ESL Podcast 1032 - Different Management Styles
manager - a person who is responsible for controlling or overseeing projects, people, and/or resources within a company; a supervisor
Have you asked your manager if you can take off the last week of July for vacation?
to hire internally - to fill a job opening with someone who already works in a different position with in the same company or organization
Hiring internally creates more work, because first you have to hire someone for the main job opening, and then you have to hire his or her replacement.
autocratic - referring to a system where the leader or ruler has full power and is very strict and controlling
That autocratic management style might work well for army generals, but it has no place in a small, family-owned business.
to go to (one's) head - for something to make one feel very proud, important, special, and superior to other people
When Kelly's first book was published, it really went to his head.
top-down - referring to a system of decision-making and organizational structure where the most powerful and influential people make all the decisions, and the people below them are expected to follow and implement those decisions without providing any input
Lyle's previous employer had a top-down management style, so he was shocked when his new boss asked him if he had any thoughts about how the company should be run.
laissez-faire - hands-off; referring to a system where things happen freely and on their own, with little or no interference or direction
In a true laissez-faire market economy, would there be any financial assistance for people who are unemployed or disabled?
to delegate - to assign tasks and pieces of a larger project to other people; to ensure that other people are involved in getting some work done
If Mohamed could learn to delegate, he wouldn't have to spend so many hours at the office trying to finish everything by himself.
I'll grant you that - an informal phrase used to express agreement with what another person says, indicating that he or she has a good point
He had a creative idea, I'll grant you that, but do you really think it's practical?
bearable - tolerable; manageable; not too difficult or awful, but not great
With light-colored clothing, a fan, and a lot of water, the heat is bearable.
to collaborate - to work with other people to do something
Has your band collaborated with any famous musicians or composers?
to consult - to ask for other people's opinions; to refer to people or other resources, especially before making a decision
Dr. Sanchez consulted a medical textbook and two of her colleagues before making a diagnosis.
feedback - opinions and reactions received from other people about something, especially if they are provided so that one can improve the thing
After each workshop, we use the participants' feedback to improve our materials for the next session.
to back a different horse - to support a different person or thing; to hope that another person wins or that another thing is successful
Most people want Samuel to win the race, but we're backing a different horse this time. Nancy is our choice.
to not have a chance in hell - for something to be extremely unlikely or impossible
If Fatima is competing, Miriam doesn't have a chance in hell of winning the contest.
democratic - referring to a system of governance or organization where everyone's opinion is equally important and everyone has an opportunity to be involved
If this were a democratic family, the children would have equal input in deciding where the family should go on vacation.
to rule with an iron fist - to be very strict and controlling, telling other people what to do
As parents, they ruled with an iron fist when their children were young, but when those children became teenagers, everything had to change.
commandant - a senior military leader
The commandant ordered the troops to prepare for battle.