Q2e Listening & Speaking 4: Audio Script Unit 1

Unit 1: Business Felix: Well, sometimes leaders are kind of

isolated because everyone is looking to them to
The Q Classroom
make the decisions, but at the same time
Activity B., Page 3
everyone wants the decisions to go their own
Teacher: Today we are beginning Unit One.
way. That’s a difficult position to be in. I would
Every unit in Q starts with a question. As we go
say that being a leader is very difficult in some
through the unit, we will continue to discuss
ways, so you have to have a strong character.
this question. Our answers may change as we
explore the topic. The question for Unit 1 is:
LISTENING 1: Best of Both Worlds?
“What makes a good leader?” Think about
Activity A., Activity D., Page 7, 8
some people in leadership positions, like
Speaker: When Ginny Pitcher needed to hire a
executives of large corporations, or captains of
director of business development at her
sports teams. What kinds of positive or negative
Westborough, Massachusetts marketing firm,
qualities do they have? What do you think,
she turned to her closest friend, Kate Massey.
Marcus?
Massey and Pitcher had talked money before,
Marcus: I think when some people are bad
during the years they were roommates. Still,
leaders, they feel that they are better than
this is business. It brought up issues like
others, or that they don’t have to follow the
negotiating salary and professional success,
rules the way other people do.
things most people want to keep separate from
Teacher: What do you think, Yuna? What do
their friendships. Not to mention that Pitcher
you think is a good quality for a leader to have?
would be Massey’s boss. “I didn’t jump on it
Yuna: I think people should be more
immediately,” says Massey. “I thought about it
responsible when they become leaders.
for a while.”
Teacher: You mean responsible for other
It’s been a year, and both women say their
people?
friendship is as strong as ever. Even better,
Yuna: Yes, they have to understand that their
they’re both making money and succeeding
decisions affect a lot of people.
professionally. That’s likely because they
Teacher: How about you, Sophy? What do you
handled it like experts from the beginning. They
think makes a good leader?
acknowledged there would be a change in their
Sophy: Well, I agree with Yuna that a good
friendship and discussed potential challenges.
leader understands the effects of their decisions
Anything personal stays outside the office.
on everyone, but it isn’t easy to make everyone
Massey doesn’t take criticism personally.
happy. Bad leaders think that they should be
Pitcher treats Massey no differently than she
making all of the decisions, or they don’t really
does her other employees. Pitcher and Massey
need to consider how other people think or
exemplify the best aspects of working with
feel.
friends.
Teacher: Felix? What’s your opinion? We’ve
“One of the tricky things when you interview
heard that good leaders should have a strong
someone is figuring out if their personality will
sense of responsibility, but that reaching the
fit with the culture of the office,” says Pitcher, a
best decision for everyone isn’t easy. What do
co-founder of Kel & Partners. “When you know
you think?
someone like I know Kate, you know the answer
already.”

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Q2e Listening & Speaking 4: Audio Script Unit 1

Knowing someone will fit in doesn’t alleviate Gena Cox, who runs the leadership coaching
other problems. Carly Drum had hired four firm Human Capital Resource Center, suggests
trusted friends to work at her family’s executive saying something like this: “I still want us to be
search firm in Manhattan, Drum Associates. friends. Can you support me and know that
One of them had great potential but was what happens at work doesn’t have anything to
bringing her personal problems to the office. It do with you or our relationship?” As for the
was affecting her work. “I knew going in that subordinate, he or she needs to understand
addressing it was going to be one of the more that the boss can’t show any favoritism.
challenging things in my career,” says Drum, the That’s precisely what Tory Delany had to deal
firm’s managing director. “She expected me to with as she rose up the ranks at a restaurant
be sensitive to her personal issues because company in Manhattan. She started as a coat
we’re friends. While I am, there has to be a line checker at Maggie’s Place in midtown and, after
drawn when you’re running a business. Even as a series of promotions, eventually became
soft as I tried to put it, her initial reaction was general manager. “The staff becomes close-knit
she was offended.” Two days later the because it’s a small restaurant. Most of our
employee came in and apologized to Drum. family is very far away,” says Delany. “The
They openly discussed the matter and owners have five places, so we all always knew
developed a plan of action so she could there was a chance for promotion for everyone
separate work from business. While it was from within.”
tough, that challenge was a good managerial She says the key to successfully managing
experience for Drum. She learned that before friends is developing rules and boundaries and
hiring a friend you must outline for him or her enforcing them. For example, an employee who
exactly what an average day will be like. Part of came in late was spoken to. If the employee
that discussion should include the type of was late again, he or she got a warning. The
interaction you will have with each other and third time resulted in suspension. Delany
the fact that in a workplace it’s all business. attributes her success to that uniformity.
“Stuff that you do outside of the office together “If there’s no structure, your whole team falls
cannot be brought into the office,” says Drum. apart,” she says.
Managing friends isn’t always a choice. She must be doing something right. She’s a co-
Employees who get promoted may find owner of a restaurant with the owners of
themselves suddenly in charge of friends. The Maggie’s Place.
same rules for success apply. First, the new
manager should be the one to tell the staff LISTENING SKILL: Listening for main ideas
about the change, particularly if he or she will Activity B. Page 12
be in charge of friends. Speaker: What do you need to start a new
From there, it’s important to acknowledge that business and make it succeed? Many people
things will change. Explain that it’s not because would answer that what you need is a great
the relationship isn’t important or because you idea. Others would say money. Of course,
want to end your personal relationship. Rather, money and ideas are important. Unfortunately,
you now have a hand in the professional lives of when people think about starting a new
a group of people. business, they often ignore the single most
important factor in the success of any company:

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Q2e Listening & Speaking 4: Audio Script Unit 1

people. Only people can make those great ideas exclusively to leadership development and
happen. So, in order to start a successful research worldwide. Information available at
business, you need to start with the right www.ccl.org. Today’s topic: myths of effective
people. But how do you identify the right leadership.
people? That seems like a difficult question to There’s a difference between leadership and
answer because every business is different. power. Successful executives know that
Nevertheless, if you want to build a good team, difference and lead their teams more effectively
there are some characteristics of the right because of it. Unfortunately, many executives
people, no matter the business. We’re going to on the rise in an organization forget the
focus on some of those characteristics and how leadership skills and contacts that put their
to identify people who have what it takes to careers on track in the first place.
help make a new business a success. A study by the Center for Creative Leadership
First of all, your new business will need people shows that as executives advance in a company,
who understand your vision and share your they begin to blur the lines between leadership,
commitment to it. In other words, you need to power, and influence. They see themselves as
build a team that truly understands what your more intelligent and capable than those around
goals for the business are. them in the organization. They see people
Your new business will also need people who who agree with them as more capable,
are creative, independent thinkers. You can’t intelligent, and ethical than those who might
build a successful business based on your ideas disagree.
alone. You want your business to be a place The result? Executives get affirmation from a
where people learn from each other and inspire small, expected group, which inflates their idea
each other to do their best work. of how powerful and influential they are
Lastly, your new business will need people who among the people who work with them. Their
are willing to work hard. You need to find influence becomes constricted, and their
people who are ready to put in the long hours leadership erodes. Some people overtly use
and all the hard work it takes to build a power to accomplish their goals, says CCL’s Pete
successful business. Hammett, who is also the author of
No, starting a new business is not easy. Perhaps “Unbalanced Influence.” He says others
you’ve got a good business idea. Perhaps you become used to having tools of power, such as
have the money you need. But that’s not the ability to dictate and set agendas.
enough to guarantee success. It’s the people Over time, that access to power distorts an
you hire that matter most. Remember that if executive’s influence in the organization. They
you’re going to find success, you need people may have the title and power, but their
who are creative, hardworking, and committed disenfranchised team members won’t see them
to seeing your dream become reality. as an effective leader.
Those with different opinions choose to remain
LISTENING 2: Myths of Effective Leadership silent. Or they leave. With them, they take away
Activity A., C., Page 13, 14 a whole range of ideas.
Speaker: Podcasts from the Leading Effectively CCL and Hammett recommend that executives
series are provided by the Center for Creative calibrate their spheres of influence and see
Leadership, an educational institution dedicated whether their team members perceive them as

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Q2e Listening & Speaking 4: Audio Script Unit 1

leaders or merely as suits with powerful titles. 4. James has great aptitude, but he needs more
Here are three ways to proceed: training. In a year or so, he’ll probably be our
Number 1: Find and listen to other voices. A best programmer.
leader should keep in touch with new ideas and 5. The members of Emily’s group are
fresh perspectives. If all you’re hearing is experienced and talented. Besides, they exhibit
one voice, then invite others to the great teamwork.
conversation. And let them know
you really want to hear them. VOCABULARY SKILL: Understanding meaning
Number 2: Find a sparring partner. Find from context
someone who’s comfortable and capable of Activity B., Page 18
taking an opposing point of view. That doesn’t 1. Managing friends isn’t always a choice.
mean you should seek out every malcontent in Employees who get promoted may find
an operation. It means you should find themselves suddenly in charge of friends.
someone who is intelligent, thoughtful, and 2. Part of that discussion should include the
open to tackling a discussion from an opposing type of interaction you will have with each
view. Don’t be seen as a leader who refuses to other and the fact that in a workplace it’s all
listen to different ideas. Or, worse, one who business. “Stuff that you do outside of the
penalizes people for suggesting them. office together cannot be brought into the
Number 3: Leadership can be cultivated, but office,” says Drum.
only in a self-aware person. Sign up for a 3. She says the key to successfully managing
leadership program. Get some feedback that friends is developing rules and boundaries and
assesses your leadership style. Make a point to enforcing them. For example, an employee who
hold a mirror up to your conversations and came in late was spoken to. If the employee
interactions within your organization. Only was late again, he or she got a warning.
by seeing yourself through others’ eyes can you 4. Find someone who’s comfortable and
go from someone who holds power to someone capable of taking an opposing point of view.
who leads. Don’t be seen as a leader who refuses to listen
to different ideas.
VOCABULARY SKILL: Understanding meaning 5. They may have the title and power, but their
from context team members won’t see them as an effective
Activity A., Page 18 leader. CCL and Hammett recommend that
1. The job didn’t pay very well, but I loved the executives see whether their team members
office and my coworkers. perceive them as leaders or merely as suits with
It was a great environment to work in. powerful titles.
2. It’s impossible to function well when you
don’t get along with your co-workers. I can’t PRONUNCIATION: Syllable Stress
work in a situation like that. Example 1, 2, Page 21
3. I’m sure you can resolve the conflict with neGOtiate
your co-worker if you listen to each other’s Activity A., B., Page 22
opinions. 1. excerpt
2. aspect
3. enforce

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Q2e Listening & Speaking 4: Audio Script Unit 1

4. effective
5. leadership
6. acknowledge
7. perspective
8. opposing
9. promotion
10. interaction

SPEAKING SKILL: Checking for understanding

Activity A., B., Page 22
Manager: OK guys, this project is huge, and it’s
going to be challenging. Here’s what I need all
of you to do. First of all, we all have to put in
extra hours. That means long days for the next
few weeks.
It also means that we need to pull together and
work extra hard as a team. That means all of us.
Do you know what I mean?
Staff: Yeah / Sure / Yes.
Manager: OK. It also means that you need to
drop all your other projects for now. Please
focus on this project. It is our top priority.
Does everyone understand?
Staff member: You mean stop working on every
other project?
Manager: That’s right. This account demands all
our attention right now. Richard, please call the
office in Tokyo, and let them know that we
need all the information they have on this
client. And we need the information by Friday
at the latest. Are you following me?
Richard: Yep. Call Tokyo, get information on the
client, tell them we need it by Friday.
Manager: Friday at the latest. Great! As for the
rest of us, we’ll be meeting again today at 3:00.
Before that, read over the project description. If
you have any questions, please bring them to
the meeting. Got it? OK, let’s get to work!

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