry, but you seem to be confused about your team's responsibilities.

在我看来，这个问题是你们自己造成的。

It looks to me that this is a problem of your own making.

我们必须解决物流配送的问题，因为目前的情况根本行不通。

We've got to work out the issues with deliveries because this situation is just not working.

现在让我们回到对话中，看看他们如何解决这个问题。

Now let's get back to the dialogue and see how they get past this issue.

我记得那些旗帜。

I remember the flags.

是啊。

Yeah.

还是觉得范围有点模糊，不过好吧。

Still think the scope was a bit fluid, but okay.

这次的责任我来承担。

I'll take the hit on that one.

老实说，我不太关心谁漏掉了什么，更关心如何解决问题。

Honestly, I'm less worried about who missed what and more about how we fix it.

我们的发布日期马上就要到了。

We've got a release date coming up fast.

拉吉终于愿意承担责任了，或者用他的话说——愿意扛下责任。

Raj is finally taking responsibility, or as he says, taking the hit.

目前塞莉亚已经让分包商承担了责任。

At this point, Celia has held the subcontractor accountable.

所以现在她想避免过多指责。

So now she wants to steer away from too much blame.

在冲突中，如果你过于关注指责或告诉对方他们错在哪里，就很难继续前进。

In a conflict, if you become too focused on blame or telling the other person why they're wrong, it can be tricky to move on.

所以一旦你处理完问题，就需要放下过去，面向未来。

So once you've dealt with the problem, you need to move away from the past and toward the future.

让我们尝试更多方法，避免指责，专注于项目的前景。

Let's try some more ways of steering away from blame and toward the future of a project.

好吧，让我们翻篇，看看如何让事情重回正轨。

Well, let's move on from that and see how we can get things back on track.

现阶段最重要的是改善响应时间。

What's most important at this point is improving on response times.

让我们少关注这是谁的错，多关注我们能做出哪些改变。

Let's focus less on whose fault this was and more on what we can do differently.

好的。

Okay.

抛开这些问题不谈，我们能否继续讨论下一步？

All these issues aside, can we move on and talk about next steps?

那么，当你明确了责任归属并放下指责后，在与分包商的冲突中还能做些什么？

So once you've figured out accountability and move past blame, what can you do next in a conflict with a subcontractor?

让我们一探究竟。

Let's find out.

有道理。

Fair enough.

我们当然致力于把这件事做好。

We are certainly committed to getting this right.

太好了。

Great.

我们需要的是：一份修复清单、预估工时，并且务必包含静态和动态应用安全测试。

So here's what we need: a breakdown of fixes, estimated hours, and be sure to include both static and dynamic application security testing.

最迟下周末前完成。

End of next week latest.

正如你所听到的，Raj明确表示他的团队致力于或认真对待改善现状。

As you can hear, Raj is clearly stating that his team is committed or serious about making the situation better.

而从Celia的角度来看，这意味着她的努力已经取得了成功。

And from Celia's point of view, that means her efforts have been successful.

既然他们已经不再追究责任归属，Celia为未来设定了一些期望，并以非常清晰的方式阐述了这些期望。

Now that they've moved past who's at fault, Celia sets some expectations for the future, and she states these expectations in a very clear manner.

注意她是如何先说'我们需要什么'，再列出她对Raj的要求的。

Notice how she says here's what we need before listing what she wants from Raj.

她还明确表示最迟下周末前要完成。

And she says she wants it at the end of next week latest.

这不是在讨论时间线。

This isn't a discussion of the timeline.

相反，这是通过设定清晰直接的期望来预防未来问题的明智做法。

Rather, it's silly as setting clear and direct expectations to prevent future problems.

让我们尝试其他一些方法来设定明确期望，当你与分包商解决冲突后。

Let's try some other ways of setting clear expectations when you've come through a conflict with a subcontractor.

我们希望今后能收到每周状态更新。

What we'd like going forward is a weekly status update.

从现在开始，我们能否约定所有变更都需书面批准？

From here on in, can we agree that changes will be approved in writing?

那么，我们需要在周一前拿到修订后的时间表。

So, we're going to need a revised timeline by Monday.

明确一点，所有未来的交付物都必须符合规范要求。

To be clear, all future deliverables will have to meet specifications.

最后让我们听听Raj对Celia的期望作何回应。

Let's finish off by hearing how Raj responds to Celia's expectations.

好的。

Right.

这要求有点高，不过我会看看能否重新调配些资源。

That's a bit of a tall order, but I'll see if I can shift some resources around.

但我需要先和团队确认一下。

I'll need to confirm with my team though.

非常感谢。

Appreciate it.

我们真的希望避免再出现任何延误。

We really want to avoid any more delays.

所以我对未来的计划是这样考虑的。

So here's what I'm thinking for future.

Raj称Celia的要求是个艰巨任务，意思是这要求很高。

Raj calls Celia's demands a tall order, which means it's a lot to ask for.

但正如他之前所说，他致力于把事情做好，所以会竭尽全力满足这些期望。

But as he said earlier, he's committed to getting it right, so he'll do whatever he can to meet these expectations.

而这正是Celia想要的。

And that's just what Celia wants.

因为问题意味着项目延期或时间表变更，而项目经理最讨厌延误。

Because problems mean delays or changes to the timeline, and project managers hate delays.

现在我们来练习今天课程中学到的一些表达。

Now let's practice some of the language we learned in today's lesson.

假设你是一家制造公司的项目经理。

Imagine you are a project manager at a manufacturing company.

你正在与为项目生产某个部件的分包商交谈。

You're talking with a subcontractor who makes one part for a project.

你会听到分包商的提示。

You'll hear a cue from the subcontractor.

然后我会建议你可以如何回应。

Then I'll give you a suggestion for what you can say in response.

我们会引导你完成每个练习步骤，并为每个回应提供示例答案。

We'll guide you through each step in the practice and provide an example answer for each response.

准备好了吗？

Ready?

让我们开始吧。

Let's give it a go.

是的，虽然存在一些不一致之处，但都在我们可控范围内。

So, yes, there's some inconsistencies there, but nothing we can't handle.

首先表达你对测试结果相当担忧。

Start by saying you are more than a little concerned about the test results.

坦白说，我们对这些测试结果相当担忧。

To be honest, we're more than a little concerned about these test results.

测试结果。

Test results.

但我们还没完成所有测试。

But we haven't finished running all the tests yet.

现在根据时间线来看，他们应该进展得更快才对。

Now say according to the timeline, they should be much further ahead.

回答。

Answer.

对。

Right.

而且按照时间线，你们应该进展得更快才对。

And according to the timeline, you should be much further ahead.

是的。

Yes.

确实如此。

That's true.

但你也知道，我们人手实在不足。

But we've been really short staffed, you see.

所以你虽然理解，但希望接下来大家都能遵守时间线。

So you understand, but you hope everyone can commit to keeping to the timeline going forward.

回答。

Answer.

明白了。

Understood.

但我希望我们都能承诺今后遵守时间安排。

But I'm hoping we can all commit to keeping to the timeline going forward.

好的。

Right.

是的。

Yeah.

这样的话，很抱歉我们进度有些落后了。

In that case, I'm sorry we're running behind a bit.

接下来，说你想翻篇并看看如何让事情重回正轨。

Next, say you want to move on from that and see how you can get things back on track.

回答。

Answer.

让我们翻篇并看看如何让事情重回正轨。

Let's move on from that and see how we can get things back on track.

当然。

Of course.

首先，我们从其他团队调了两个人来帮忙。

For starters, we've brought in two people from another team to help.

最后说这很棒，并希望在下周一前看到最终测试结果。

Finally say that's great, and you want to see the final test results by next Monday.

这很棒，我们希望在下周一前看到最终测试结果。

That's great, and we'd like to see the final test results by next Monday.

现在让我们练习本节课学过的一些词汇。

Now let's practice some of the vocabulary we've covered in this lesson.

稍后，你将听到一系列句子，其中某个词会被哔声替代。

In a moment, you'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.

请重复每句话并补全缺失的单词。

Repeat each sentence including the missing word.

例如，如果你听到'在会议期间，詹姆斯'

For example, if you hear During the meeting, James

销售额下降是个问题。

The drop in sales has a problem.

你可以说，

You can say,

在会议期间，詹姆斯指出销售额下降是个问题。

during the meeting, James flagged the drop in sales as a problem.

每次回答后，我们会提供正确答案。

After each response, we'll provide the correct answer.

现在开始。

Let's begin.

我们要确保时间线对所有相关人员都清晰明了。

Let's make sure the timeline is crystal for everyone involved.

回答。

Answer.

我们要确保时间线对所有相关人员都绝对清晰。

Let's make sure the timeline is crystal clear for everyone involved.

你们决定软件发布日期了吗？

Have you decided on a release for the software?

回答。

Answer.

你们确定软件的发布日期了吗？

Have you decided on a release date for the software?

如果再有任何问题，我们就无法按时完成了。

We're not going to finish on time if we have any more.

回答。

Answer.

如果再有任何延误，我们就无法按时完成了。

We're not going to finish on time if we have any more delays.

你需要仔细检查产品，确保它符合回答。

You need to inspect the product carefully to make sure it meets Answer.

你需要仔细检查产品，确保它符合规格要求。

You need to inspect the product carefully to make sure it meets specs.

我们已经完成了这节关于如何管理分包商冲突的课程。

We've reached the end of this lesson on managing conflict with a subcontractor.

我们学习了直接解决问题、通过查阅文件澄清问题以及以圆滑的方式明确责任。

We've looked at addressing issues directly, clarifying by referencing documents, and addressing accountability diplomatically.

我们还讲解了如何避免指责和设定预期。

We've also covered how to steer away from blame and set expectations.

如需更多练习，高级会员可在BEP网站上获取本课程及其他课程的在线测验和PDF文本。

For more practice, premium members can access the online quizzes and PDF transcripts for this and other lessons on the BEP website.

还不是会员吗？

Not a member yet?

请访问www.businessenglishpod.com并注册免费试用，预览会员可享的额外资源。

Then head over to www.businessenglishpod.com and sign up for a free trial to preview some of the extra resources available to members.

感谢收听，我们下次再见。

Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.