You got your assignment and you want to make sure you do it properly and successfully.
When you're working in a consulting firm, presenting is most likely not your only task. Continuing the scenario from our last lesson, Jamie, your team lead has told you that your draft is due on Tuesday and the presentation is Friday.
Here's the list of tasks you have to do from now until next Friday:
- Thursday: Complete two test scripts and send it to the functional team, sit in three meetings between 11:00-12:00, 14:00-15:00, and 16:00-16:30.
- Friday: Meetings from 9:00-12:00, complete one test script and send it to the functional team
- Monday: Meetings from 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00
- Tuesday: Draft for presentation due at the end of day (EOD)
- Wednesday: Weekly scheduled meeting from 8:30-10:00, possible test scripts to complete
- Thursday: Weekly scheduled meetings from 8:30-9:00, 11:00-12:00, 14:00-15:00
- Friday: Client presentation in the morning at 10:00.
How will you plan out your time?
When we have too much on our plate, we may raise blockers or ask for support from our team lead. During the morning scrum, your team lead asks, "Does anyone have any blockers or need support?"
You raise your hand. What do you say?
- Look at the following key terms used when managing a project and match them to their definitions.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Blocker | A. A task or item that is waiting on something else to be completed. |
| 2. Bottleneck | B. Someone with a key interest or role in the success of a project. |
| 3. Dependency | C. A problem or issue that stops progress completely. |
| 4. Escalate | D. A person or team needs to be informed at a higher level (e.g., a manager). |
| 5. Raise | E. To officially bring up a concern or topic for discussion. |
| 6. Flag | F. To mark something for attention or further review. |
| 7. Stakeholder | G. A key goal, result, or product due at a specific point in a project. |
| 8. Deliverable | H. A required output, such as a document, report, or completed task. |
| 9. Milestone | I. A stage where workflow slows down due to limited capacity or resources. |
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We use the First Conditional to talk about real, possible situations in the future—and what will happen if they occur. It is often used in planning, project updates, risk management, and decision-making. The structure is simple, but remember: The “if” clause always uses present tense, even though it's about the future!
| Condition (future possibility) | Result (future consequence) |
|---|---|
| If we don’t resolve this blocker by Friday, | the go-live will be delayed. |
| If the client approves the proposal, | we will begin implementation next week. |
| If we complete the analysis early, | we can include it in the presentation. |
Now move on to the practice section, where you can test your first conditional skills!
Mini‑task: You have a busy week ahead and you realize that you won't be able to finish the presentation and complete all three test scripts. Overtime is not an option for you. Role-play the conversation with your team lead. You (the Consultant) are meeting with your Team Lead to flag a workload issue. You have three test scripts and a client presentation due, but your time is limited this week. You want to raise the issue, propose a solution, and ask for guidance. Your team lead will begin.
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State the blocker
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Explain the impact
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Ask for advice or support
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Offer a possible solution
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Offer to provide more details
We are all "time-poor" but being able to see blocks, barriers, obstacles, and hurdles in advance is a key leadership and project management skill. Have a think about the demands on your time and how you can reprioritise to make time for what matters.
See the links below for some more approaches and strategies:
https://theenglishfarm.com/english-fluency-business-success-tips
https://theenglishfarm.com/powerful-english-presentations
https://theenglishfarm.com/blog/consulting-jargon-low-hanging-fruit-and-granular