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Unit 2
Management
Part I
Vocabulary
to account to smb for smth отчитываться перед кем-либо за что-
либо
to acquire приобретать
to allocate распределять, выделять
to amend поправлять, вносить поправки
to appoint назначать
commitment преданность, обязательность;
обязательство
competitive конкурентный
to dismiss увольнять
distributor распространитель, агент по продаже
downfall крушение, гибель
function должностная обязанность
to ensure гарантировать, обеспечивать;
удостоверить, заверить
expertise специальные знания, компетентность
hardware компьютерное оборудование
to integrate объединять
to manage управлять
to measure оценивать
merchandise товары
neighbouring community группа людей, живущих
в прилегающем районе
non-profit organization некоммерческая организация
objective задача, цель
pay оплата
to perform a job исполнять, выполнять работу
performance эффективность выполнения
promotion продвижение по службе
public authorities органы государственной власти
sales staff штат продавцов
software программное обеспечение
subordinate подчиненный
to supervise контролировать
supplier поставщик
trainee стажер
to verify проверять, выверять
Vocabulary Commentary
a) Study the definitions of the words which may be confusing.
1. objective/aim/goal/purpose/target/end [n]
objective – a word used especially in business or politics meaning the
result that someone is working towards
eg. This company is continually failing to achieve its objectives.
aim – what you are hoping to achieve by a plan, action, or activity,
which is what makes you do it; intention
eg. The course’s aim is to train students to develop their communicative
skills.
goal – what a person, organization, or country hopes to achieve in the
future, even though this might take quite a long time
eg. The company’s goal is to become world leaders in the home
computer market.
purpose – the result that you intend to achieve when you do something
or plan something
eg. The author’s purpose in writing this book was to draw attention to
the problems of the Maoris in New Zealand.
target – the exact result that a person or organization intends to achieve
by doing something; a plan which is aimed at; often the amount of
money they want to get
eg. The target for the appeal is &20,000, all of which will go to
children’s charities.
end – the result that a person or group is trying to achieve, especially
when this is bad or dishonest
eg. The demonstrators’ ends do not justify their means.
2. merchandise/goods/product/exports/ imports [n]
merchandise [U]– a word used especially in business meaning things
that are produced in order to be sold, especially when they are shown for
sale in a shop
eg. Customers are requested not to touch the merchandise.
goods [pl.] – things that are produced in order to be sold
eg. After the war there were shortages of food and consumer goods.
product – something that is made, produced, or designed in order to be
sold, for example something for your home, a financial arrangement, or
a holiday
eg. Most of the money comes from the sale of small household products
like soap and light bulbs.
exports [pl.] – goods that are sent to a foreign country in order to be
sold
eg. The value of China’s exports to the US rose by over 50% last year.
imports [pl.] – goods bought from one country from another
eg. They have put an embargo on imports of clothing.
3. dismiss/fire/sack/give sb the sack/lay off/make sb
redundant/suspend/give sb the boot/give sb their notice/relieve sb of
their duties or post
dismiss – an official or legal word meaning to make someone leave their
job
eg. The company was forced to dismiss the entire workforce.
fire – to make someone leave their job, especially because they have
done something wrong or something the employer does not approve of
eg. You couldn’t fire someone for joining a union, but you can if they go
on strike.
sack/give sb the sack – words used especially in British English
meaning to make someone leave their job, for example, because they are
not good enough at it, they are no longer needed, or they have done
something wrong
eg. It’s illegal to sack a woman for becoming pregnant.
lay off – to make workers, especially workers in a large factory or
organization, leave their jobs, because there is not enough work for
them to do, or not enough money to pay their wages
eg. Where demand for goods was shrinking, firms would close down or
lay off workers.
make sb redundant – an expression used especially in British English
meaning to make someone leave their job, and usually pay them some
money to do so, because they are no longer needed
eg. No, I haven’t been sacked- I’ve been made redundant.
suspend - to make someone leave a job or organization temporarily,
either as a punishment for doing something wrong, or while the
organization tries to find out whether they have done something wrong
or not
eg. A London barrister has been suspended for 9 months.
give sb the boot – an informal expression meaning to make someone
leave their job, especially because they have done something wrong
eg. John was given the boot after arriving late for work every day for a
week.
give sb their notice - to tell someone that they must leave their job,
either immediately or in a week, a month etc.
eg. As soon as the manageress heard that he had been caught stealing,
she immediately gave him his notice.
relieve sb of their duties or post – if someone with an important
official job is relieved of their duties or post, their job is taken away
from them, especially for a short time because people think they have
done something very bad and this is being checked
eg. The Chief Inspector has been relieved of his duties pending another
investigation by fellow officers.
4. expertise/knowledge/know-how [n]
expertise[U] – special knowledge about how to do something, gained
through study or practical experience
eg. An independent financial advisor’s area of expertise includes
products such as pension plans and insurance policies.
knowledge [U] – the facts and information which you know about
something
eg. The knowledge that I acquired on the training course has been
extremely useful.
know-how [U] – practical knowledge about how to do something
eg. There was a lack of managerial and technical know-how in the steel
industry.
5. manage/run [v]
manage – to be the manager of part or all of a company or organization
eg. Managing four pizza outlets is extremely hard work.
run - to be the manager of part or all of a company or other organization
and to be closely involved with the daily work that is done there
eg. There was a Christmas party at the day care centre run by the Black
Community Programme.
6. efficient/effective [adj] efficient – working well, without wasting time, money, or energy
eg. The doctor was cheerful and efficient, which immediately made me
feel more relaxed.
effective - producing the result that was wanted or intended; successful
eg. You need effective communication within the organization.
b) Fill in the gaps choosing an appropriate word in the correct form:
1. objective/aim/goal/purpose/target/end
1. The main ______________for unions should still be to safeguard the
wages and conditions of their members.
2. With some selfish __________in view, Bette was being very nice to
the rest of the family.
3. The government is struggling to reach its original ____________of
$23 billion in spending cuts.
4. Grand-scale national planning is at present the _____________in
underdeveloped countries.
5. The ________________of the research is to try and find out more
about the causes of the disease.
6. The leaflet has been produced with the _____________of increasing
public awareness of the disease.
7. One of the ________________behind our current advertising
campaign is to increase sales overseas.
8. More motivation can be created if the children have definite
______________towards which they can work.
9. Our _______________is the release of all political prisoners.
10. Racial tensions were exaggerated for political _____________by
leaders of the opposition.
2. merchandise/goods/product/exports/ imports
1. Countries such as Japan and Korea put taxes on imported
_______________.
2. We’ll send a selection of ________________for you to try.
3. The ___________________is attractively displayed and the assistants
are friendly and heplful.
4. Britain’s total _____________to the other EC member states now
exceed imports.
5. The average family’s weekly expenditure on ____________and
services has risen by more than 20%.
6. The company’s most successful ________________in recent years
has been its personal pension package.
7. The fire at the department store destroyed
_________________valued at over $2 million.
3. dismiss/fire/sack/give sb the sack/lay off/make sb
redundant/suspend/give sb the boot/give sb their notice/relieve sb of
their duties or post 1. 3000 car workers have been ______________at the factory in
Cleverland.
2. The Police Department has __________________six officers while
they investigate claims of fraud and corruption.
3. She’s a terrible boss – she _________________people for the
slightest mistake.
4. The authorities have decided to _________________the Professor of
his post at the university until further notice, after complaints were made
by one of his female students.
5. The company have said they’re planning to close down and we’ve all
been given two weeks’________________.
6. The President ___________________him from his his post as Trade
Secretary.
7. There is clear evidence that women have been _______________for
asking for equal pay.
8. I’ve been given the ___________from my job, but I hated it anyway.
9. 5,000 miners were _____________________________when the tin
market collapsed but the management was determined to help them
financially.
10. We can’t really give him the _____________just because he is
unpopular.
4. expertise/knowledge/know-how
1. The US supplied the machinery, the_____________, and most of the
capital.
2. My __________________of Japanese is limited to a few phrases.
3. We are looking for well-qualified engineers with
________________in the field of mobile communications.
4. The company is keen to develop its own _________________in the
area of computer programming.
5. The staff had no _______________that the company was in trouble.
6. The teacher's comments are designed to help improve your
___________________and understanding.
5. manage/run
1. Gabriel went to visit his brother, who was now ___________a large
dairy farm.
2. Ken Roach said he wants to _____________the football team next
year.
3. Sue's been ____________________a mail-order business for ten
years.
4. Has she had any experience of __________________large projects?
5. He is not very good at _________________people.
6. efficient/effective
1. Humour is often far more _______________than shouting.
2. They are not very ___________________in the way they do business:
they keep filing letters in the wrong place, they work very slowly and
keep forgetting things.
3. The new vaccine is highly _____________against all strains of the
disease.
4. The city’s transport system is one of the most ______________in
Europe.
5. We need someone really _________________who can organise the
office and make it run smoothly.
6. I think a wide black belt would look very ____________with that
dress.
Exercise 1. Translate the following English words and phrases:
accountability; to acquire skills; manageable activities of the
organization; to allocate resources; commitment from the staff; to
consider the needs of the future ; to communicate objectives to sb; days
are numbered; day-to-day running of the store; day-to-day logistics of
the operation; to delegate responsibilities; to design the store and its
layout; to expect a limited life; to have a corporate appearance; in
predescribed quantities; to manage a business’s relations with; to
manage a unit; management techniques; performance of the staff; to
display the merchandise; to price the merchandise; precise tactics; to
put smth into practice; senior manager; to work with people in other
areas and functions.
Exercise 2. Find English equivalents for the following Russian words
and phrases in the text “What is Management?”(p. 15)
определять задачи/ставить цели; достигать целей; объединение;
оценивание; распределение человеческих и денежных ресурсов;
выполнять работу; применять на практике социальные навыки
общения; наряду с организацией и контролем над работой
подчиненных; управлять отношениями компании с покупателями;
органы государственной власти; крупный кризис; управление
основано не только на науке; применять на практике методы
управления; выдающиеся менеджеры.
Exercise 3. Answer the following questions to the text “What is
Management?” (p. 15).
1. How many functions does a manager perform? What are they?
2. What activities does the function of planning involve?
3. What activities does the function of organizing involve?
4. What activities does the function of intergrating involve?
5. What activities does the function of measuring involve?
6. How can managers develop their subordinates and themselves?
7. Why should objectives be modified?
8. What jobs do a company’s top managers perform? Which functions
of a manager are the most important ones for a top manager?
9. How are top managers supervised?
10. Is management an art or a science? What’s Peter Drucker’s point
of view? Do you agree with it?
11. Why are outstanding managers so rare? Can you give any names?
Exercise 4. Match up the words on the left with the definitions on
the right.
1. chairman
2. customer
3. director
4. distributor
5. investor
6. manager
7. staff
8. subordinate
9. supervisor
10. supplier
11. top
manager
a. the person who is in charge of a large
company or organization, especially
the most senior member of the board
b. a company that provides a particular
type of product
c. someone whose job is to direct or
control all or part of a company or
organization, or a particular activity
d. the person in charge of an
organization
e. someone who is being taught the
skills and knowledge to do a
12. trainee
13. executive
or exec (inf.)
particular job
f. the people who work for an
organization or business
g. a person or organization that buys
goods or services from a shop or
company
h. a person or business responsible for
making goods available to customers
after they have been produced, either
one that sells directly to the public or
one that sells to shops
i. someone who has a lower position
and less authority than someone else
in an organization
j. one of the committee of top managers
who control a company
k. someone who is in charge of a group
of workers or a particular area of
work
l. a person or organization that spends
money in order to make a profit
m. someone who has an important job as
a manager in a company or business,
a manager at a high level
Exercise 5. Translate the sentences from Russian into English based
on listening exercises 3a, 3b, 3c (p.19) using the given words and
word combinations.
Exercise 3a
day-to-day running of the store, in predescribed quantities, display the
merchandise, employ the staff, day-to-day logistics of the operation,
ensure the safety, be committed to smth, training.
1. Менеджер магазина отвечает за ежедневное управление
магазином и материально-техническое обеспечение его
работы.
2. Компания поставляет товары для продажи в заранее
оговоренных количествах.
3. Компания наняла специальный персонал, чтобы выставлять
продаваемые товары.
4. Чтобы сотрудники компании с удовольствием выполняли
свои обязанности, компания должна обеспечить
безопасность их труда и возможность дальнейшего
обучения.
Exercise 3b
make а decision, encourage delegation, account to smb for smth, have
a corporate appearance, level of service, feel confident in smth,
increased sales.
1. Компания «Marks & Spencer» обязана предоставить
одинаковый уровень услуг во всех магазинах сети. При этом
руководство поощряет передачу полномочий и
самостоятельное принятие решений менеджерами отдельных
магазинов.
2. Менеджеры отдельных магазинов регулярно отчитываются
за проделанную работу перед руководством компании.
3. Чтобы все покупатели легко узнавали магазины сети на
улицах, все магазины имеют единый корпоративный вид и
планировку.
4. Если персонал хорошо подготовлен и уверенно выполняет
свою работу, увеличение продаж гарантировано.
Exercise 3с
staff, focus group, area of the store, subordinate, line
manager/supervisor
1. Персонал из всех отделов магазина проводит собрания так
называемых фокус групп, где обсуждаются текущие
проблемы магазина и предлагаются идеи, как улучшить
управление магазином. Затем эти предложения обсуждаются
с менеджерами компании.
2. Собрания не могут заменить ежедневное общение
сотрудников. Некоторые вопросы невозможно обсуждать на
собрании. В таких случаях необходимо прямое общение
подчиненных с непосредственным начальником.
Exercise 6. Translate the sentences from Russian into English. Refer
to the Vocabulary List and the Vocabulary Commentary if
necessary.
1. Сейчас его основная задача – просто остаться в управлении
компанией.
2. Нашей основной задачей на данный момент не является
получение прибыли, мы хотим сохранить цены на низком
уровне.
3. Совет Директоров выделил 100 тысяч долларов на поиск
нефти.
4. Проект потребовал от финансовых институтов много усилий
по эффективному распределению правительственных
средств.
5. Психологи считают группы людей от 10 до 15 человек вполне
управляемыми.
6. Инструкция объясняет многообразие работ, выполняемых
членами команды.
7. Чтобы быть понятым, излагай свои идеи ясно, кратко и по
существу.
8. Комитет обсудил вопрос, кто отвечает за контроль над
распределением средств по определенным
благотворительным организациям.
9. Он никогда не мог завоевать уважение подчиненных.
10. Этот показатель обеспечил чрезвычайно точную единицу
измерения деловой активности.
11. Инвесторы заинтересованы в оценке реальных прибылей без
учета инфляции.
12. Я собираюсь доложить органам государственной власти о
деятельности этой организации.
13. Совет директоров может назначить и уволить любого
руководителя высшего звена.
14. Если компания не обладает знаниями о новом рынке, она
потерпит неудачу.
15. Если хотите вернуть товар, обращайтесь в любой из наших
магазинов.
16. Большинство стран проводят программы по борьбе с
кризисом с целью создать более эффективную экономику.
17. Есть сомнения относительно эффективности нового метода
повышения мотивации продавцов.
18. Я не понимаю, как Вы намерены применить на практике эти
методы управления.
Part II
Exercise 1.
a) Use the following nouns to make word combinations with the
word “executive”. Translate them.
jet, duties, toy, pay, assistant, search, stress
b) Fill in the gaps in the sentences with one of the word
combinations mentioned above. You need only one word
combination for all sentences.
1. Many looked on the idea of a computerized wallet more as an
________________ than a serious business aid.
2. Where portable computers may previously have been regarded as
a status symbol or even as an ________________ they are now
viewed more objectively and critically by the companies that buy
them in quantity.
3. The group has produced not a breakthrough for medical science
and technology, but a &300 ________________ and a place in the
Guiness Book of Records.
4. Taking the pocket machine back to the office and plugging into
the desktop PC is such a chore that most owners of these
________________s hardly ever do it.
5. Image, a chain of shops specializing in pricey
________________s, lost money for the first time in 15 years.
Exercise 2. Match these management expressions (1-7) with their
definitions (a-g).
1. time management
2. quality management
3. line management
4. middle management
5. brand management
6. crisis management
7. risk management
a. direct management of staff
b. how a company tries to control its brands and brand image
c. level between senior management and junior management
d. managing systems in a company so that each department works
effectively and produces products of the required standard
e. process of dealing with difficult situations
f. process of assessing and measuring possible dangers and evolving
strategies to deal with them
g. the skill of administering your time so as to work effectively
Exam skills tasks: Identifying the Right Vocabulary Item.
Exercise 3. Read about different management styles. Choose the
best word to fill each gap from the alternatives given below.
My name is Laura Garcia and I train people in modern management
techniques. Old style managers were (1)________. They took all the
decisions and told their (2) ____________ what to do without talking to
them. They were often very (3) ___________from their employees.
They (4) ____________their decisions from above and their whole
approach was (5) ___________ and (6) ____________. A modern
manager has to be more (7) ___________ and (8) ___________.
Decision-making needs to be (9)___________ so everyone should be
involved in the process of (10) ___________.
1 A authority B authorized C authoritarian D authorizing
2 A subordinates B superiors C sponsors D speculators
3 A above B further C long D remote
4 A imported B imposed C stressed D pressured
5 A bottom-up B upside-down C inside-out D top-down
6 A bureaucratic B administrative C organized D restructured
7 A closed B shut C over D open
8 A advanced B relaxing C approachable D distant
9 A decentralized B unfocused C depreciated D restructured
10 A talking B consultation C speaking D discussing
Exam skills tasks: Identifying the Right Vocabulary Item.
Exercise 4. A management consultant is giving a presentation
about “Identifying and keeping key staff”. Choose the best word to
fill each gap from the alternatives given below.
Every organization has key employees who are (1) ________ to its
success. These people may not be the top managers but they have some
(2) ____________ or (3) ___________ which would be difficult to
replace if they left. So, it is important to find ways of (4) ___________
these kinds of people to your organization and, once working for you, of
(5) ___________them.
1. A core B critical C needed
2. A talent B skilled C experiences
3. A expert B experts C expertise
4. A hiring B employing C attracting
5. A recruiting B retaining C maintaining
Exam skills tasks: Identifying Extra Vocabulary Items.
Exercise 5. Read the short text about conflict resolution. In most of
the lines 1-15 there is one extra word which does not fit. Some lines,
however, are correct. If a line is correct, write OK. If there is an
extra word in the line, write the word in the space provided.
It is generally very useful for Human Resources and managers to 1______
and distinguish between the ‘emotional’ and the ‘concrete’ aspects of 2__OK_
conflict. The emotional components also include feelings such as 3______
distrust, anger, fear, or resentment. The concrete issues, on the 4______
other hand, they often involve disagreements over company 5______
policies and our practices, or conflicting conceptions of roles and 6______
uses of resources, for an instance. 7______
As for conflict resolution to be effective, it is strongly advisable 8______
to deal with the emotional aspects of conflict at first. When 9______
feelings are high, people are usually unable to examine rationally 10______
and creatively like the concrete issues over which they are 11______
never at odds. 12 _____
That is the reason why approaches to a conflict resolution which 13_____
emphasize the importance of rationally and tackling specific 14 _____
issues at the outset so often fail to. 15 _____
Exam skills tasks: Identifying the Right Vocabulary Item.
Exercise 6. One of the functions of a manager is to measure the
performance of their staff. Read the text about measuring and fill
in the blanks, choosing the best word to fill each gap from the
alternatives given below. There is an example at the beginning (1).
From time to time it is necessary to check the performance of staff,
both 1)________B_________ and collectively. A manager will need to
appraise performance so that he can see how best it might be
2)_____________. There is always likely to be a gap between what
could be 3)_____________ and what is actually attained and the
manager’s aim should be to ensure that this 4)___________________ is
minimized. It should be borne in mind that the business organization is
normally hierarchical – like a family tree - and the manager’s
performance is itself subject to surveillance by superiors.
The appraisal often takes place as a 5) ______________ to the
annual salary reviews. Where there is a pay 6)__________ the question
might simply be, ‘Has this person worked well enough to
7)___________ the next increment?’ Or where there is a possible
upgrading the question would be, ‘Has this person done enough to
8)______________ promotion?’ In these instances the
9)_______________ of appraisal is to provide a yes or no response.
However, there may be a need to choose between 10)______________
for promotion. This can be a 11)____________ problem for a manager
because, where he has a number of 12)______________ on his team, he
risks demotivating a number of them when he chooses someone else.
Various factors such as work rate and 13)______________ of work
will need to be brought into account. In some jobs these are easy to
14)________________. A salesperson who has sold &100,000 worth of
goods in a month has obviously done significantly better than a
15)_______________who has only sold half as much. For other jobs the
16)__________________ is much more difficult if not impossible. For
example, how does one assess the performance of a hotel receptionist or
a chef?
The manager should also reckon with 17)_____________and
punctuality. If someone stays away from work it is not only a question
of whether or not they should be paid for their absence. It is akin to a
goalkeeper in a football match deciding not to turn out for the second
half. Of course when a person is seriously 18)______________ they
cannot go to work, but there are sometimes very 19)________________
reasons offered for absence. Lateness also needs to be discouraged.
Continuing the football analogy, it is like the centre back who turns up
to the match fifteen minutes late with his side already three goals down.
It is not unreasonable to compare a business with a football team, firstly,
because 20)_______________ clubs are businesses anyway, and
secondly, because we are talking about teamwork and team effort in
both cases.
1. A immediately B individually C separately
2. A approved B valued C confirmed
3. A finished B completed C achieved
4. A drawback B shortfall C disadvantage
5. A introduction B prelude C overture
6. A scale B degree C size
7. A have B deserve C increase
8. A give B merit C work
9. A purpose B function C job
10. A applicants B candidates C employees
11. A thorny B thorough C key
12. A perspectives B hopefuls C promisings
13. A speed B number C quality
14. A understand B see C measure
15. A colleague B partner C counterpart
16. A judgement B approval C confirmation
17. A performance B attendance C participation
18. A ill B sick C sore
19. A flimsy B fragile C brittle
20. A special B professional C specialized
Exercise 7. Read the text and do the tasks that follow.
Richard Branson – Leader of Virgin
Richard Branson – the founder and owner of the Virgin Group, an
empire of 350 companies that includes Virgin Atlantic airlines as well as
ventures in other industries like telecommunications, trains, cosmetics
and credit cards – says his goal is to turn Virgin into “the most respected
brand in the world”. Branson’s skill as a brand builder is one of the
reasons underlying his longevity as a business leader.
It is difficult to separate the success of the Virgin brand from the
flamboyant man behind that brand. He travels the world weekly,
reinforcing his good-natured, visible, jet-setting, billionaire reputation –
a reputation like the reputation of the companies he owns. “Generally
speaking, I think being a high-profile person has its advantages,” he
says. “Advertising costs enormous amounts of money these days. I just
announced in India that I was setting up a domestic airline, and we
ended up getting on the front pages of the newspaper. The costs of that
in advertising terms would have been considerable.”
What is the most important quality of a good leader? “Being
someone who cares about people is important,” he says. “You can’t be a
good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out
the best in them.”
How does a man who owns 350 companies get it all done?
Branson places enormous value on time-management skills. As
chairman of a large group of firms, Branson says he spends about a third
of his time on trouble-shooting, another third on new projects, both
charitable and business, and the last third on promoting and talking
about the businesses he has set up. “As much as you need a strong
personality to build a business from scratch*, you must also understand
the art of delegation,” says Branson. “I have to be good at helping
people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step
back. The company must be set up so it can continue without me.”
In order for this process to work, employees must be happy.
Branson says his philosophy of “look for the best and you’ll get the
best” helped him build an empire recognised for its young, fun culture.
“For the people who work for you or with you, you must lavish praise
on them at all times,” Branson says. “It’s much more fun looking for the
best in people. People don’t need to be told where they’ve slipped up or
made a mess of something. They’ll sort it out themselves.” Branson
feels strongly that if an employee is not excelling in one area of the
company, he or she should be given the opportunity to do well in a
different Virgin Group job. Firing is seldom an option.
Motivational strategies extend to innovative ideas. The key to
encouraging innovation within the Virgin ranks, suggests Branson, is to
listen to any and all ideas and to offer feedback. Employees often leave
companies, he reasons, because they are frustrated by the fact that their
ideas fall on deaf ears**. Interaction between employees and managers
is fundamental.
______________________________________
*from the beginning; **no one listens to them
Branson has developed a level of trust with his top managers by
setting the direction and then stepping back to let them navigate. “I
come up with the original idea, spend the first three months immersed in
the business so I know the ins and outs***, and then give chief
executives a stake in the company and ask them to run it as if it’s their
own,” explains Branson. “I intervene as little as possible. Give them
that, and they will give everything back.”
Exercise 7a. You may not know the words in the text which are
given in italics. Find in the text their contextual synonyms or
synonymous phrases which help to guess the meaning.
Eg . ventures – companies (line 2)
Exam skills tasks: Identifying Main Ideas.
Exercise 7b. Choose the best answer (a, b, c, d) to these questions.
1. What is Branson’s business aim?
a. to diversify Virgin’s activities
b. to make Virgin a global company
c. to survive longer than other business leaders
d. to enhance Virgin’s brand image
2. What, according to Branson, is the business advantage of being well-
known?
a. It is easier to establish new ventures.
b. It saves money on publicity.
c. He is offered special advertising rates.
d. It makes his brands easily recognizable.
3. What, for Branson, is the key to managing his workload?
a. Being continuously involved at all levels of the enterprise
b. Concentrating on problem-solving
c. Making his companies independent of him
d. Continually expanding his empire
4. How, according to Branson, can you ensure optimum performance
from staff?
a. By having an enjoyable corporate culture
b. By pointing out your employees’ mistakes
c. By dismissing incompetent workers
d. By telling people that they are performing well
______________
*** the detailed facts
5. Why, says Branson, do many businesses lose good employees?
a. Managers do not listen to employees’ suggestions.
b. Managers do not know how to communicate with staff.
c. Managers do not encourage innovation.
d. Managers do not delegate.
6. How does Branson optimize performance from his CEOs?
a. By giving them specialist training
b. By giving them a financial interest in the company
c. By giving them a three-month trial period
d. By offering them innovative ideas
Exercise 7c. Answer the questions and be ready to discuss them in
class.
1. What qualities do you think Branson has which make him a
good leader?
2. How much of Branson’s leadership style do you think is an art,
a question of personality, and how much is a science, a question
of technique?
3. Which things do you most admire about Branson’s leadership
style?
4. Would you like to work with him?
Exercise 8. Read the article from the Financial Times by Diane
Summers and do the tasks that follow.
Note. In the UK, the chair of a company is the most senior
manager, and chairs the meeting of the board of directors. (The
equivalent title in the US is usually ‘president’.)This job may be
combined with the job of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), actually
running the company on a day-to-day basis. The jobs of chair and
CEO are often combined. A company’s most senior executives sit
on its board, as well as non-executive directors from elsewhere.
Non-executive directors bring their experience of other companies
and industries to boardroom discussions.
Four Styles of Corporate Leadership
What does it take to be a good chairman? CCG, the London-based
headhunters, has attempted to find out. It interviewed 48 chairs – 28
of whom were from the 100 biggest UK companies listed on the
London Stock Exchange – and 12 chief executives. It then sent
questionnaires to more than 400 main board members of 151 large
Stock Exchange-listed UK companies and analyzed replies from 117
individuals, including 36 of those interviewed.
Four distinct, preferred styles of corporate leadership emerged:
Facilitators are hands-off*, working with and through a chief
executive. They have warm and open personal relationships with all
board members. Their style is trusting, supportive, sensitive, aware
and purposeful. There is a balance between head and heart, between
deliberately standing back to see the wider perspective and
involvement with people, issues and vision. This style was the most
popular, favoured by 32 per cent of respondents.
Thinkers work through a chief executive but have no doubt about
their own power and are likely to get their own way on the big
issues. They can be a formidable combination with a chief executive ,
provided both agree on fundamentals. Although they are trusted,
relationships will be more distant and based on respect, with a
recognition of private agendas. Penetrating understanding of the
issues and the people is likely to be accompanied by strongly held
(but not always disclosed) views. Favoured by 25 per cent.
Drivers are likely to dominate by force of personality. There is
variety in the importance, closeness and style of their relationships,
which are not always consistent but are not difficult to read. There is
less emphasis on sophisticated analysis, or on the communication of a
vision, and more on strategy, action and results. They require total
loyalty and commitment, both to themselves and the company. They
are unquestionably the boss; anyone carrying the title of chief
executive will be at best a number two or a chief operating officer.
Favoured by 23 per cent of respondents, though not much liked by
chief executives.
Integrators are talented at winning both hearts and minds, and
intellectually brilliant, with a flair for communication and
relationships. Their style is open, trusting, empathic and empowering.
They have strong strategic and analytical skills, and are able to see
the big picture. They are immersed in the business. They are more
interested in the strategy than operations and would work best
sharing leadership with a chief executive who complements these
qualities.______________
*someone who allows other people to make decisions, avoids becoming
directly involved
Preferred by 20 per cent of respondents, but most popular among
non- executive directors.
Exam skills tasks: Identifying Implied Main Ideas.
Exercise 8a. Each of the statement a-d was made by someone with
one of the four management styles in the article. Match each
statement with the management style of the person who said it.
a) I believe in delegating responsibility as much as possible.
I try to be open and trusting towards the people I work
with. I leave detail to my managers and focus on longer-
term strategy, rather than day-to-day operations. I get on
really well with non- executive directors.
b) I’m really interested in what motivates people and I try
to balance emotional issues with intellectual ones. I think
it’s really important to get on with other people and
understand their concerns. I try and support the people I
work with as much as possible.
c) I work very closely with the CEO and we make a great
team. I have very clear and strong views about what
needs to be done, but I don’t always tell people what
they are! I have respect for the people I work with, and I
expect them to respect me.
d) I need people who think about the company 25 hours a
day. I’m the boss round here. All this stuff about the
chair and the CEO being equals is nonsense! I believe in
having a clear strategy and carrying it through. Once a
strategy is decided, continual analysis of what we’re
doing is not helpful.
Exam skills tasks: Identifying Implied Ideas.
Exercise 8b. Match the expressions 1-6 with their meanings a-f,
relating to Thinkers.
1) They are likely to get their own way on the big issues.
2) They can be a formidable combination with a chief executive
, provided both agree on fundamentals.
3) Relationships will be more distant and based on respect.
4) penetrating understanding of the issues
5) strongly held (but not always disclosed) views
6) a recognition of private agendas
a) very good knowledge of the subjects
b) The chair and chief executive will work very well together,
as long as they agree about basic policy.
c) Directors will understand each other’s worth, without
necessarily liking each other.
d) On important questions, what he wants to happen will
happen.
e) opinions you really believe in, but don’t always discuss with
other people
f) an understanding that other people have their own priorities
Exercise 8c. Find words and expressions in the paragraphs relating
to Drivers and Integrators. The figure in brackets is the number of
letters the word consists of.
a) when you support your organization and do nothing to harm it
(7 letters)
b) when you spend a lot of time understanding figures, facts, etc.
(13,8)
c) when you put all your energy into the company you work for (10)
d) when you have a clear idea of what the future will be like (6)
e) the way you relate to different people (13)
f) strength of character (5, 2, 11)
Exercise 8d. Make nouns from the adjectives that are used to
describe Facilitators. a) aware………; b) open………; c) purposeful…….; d)
sensitive……..;
e) supportive ………..; f) trusting………….
Exercise 9. What sort of people manager are you/would you be? Do
the quiz to find out. When you have finished, add up the score and
read the result in ‘Keys’.
1. One of your staff often arrives late for work. He’s a good worker –
efficient, brilliant and original – but arriving late means that he often
misses the beginning of team meetings, or other people have to
answer his phone calls. Do you…
a. write him a letter threatening him with dismissal if he doesn’t
improve?
b. have an informal private chat with him where you suggest he
pulls his socks up*?
c. make sarcastic comments about his poor time-keeping in front
of the team?
d. ignore the problem – he’s a good worker after all?
2. There is a member of your staff you just don’t like. She often openly
disagrees with your decisions, and you’re sure she criticises you
constantly behind your back. Do you…
a. put up with her because she’s been in the department for 20
years?
b. transfer her to another department where someone else will have
the pleasure of her company?
c. increase her workload in the hope that she will leave?
d. have a personal interview with her where you talk over the
problems between you?
3. A new recruit to your department is not learning the job as quickly as
you had hoped, and you consider him to be a weak link in your team.
Do you…
a. tell him he’s not up to scratch** and threaten him with the
sack?
b. tell him your opinion and offer him further training?
c. pretend there’s no problem – if you take action against this
person, it may upset other members of your team?
d. offer him a transfer to another department where he may be
more at home?
4. You’ve noticed signs of stress in your team: people are irritable,
complaining of headaches, taking sick leave. Do you…
a. offer to give them a pay rise?
b. take on more staff to ease their workloads?
c. try to do more of their work yourself?
d. carry on as if the situation was normal?
______________
* to make an effort to improve one’s work or behaviour because it is not
good enough
** reaching an acceptable standard;
5. Your divisional boss has asked you and your team to take on an extra
project. You’re already working flat out** on a current project. Do
you…
a. explain the situation and ask for another solution?
b. accept the extra work because you’re afraid to say ‘no’?
c. accept the extra work because you’re ambitious and it could
eventually mean promotion?
d. tell your boss he must be joking – your people are under enough
pressure as it is?
6. Your team is doing extremely well – you’re exceeding all your targets
and easily meeting all your deadlines. Your divisional boss recently
called you in to congratulate you. Do you…
a. take all the kudos***– after all you’re the leader?
b. pass on the praise to your team and suggest they be paid a
bonus?
c. ask your boss to set even higher targets?
d. hold a team party to celebrate?
7. An important customer has complained that one of your staff was
very rude to him. Do you…
a. confront her during a team meeting and then reprimand her in
front of her peers?
b. fire her on the spot?
c. ask her for her version of events and take it from there?
d. stand by your subordinate and tell the customer he was wrong?
8. You’ve noticed that two of your team are getting more than friendly.
You imagine that there’s an office romance under way. Do you…
a. turn a blind eye***?
b. get involved in the office gossip to find out what’s happening?
c. tell them to put an end to it?
d. keep an eye on the situation in case it has an effect on team
efficiency?
___________________
** as fast or as hard as possible;
*** the fame and public admiration as a result of a particular
achievement
***to ignore smth that you know is wrong
9. Your divisional manager has told you that your team’s performance
is not up to scratch (is not reaching an acceptable standard). Do
you…
a. blame the team?
b. blame outside circumstances which are beyond your control?
c. take the blame yourself?
d. tell her it’s her fault for not giving you the necessary resources?
10. One of your staff tells you he doesn’t find his job sufficiently
challenging. Do you…
a. offer him more responsibility and empowerment in his
current job?
b. promote him to a position of greater responsibility?
c. tell him it’s time he was moving on?
d. tell him he should be happy he’s got a job at all?
Part III
Academic skills tasks: Opening a Presentation.
Remember to follow the flow chart, the rule “Wise Owl”!
1. Welcome the audience.
2. Introduce youself (name, position/function)
3. Say what the topic is.
4. Explain why your topic is important for the audience.
5. Outline the structure of your talk.
6. 'What comes when?' say when you'll be dealing with each point.
7. Let the audience know how you're organizing the presentation
(handouts, questions, etc.).
Useful phrases and vocabulary
Welcoming the audience
Good morning/ afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
Hello/Hi everyone.
First of all, let me thank you all for coming here today.
It's a pleasure to welcome you today.
I'm happy/delighted that so many of you could make it today.
It's good to see you all here.
Introducing yourself
Let me introduce myself. I'm Ann Brown from ...
For those of you who don't know me, my name is ...
Let me just start by introducing myself. My name is ...
Giving your position, function, department, company
As some of you know, I'm the purchasing manager. I'm the key
account manager here and I am responsible for ...
I'm here in my function as the head of ...
I'm the project manager in charge of ...
Introducing your topic
What I'd like to present to you today is ...
I'm here today to present ...
Today's topic is ...
The subject/topic of my presentation is ...
In my presentation I would like to report on ...
In my talk I'll tell you about ...
Today I'm going to talk about ...
I'll be talking about ...
Saying why your topic is relevant for your audience
Today's topic is of particular interest to those of you/ us who ...
My talk is particularly relevant to those of us who ...
My topic is/will be very important for you because ...
By the end of this talk you will be familiar with ...
Stating your purpose
The purpose/objective/aim of this presentation is to...
Our goal is to determine how /the best way to ...
What I want to show you is ...
My objective is to ...
Today I'd like to give you an overview of ...
Today I'll be showing you/reporting on ...
I'd like to update you on/inform you about ...
During the next few hours we'll be ...
Structuring
I've divided my presentation into three (main) parts.
In my presentation I'll focus on three major issues.
Sequencing
Point one deals with..., point two ..., and point three …
First, I'll be looking at ..., second..., and third ...
I'll begin / start off by…
Then I'll move on to ...
Then / Next/ After that ...
I'll end with ...
Timing
My presentation will take about 30 minutes.
It will take about 20 minutes to cover these issues.
This won't take more than ...
Handouts
Does everybody have a handout/ brochure/ copy of the report?
Please take one and pass them on.
Don't worry about taking notes. I've put all the important statistics
on a handout for you.
I'll be handing out copies of the slides at the end of my talk.
I can email the PowerPoint presentation to anybody who wants it.
Questions
There will be time for questions after my presentation.
We will have about 10 minutes for questions in the question and
answer period.
If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt me at any time.
Feel free to ask questions at any time during my talk.
Effective openings
Rhetorical questions
Is market research important for brand development?
Do we really need quality assurance?
Interesting facts
According to an article I read recently, …
Did you know that ... ?
I'd like to share an amazing fact/figure with you.
Stories and anecdotes
I remember when I attended a meeting in Paris, ...
At a conference in Madrid, I was once asked the following
question: ...
Let me tell you what happened to me ...
Problem to think about
Suppose you wanted to ... . How would you go about it?
Imagine you had to ... . What would be your first step?
Exercise 1.
Make the opening of a presentation. Remember to use words like
we, us, our to highlight common interest. The topic of the
presentation is the leadership style of a famous manager or business
leader.
