BE 419: Show Your Hand With These English Idioms
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This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 419. Show your hand with these English idioms.

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hey lindsay how are you good aubrey how are you doing excellent i have a question okay are you the type of person that puts all your cards on the table like you're open and honest with your feelings at all times well i think it depends on who we talked about this on allers english a little bit right how direct are we i would say yes and no that's a cop out right depends it depends on the person who i'm talking to is it worth it right i tend to be more open and honest with people that are close to me um

Is it going to cause a major problem? So I would say not 100% of the time, but I try to be. What about you? I'm the same. Exactly the same, right? It depends on who I'm talking to. Is it going to be well-received? Maybe they're open-minded. If not, it's not worth it. We'll talk about something a little more superficial. Right. Exactly. Well, I'm excited to be back here for this third part of a three-part series that

Talking about cards, right? Card playing. - Yes. - And there are so many idioms in English about card playing and they're all very fun. We use them all a lot. - Very impressive. - So this is a three part series, but you can listen in any order. So stay to the end and we'll share details about where you can find the other two in case you miss them. - That is so cool. It's so cool that there are so many idioms. And so we're gonna learn many of them in this series. But first we have a poll.

We want to announce the results of an important poll that we asked the question in episode 400, are you feeling burnt out at work? And Aubrey, the results are staggering.

I agree. Yes, this was shocking. Yes, from 70% of our listeners and no from only 30%. This is really troubling, really upsetting. I've been there, right? I have solidarity. I have sometimes felt burnt out. I'll like, go, go, go. I'll take too much on my plate. And I'm trying to also be a mom. And it's hard. We've all been there. So I feel for you. But also, it's a really tough place to be. For many of you out there, you need to do something about it.

wouldn't you burnout is tough and it takes a long time i heard this somewhere recently it does take a long time to get out of burnout so trying to prevent it i think people after the pandemic i think people seem to be more burnt out than before the pandemic aubry something about the pandemic maybe it's working from home being so connected all the time silos online burns people out

Right. Whatever it is, we are seeing this a lot more. I'm seeing articles about this. I think you're not alone if you're out there and you feel burnt out at work or at home. Right. There's all kinds of ways you can feel burnt out. Yeah. Yeah. I agree, Lindsay. This is not something that can be fixed overnight, but there are things that we can do. Right. Maybe it's counseling. Maybe it's...

you know, a gratitude journal, who knows, maybe it's getting outside more exercising. Think about for you what could possibly help the situation. I love it. I love it. So good. So maybe we'll revisit that topic. Maybe we'll find an article and we'll review it on the show. I'll bring in another episode. We're certainly not experts, but we can look into it and see what could help. Yeah. All right. So we'll get back to that at another date, but let's get into, cause we gotta, we gotta know these idioms, Aubrey. I've

Absolutely. These are great ways to connect with coworkers or in your daily life. So let's dive in. Our first one is put all your cards on the table. This is what I asked Lindsay at the beginning, right? It means you're open and honest about feelings and also about like plans, upcoming plans or ideas. Do you more often sort of hide it and keep it secret or are you an open book?

Interesting. So for example, I'm just going to put all our cards on the table. We're looking to hire a new VP, a new vice president. Right? So you might hear this in a meeting, right? If a leader is like, okay, we're just going to put our cards on the table and let everybody know what's going on. Yes. Or just let's both put our cards on the table. So what are you saying? You're not saying in a card game,

your cards down this is maybe a one-on-one meeting where it's like i'd like you to be open and honest i also will be this is a great idiom to say that let's both put all our cards on the table nice all right so that's the first one put all your cards on the table show your hand would be another one similar i guess isn't it it's a little similar but it's less about

emotions. This is more usually about plans or intentions. If you show your hand means you are just not being secretive about what you're planning. Usually. Oh,

Okay. Show your hand. So again, to reveal your plans or intentions, like you said, he really showed his hand when he asked for a raise. Okay. Right. So imagine if you are planning to ask for a raise and maybe you're trying to keep that secret or you can just outright ask for it directly. You're showing your hand, just like card playing. If you're playing poker and you show your hand, you're no longer keeping anything secret. Right.

Right. Or I need to be careful not to show my hand during interviews, but I really need this job. Yeah. So interviewing, maybe there are... What would we want to hide in an interview, Aubrey? What would that... How would that tie in? Yeah. Well, I imagine, for example, salary negotiation or just like if you look too desperate, like desperation, you're trying to be chill and laid back so that you're more desirable as a candidate because...

you know, every, it isn't a good look to show like that you're desperate, you really need a job. You would probably want to keep that hidden. Now, now it's kind of human nature. I mean, in the dating world, it's not good to look desperate and interviewing is not good to look desperate. If you signal that you have other opportunities that makes you more desirable as a candidate. Absolutely. Exactly. So you might not want to show your hand right in an interview. And this is, I mean, this is common so many ways in both the business world and everyday conversations.

Often you don't want everyone to know everything you're thinking about and planning. Yeah, I love it. And number three, to be dealt a bad hand. Now, this is to be in a difficult situation, right? Something bad has happened. You've had some bad luck maybe, right? Yes, exactly right. You might say, I was really dealt a bad hand this month. I've been sick three different times. Right.

Right. So it's just the sort of general idea of I've had some bad luck. Or I was dealt a bad hand with this trainer. This is an interesting way to say it. Right. I was dealt a bad hand with something I got. Right. She's extremely impatient. So I was assigned to this trainer and I just had bad luck because I could have gotten the other trainer that would have been good. Right.

Exactly. It's interesting how this idiom sort of takes the blame off of anyone. You're not blaming a leader that potentially assigned you this trainer. You're saying it was just bad luck. I was just dealt a bad hand. And then call a spade a spade. This is, again, a lot of these are going back to directness. How clearly do we speak? How directly do we tell the honest truth?

Exactly, right? This means to speak plainly and directly, even if it's unpleasant. So this is definitely like, for example, I might say, okay, let's call a spade a spade. We're going to have to work late tonight or we won't finish in time. So I'm saying I'm sharing kind of an unpleasant fact. There's just no way around this. And sometimes it's better just to say that. So you, I don't know, sometimes people will pretend that something's not true, but that might add more stress.

If you just say we're all working late, that just is how it is. And then we accept it. Maybe we order pizza and that's it. We start working, right? Exactly, right. Or you might say he's the type of guy to call a spade a spade. I hear this in the dating world some too, where if people are more direct, if they're like, here's the thing, I'm interested, let's go out. They're calling a spade a spade, right? They're just speaking plainly and directly.

Okay, interesting. Yeah. Sometimes it's beneficial, sometimes not, right? Yeah, for sure. I mean, well, it's better than, you know, if things aren't going well, it's better than ghosting someone. Good point. Yeah, that's like the worst thing to do. But like the interview example, if you go into the interview and you're like, let's call a spade a spade. I don't have any other job opportunities right now and I really need this job.

Not the best time to call a spade a spade. Probably not the most advantageous thing to do. Right. Yeah. All right. What else, Aubrey? All right. Our last idiom is a house of cards. So this is a system, a plan, or an organization that is likely to fail. Just like a house of cards, if you stack the cards on each other, really easy for that to collapse.

Oh boy. All right. So for example, he thinks the company he works for is going to fall like a house of cards. Uh-oh, that's not good. Scary, right? It means you see bad decisions being made, something you just feel like it's not going to be successful. Or maybe a lack of a foundation, for example, right? Not having a good foundation to the company. Right. Or maybe it's a startup and they weren't able to get funding. So you'd be like, I feel like this is going to fall like a house of cards. It's a very fatalistic idiom.

I have to say that. You're really fatalistic. Very negative. Yeah. What's another example? Say, let's make sure we're prepared for this project so it doesn't become a house of cards. This is a little more positive. You're saying like, let's prevent something like that happening. For sure.

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All right, Aubrey, role play time. So we are realtors checking out a new listing. Okay, maybe we're working together or something. Good. Yes, I'll start us out. I think we've been dealt a bad hand with this house. Yeah, maybe. It's seen better days, that's for sure. I'm just going to call a spade a spade. It is not going to pass the inspection. We should probably just put all our cards on the table so buyers know what they're in for.

You're right. We just need to show our hand so no one feels duped. Someone who's looking for a fixer-upper will be interested.

This is very honest of us, right? We're not trying to hide anything. Yeah. Most people would just position this as an amazing flipping opportunity, right? Exactly. Right. Exactly. These days, because there's a major housing shortage in the US. So these kinds of houses that are really decrepit and dilapidated, they would just be presented on a red fin or something as an opportunity for flippers.

Exactly. You're going to get it for a steal, remodel it, flip it and sell it for more. Absolutely. All right, Avery, let's go through the role play. All right. I first said, I think we've been dealt a bad hand with this house. So it's maybe we got it like a foreclosure or an auction and we hadn't really seen it. So I'm like, oh, this is bad luck that we got a house that's in such bad shape. Yeah, right. You just kind of were given this house in a way.

I'm just going to call a spade a spade. It's not going to pass the inspection. So you're going to tell the truth in this moment. Yeah, I'm just saying it like it is, right? Yeah, I'm being really direct. This house is not going to pass inspection. Yeah. And then I said, we should probably put all our cards on the table so buyers know what they're in for.

Yeah. And this, you mean we need to be really honest and upfront about the problems that this house has, right? We're not trying to hide anything. We're sharing all the details. Yeah. Nice. Nice. All right. Absolutely.

And then I said, we just need to show our hand so no one feels duped. So again, tell the whole plan. We're not hiding anything. Yes. Good. Yeah. Interesting. Aubrey, there's another episode our listeners could check out. Well, these are the other two in the series, right? Exactly. So first one was Bolling.

Business English 415, idioms that give you an ace up your sleeve. That was part one. What is part two? Where was that? Allers English 2348. What's the deal with learning English? So this three-part series can be listened to in any order.

Definitely, because they're just the 15 most common idioms that we use that have to do with playing cards. I did try to kind of pull them based on themes. So you notice that a lot of the ones today are pretty similar, but we use these all the time, both in everyday conversations and at work. So I'm excited for you to start using these. Good. So if you're not sure where that part two, All Ears English 2348 is, just open your search bar, type in All Ears English. It will come up and you can hit follow right on that show. All

All right. Aubrey, are we ready for the poll? Yes, guys, fill out the poll on Spotify. Our question today is, do you always call a spade a spade? So this is that interesting idiom meaning do you say it like it is? Are you pretty direct? Or do you like to keep your plans hidden more?

Yeah, what's your personality? We're pulling your personalities here. We want to know you better as an audience. So let us know your answer. Do you always call a spade a spade? And where should we leave... Right, even if it's unpleasant. Yeah, even if it's unpleasant, right? Most people I say...

We'd say it depends, right? Don't you think? It's true, but we're not giving you depends. So this is tricky. You have to choose yes or no. And so maybe not the always, right? Do you call a spade a spade? So are you more likely to, or if it's unpleasant, are you more likely to beat around the bush? Right? We talked about this recently over on All Ears English, this great vocabulary for being less directive.

And so yeah, don't miss that as well. - Yeah, it's been a theme on both shows lately, directness, which is so interesting because it's so cultural, right? - Absolutely, yes. - Yeah, what's our takeaway today? - Yeah, English is so full of idioms about card playing. I couldn't think of the list of idioms. And as I read through them, I'm like, we use all of these all the time. - That's amazing. - So definitely use some of these to add to your next conversation, both at work and in daily conversations. - And are there more that we didn't even cover

I could think of one other. What was it? You hold all the cards. Telling someone they hold all the cards, right? I think that was in one of the other two installments of the series. Maybe we did. Okay. There were 15 in total. There were a few others that I felt like weren't quite as common. It's crazy how many idioms there are in English about playing cards. All right. Good stuff. Guys, go ahead and hit the follow button right here on Business English and we'll be back soon. All right. Awesome. See you next time. All right. Take care. Bye. Bye.

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