ESL Podcast 956 - Running a Family-Owned Business
to let (oneself) in for - to unintentionally or unknowingly put oneself in a difficult, challenging, or unpleasant situation
Gregorio should have known he was letting himself in for trouble when he married a woman whom he'd only known for a month.
clear chain of command - a formal hierarchy; a reporting structure within an organization that clarifies who reports to whom, and who is responsible for other employees' performance
The military's success depends on having a clear chain of command that everyone understands and follows.
to eliminate - to get rid of something; to not have something
Louise has eliminated all sugar, salt, and artificial flavors from the food she cooks and eats.
infighting - internal conflict; disagreements within an organization, family, or group
The rebellion might have been successful if there hadn't been so much infighting among the leaders.
to bicker - to disagree and argue; to quarrel; to fight with words
What can we do to make our kids stop bickering?
clear lines of authority - a formal hierarchy; a reporting structure within an organization that clarifies who reports to whom, and who is responsible for other employees' performance
To improve internal communication, the company hired a new COO and established clear lines of authority.
to take sides - to clearly show that one is for or against something, supporting one group of people and disagreeing with others
Why do you automatically take sides with your daughter, and never your son?
to play the blame game - to argue that a problem or difficulty is the fault of another person, not one's own fault; to believe that someone else is responsible for a difficult or uncomfortable situation
Mistakes have been made, but it won't help to play the blame game. Let's look for solutions instead.
to resolve conflict - to find a constructive way to end an argument or disagreement
When Ms. Lee started her first teaching job, she never realized how much of her work would involve resolving conflicts among the students.
to enter the fray - to join an argument or fight
Zoey hates arguing with other people, so she's doing everything possible to avoid entering the fray.
hanger-on - a person who joins a group or spends time with another person because he or she receives some personal or financial benefit from it
Celebrities are surrounded by hangers-on who think they'll find a way to become rich and famous themselves.
suited - with the characteristics and qualifications that make one well-prepared for something and likely to do it well
Kelly loves math and has an analytical mind, so he seems suited for a job in finance.
to fall on (one's) shoulders - to become one's responsibility, especially when something is difficult or challenging
When Jackie's sister and brother-in-law died unexpectedly, raising their kids fell on her shoulders.
thick skin - the ability to not be affected negatively by unpleasant or challenging things that happen, especially negative things that are said about one
Politicians need to have a thick skin, or else they'd spend all their time worrying about what reporters and voters were saying about them.
inevitably - unavoidably; certain to happen
There will inevitably be difficult times in any marriage, but the key is to work through them together.
blood is thicker than water - a phrase used to mean that family relationships are stronger and more important than any other relationships
Lola is certain that her aunt will help her, because blood is thicker than water.
business is business - a phrase used to mean that business decisions are made on the basis of what is best for the company and what will make the most money, without considering people's feelings or emotions
It will be uncomfortable to fire Ingrid, but it's what's best for the company, and business is business.