Episode 128

EPISODE 128
LEVEL A2

READING COMPREHENSION

 

Conflict

To recognize conflict situations and deal with them before they get very bad is one of the responsibilities of anybody who is in a management position. A good number of personal qualities are necessary in order to handle conflict successfully.
First of all, you have to be sympathetic towards the two sides involved, and show that you really want to understand their problem.
It is often a good idea to try and solve the emotional side of the conflict first, because it is difficult for people to think or even express themselves clearly as long as they are full of feelings such as anger, fear or hatred. Of course, you yourself cannot become angry or upset, because if you run out of patience, you will only make things worse. As some people say, you should try and remain cool and calm at all times.
Secondly, a certain amount of creativity will also help you, as very often you cannot apply old solutions to new problems.
Another key quality is consistency. Indeed, if you change your behaviour or attitude depending on who you talk to, you will probably make enemies and may soon lose your credibility.

 

Exercise 1

What collocations can you make from the word in these two boxes?

conflict / emotional / key / management / personal
position / quality / side / situation
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
4. _______________________________
5. _______________________________

 

Exercise 2

 

Complete the table with corresponding nouns / adjectives, like in the example:

noun	adjective
anger	angry
consistency
creativity
credibility
fear
patience
responsibility
sympathetic

I know English idioms:

 

In this lesson we are talking about conflict at the workplace. English has a few nice idioms related to this topic:

• to fight like cat and dog – droczyć się jak kot z psem
• to bury the hatchet – zakopać topór wojenny
• to cross swords with someone – krzyżować miecze
• to make a mountain out of a molehill – robić z igły widły

 

 

Phrasals, phrasals…

 

Our reading text contains this time a very popular and useful phrasal verb: to run out of sth (If you run out of patience…) which can be translated as “kończyć się” (Jeśli kończy ci sie cierpliwość…)

But it is not only used in the context of emotions and emotional states! We can as well say:

• We are running out of time. – Kończy nam się czas.
• I’m running out of petrol. – Kończy mi się benzyna.
• She’s running out of excuses. – Kończą jej się wymówki.

Can you add a few more things we can run out of? Before YOU run out of ideas, of course!

 

Grammar corner…

This lesson’s reading text contains such as sentence:

It is often a good idea to try and solve the emotional side of the conflict first…

The beginning of which can be translated as: Często dobrze jest… – so in a very impersonal way. To express the idea of impersonality (bezosobowość) we need to remember to use in English the introductory “It”. Let’s study other examples:

 

• It’s dangerous to walk in the road. (Niebezpiecznie jest…)
• It’s a pity that John couldn’t come. (Szkoda, że…)
• It’s not worth waiting any longer. (Nie warto…)

 

Exercise 3

How would you say these sentences in English?

1. Łatwo jest narzekać (complain).
2. To daleko stąd.
3. Zimno dziś.
4. Ciężko pracować na własny rachunek (to be self-employed).

 

GLOSSARY

to recognize – rozpoznać
to deal with – zajmować się, radzić sobie
responsibility – obowiązek
management position – kierownicze stanowisko
personal quality – cecha osobista
necessary – konieczny
in order to – w celu
handle – zajmować się, radzić sobie
successfully – z powodzeniem
sympathetic – pełen współczucia, życzliwy
side – strona
involved – zaangażowany
to solve – rozwiązać
to express yourself – wyrażać się
anger – złość
fear – strach
hatred – nienawiść
upset – zmartwiony, w złym humorze
to run out of – kończyć się (o czymś)
patience – cierpliwość
to remain – pozostać
cool / calm – spokojny, opanowany
certain – pewien
amount – ilość
creativity – inwencja twórcza
to apply – (za)stosować
solution – rozwiązanie
key – kluczowy
consistency – konsekwencja
indeed – w rzeczy samej
behaviour – zachowanie
attitude – postawa, podejście
depending on – w zależności od
enemy – wróg
credibility – wiarygodność

 

download lesson (pdf)