CHAPTER 17 – PROMOTION
Situation: Tom was just promoted to a managerial position, and he is concerned about the fact that he has never managed people before. Lucy is trying to reassure Tom that he will be doing fine in the new position.
Tom: I have really good news today. Oh! I am so happy.
Lucy: What is your good news, Tom?
Tom: I got a promotion today. You are looking at the new supervisor of the Marketing department.
Lucy: Wow, this is great news! I am so glad for you. So, you will start your new job this coming Monday?
Tom: No, I need to finish my current projects in the Sales department before I move over to Marketing. I probably will start my new job a week from Monday.
Lucy: You have a lot of experience with this company. They will be very helpful to you in your new position.
Tom: I know. However, I have never supervised people before. I hope I will be able to cope with all the new responsibilities.
Lucy: You will do fine. You are a natural leader, and you will lead well.
Tom: You think so, Lucy?
Lucy: I know so. You are always good at coaching people. You led your soccer team to victory last year, didn’t you?
Tom: Leading a soccer team and leading a Marketing department are not quite the same.
Lucy: Yes, they are in a way. First, being a supervisor means building a good team where members work well with each other, right?
Tom: Right. If members of a team do not understand their own tasks as well as the tasks of their teammates, it will be chaos.
Lucy: Second, a supervisor needs to identify his employees’ working habits and the job requirements in order to build a better work environment, right?
Tom: Yes. In order for me to improve my employees’ performance, I need to understand their working habits and their skills. Then, I can give them a little bit of coaching if the need arises.
Lucy: Third, you need to find out what motivates your employees, right?
Tom: Yes again. Everybody needs to be motivated, either to find a better way of doing one’s job or putting in extra effort to perform better.
Lucy: Things will not always run smoothly. There will be problem employees. So, fourth, you need to know how to coach, or how to counsel, or even how to discipline, right?
Tom: Right. This is the worst part of being a supervisor. You need to be strong enough to cope with problem employees, to be wise enough to counsel them, and even be “mean” enough to discipline them.
Lucy: Things will change, and your department needs to be able to adapt to changes, right?
Tom: Yes, technological changes happen everyday. I need to get my employees ready for changes as well as to reinforce the need for change sometimes.
Lucy: And if you come up with new ideas, you need to be able to “sell” your ideas to your boss and your employees, right?
Tom: There is no need to come up with new ideas if you cannot convince people of their value.
Lucy: You need to set yourself out as an example for your employees. Therefore, you should have a good understanding of your responsibilities, work hard and work well with others, be alert of changes, and last but not least, understand the values and goals of your company.
Tom: If I want to lead, then I need to prove that I am a good leader.
Lucy: Those are the things that you need to do in your new position. Even though they are not exactly the same as coaching a soccer team, you will do fine. All you need to do is change your leadership style a little bit in this new environment.
Tom: Thanks for the note of confidence, Lucy.
Lucy: You are welcome, Tom.
Questions/Answers Practice
| G: I have good news. I just got a promotion. | A: That is great! Congratulations, Tom! |
| Q: Were you expecting this promotion? | A: No, but I have been hoping for it for quite a long time. |
| Q: Did it come with a good raise? | A: Yes, I was very pleased with the salary increase. |
| Q: Are you expected to take on new responsibilities? | A: Yes, a lot of new responsibilities. |
| Q: When will this promotion go into effect? | A: It will go into effect this coming Monday. |
| Q: Are you ready for this job change? | A: Yes, I think I am. |
| Q: How did your coworkers take the news? | A: I guess they were pleased for me. |
| Q: Have you thought about ways to improve the productivity of your department? | A: Not yet, but I will use this weekend to come up with a really good game plan. |
| Q: What should you do in your new position? | A: I should try to motivate, to coach, and to maximize my employees’ abilities. |
| Q: Are you going to the seminar for newly promoted supervisors? | A: I have already signed up for that seminar. |
3) Comprehension test
- What happened to Tom?
- When will Tom move over to the new position?
- What is Tom’s concern about the new position?
- Why does Lucy think that Tom will succeed in his new position?
- What are the similarities between leading a soccer team and leading the Marketing department?
- Why should Tom identify his employees’ working habits?
- What should a supervisor do with a problem employee?
- What should Tom do to cope with technological changes?
- What should Tom do with his new ideas?
- What should Tom do to set himself out as an example for his employees?
- What should Tom do to his leadership skill in the new environment?
4) Discussion
- What is your definition of a good supervisor?
- What will you do if you are promoted to the position of supervisor?
- In your opinion, is it easy to lead?
GRAMMAR REVIEW
PREPOSITIONS
Prepositions are words that express the relationship in terms of time, direction or location of a word or phrase to another word or phrase. They include: in, among, between, at, with, beside, besides, behind, into, of, by, to, from, over, against, after.
The dining room is built between the kitchen and living room. (Location) I will start my new job the week after this coming Monday. (Time)
Notes:
At is used with things, with is used with people when expressing feelings.
Jane is angry with me.
My teacher was angry at the result of the vote.
Between is used when there are only two persons or things, among is used when there are more than two persons or things.
The books were placed between Jane and John. The toys were divided among the four friends.
When used with a verb, the combination of the verb and the preposition usually gives a meaning different from the meaning of the verb alone.
There is no need to come up with new ideas if you cannot convince people of their value.
They laughed at the idea.
I must look into the proposal before I decide.
Questions/Answers Practice
Pair the students and have them practice the following questions and answers. Ask them to come up with similar questions and answers.
Q: Are you going to go over the chapter with me? A: Are you asking whether I am going to review the chapter with you?
Q: Are you going to sign up for the course?
A: Are you asking whether I am going to enroll in the course?
Q: Are you going to pick up your son after school? A: Are you asking whether I am going to go and get my son after school?
Q: Are you going to keep on singing?
A: Are you asking whether I am going to continue to sing?
Q: Are you going to show up at the party?
A: Are you asking whether I am going to be present at the party?
Q: Are you going to put up with his tantrums?
A: Are you asking whether I am going to tolerate his tantrums?
Q: Are you going to get up at 5:00AM tomorrow? A: Are you asking whether I am going to rise from bed at 5:00AM?
| Q: Were you cut off in the middle of the phone conversation? | A: Are you asking whether I was disconnected in the middle of the phone conversation? | |
| Q: Are you going to look up the new word? | A: Are you asking whether I am going to search for the new word in a book? | |
| Q: Are you going to take up golf this summer? | A: Are you asking whether I am going to begin to play golf this summer? |