1 SPEAKING Look at the list of best qualities of a leader in the box. In pairs, discuss why you think a leader needs to have these qualities. What other features would you add to the box?
committed confident decisive emphatic optimistic problem solver self-aware upfront
Answers Suggested additional answers: supportive, creative, passionate, inspirational, communicative, respectful, selfl ess, determined
2 🎧 10.6 Listen to a radio interview with a manager talking about his job. Which qualities of a good leader from Exercise 1 does he mention?
Answers committed (dedicated), confi dent, empathetic, problem solver, self-aware
3 🎧 10.6 Listen again. Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F).
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Lewis always wanted to be in a senior management role.
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While growing up, Lewis enjoyed having the respect of others.
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Lewis is proud of his behaviour as a young man.
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Lewis feels he managed to get his current job without too much effort.
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Lewis views his experience as a waiter to be essential in helping him now.
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Lewis feels he’s able to understand other people’s point of view.
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Lewis believes that good communication skills are the only important part of management.
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Guiding employees towards the right decision is what makes a good manager in Lewis’s opinion.
Answers 1 F He says ‘I didn’t set out specifi cally to do what I’m doing at the moment.’
2 T ‘I also never turned down a challenge or a dare.’
3 F ‘I’m not sure I would like me if I were at school again ….’
4 F ‘…this position didn’t just land in my lap. I had to work my socks off for it.’
5 T ‘…having experienced every stage on my career path, I got to learn the ropes, so I know exactly what the work – in every sector and at every level – entails.’
6 T ‘I can communicate with the staff and interact with my counterparts, confi dent that I know what I’m talking about.’
7 F ‘Most people think that a leader needs to be creative and see ways round problems, and be a good communicator, a good listener, a good organiser, etcetera, etcetera.’
8 T ‘…you need to be able to delegate responsibility, rather than thinking you always know best and doing everything yourself, imposing solutions.‘
4 🎧 10.7 Complete the extracts from the interview with the correct words from the box. Then listen and check.
book buck cut fuse lap rut seat steak way
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I wasn’t the type of person to take a back ______ and let others make decisions for me.
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Some of those personality traits held me in good ______ for doing my current job.
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This position didn’t just land in my ______ – I had to work my socks off for it.
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Let me say, first off, that not everyone is ______ out to be a leader.
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The ______ stops with you. In other words, you have the ultimate responsibility.
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My brother would’ve blown a ______ had he known!
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I started at the bottom … and I gradually worked my ______ up.
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If your team feel they’re stuck in a ______ and not going anywhere, it’s likely that they’re not going to be co-operative.
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That’s detrimental to goal achievement – a sign of a bad leader in my ______.
Answers 1 seat 2 stead 3 lap 4 cut 5 buck 6 fuse 7 way 8 rut 9 book
5 Replace the underlined phrases in the questions with the idioms from Exercise 4. Then, in pairs, ask and answer the questions.
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When did you last get very angry? Say why.
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Have you ever had a good opportunity surprisingly given to you? Talk about it.
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What skills or interests do you have now that you think will be useful to you in your future career?
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What job do you think the person sitting next to you now is just right for? Say why.
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Would you rather enter a profession at a high level or start at the bottom? Say why.
Answers 1 blow a fuse 2 land in your lap 3 hold you in good stead 4 cut out for 5 work your way up
6 REFLECT | Society Do you think that schools can help develop the qualities needed for people to become good leaders? Say why.
Answers Students’ own answers
