Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 40 - Who likes sucking up?

Jason; One of my best leaders was the biggest, grumpiest old men you'd ever meet, but he made damn sure everyone went home on time, got paid, and was fed. Sometimes out of his own pocket. He didn't like politics and sure didn't like people sucking up to him. If you did your job and did it effectively then you were good.

Diana: Who likes sucking up? Sounds a lot like my grandfather who I work for. He’s a pain in the ass, loses his temper easily and prefers things done his way regardless of efficiency, but at the end of the day he pays everyone who works for him very well and will bend over backwards to make sure everyone has work.

Jason: The best managers I know engage with staff that they feel don’t respect them to find out why and work toward common goals.

Nonetheless, one can run into all kinds of pitfalls. And almost all unhappy employees don’t understand the requirements a manager has to answer to.

Diana: But jerks are everywhere. Once I worked in a gift shop, I hated my manager who used to single me out for no reason. I started challenging his authority after he threw me under the bus for something a customer broke, eventually, and to my dismay, I was laid off after a few days of that incident.

Vocabulary;

grumpy: (adjective) easily annoyed and complaining.

out of one's own pocket: using one's own money

suck up to: to kowtow; to seek the approval, attention, or support of superiors.

pain in the ass: (rude slang) an irritating, aggravating, or obnoxious person, thing, or situation.

one’s way: what one wants; the manner in which one wants or demands something to be done.

bend over backwards: to work very hard to accomplish something.

engage with: to get involved with other people and t h eir ideas in order to understand them.

pitfall: an unexpected danger or difficulty.

jerk: a stupid person, usually a man.

single sb/sth out: to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention, especially criticism or praise.

throw someone under the bus: to do others damage in order to gain an advantage for yourself.

to one’s dismay: to refer to something that caused a feeling disappointment or shock.

lay off: to end someone's employment; to sack; to fire; to dismiss; to let go.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. He took financial advice on how to avoid the .......... of setting up your own business.

2. You stupid ..........! You've just spilled beer all down my new shirt!

3. I figured they would .......... me off, I just didn't think it would be this soon.

4. He has been accused of throwing fellow Republicans .......... the bus for his personal agenda.

5. Jamie was thrilled when the teacher .......... out his poem and asked him to read it aloud.

6. Are you so tired you don’t have the energy to .......... with your kids? Then you’ve to let go.

7. The entire staff really needs to bend over .......... while the CEO is visiting our office.

8. You'll have to pay for the plane tickets out of your own .........., but you'll be reimbursed after you arrive.

9. Don't bother arguing—the boss has to have it done her own .........., or she won't sign off on anything you do.

10. This calculus homework is a .......... in the ass. It's not that I don't understand it, it's just so tedious!

11. Now that he's the boss they're all .......... up to him, hoping to get big raises.

12. I would walk into work, looking rumpled and barely awake, .......... and behind everyone else.

13. She discovered, to her .........., that she had locked her keys inside her car.

1. pitfalls 2. jerk 3. lay 4. under 5. singled 6. engage 7. backwards 8. pocket 9. way 10. pain 11. sucking 12. grumpy 13. dismay