Há muitos anos, as empresas buscam inovação por meio da gestão de projetos. Conduzido por equipes multidisciplinares, esse trabalho também costuma envolver pessoas de várias nacionalidades diferentes. Daí o fato de que saber inglês é uma vantagem competitiva.

Que tal estudar o significado de algumas das expressões mais usadas por quem trabalha nesse universo? Confira a seguir:

Learn the ropes

It is used in situations where someone, usually a new coworker, needs to learn the basics of how something is done.

Bring to the table

To bring something of use or benefit (skills, experience, etc.) to a job or business activity (project, meeting, etc.).

Get off the ground

To start doing a job or project, usually after much discussion or planning.

Get down to business

Time to start seriously focusing on the actual work, it’s time to get down to business.

Run around in circles

To keep doing something without achieving any real results. In other words, you’re doing a lot of unnecessary work but not getting anywhere.

Cut corners

To take shortcuts and using the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to do something.

Go down the drain

It means that your effort, work or money is wasted or lost.

Go the extra mile

To go the extra mile means to give more effort or do more than what’s expected of you.

Call it a day

When your work has been completed for the day, or when you decide to stop working on an activity, you call it a day.

From the ground up

To build a business or project from zero or from the bottom.

Back to the drawing board 

It means to start over, but it is used more often to describe going back to the first stage of a project or process.

From day one

Since the beginning. To talk about something that has been true since the very first day a project or business began.

Learning curve

It describes the progress someone has to make to gain experience or learn a new skill set. A steep learning curve indicates the task may be difficult and therefore take more effort.

On a shoestring

To work on a tight budget or with very little money.

Behind the scenes

It describes something, usually work, that’s done or that happens away from public view.

The eleventh hour

It is used to describe something that’s done or happens at the last minute.

By the book

To do it strictly according to the rules, policies or the law.

The bottom line

It is the line that shows the total profit or loss. The phrase is used in general to refer to the final outcome, or the most important point to consider.

Fifty-fifty

To divide something into equal parts so that both parties get 50%.

The big picture

It means to look at the overall view of something, or the situation as a whole and not at the details.

Long shot

It is usually used to describe something that has a very small chance of happening or succeeding.

Gray area

It means the situation isn’t certain. In a gray area there are no clear rules and it’s difficult to say if it’s right or wrong.

Agora, confira um exercício para treinar os seus conhecimentos.

Fill in the blanks with the expressions above

1. We’ve got to prepare 3 reports today so let’s_________________.
2. I hope management realizes that our deadlines are very tight. We need to hire more people immediately. We’ve been short-handed_________________.
3. The three new members of our project team will need _________________ ASAP.
4. We need someone on the team who can____________ project management experience _____________.
5. He is welcome to join our team, but there will be a steep_________________.
6. Months after looking into how to boost declining sales, we were finally able ___________ our aggressive sales campaign_________________.
7. It’s going to be a challenge doing such a big project__________________but we’ll try our best.
8. Have you read the news about the enterprising who’s building her business______________________?
9. Organizing a roadshow may look easy, but do you have any idea how much hard work we’ve put in____________________?
10. The project manager won’t be pleased about them changing the design at
11. I don’t think John will listen to your suggestion. He insists on doing everything
12. The deadline is coming up, but we’ve been_____________________ because the client keeps changing their mind about the design.
13. If we_____________, we can probably meet our sales target for the last quarter.
14. It’s true that we’re very short-handed, but_________________is we must still deliver the project on time.
15. Since we are both busy, let’s split the work for this project________________.
16. I think his presentation was too long and detailed. He should’ve just given us
17. Landing such a high-paying job is a__________________but I’m still going to give it a try.
18. The design for the tablet wasn’t approved so we have to go
19. You have many good points in your proposal but there’s one_______________we need to discuss.
20. Anyone would be glad to have Steve on their team. He’s a great team player and is always willing to_______________________.
21. If this sales campaign doesn’t succeed, all our hard work will___________________.
22. After studying all these business idioms and phrases we can_________________.

Respostas

1. We’ve got to prepare 3 reports today so let’s get down to business.
2. I hope management realizes that our deadlines are very tight. We need to hire more people immediately. We’ve been short-handed from day one.
3. The three new members of our project team will need to learn the ropes 
4. We need someone on the team who can bring project management experience to the table.
5. He is welcome to join our team, but there will be a steep learning curve.
6. Months after looking into how to boost declining sales, we were finally able to get our aggressive sales campaign off the ground.
7. It’s going to be a challenge doing such a big project on a shoestring but we’ll try our best.
8. Have you read the news about the enterprising who’s building her business from the ground up?
9. Organizing a roadshow may look easy, but do you have any idea how much hard work we’ve put in behind the scenes?
10. The project manager won’t be pleased about them changing the design at the eleventh hour.
11. I don’t think John will listen to your suggestion. He insists on doing everything by the book.
12. The deadline is coming up, but we’ve been running around in circles because the client keeps changing their mind about the design.
13. If we cut corners, we can probably meet our sales target for the last quarter.
14. It’s true that we’re very short-handed, but the bottom line is we must still deliver the project on time.
15. Since we are both busy, let’s split the work for this project fifty-fifty.
16. I think his presentation was too long and detailed. He should’ve just given usthe big picture.
17. Landing such a high-paying job is a long shot but I’m still going to give it a try.
18. Our design for small family homes wasn’t approved so we have to go back to the drawing board.
19. You have many good points in your proposal but there’s one gray area we need to discuss.
20. Anyone would be glad to have Steve on their team. He’s a great team player and is always willing to go the extra mile.
21. If this sales campaign doesn’t succeed, all our hard work will go down the drain.
22. After studying all these business idioms and phrases we can call it a day.

Lígia Velozo Crispino, fundadora e sócia-diretora da Companhia de Idiomas. É coautora do Guia Corporativo Política de Treinamento para RHs e autora do livro de poemas Fora da Linha e organizadora do Sarau Conversar na Livraria Martins Fontes..