Disagreeing with Your Boss
A B2 two-session practice pack following a Harvard Business Review video on disagreeing with a boss. Learners decide whether to speak up, prepare, set expectations with a new manager, reframe criticism as facts and rehearse a humble-but-firm disagreement. Suits professionals who need to challenge senior colleagues tactfully.
Print-ready A4 PDF · teacher's notes and answer key included
What's inside
- Discussion
- Planning task
- Role-play
- Sentence rewriting
- Sorting and sequencing
- Categorising by tone
- Email writing
- Self-assessment checklist
By the end, learners can
- Weigh the risks of speaking up against staying silent in workplace scenarios
- Plan a disagreement by identifying facts, allies, timing and place
- Ask a new manager how they prefer to receive disagreement and confirm their answer
- Rewrite loaded, judgemental criticism as neutral, fact-based statements
- Structure and deliver a disagreement that is humble but firm, acknowledging the other person's authority
- Write a short, neutral email requesting a private meeting
Skills: Speaking · Writing · Vocabulary
Suits: Managers · Team leaders · Project managers
Language practised: Disagreeing diplomatically · Asking permission to share a different view · Restating someone's idea to show understanding · Stating facts instead of judgements · Acknowledging authority while holding a position · Asking about preferences and confirming them · Requesting a meeting politely
Pairs with
Lesson 3: Disagreeing with Your Boss →
Teach the lesson first. The pack builds on the video your learner has just watched.
1 · Teach the lesson
Run the video lesson as usual.
2 · Run the pack
Two 60-minute sessions over the following week.
3 · Report back
Open the next lesson with the homework.
Teach it tomorrow.
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