by Ed Kang
在这个系列中我们会检视一些流行的商务英语表达；中国职场人士可能并没有从英语母语者那里学到合适的用法。
ASAP即“as soon as possible”的缩写，意为“越快越好”。这一用法常见于邮件，信息，甚至日常会话中。问题是，这个词经常不能传达本想表达的意思。
ASAP一词有两个含义。第一个是字面上的。我们把这件事搁进行动计划里，有空就去做。第二个意味着这是个紧急的请求，希望接收者马上放下手头的事去做。但两个含义都比较模糊，可能会导致不清晰的交流和不符合期望的行动。
作为领导者，我们需要避免使用ASAP，尤其是和英语使用者交流的时候。我们应该直接阐明我们的期望，或者具体讨论完成任务的时间表。
举例来说：
“Please accomplish this task by end of day.” （“请在下班前完成这个任务。”）
“My expectation is to see a final report Monday morning.” （“我的期望是在周一早晨看到最终报告。”）
“This is a priority. When do you think it can be executed?” （“这件事要优先做。你觉得执行完毕要花多久？”）
“How much time do you need for this project?” （“你需要在这个项目上花多长时间？“）
以上这些替代ASAP的说法显然更加精确，人们也会愿意接受这些明确的沟通内容。同理，如果别人需要你ASAP，你也可以发挥领导力，去具体了解对方的期望。管理者都会喜欢这种沟通。
举例来说，你可以说：
“I know you said ASAP, but please be more precise on when you expect this to be done.”（“我知道了，越快越好，但请告诉我您具体希望什么时候办完这件事。”）
“To help me prioritize, when would you ideally like this task to be complete?”（“对您来说，这个任务理想中的完成时间是什么？我想要分出优先级。”）
顺便提一下，在学英语的过程中你可能还会学到这个短语：“At your earliest convenience” （“得便务请从速”）。道理和ASAP一样。
我们将Ed亲笔的英文原文放在了后面，有兴趣的同学可以利用原文练习领导力英语。
In this series we will examine popular business English that Chinese professionals may be learning and using improperly with native English speakers.
The term ASAP stands for “as soon as possible.” It is one of the more common acronyms found in email, messaging and even conversation. The problem is the term ASAP often loses its intended meaning.
There are two possible interpretations we can have when seeing the term ASAP. The first interpretation is a literal one. We can simply put it on our list of action items for when possible or convenient. The second interpretation is that the request is urgent and that we should drop everything and do it immediately. The problem is both interpretations are vague and can lead to miscommunication and unmet expectations.
As leaders, we should avoid using the term ASAP, especially when communicating with English speakers. Instead, we should always be direct with our expectations or ask when the task can be completed.
For example:
“Please accomplish this task by end of day.”
“My expectation is to see a final report Monday morning.”
“This is a priority. When do you think it can be executed?”
“How much time do you need for this project?”
Again, these alternatives to ASAP are far more precise and everybody will appreciate your direct communication. At the same time, if someone says ASAP to you, you can take the leadership initiative and ask them what their expectation is. Managers always appreciate this.
For ex&le, you can say:
“I know you said ASAP, but please be more precise on when you expect this to be done.”
“To help me prioritize, when would you ideally like this task to be complete?”
As an aside, while learning English you may also hear the phrase “At your earliest convenience.” Treat this the same way as ASAP.
