secrets of your successful career?
Baxter: Just as the golden rule of real estate is \location, location\
the golden rule of work is \relationships, relationships\Unfortunately, many workers focus so hard on the job at hand that they never develop useful relationships with people in other parts of their organization. Worse, when they do interact with colleagues in other departments, they may not treat them with respect. Lillian: Could you give me more details?
Baxter: Let's take Wendy as an example. She switched jobs several months ago in
the company. In her first position, as a marketing manager, she frequently found herself in conflict with the financial department over her staff's expenses. Her argument for more funds usually ended in vain. Then in her new job as training administrator, she wanted to launch an on-the-job training project. She needed the financial department to support her request for a budget. How did she convince them this time? Although the financial department's offices were located in another city, Wendy decided to visit them in their offices and try to establish closer relationships. She believed she must first of all understand their mission and their own training needs. Then she found an ally in the company's chief financial officer, who saw how her group could help develop his staff. Thus the two forged a long-term alliance, which led to a training program so successful that it has since been picked up by the company's offices in Germany and Japan. Winning allies throughout your organization has an additional benefit. These days, it's far too risky to expect your work to speak for itself. Having allies who speak well of you increases your reputation with the top management.
Relationships marketing manager in conflict with expenses ended in vain training administrator
visited
establish closer relationships long-term picked up Task 3
With the invention of modern laptops and the advances in broadband Internet access and communication software, there is no longer a need to work in the office. More and more people are starting to work from home. Opinions on this new trend vary as there are both pros and cons of working from home.
The disadvantages are obvious. To begin with, you may feel lonely at home since you lack social interaction and face-to-face communication with colleagues. Besides, there are many distractions at home: Your wife and kids may knock on your door or call you any time. You yourself may want to stop and have a cup of coffee or find something to eat from time to time. Without the office discipline, you may even be tempted to play computer games. What's more, it may be very monotonous if you have to stay at home all day long.
On the other hand, many people think the pros of working at home outweigh the cons. The most obvious benefit is flexibility. You don't have to wake up to an alarm clock early in the morning, and you can work any time you want and in any way you want. For those who are more productive at night, working from home must be a paradise. Moreover, without a boss supervising you over your shoulder, you feel less stress. Like to work in
pajamas?Fine.Like to listen to heavy metal at the highest volume while you are designing? Go for it. Also, people that work in the home environment value immensely the extra time they can spend with their loved ones. As a mom or dad, you will be in a much better position to educate and take care of your children.
CDDCA Let's talk Task 1
Ayesha: In the newsroom you have about 16 reporters. The news reporters sit in one
part of the room, and you have features on the other side of the room. I'm just going to see Kev, he's my news editor and he's gonna do a brief, basically brief me on a story that's happening later on. When I walk into my newsroom I don't know what to expect. You start at eight but you don't know how long that's gonna go on for. Hello. Kevin: Hi Ayesha. So we're really looking for a featurey sort of piece for
tomorrow's paper. Ayesha: Frenchay Hospital, which is one of our hospitals in Bristol. They're
celebrating their 10 years of this head injury unit, and we've been invited up. We're gonna obviously cover and take pictures, and I'm gonna get to speak to people. So he was really giving me guidelines. Kevin: You know when you're doing your interviews, speak to people in some detail
about, you know, how they were injured in the first place, but then the treatment they've gone through. OK? Ayesha: Yeah. Excellent! Thank you!
Well, I've just started writing up for my next, and just basically from the day. I've got to get something through, I think, by about four. Sometimes I come back and I've got so much going on in my hands. So I'm just trying to, sort of, just work it through. Deadlines are very stressful. But you have to meet them because it's important; it's part of what newspaper journalism is all about. You get used to it by getting the guidance, managing your time, but it's still scary. OK. It's all done. OK. This is the Bristol final. If I have a look at page 14, there we are, and that's my story. Exciting!
16 features brief eight paper guidelines
interviews treatment come back Deadlines meet guidance scary
Further listening > Task 1
George Adams, a market researcher at a company, finally printed his marketing report. After months of research, hundreds of surveys, and several boring drafts, his report was complete, and just in time. He was going away for the weekend. He wanted to relax because his report was a success. He carefully proofread his document and then delivered copies to all the executives on his distribution list.
When he returned to his desk, he discovered his boss, the department manager, was livid. At first he did not realize he had accidentally gone over his head. Anyway, his boss had given him the distribution list in the first place. So he thought he was just following orders. But the boss was furious that she hadn't seen the final document.
The boss asked Adams to get back all the copies, but it was too late. When Adams got to the CEO's office, he was already reading the report. Adams had felt friction with his boss before. She was overbearing and tended to find fault with his work after he'd broken his back to meet deadlines. In this instance, however, he realized he had made a serious error. His boss was extremely upset, for his mistake made her look as though she wasn't in control of her department.
From the boss's point of view, Adams was usurping her authority. The result was simple and natural: Adams left his job soon afterward.