I noticed the work values of the eighties were rewarded individualism and greed, yet the nineties encouraged collaboration and cooperation. In my own experience, the latter values are “winning” now.
ІІ.True or false? (lines 1-44) Correct the false statements
| a) It's easy to know how competitive to be when you start work in a new office. | False |
| b)You should find out about the environment in order to… | True |
| c) If you work with cut-throat salespeople, this will not affect you. | False |
| d)Some organizations are non-hierarchical, but their number is not increasing. | False |
| e) One non-hierarchical organization is St Luke's agency. | True |
| f) People at St Luke's have their own offices. | False |
| g) Everybody is encouraged to say what they think at St Luke's. | True |
| h)Assertive, competitive people are welcome at St Luke's. | True |
ІІІ.Find adjectives in lines 45-75 to complete these definitions
Someone
a)who is aggressive and determined to succeed is pushy.
b)who is very worried is anxious.
c)whose feelings are very strong is intense.
d)who is cruel and shows no kindness is merciless.
e)usually a man, who behaves in a way that shows their strength and lack of concern for feelings is ‘macho kick-ass’.
f) who reaches their goals and is admired by others is successful.
IV. Why, according to lines 59-66, are boys more competitive than girls? Why does Tuvia Melamid not believe this, at least in relation to women managers? (lines 69-84) What might explain this difference of opinion?
Because as young children, boys are brought up with a focus on competitive sports, whereas girls are brought up to share and play in groups.
Tuvia Melamid don’t believe this merely because she focused on managers who are mostly in their twenties and thirties instead of York’s research focused on Britain's most successful female chief executives, most of whom are over 40. This shows how much age has to do with competitiveness – the latter groups are 1980s children whereas the older women weren't raised with such hard values.
Over tо you 1
You are a journalist working for a business magazine. You interview someone who works in an office very like the one at St Luke's. Find out what the advantages and disadvantages are.
If you are working on your own, write live questions and answers from this interview, know how to behave.
– Excuse me, do you work in this firm? If so, can I take a short interview at you?
– Yes, in this firm. How can I help you?
– Can it seems to me, but your office looks something like the London St. Luke‘s agency. Tell me, how are you working here?
– Easily and naturally. Nobody has a separate cabinet or office, we work on common cause. I, for example, have been allowed to come in my boss’ cabinet and use his computer. There is no hierarchy: everybody discharges the direct duties, there are no orders «from the top». Nobody puts itself higher than other. Absolute trust to each other. Everybody, even secretary, can give new suggestions, ideas, etc.
– To us such terms of labor. However not that at us mentality, so far…
– Forgive, it seemed to me a small accent in your pronunciation, where do you come from?
– I from Ukraine, it is Eastern Europe.
– You yourself can create a similar working atmosphere, it costs only to have the desire and study to it.
– Well, I thank you for an exhaustive interview.
– Пробачте, ви у цій фірмі працюєте? Якщо так, можу я взяти у вас коротеньке інтерв’ю?
– Так, у цій фірмі. Чим можу допомогти вам?
– Може мені здалося, але ваш офіс чимось нагадує Лондонське агентство св. Люка. Розкажіть, як вам тут працюється?
– Легко і невимушено. Окремої контори чи офісу ніхто не має, працюємо на спільну справу. Я, наприклад, можу зайти до кабінету свого боса і працювати на його комп’ютері. Немає ієрархії: кожен виконує свої прямі обов’язки, немає наказів «зверху». Ніхто не ставить себе вище за інших. Повна довіра один одному. Кожен, навіть секретар, може подавати нові пропозиції, ідеї.
– Нам би такі умови праці. Проте не та у нас ментальність, поки що…
– Вибачте, у вас невеликий акцент у вимові, звідки ви?
– Я з України, це Східна Європа.
– Ви ж і у себе можете створити подібну робочу атмосферу, варто лише мати бажання і вчитися цьому.
– Добре, дякую за вичерпне інтерв’ю.
Overtoyou 2
Do you think that men are naturally more competitive than women?
Well, I don’t really think so. Men and women themselves are so different, thus to judge who are more competitive is like a fruitless work, especially nowadays. I have even been standing on just the other way about, that is women win at the moment. May be due to their beauty, or to something other. However, women now have the higher probability to receive a job, than other “strong half” of mankind, alas.