Building Employee Buy-In for Policy Changes | Learn Chinese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 当员工觉得变化是强加给他们的时候，政策往往会失败。

   Policies tend to fail when employees feel changes are being imposed on them.

   当 … 的时候

   when ...

   员工

   employees

   觉得

   feel

   变化

   changes

   强加

   impose

   他们

   them

   政策

   policies

   往往

   tend to

   失败

   fail

   More detail

   当 and 的时候 form a time-frame pattern: 当 A 的时候 means “when A.” The two parts surround the clause that gives the condition. Example: 当我有时间的时候，我会读书。 — “When I have time, I read.” 员工 means “employees,” a noun for people who work for an organization. It can be used directly before a verb or description: 员工需要培训。 — “Employees need training.” 觉得 means “to feel” or “to think” based on someone’s perception or judgment. It is commonly followed by a clause: 我觉得这个办法很好。 — “I think this method is good.” 变化 means “change” or “changes.” In this sentence it refers to changes as a general outcome or set of changes, rather than marking a particular number. 变化很快。 — “The changes happen quickly.” 是 links 变化 with the following description or judgment. Here, the embedded judgment is that the changes are 强加给他们的, “imposed on them.” 强加 means “to impose,” especially to force something on someone without their willing acceptance. The reusable pattern is 把 X 强加给 Y or X 被强加给 Y: 不要把自己的意见强加给别人。 — “Do not impose your own opinions on others.” In the source, 强加 combines with 给他们 to show who receives the imposed changes. 他们 is the third-person plural pronoun “them” here. Chinese pronouns do not have a separate object form, so the same form can occur after 给 as the recipient or affected party. The fixed translation identifies them as the employees. 政策 means “policy” or “policies.” It is a noun and can be the subject of a statement: 这项政策需要调整。 — “This policy needs adjustment.” 往往 means “often” or “tend to,” expressing a recurring pattern rather than an exceptionless rule. It commonly comes before the verb or predicate: 压力大时，人们往往会犯错。 — “When the pressure is high, people often make mistakes.” 失败 means “to fail,” and can function as the verb describing an unsuccessful policy, plan, or attempt. 这个计划失败了。 — “This plan failed.” Together, 当员工觉得变化是强加给他们的时候 sets the condition “when employees feel that changes are being imposed on them.” 政策往往会失败 says that policies tend to fail in that situation. The whole utterance is therefore: “Policies tend to fail when employees feel changes are being imposed on them.”

2. 当人们真正参与决策过程时，他们更愿意作出调整。

   People are more likely to adjust when they have a real say in the process.

   当 … 时

   when

   人们

   people

   真正

   really

   参与

   participate

   决策

   decision-making

   过程

   process

   他们

   they

   更愿意

   more willing

   作出调整

   make an adjustment

   More detail

   当……时 introduces a time or condition: “when …”. The two quoted parts surround the condition clause, so the full pattern is 当 A 时，B = “when A, B.” Example: 当我有时间时，我会阅读。 — “When I have time, I read.” 人们 means “people” in a general sense. 人 is “person,” while 人们 commonly refers to people collectively; it is not a form used for one specific person. Example: 人们需要信息。 — “People need information.” 真正 is an adverb meaning “really” or “genuinely.” It strengthens the following idea: here, participation is genuine rather than merely nominal. Example: 她真正理解这个问题。 — “She really understands this issue.” 参与 is a verb meaning “to participate in” or “to take part in.” It can be followed by the activity or process in which someone takes part, as in 参与讨论 — “participate in the discussion.” Example: 学生参与项目。 — “The students participate in the project.” 决策 means “decision-making.” It functions here as a noun-like compound modifying 过程: 决策过程 means “decision-making process.” This is different from the more general noun 决定, which commonly means “decision” or “to decide.” Example: 决策需要时间。 — “Decision-making takes time.” 过程 means “process” or “course of a process.” In 决策过程, it identifies the process in which decisions are made. Example: 这个过程很重要。 — “This process is important.” 他们 is a third-person plural pronoun, “they/them.” The fixed translation identifies its referent as the people who participate, so it refers back to 人们 here. Chinese pronouns do not mark grammatical case, and this form is used for both subject and object roles; the surrounding construction determines its role. Example: 他们参加会议。 — “They attend the meeting.” 更愿意 means “be more willing to” or “prefer to.” 更 marks a higher degree in comparison, and 愿意 means “be willing to.” The comparison is understood relative to another situation or choice, even when that comparison is not stated explicitly. 更愿意 + verb expresses a stronger preference or willingness to do that action. Example: 我更愿意现在出发。 — “I would rather leave now.” 作出调整 means “make an adjustment.” 作出 is a formal verb meaning “make” or “carry out” a decision, response, or change, while 调整 is the object meaning “adjustment” or “adjust.” Together they form a useful verb-object construction. Example: 公司需要作出调整。 — “The company needs to make an adjustment.” Putting the parts together, 当人们真正参与决策过程时 sets the condition “when people genuinely participate in the decision-making process.” 他们更愿意作出调整 says that those people are more willing to make adjustments. The whole utterance means: “People are more likely to adjust when they have a real say in the process.”

3. 我们可以在最终确定计划之前征求建议。

   We could invite suggestions before we finalize the plan.

   我们

   we

   可以

   could; can

   在 … 之前

   before …

   最终

   ultimately; finally

   确定

   finalize; determine

   计划

   plan

   征求

   solicit; seek

   建议

   suggestions; advice

   More detail

   我们 means “we,” referring to the speaker together with others, without specifying the group’s size. In Mandarin, this pronoun does not mark gender. For “I,” use 我; for “you,” use 你 or 您 depending on the intended level of respect. 可以 expresses possibility or permission. Here, with 我们, it presents inviting suggestions as a possible course of action; the fixed translation uses “could.” The same form can also mean “can” or “may” when context concerns ability or permission. For example, 我们可以明天讨论。 means “We can discuss it tomorrow.” 在……之前 is a reusable time pattern meaning “before ….” 在 begins the time frame, and 之前 follows the event or time phrase and marks the earlier time relative to that event. Here, 最终确定计划 fills the middle: 在最终确定计划之前 means “before we finalize the plan.” 最终 means “ultimately” or “finally” and sets the event at the concluding stage of a process. It modifies 确定, so it is not the noun 计划 that carries this time-related meaning. 确定 is a verb meaning “to determine” or, here, “to finalize.” It describes reaching a settled decision about something. Its base form is also 确定; Mandarin verbs do not change form for person or number. For example, 我们确定了日期。 means “We finalized the date.” 计划 is a noun meaning “plan.” It can also be used as a verb meaning “to plan,” but in this sentence it is the object of 确定, the thing being finalized. For example, 这个计划很实际。 means “This plan is practical.” 征求 is a verb meaning “to solicit” or “to seek” something, especially input, opinions, or advice. It commonly introduces the input being requested, as in 征求意见 (“seek opinions”). Unlike a general verb for simply asking a question, it emphasizes actively inviting contributions. 建议 is a noun meaning “suggestion” or “advice.” Here it is the object of 征求, so the sentence presents suggestions as the input being invited. The form does not itself mark singular or plural; the English plural “suggestions” follows the intended general reading. For example, 请提出建议。 means “Please offer suggestions.” Together, 我们可以 presents a possible action: “we could.” 征求建议 supplies that action, “seek suggestions,” and 在最终确定计划之前 places it earlier than finalizing the plan. The complete utterance therefore means: “We could invite suggestions before we finalize the plan.”

4. 这样可以发现一些我们从目前的角度可能看不到的实际问题。

   That would bring up practical issues we might not see from here.

   这样

   in this way; that way

   可以

   can; be possible

   发现

   discover; bring to light

   一些

   some

   我们

   we; us

   从 … 的角度

   from ...’s perspective

   目前

   current; at present

   角度

   perspective; point of view

   可能

   might; possibly

   看不到

   cannot see

   实际

   practical; real-world

   问题

   issues; problems

   More detail

   这样 means “in this way” or “that way.” It points to a method or situation already understood from context. Example: 这样做更安全。—“Doing it this way is safer.” 可以 expresses possibility or permission; here it says that the method can produce the result. The useful pattern is 可以 + verb: 可以发现 means “can discover” or “can bring to light.” 可以 does not itself say that the action will certainly happen. 发现 means “to discover” or “to notice something that becomes known.” Its base form is also 发现; Mandarin verbs do not change form for person or number. Example: 我们发现了一个问题。—“We discovered a problem.” The suffix 了 marks the completed event in that example; it is not present in the supplied sentence. 一些 means “some” or “an unspecified amount,” without specifying an exact number. It comes before the noun phrase 一些实际问题. Example: 我有一些建议。—“I have some suggestions.” 我们 means “we” or “us.” It is the first-person plural pronoun and does not change for grammatical case. Its exact membership is not specified here; it functions as the people whose perspective and possible lack of visibility are being described. 从……的角度 is a reusable pattern meaning “from the perspective of …” or “from …’s point of view.” In the sentence, 从 introduces the viewpoint, and 的角度 makes 角度 a noun meaning “perspective.” Example: 从用户的角度看，这个步骤很复杂。—“From the user’s perspective, this step is complicated.” 目前 means “at present” or “currently.” It limits the viewpoint to the current situation, rather than an unspecified past or future situation. Example: 目前没有答案。—“There is currently no answer.” 角度 literally means “angle,” and in 从目前的角度 it means “perspective” or “point of view.” The phrase does not refer to a physical angle here. A related but distinct word is 看法, “opinion” or “view,” which focuses more directly on someone’s opinion. 可能 means “might” or “possibly.” Here it expresses uncertainty about whether the issues would be visible from the current perspective. In 可以发现……可能看不到……, 可以 describes what the method makes possible, while 可能 describes the uncertain visibility of the issues. 看不到 is formed from 看 “see,” 不 “not,” and 到, a result complement indicating achievement of the seeing result. The pattern 看 + 不 + 到 means “cannot see” or “fail to see”; it is different from 看 + 得 + 到, “can see” or “be able to see.” Mandarin verbs do not change for person or number. Example: 在雾里我看不到路。—“I cannot see the road in the fog.” 实际 means “practical” or “real-world.” It describes the kind of 问题 involved, not the act of discovering them. Example: 我们需要实际的解决方案。—“We need practical solutions.” 问题 means “problem” or “issue.” It can refer to a difficulty that needs attention, or more generally to a matter for consideration; here 实际问题 means “practical issues.” Example: 这个问题很重要。—“This issue is important.” Together, 这样可以发现 means “in this way, it is possible to discover.” 一些实际问题 is “some practical issues.” The phrase 从目前的角度 means “from the current perspective,” and 可能看不到 means “might not be visible” or “we might not see.” The whole utterance therefore means: “That would bring up practical issues we might not see from here.” It presents the method as capable of revealing real-world issues that may remain unseen from the current viewpoint.

5. 这也会让人们更有理由关心最终结果。

   It also gives people more reason to care about the outcome.

   这

   this

   也

   also

   会

   will

   让

   make

   人们

   people

   更有理由

   have more reason

   关心

   care about

   最终

   final

   结果

   outcome; result

   More detail

   这 means “this” here, referring to the situation or action being discussed. Chinese demonstratives such as 这 and 那 distinguish “this” from “that”; the word itself does not identify the exact situation without context. 也 adds “also” to the proposition. For example, 这也很重要 means “This is also important.” 会 presents the stated effect as something that will happen or is expected to happen. Here, it links the situation with giving people more reason to care. A reusable example is 这样会更方便, “This way will be more convenient.” 让 means “make” in this sentence. A useful pattern is 让 + person + verb or adjective: 这让人们放心 means “This reassures people” or, literally, “This makes people feel reassured.” Here, 让 introduces the people affected by the result. 人们 means “people,” referring to people as a group. It is a plural noun-like form; the form itself does not identify a particular set of people. 更有理由 means “have more reason.” 更 marks a greater degree than an earlier or implicit level, while 有理由 means “have a reason.” The comparison concerns the strength or amount of justification, not the number of people. For example, 现在我们更有理由等待 means “Now we have more reason to wait.” 关心 means “care about” or “be concerned about.” It can take its topic directly, as in 关心结果, “care about the result.” It differs from 喜欢, “like”: 关心 focuses on concern or attention, whereas 喜欢 expresses liking or preference. 最终 means “final” or “eventual” and describes 结果. It points to the endpoint rather than an intermediate stage. For example, 最终决定 means “the final decision.” 结果 is the noun “result” or “outcome.” In this sentence, it is the object of 关心. For example, 我们等待结果 means “We wait for the result.” Putting the parts together, 这也会 presents this situation as another expected effect; 让人们 makes people the affected group; 更有理由关心 says that they have a stronger reason to care; and 最终结果 identifies the eventual outcome. The complete meaning is: “It also gives people more reason to care about the outcome.”

6. 一个可行的计划仍然需要让人们感到自己真正投入其中。

   A workable plan still needs people to feel invested.

   一个

   a; an

   可行的

   workable

   计划

   plan

   仍然

   still

   需要

   need

   让

   make; let

   人们

   people

   感到

   feel

   自己

   oneself

   真正

   truly

   投入其中

   be invested in it

   More detail

   一个 is the written sequence 一个, commonly used before a noun as an indefinite determiner: “a/an” or “one.” In this sentence it presents 计划 as one workable plan, but the English article does not by itself make a numerical claim that exactly one plan exists. Example: 一个问题 — “a question.” 可行的 means “workable” here. Its base form is 可行, meaning “feasible” or “workable”; 的 connects this descriptive word to the noun it modifies. Example: 可行的办法 — “a workable method.” 计划 means “plan.” It can be used as a noun, as here, and it can also be a verb meaning “to plan” in other contexts. Example: 我们需要一个计划。— “We need a plan.” 仍然 means “still” and marks a situation that continues to hold. It is different from 也, which means “also” and adds another point rather than expressing continuation. Example: 他仍然在等。— “He is still waiting.” 需要 means “need” or “require.” Here it states a requirement of the plan: the plan needs the situation described after it. Example: 这个工作需要时间。— “This work needs time.” 让 introduces a causative pattern: 让 + person or group + verb phrase means “make/let someone do or experience something.” The following 人们 identifies the people whose experience is involved, while 感到 supplies that experience. Example: 这件事让她放心。— “This matter makes her feel reassured.” 人们 means “people” and is the participant who is made to have the feeling in this sentence. It is a plural human noun, but Chinese does not mark this plural with a verb ending; the form of the verb remains unchanged. Example: 人们需要帮助。— “People need help.” 感到 means “feel” or “sense.” It is followed here by the content of the feeling: 自己真正投入其中. Compared with 觉得, which often presents an opinion or personal impression, 感到 is especially natural for a felt state or reaction, though their uses can overlap. Example: 我感到很安心。— “I feel very reassured.” 自己 means “oneself” and refers back to the people introduced by 人们 in this sentence. It makes the people themselves the ones who are involved, rather than someone else. Example: 人们相信自己。— “People believe in themselves.” 真正 means “truly” or “really.” It strengthens the following description, so the sentence concerns genuine involvement, not merely an outward appearance of involvement. Example: 她真正理解了问题。— “She truly understood the problem.” 投入其中 describes being deeply involved or invested in what has been mentioned. 投入 can mean “to put into” or “to devote oneself to”; 其中 means “in it” or “among those things,” referring here to the plan or the activity it represents. Together, the phrase expresses being invested in it. Example: 学生们投入其中。— “The students become deeply involved in it.” The sentence builds as 一个可行的计划 (“a workable plan”) + 仍然需要 (“still needs”) + 让人们感到... (“to make people feel...”); the feeling itself is 自己真正投入其中 (“that they themselves are genuinely invested in it”). Thus the whole utterance means: “A workable plan still needs people to feel invested.” The Chinese causative structure presents that feeling as a condition the plan needs to create or support.

7. 难点在于让讨论保持建设性，并且聚焦于具体问题。

   The hard part is keeping the discussion constructive and specific.

   难点

   difficulty; hard part

   在于

   lies in; consists in

   让

   make; let

   讨论

   discussion

   保持

   keep; maintain

   建设性

   constructive

   聚焦于

   focus on

   具体

   specific; concrete

   问题

   problem; issue

   More detail

   难点 is a noun meaning “the difficult point” or “the hard part.” It identifies what is difficult, rather than describing a person or thing as difficult. Example: 这个问题的难点在哪里？ — “Where is the difficulty in this problem?” 在于 introduces the place or aspect where the difficulty lies. A useful pattern is 难点在于 + action or situation: 难点在于协调不同的意见。 — “The difficulty lies in coordinating different opinions.” Here, 在于 is followed by the action that constitutes the difficulty. 让 introduces something that is caused or allowed to take a state or perform an action. The reusable pattern is 让 + object + verb/adjective: 这项安排让团队更有信心。 — “This arrangement makes the team more confident.” In the fixed sentence, 讨论 is the object of 让, and 保持建设性 describes the state it is made to maintain. 讨论 is a noun here, meaning “discussion.” The same form can also function as a verb meaning “to discuss,” depending on its position and role: 我们讨论这个问题。 — “We discuss this issue.” In the fixed sentence, it is the thing that must remain constructive and focused. 保持 means “to keep” or “to maintain” something in a state. The pattern 保持 + adjective/state is reusable: 请保持安静。 — “Please remain quiet.” It can also take a noun phrase, as in 保持联系 — “stay in contact.” 建设性 is a descriptive adjective meaning “constructive,” especially describing an approach, comment, or discussion that helps improve a situation. In 保持建设性, it describes the state of the discussion. Example: 她提出了建设性的建议。 — “She offered constructive suggestions.” 聚焦于 means “focus on” or “center on.” It is a more formal pattern, 聚焦于 + topic: 报告聚焦于实际需求。 — “The report focuses on actual needs.” The 于 belongs to this prepositional pattern; it does not mean “in” independently in this phrase. 具体 means “specific” or “concrete.” It narrows attention to clearly identified details rather than something vague. Example: 请给出具体的例子。 — “Please give specific examples.” In the fixed sentence, it describes the kind of 问题 being focused on. 问题 is a noun meaning “problem” or “issue” here. Which translation is most natural depends on context; in this sentence it refers to the concrete matters under discussion. Example: 我们需要解决这个问题。 — “We need to solve this problem.” Together, 难点在于 frames the central difficulty, and 让讨论保持建设性 expresses keeping the discussion constructive. 并且 links that aim to 聚焦于具体问题, “focus on specific issues.” The whole utterance therefore means: “The hard part is keeping the discussion constructive and specific.”

8. 那我们就应该提出有针对性的问题，而不是笼统地征求反馈。

   Then we should ask focused questions instead of making a broad feedback request.

   那

   then; in that case

   我们

   we; us

   应该

   should; ought to

   提出

   raise; put forward

   有针对性的

   focused; targeted

   问题

   questions; problems

   而不是

   instead of; rather than

   笼统地

   broadly; in a general way

   征求

   solicit; request

   反馈

   feedback

   More detail

   那 means “then” or “in that case” here: it links the sentence to the preceding point and introduces the resulting course of action. In other contexts, the same form can also be a demonstrative meaning “that,” but that is not its role in this utterance. 我们 is the first-person plural pronoun “we/us.” Chinese does not mark this pronoun for gender, and it does not itself specify whether the speaker includes the listener; that depends on context. Here, the fixed translation supports “we.” 应该 is a modal meaning “should” or “ought to.” It comes before the action it governs: 应该 + verb. Example: 我们应该早点开始。 — “We should start earlier.” 提出 means “to raise” or “put forward.” With 问题, it means to raise or ask questions. Its form does not change for person or number. In 提出问题, 提出 supplies the action and 问题 supplies what is raised. 有针对性的 means “focused” or “targeted.” 有针对性 describes having a specific target or focus, and 的 makes the phrase a modifier before a noun: 有针对性的 + noun. Here it modifies 问题, so the questions are directed toward a specific issue rather than being general. 问题 means “question” in this sentence, as confirmed by the fixed translation. The same noun can also mean “problem” in other contexts, so its meaning here comes from its combination with 提出 and the supplied translation. Example: 请提出具体问题。 — “Please ask specific questions.” 而不是 introduces the contrasting alternative: “instead of” or “rather than.” The pattern A，而不是B contrasts the preferred action A with B. Here A is asking focused questions, while B is soliciting feedback in a broad way. 笼统地 means “in a broad or general way.” 笼统 is the descriptive word, and 地 marks its use as an adverb modifying the following action. It describes how 征求反馈 is done, not the questions themselves. Example: 不要笼统地回答。 — “Do not answer in a general way.” 征求 means “to solicit” or “to request,” especially by actively seeking something from others. Here it is the verb in 征求反馈, meaning to solicit feedback. 反馈 means “feedback.” Here it is the object of 征求, forming the verb–object phrase 征求反馈: “solicit feedback.” Example: 我们需要征求反馈。 — “We need to solicit feedback.” Putting the sentence together, 那我们 sets up “then we,” 应该提出有针对性的问题 says that we should put forward focused questions, and 而不是笼统地征求反馈 contrasts that with soliciting feedback broadly. The complete meaning is: “Then we should ask focused questions instead of making a broad feedback request.”