Business english writing - Masterclass International School 2020

Employees staff motivation

Pre-reading activity

Before reading the article below, try to answer the following question. If you cannot answer look the word up in a dictionary:

What is motivation?

How do you get motivated to do something?

What does motivation have to do with studying?

A person without goals in life has the highest chance of becoming demotivated. Do you agree/why?

Now you should have a more precise idea of what motivation is, so move on to the reading activity. If you do not understand some words you can use the glossary at the end of the article, which will help you get familiar with some of the words you will encounter in the text:

Reading activity

4 Demotivators That Will Cost You

Keeping everyone on your team focused and motivated is not easy, especially if you fall into one or more of these common traps.

If you feel that people are the most valuable asset at a business--and we certainly do--it's important to keep everyone motivated and sailing towards the same port. Recently, we wrote about three things business leaders can do to motivate their team. Equally important is what you should avoid doing.

1. Don't motivate solely on salary.

Salary might be why someone leaves your firm, but it won't be why they stay. Paying a competitive salary is table stakes, but it's an extrinsic motivator. To tap into people's intrinsic motivation, focus on creating an environment that encourages everyone to take ownership, communicate the purpose behind the work, and maintain a positive environment that encourages the open exchange of ideas. Cash-based incentives can help to deliver results in the short term, but long-term success requires a higher form of motivation.

2. Don't multitask when you're meeting with people.

There's no quicker way to undermine the importance of your employees than by actively engaging with your cell phone, laptop, or tablet during meetings. By not giving your full attention to the team, they will feel second rate and less motivated. Leaders must set the tone that everyone's time is valuable and that people deserve full attention when discussing business issues.

3. Don't deliver mixed messages.

Delivering different messages to different people is an easy trap to fall into, but it's exactly that--a trap. Communicate consistently to increase efficiency and give people the complete confidence that the game of telephone won't be played in your organization. While using different styles with different audiences is a critical part of being a successful leader, don't confuse this with tweaking the actual content of your message because you perceive different parties might want to hear different things.

4. Don't stifle creativity by shooting down 'dumb' ideas.

Creating and sharing ideas is part of a healthy work environment. By quickly shooting down people's ideas, you're likely to stifle creativity. Next time you're faced with an idea you're not initially fond of--and there will be lots of them--try using this idea as the launching point for a broader brainstorming session. Encourage the creation of long lists of potential solutions to a problem. Ideas one through 10 on the brainstorm list are likely to be straightforward, but by the time you get to idea 25, 52, or 78, you might really experience a breakthrough. New ideas to solve problems are the essence of successful companies, so be sure to create a culture where ideas are treasured, not trashed. Avoiding these common traps will help business leaders create lasting motivation for their teams.

From www.inc.com — by Karl Stark and Bill Stewart

Mansueto Ventures LLC. All rights reserved — Reproduced with permission

GLOSSARY

Notes to the text

✵In the article it is evident how words and expressions can be used metaphorically. In some cases metaphors are culture related so they do not make sense to a foreigner, but in some cases metaphors are universal or also common in other languages and cultures. The expression to fall into a trap is obviously metaphorical and means to be deceived into acting or thinking something which turned out to be different. Also the expression sailing towards the same port means to have common targets and so the meaning is figurative.

✵The word multitask was first used in computing and then applied to people’s attitude to perform many things simultaneously

Multitasking can reduce productivity dramatically

✵Some words are polysemous, that is they can have various meanings. The word straightforward may refer to a person’s character if they are frank, honest and direct, but it is also used to say that something is easy, uncomplicated. The word consistent means either regular and habitual but also free from contradiction.

Straightforwardness is valued in some societies more than in others

Post-reading activity 1 (Writing)

In the article “4 demotivators that will cost you”, the author focuses on what business leaders should avoid doing in order not to demotivate staff. Can you summarise his reasons and say why they may have negative effects on employees. Do you agree with the author?

Post-reading activity 2 (Comprehension)

Test your motivation skills. Are you motivated to achieve your goals? This test was prepared by Mind Tools. It is a company founded by James Manktelow in 1996, focused on teaching the essential skills for an excellent career.

How self-motivated are you?

Instructions: For each statement, put a tick in the column that best describes you. Answer questions as you actually are and when you have finished, you can calculate your score by following the directions provided on the website:

1.I'm unsure of my ability to achieve the goals I set for myself.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

2.When working on my goals, I put in maximum effort and work even harder if I've suffered a setback.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

3.I regularly set goals and objectives to achieve my vision for my life.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

4.I think positively about setting goals and making sure my needs are met.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

5.I use rewards (and consequences) to keep myself focused. For example, if I finish my report on time, I allow myself to take a coffee break.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

6.I believe that if I work hard and apply my abilities and talents, I will be successful.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

7.I worry about deadlines and getting things done, which causes stress and anxiety.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

8.When an unexpected event threatens or jeopardizes my goal, I can tend to walk away, set a different goal, and move in a new direction.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

9.My biggest reward after completing something is the satisfaction of knowing I've done a good job.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

10.I tend to do the minimum amount of work necessary to keep my boss and my team satisfied.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

11.I tend to worry about why I won't reach my goals, and I often focus on why something probably won't work.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

12.I create a vivid and powerful vision of my future success before embarking on a new goal.

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often

Post-reading activity 3 (Speaking)

Now, working in pairs, think about the result you have obtained and say whether you agree or not with it. Then, write down a list of things you could do to improve your motivating skills. After that, in a group do the same thing with your partners, by giving them advice and accepting their suggestions.

Supplementary activity 1 (Speaking)

If you were a manager, which of the following items would you consider to be a critical part of good staff motivation?

Be familiar with your staff — provide the employees some benefits — acknowledge your employees on their achievement — give your staff learning opportunities — smile often — ensure effective communication — flexibility — others

Vocabulary activity

Match the adjectives on the left with the definitions on the right. Then match the same adjectives with the nouns in A. that collocate with them:

Multifaceteddesigned for many uses

Multipurposesequential, graduated

Multistepexpressed in several languages, or having the ability to use many

Multiculturalcontaining multiple cultures

Multilingual having many aspects

Multiage having several layers, strata or levels

Multipartyinvolving different age groups

Multilayer(ed) involving several political parties

A.country — vehicle — cake — classroom — method — issue — government — environment

Post-reading activity 4 (Writing)

Choose the proverb that would best fit the article about motivation:

“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” — Stephen R. Covey, Author

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” — Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Speaker

Grammar revision

IMPERATIVE

The imperative form is used to give instructions or orders. It is also common in written instructions. When you use the imperative, you should be careful because it might be considered impolite under some circumstances, so use please if you are making a request:

Positive Negative

Base Form of Verb Do + Not (Don’t) + Base Form of Verb

Focus on creating an encouraging environmentDon't motivate solely on salary

Communicate the purpose behind the work Don't multitask when you're meeting with people

Encourage the creation of long lists Don't deliver mixed messages

The imperative is generally used for the you subject, but you can also use "let's" before the verb if you want to include yourself in the imperative (proposals, warnings, etc.):

Let us (Let’s) + Base Form of VerbLet us (Let’s) + not + Base Form of Verb

Let’s involve all the team in the matterLet’s not involve all the team in the matter

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

Adverbs of frequency tell us about the frequency of an action. In Post-reading activity 2 the test needed an answer such as rarely, sometimes, often, etc. These are examples of frequency adverbs and the following is a chart explaining how to use them:

Never Rarely/seldom Occasionally Sometimes   Often   Always

The position of these adverbs in a sentence is: subject + adverb of frequency + verb such as we have in:

I never go to meetings on Saturdays

She often goes to work by car

With auxiliary verbs (do, be, have, can, …) they follow the auxiliary such as we have in:

I don’t often study English

We are not always very punctual

Jim is never late at work

Often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the beginning of a sentence

Grammar exercises

1. Put the following sentences into the correct form of the imperative (positive or negative) based on what is stated in the article:

Ex. Creating and sharing ideas in your work environment = Create and share ideas in …

1.Shooting down people's ideas

=

2.Avoiding these common traps

=

3.Paying a competitive salary

=

4.To undermine the importance of your employees

=

5.Engaging with your cell phone, laptop, or tablet during meetings.

=

6.Delivering different messages to different people

=

2. Put the following sentences into the imperative form using let’s do/go/eat… or let’s not do/go/eat…

1.It’s 1 pm and you didn’t have breakfast in the morning. You are very hungry. What do you say to your friends? (Use have)

2.You and your colleagues have just finished dinner at a cheesy restaurant and are looking forward to leaving. What do you say? (Use pay)

3.Paul has just come at the party. You know that he has broken up with Sarah so what do you advise your friends not to do? (Use talk about)

4.Pamela caught a fever and she is resting now. You arrive at home with Mary. What do you say? (Use make a noise)

5.The speaker has arrived at the conference at last! You think everything is ready to start. What do you say? (Use get started)

3. Rewrite each sentence using the adverb of frequency in brackets in its correct position:

1.How often do you go to the cinema? I go to the cinema (seldom)

2.We spend Christmas with friends (usually)

3.Mary is late because she hates keeping people waiting (never)

4.I take sugar in my tea (sometimes)

5.My uncle goes for a stroll on Sundays (always)

6.I can say what I think or I am fired (never)

7.I am very busy but I will try to do my best (always)