I. Read the text about the different styles that men and women have in the workplace. Look at the cartoon and say which figures you think represent men and which represent women.

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Men and women do things differently. There are, of course, exceptions to every generalization, including this one.Cristina Stuart is a managing director of Speakeasy Training, a consultancy that runs courses for men and women working together. Here she describes a few key differences between the sexes in the workplace.

Working together

The male approach to business is competitive, direct and confrontational. The end justifies the means. Personal status and a focus on the individual are important.

The female method is collaborative. Collective action and responsibility are more important than personal achievement. Lateral thinking, as well as goodwill and the well-being of the individual, are also of great importance.

Tackling problems

The male approach is to go to the heart of the problem, without taking into account secondary considerations. The female preference is to look at various options.

Body language

Male body language tends to be challenging. Female body language tends towards self-protection. A stereotypical female pose is sitting cross-legged; the male sits with legs apart to give an impression that he is in control.

Male behaviour can include forceful gestures for example banging a fist on the desk for effect. The female style does not usually include aggressive gestures.

Language

The male way of speaking does not encourage discussion. Women tend to welcome others’ opinions and contributions more.

Conversation

Men like to talk about their personal experiences and achievements or discuss ‘masculine’ topics such as cars or sport. Women tend to talk about staff problems and personal matters.

Meetings

If a woman does not copy the male confrontational style, she is often ignored.

Self-promotion

Men find it easy to tell others about their successes. Women tend to share or pass on the credit for a success.

Humour

Men's humour can be cruel – a man’s joke usually has a victim. Female makes jokes against herself as a CAVEAT.Many men have a female style of working. Equally many women have a male approach.As Ms Stuart says many of the current management theorems – flatter organizations, empowerment, managing by consensus – have a female style to them.

· the end justifies the means: it doesn’t matter what methods you use; success is the only important thing;

· lateral thinking: thinking in a creative way, making unusual connections;

· flatter organizations: organizations in which there are fewer managers and people have equal status;

· managing by consensus: managing by getting everyone to agree.

Mark Powell, Ron Martinez, Rosi Jillett, New Business Matters, Coursebook

II. Read the text once again and see if the writer’s ideas are the same as yours.

Match the cartoons and the eight sub-sections of the text.

III. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: по-разному, исключение, консультативная деятельность, вести курсы, подход, конкурентный, оправдывать, достижение, всесторонний подход к вопросу, решать проблемы, принимать во внимание, самозащита, убедительные жесты, вера в успех, побуждающий.

IV. Complete the sentences with the right word

1) The end justifies …..

a) the methods b) the means c) the results

2) Collective action and ….. are more important than personal achievement.

a) responsibility b) influence c) power

3) The male approach is to go to the ….. of the problem, without taking into account secondary considerations.

a) centre b) middle c) heart

4) A stereotypical female pose is sitting …...

a) straight b) cross-legged c) cross-armed

5) The male way of speaking does not ….. discussion.

a) encourage b) result in c) stimulate

6) Women tend to talk about staff problems and ….. matters.

a) private b) social c) personal

7) Female makes jokes against herself as a …...

a) caveat b) explanation c) warning

Writing

Write a short answer on the question “Who is more successful in business: a man or a woman? ”

Lesson 4. Culture and style of management

Warm up

· Is it possible to avoid all conflicts at work? Why yes\no?

· Have you ever faced the conflicts with anybody except your relatives and friends? How did you solve them?

· How can management style help to solve some relation problems in the office?

· Are management styles different among countries? In what way?

Case study

I. Study the following reference.

Conflict management style

A conflict management style is the pattern of behaviour an individual develops in response to conflict with others such as differences of opinion. Conflict management styles tend to be consistent over time.

The principle behind this is that greater awareness of their style by individuals enables them to make better choices in how to respond. Someone who knows they have a tendency to avoid conflict, for example, they might choose a different and perhaps more appropriate response. The most widely used tool for this is a conflict style inventory, typically a short questionnaire filled out by a user, with interpretation of the scores given in writing or by an instructor. The point is not to categorize the user, but rather to give him or her framework in which to assess their responses and options.

II. Tasks:

1) What do you think about such an alternative in management as a conflict management style? Do you agree with it?

2) Develop a strategy of labour relations during a conflict style (the supervisor – subordinate, the head – the chief of departments, etc.)

3) Choose a company and illustrate conflict relations in it (in groups). Try to ease the tension (снять напряжение) in the office as it’s possible.

Team work

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