86
5.Paragraphs 1-9 contain advice for business leaders. Choose the appropriate heading for each paragraph from the list below.
a.A leader should be a good teacher and communicator.
b.A leader must manage time and use it effectively.
c.A leader must have technical competence.
d.A leader must provide vision.
e.A leader must be visible and approachable.
f.A leader should be introspective.
g.A leader should be dependable.
h.A leader should be open-minded.
i.A leader should have a sense of humour.
1.In large organizations, leaders should spend no more than four hours a day in their offices. The rest of the time, they should be out with their people, talking to lowerlevel employees and getting their feedback on problem areas. They should be making short speeches and handing out awards. They should be traveling widely throughout their organizations.
2.The best leaders are those whose minds are never closed and who are eager to deal with new issues. Leaders should not change their minds too frequently after a major decision has been made, but if they never reconsider, they are beginning to show a degree of rigidity and inflexibility that creates problems for the organization.
3.Executives must take a disciplined approach to their schedules, their post, their telephone calls, their travel schedules and their meetings. Staying busy and working long hours are not necessarily a measurement of leadership effectiveness.
4.Leaders may run efficient organizations, but they do not really serve the long-term interests of the institution unless they plan, set goals and provide strategic perception.
5.The leader must be willing to pass on skills, to share insights and experiences, and to work very closely with people to help them mature and be creative.
6.Leaders should let people know that life is not so important that you can’t sit back occasionally and be amused by what is happening. Laughter can be a great reliever of tension.
7.Reliability is something that leaders must have in order to provide stability and strength to organizations. Leaders must be willing to be flexible but consistency (последовательность) and coherence (связность) are important elements of large organizations.
8.Leaders must not only understand the major elements of their business but must also keep up with any changes.
9.Leaders should be able to look at themselves objectively and analyze where they have made mistakes and where they have disappointed people.
6. Read the portraits of leaders in five different countries and decide which country each one corresponds to.
Germany Poland Sweden The United Kingdom The United States
87
1.Leaders from this country
-consider professional and technical skills to be very important.
-have a strong sense of authority.
-respect the different positions in the hierarchy of their companies.
-clearly define how jobs should be done.
-are very loyal to their companies and expect their subordinates to obey them.
-are often older than in other countries.
2.Leaders from this country
-receive a general education.
-delegate authority.
-take a practical approach to management.
-have relatively formal relationships at work.
-encourage their employees to work individually.
-believe it is important to continue education and training at work.
3.Leaders from this country
-consider social qualities to be as important as education.
-encourage their employees to take an interest in their work.
-pay close attention to the quality of working life.
-do not use as much authority as in other countries.
-appreciate low-level decision-making.
-are often women.
4.Leaders from this country
-generally attend business schools.
-communicate easily and informally at work.
-admire the qualities of a leader.
-expect everyone to work hard. Individual performance is measured and initiative is rewarded.
-have competitive and aggressive attitudes to work.
-often accept innovation and change.
5.Leaders from this country
-have either gained their experience in state-owned enterprises or are competitive
self-starters.
-older managers hold technical degrees rather than business qualifications.
-work very long hours and expect their subordinates to do so.
-are extremely innovative, optimistic and determined.
-are quick to invest in the development of new products, market techniques and methods of production and distribution.
Discuss advantages and disadvantages of each approach to management, and say which one you would find the most attractive. Do any of these profiles correspond to management practices in your country?
88
Translate the following extracts into English.
Общеизвестно, что хорошие деловые отношения строятся на понимании различий в культуре партнёров. Например, для большинства американцев характерно жёсткое и напористое ведение бизнеса. Системы и процедуры имеют для них большое значение.
Испанцев, напротив, не интересуют тщательно (meticulously) подготовленные собрания. Их больше интересуют люди, принимающие в них участие. В этом они похожи на арабов или японцев. Бизнес в этих странах строится на доверии, которое зарабатывается в течение долгого времени.
Итальянцы всегда стараются поддержать хорошее партнёрское настроение. Множество встреч и дружеских бесед проходит в Италии во время деловых переговоров, однако все важные решения принимаются вне залов для конференций.
Скандинавы, подобно американцам, ценят исполнительность, новизну и технологию. Они ориентированы на прибыль и скорейшее получение результатов.
Немцы очень осторожны в выборе деловых партнёров. Чтобы установить с ними долгосрочные деловые отношения, необходимо доказать, что вы также исполнительны, дисциплинированы и заинтересованы в качественном исполнении заказов, как и они.
Listening.
Listen to an interview with Marjorie Scardino, Chief Executive of the media group Pearson plc. Make notes as you listen and answer the questions.
1.What qualities does a leader need to run a large company effectively?
2.What managers in Pearson does she admire mostly? Why?
3.What do leaders actually do according to Marjorie’s view?
4.What does she think about motivating employees?
6.What does Marjorie think about the idea that ‘all human beings are born with some qualities of a leader’?
6.Do you agree with Marjorie Scardino’s ideas?
7.Would you like to work for the person like her? Explain your reasons
Communication skills – Leading a team
Setting goals
Our main objective is to ….. Our aim will be to ….
Highlighting factors for success
If we are going to be successful, we need to act quickly.
To succeed, we’ll have to take into account several factors.
Indicating priorities
Our first priority will be to contact our customers.
It’s also essential that we brief (инструктировать) our suppliers on …
89
Defining roles and delegating
I’d like you to prepare a report.
Could you please liaise with Sales and Marketing?
Motivating the team
It’s a challenge, but it’s always an opportunity to develop the business. We’ll all benefit because new orders will follow.
Reporting back
I’d like you to keep me up-to-date by e-mail. I’d like to have your report by Tuesday.
I suggest we set up another meeting in two week’s time.
Role play the situation.
Take turns to be the team leader. Use expressions from the list of phrases given above.
You are senior managers at a computer graphics company. Your business has expanded rapidly: your workforce has doubled from 60 to 120 in two years. You urgently need to move from your small city-center location to a new suburban development area with bigger offices.
Hold a meeting to discuss what needs to be done, and by whom. For example: drawing up a schedule; liaising with a union; informing customers and suppliers; keeping staff informed; dealing with negative feelings; hiring a removal company. Then draw up an action plan to ensure that the move goes smoothly.
Case study Orbit Records: Discus ideas to recover a failing music retailer.
Background
Orbit Records was founded in London 20 years ago, and now has 12 large stores in the UK and five in Germany. The company grew at a fast rate because it had a successful marketing strategy. The stores offer a wide range of CDs which they sell at reasonable prices. Their record stores carry over 80,000 titles – about three times more than their main competitors. What’s more, if a customer asks for a CD which is not in stock, the store will get it for a customer within two weeks, if it’s available.
About two years ago, Orbit stores diversified into selling computer games, videos, tee-shirts, adventure holidays, concert tickets, books and comics. Not all the new areas were profitable, and as a result the company’s profits fell sharply.
A change of leadership
After the founder of Orbit Records died, a new Chief Executive, Sheldon Drake, took over. However, he failed because he lacked leadership qualities. He was unable to develop a strategy for improving profits and had no clear vision of where the company was going. Also, he did not communicate well with employees, who started to lose confidence in the business. They began to worry about losing their jobs and their morale suffered.
Three months ago, Sheldon drake resigned, and his place was taken by someone from outside the company.
90
Tasks of new Chief Executive
One of the new CE’s main tasks is to motivate staff and raise morale, so that staff will be more productive. He has asked Personnel to carry out a survey of staff attitudes. Questionnaires were sent to all employees below senior management level. The results are on the chart.
He has also jotted down ideas for raising motivation and morale, and has asked employees to do the same. The best ideas will be implemented throughout the company.
Staff attitudes (%) |
Yes |
No |
Don’t know |
|
1. |
Do you feel you participate fully in decision- |
|
|
|
|
making? |
12 |
70 |
18 |
2. |
Do you feel ‘valued’ by the company? |
48 |
46 |
6 |
3. |
Do you understand the company’s objectives |
|
|
|
|
and overall strategy? |
16 |
20 |
64 |
4. |
Do you have enough contact with senior |
|
|
|
|
management? |
18 |
50 |
32 |
5. |
Do you have enough opportunities to express |
|
|
|
|
your ideas / make suggestions? |
42 |
26 |
30 |
6. |
Are you paid adequately? |
48 |
45 |
7 |
7. |
Do you think you will be working for this |
|
|
|
|
company in five years’ time? |
25 |
14 |
61 |
8. |
Do you have enough opportunities to meet |
|
|
|
|
each other socially? |
55 |
42 |
3 |
Chief Executive ideas
1.Build morale through teamwork outside the office – in sports activities. Form company teams for soccer, basketball, squash, etc. Get employees to participate in inter-company competitions, e.g. athletics, swimming events and so on.
2.Introduce regular staff meetings which will enable staff at all levels to participate in decision-making.
3.Set up regular small-group meetings to share ideas, develop plans and help prepare budgets. Also, start an ‘Employee of the Month’ scheme. Everyone has to nominate someone, giving reasons why they should be nominated.
4.Make sure that the CE gets out of his office frequently during the first year and drops in on staff at different Orbit stores.
5.Encourage staff through meetings and a newsletter (to be edited on a monthly rotating basis by different senior managers) to give ideas and suggestions. There would be cash rewards for the best ideas.
6.Set up a profit-sharing scheme for all employees related to increased productivity and profits.
7.Cancel the end-of-year bonus scheme. Spend some money instead on a spectacular Christmas dinner and party at a luxurious hotel.
8.Organize one-to-one meetings with senior managers to build morale and generate ideas. Agree targets and objectives with senior managers, who share them with other staff members at regular seminars.