【B2-Reading】05 Cultural expectations and leadership-文化期望和领导力

【B2-Reading】05 Cultural expectations and leadership-文化期望和领导力

Read an article about the different cultural expectations of a leader to practise and improve your reading skills.
阅读一篇有关领导者不同文化期望的文章，以练习和提高您的阅读技能。

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
先做好准备工作。然后阅读课文并做练习。

Preparation准备

Cultural expectations and leadership – preparation

Match the words with the definitions.

• Question

Vocabulary
1.vague
2.to carry out a task
3.democratic
4.a hierarchy
5.to come up with
6.resentment
7.to be perceived
8.to have initiative

Definition
a. to perform or complete a job or activity
b. unclear, not specific or definite
c. a system where members are ranked according to status or authority
d. based on the idea that everyone is equal and should be involved in making decisions
e. to think of something such as an idea or plan
f. to be seen or understood in a certain way
g. to have the ability to take action without someone telling you what to do next
h. dissatisfaction and bad feelings from being treated unfairly

• Answer

1. to perform or complete a job or activity
   to carry out a task
2. unclear, not specific or definite
   vague
3. a system where members are ranked according to status or authority
   a hierarchy
4. based on the idea that everyone is equal and should be involved in making decisions
   democratic
5. to think of something such as an idea or plan
   to come up with
6. to be seen or understood in a certain way
   to be perceived
7. to have the ability to take action without someone telling you what to do next
   to have initiative
8. dissatisfaction and bad feelings from being treated unfairly
   resentment

Reading text阅读文字

English

Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in Brazil and was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realised that managing her new team would be a challenge.

Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she gave them instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue giving their opinions as if it was still up for discussion.

After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues she was facing with her team. Her manager simply asked her if she felt her team was still performing, and what she thought would help her better collaborate with her team members. Gabriela found her manager vague and didn’t feel as if he was managing the situation satisfactorily.

What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was used to a more hierarchical framework where the team leader and manager took control and gave specific instructions on how things were to be done. This more directive management style worked well for her and her team in Brazil but did not transfer well to her new team in Sweden, who were more used to a flatter hierarchy where decision making was more democratic. When Gabriela took the issue to her Swedish manager, rather than stepping in with directions about what to do, her manager took on the role of coach and focused on getting her to come up with her own solutions instead.

Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of ‘power distance’ to describe how power is distributed and how hierarchy is perceived in different cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high power distance culture where power and authority are respected and everyone has their rightful place. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power distance culture where subordinates often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches or mentors who encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.

When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she took the initiative to have an open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership. Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them to do their job well. They realised that Gabriela was taking it personally when they tried to challenge or make changes to her decisions, and were able to explain that it was how they’d always worked.

With a better understanding of the underlying reasons behind each other’s behaviour, Gabriela and her team were able to adapt their way of working. Gabriela was then able to make adjustments to her management style so as to better fit the expectations of her team and more effectively motivate her team to achieve their goals.

English-Chinese

Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in Brazil and was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realised that managing her new team would be a challenge.
加布里埃拉曾在巴西的一家跨国公司担任成功的项目经理，后来调到瑞典管理一个团队。她对自己的新角色感到兴奋，但很快意识到管理新团队将是一项挑战。

Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she gave them instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue giving their opinions as if it was still up for discussion.
尽管他们很友善，但加布里埃拉并没有感到作为领导者受到尊重。她的新员工会在会议上公开质疑她的建议，当她向他们指示如何执行任务时，他们往往会以自己的方式进行，而不与她协商。当她宣布对这个项目的决定时，他们会继续发表自己的意见，就好像这个项目仍在讨论中一样。

After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues she was facing with her team. Her manager simply asked her if she felt her team was still performing, and what she thought would help her better collaborate with her team members. Gabriela found her manager vague and didn’t feel as if he was managing the situation satisfactorily.
经过几周的沮丧之后，加布里埃拉向她的瑞典经理发送了电子邮件，讲述了她与团队面临的问题。她的经理只是问她是否觉得她的团队仍在表现，以及她认为什么可以帮助她更好地与团队成员合作。加布里埃拉发现她的经理含糊其辞，感觉他对局势的处理并不令人满意。

What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was used to a more hierarchical framework where the team leader and manager took control and gave specific instructions on how things were to be done. This more directive management style worked well for her and her team in Brazil but did not transfer well to her new team in Sweden, who were more used to a flatter hierarchy where decision making was more democratic. When Gabriela took the issue to her Swedish manager, rather than stepping in with directions about what to do, her manager took on the role of coach and focused on getting her to come up with her own solutions instead.
加布里埃拉所经历的是期望中的文化冲突。她习惯了一个更加层级化的框架，在这个框架中，团队领导者和经理负责控制，并就如何完成工作给出具体指示。这种更具指导性的管理风格对她和她在巴西的团队来说效果很好，但并没有很好地转移到她在瑞典的新团队，他们更习惯于决策更加民主的扁平化等级制度。当加布里埃拉向她的瑞典经理提出这个问题时，她的经理没有介入指导该怎么做，而是扮演了教练的角色，专注于让她提出自己的解决方案。

Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of ‘power distance’ to describe how power is distributed and how hierarchy is perceived in different cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high power distance culture where power and authority are respected and everyone has their rightful place. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power distance culture where subordinates often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches or mentors who encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.
荷兰社会心理学家吉尔特·霍夫斯泰德（Geert Hofstede）使用“权力距离”的概念来描述不同文化中权力的分配方式以及等级制度的感知方式。在之前的工作环境中，加布里埃拉习惯了高权力距离文化，在这种文化中，权力和权威受到尊重，每个人都有自己应有的地位。在这种文化中，领导者会做出重大决策，并且不会经常受到挑战。然而，她的瑞典团队习惯于在低权力距离文化中工作，下属经常与老板一起寻找解决方案并做出决策。在这里，领导者充当教练或导师，鼓励独立思考并期待受到挑战。

When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she took the initiative to have an open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership. Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them to do their job well. They realised that Gabriela was taking it personally when they tried to challenge or make changes to her decisions, and were able to explain that it was how they’d always worked.
当加布里埃拉意识到她和她的团队之间的文化差异时，她主动与他们进行公开对话，了解他们对她的领导力的感受。加布里埃拉的团队很高兴被问及他们的想法，并公开表示他们不习惯被告知该做什么。他们喜欢有更多的主动性和创造性自由的空间。当她准确地告诉团队她需要他们做什么时，他们觉得她不相信他们能做好工作。他们意识到，当他们试图挑战或改变加布里埃拉的决定时，她是在针对她个人的想法，并能够解释说，这就是他们一直以来的工作方式。

With a better understanding of the underlying reasons behind each other’s behaviour, Gabriela and her team were able to adapt their way of working. Gabriela was then able to make adjustments to her management style so as to better fit the expectations of her team and more effectively motivate her team to achieve their goals.
通过更好地了解彼此行为背后的根本原因，加布里埃拉和她的团队能够调整他们的工作方式。加布里埃拉随后能够调整自己的管理风格，以更好地满足团队的期望，并更有效地激励团队实现目标。

Task 1任务1

Cultural expectations and leadership – 1

Are the sentences true or false?

• Question

1. Gabriela’s management style worked well with her team in Brazil but not with her team in Sweden.
   True False
2. Gabriela’s team questioned her proposals and her decisions because they didn’t trust or respect her.
   True False
3. Gabriela was satisfied with her Swedish manager’s way of dealing with her problem.
   True False
4. Gabriela found it helpful to talk openly with her team about the differences in their expectations.
   True False
5. Gabriela faced a problem with her Swedish team because her management style was old-fashioned and wrong for the modern world.
   True False
6. The author believes that people from high power distance cultures and low power distance cultures should never work together.
   True False

• Answer

1. Gabriela’s management style worked well with her team in Brazil but not with her team in Sweden.
   ✔True False
2. Gabriela’s team questioned her proposals and her decisions because they didn’t trust or respect her.
   True ✔False
3. Gabriela was satisfied with her Swedish manager’s way of dealing with her problem.
   True ✔False
4. Gabriela found it helpful to talk openly with her team about the differences in their expectations.
   ✔True False
5. Gabriela faced a problem with her Swedish team because her management style was old-fashioned and wrong for the modern world.
   True ✔False
6. The author believes that people from high power distance cultures and low power distance cultures should never work together.
   True ✔False

Task 2任务2

Cultural expectations and leadership – 2

Put the sentences in the correct group.

• Question

1. The manager gives the team detailed instructions on what to do.
2. The manager makes the big decisions.
3. Team members do not usually challenge the manager.
4. The manager acts as a guide but encourages input from the team.
5. The manager gives specific advice to help solve problems.
6. The manager involves the team in making decisions together.
7. The manager has a lot of control over what happens.
8. Team members can take the initiative to do things their way.
9. The manager encourages the team to find their own solutions.
10. Team members can often challenge the manager.

• Answer

Expectations in a high power distance culture

1. The manager makes the big decisions.
2. The manager gives the team detailed instructions on what to do.
3. The manager has a lot of control over what happens.
4. Team members do not usually challenge the manager.
5. The manager gives specific advice to help solve problems.

Expectations in a low power distance culture

1. The manager involves the team in making decisions together.
2. Team members can take the initiative to do things their way.
3. The manager acts as a guide but encourages input from the team.
4. Team members can often challenge the manager.
5. The manager encourages the team to find their own solutions.

Discussion讨论

What do you think the role of a manager should be?
您认为管理者的角色应该是什么？

Vocabulary

vague模糊的

• 简易

  vague英/veɪɡ/美/veɪɡ/
  adj.不明确的，不清楚的；（形状）模糊的；（感情、记忆等）不完整的，不清晰的；含糊其词的，闪烁其词的；茫然的，心不在焉的

  【名】 （Vague）韦格（人名）

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  比较级vaguer或more vague最高级vaguest或most vague

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  vague/veɪɡ/|CET4 TEM4
  vaguer vaguest

  1. ADJ If something written or spoken is vague, it does not explain or express things clearly. 含糊的

     • A lot of the talk was apparently vague and general.
     这次会谈的许多内容显然是含糊而笼统的。

     • The description was pretty vague.
     这项描述是相当含糊的。

2. ADV 含糊地

   • “I’m not sure,” Liz said vaguely.
   “我不能肯定，” 莉兹含糊地说。

3. ADJ If you have a vague memory or idea of something, the memory or idea is not clear. 模糊的

   • They have only a vague idea of the amount of water available.
   他们对于可用水量只有一点模糊的了解。

4. ADV 模糊地

   • Judith could vaguely remember her mother lying on the sofa.
   朱迪斯能够模糊地记得她母亲当时正躺在沙发上。

5. ADJ If you are vague about something, you deliberately do not tell people much about it. 含糊其辞的

   • He was vague, however, about just what U.S. forces might actually do.
   然而，他对于美国军队真正可能做什么却含糊其辞。

6. ADJ If something such as a feeling is vague, you experience it only slightly. (感觉等) 轻微的

   • He was conscious of that vague feeling of irritation again.
   他又一次感到微微有些恼火。

7. ADJ A vague shape or outline is not clear and is therefore not easy to see. 模糊不清的

   • The bus was a vague shape in the distance.
   远处的那辆公共汽车只是一个模糊不清的轮廓。

resentment愤恨

• 简易

英/rɪˈzentmənt/美/rɪˈzentmənt/
n.愤恨，怨恨

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复数resentments

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

resentment/rɪˈzɛntmənt/|CET6 TEM4
N-UNCOUNT Resentment is bitterness and anger that someone feels about something. 怨恨

• She expressed resentment at being interviewed by a social worker.
她对于被一个社会工作者面试表示了怨恨。

democratic平等的

• 简易

英/ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/美/ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/
adj.平等的，有民主精神的；民主政体的；（美国）民主党的

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• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

democratic/ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk/|CET4 TEM4

1. ADJ A democratic country, government, or political system is governed by representatives who are elected by the people. 民主的

   • Bolivia returned to democratic rule in 1982, after a series of military governments.
   玻利维亚经历了一系列军事政府统治后于1982年恢复了民主统治。

2. ADV 民主地

   • That June, Yeltsin became Russia’s first democratically elected president.
   那年6月，叶利钦成为俄罗斯第一位通过民主选举产生的总统。

3. ADJ Something that is democratic is based on the idea that everyone should have equal rights and should be involved in making important decisions. 民主精神的

   • Education is the basis of a democratic society.
   教育是民主社会的基础。

4. ADV 民主精神地

   • This committee will enable decisions to be made democratically.
   这个委员会将保证决策是民主地产生的。

hierarchy等级制度

• 简易

英/ˈhaɪərɑːki/美/ˈhaɪərɑːrki/
n.等级制度；统治集团；等级体系

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复数hierarchies

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

hierarchy/ˈhaɪəˌrɑːkɪ/|CET6 TEM8

1. N-VAR A hierarchy is a system of organizing people into different ranks or levels of importance, for example in society or in a company. 等级制度

   • Like most other American companies with a rigid hierarchy, workers and managers had strictly defined duties.
   像大多数其他等级制度森严的美国公司一样，工人和管理人员都有严格界定的职责。

2. N-COUNT-COLL The hierarchy of an organization is the group of people who manage and control it. 统治集团

   • The church hierarchy today feels the church should reflect the social and political realities of the country.
   教会统治集团如今感到教会应该反映国家的社会现实和政治现实。

perceive理解

• 简易

英/pəˈsiːv/美/pərˈsiːv/
vt.认为，理解；察觉，注意到；意识到

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第三人称单数perceives现在分词perceiving过去式perceived过去分词perceived

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

perceive/pəˈsiːv/|CET4 TEM4
perceiving perceived perceives

1. V-T If you perceive something, you see, notice, or realize it, especially when it is not obvious. 感知到

   • Students must perceive for themselves the relationship between success and effort.
   学生们必须自己去认识到成功与努力之间的关系。

2. V-T If you perceive someone or something as doing or being a particular thing, it is your opinion that they do this thing or that they are that thing. 认为

   • Stress is widely perceived as contributing to coronary heart disease.
   压力普遍被认为能造成冠心病。

initiative主动性

• 简易

英/ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/美/ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
n.措施，倡议；主动性，积极性；主动权；（美国某些州的）公民立法提案程序

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复数initiatives

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

initiative/ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv, -ʃətɪv/|CET4 TEM4

1. N-COUNT An initiative is an important act or statement that is intended to solve a problem. (重要的) 法案; 倡议

   • Local initiatives to help young people have been inadequate.
   当地对年轻人的扶助法案一直不够完善。

2. N-SING In a fight or contest, if you have the initiative, you are in a better position than your opponents to decide what to do next. 主动权

   • We have the initiative; we intend to keep it.
   我们拥有主动权；我们想要保持主动权。

3. N-UNCOUNT If you have initiative, you have the ability to decide what to do next and to do it, without needing other people to tell you what to do. 主动性

   • She was disappointed by his lack of initiative.
   她对他缺乏主动性感到失望。

4. N-COUNT An initiative is a political procedure in which a group of citizens propose a new law or a change to the law, which all voters can then vote on. 公民立法提案程序

   • If they reject or ignore the initiative, the public will vote on it in November.
   如果他们拒绝或无视公民立法提案程序，公众将于11月对它进行投票表决。

5. PHRASE If you take the initiative in a situation, you are the first person to act, and are therefore able to control the situation. 采取主动

   • We are the only power willing to take the initiative in the long struggle to end the war.
   在旨在结束战争的长期斗争中，我们是惟一愿意首先采取行动的国家。

frustration

• 简易

英/frʌˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/美/frʌˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/
n.懊恼，沮丧；受阻，挫败；令人懊丧（或懊恼、沮丧）的事物

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复数frustrations

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

1. He cried with anger and frustration.
   他愤怒而失望地哭了。

2. She telephoned her best friend to vent her frustration.
   她打电话给自己最好的朋友来发泄她的沮丧。

3. Frustration, anger and desperation have led to a series of wildcat strikes.
   挫败感、愤怒和绝望引发了一系列自发性罢工。

4. Sometimes frustration and anger can boil over into direct and violent action.
   有时无奈和愤怒会失去控制，变成直接的暴力行为。

clash

• 简易

英/klæʃ/美/klæʃ/
n.冲突，交战；争论，争执；交锋，比赛；分歧，差异；（金属的）撞击声；（时间上的）冲突，撞期；（颜色、图案等的）不相配

v.迥然不同，抵触；冲突，交战；争论，争执；（时间上）相冲突，同时发生；（颜色、图案等）不协调，不相配；（体育）交锋，对阵；（使）撞击发出铿锵声

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复数clashes第三人称单数clashes现在分词clashing过去式clashed过去分词clashed

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

1. V-RECIP When people clash, they fight, argue, or disagree with each other. 发生冲突; 产生矛盾

   • A group of 400 demonstrators ripped down the front gate and clashed with police.
   400名示威者推倒前面的大前门，与警察发生了冲突。

   • Behind the scenes, Parsons clashed with almost everyone on the show.
   幕后，帕森斯几乎跟每个参与演出的人都产生过矛盾。

2. N-COUNT Clash is also a noun. 冲突

   • There have been a number of clashes between police in riot gear and demonstrators.
   穿防暴服的警察和示威者之间发生过多次冲突。

3. V-RECIP Beliefs, ideas, or qualities that clash with each other are very different from each other and therefore are opposed. (因信仰、观点或质量不同而) 产生分歧

   • Don’t make any policy decisions which clash with official company thinking.
   不要做与公司官方理念有分歧的任何政策性决定。

4. N-COUNT Clash is also a noun. 分歧

   • Inside government, there was a clash of views.
   政府内部有意见分歧。

5. V-RECIP If one colour or style clashes with another, the colours or styles look ugly together. You can also say that two colours or styles clash. (颜色、风格等) 不协调

   • The red door clashed with the soft, natural tones of the stone walls.
   这红色的门与柔和自然色调的石墙不协调。

6. V-I If one event clashes with another, the two events happen at the same time so that you cannot attend both of them. (两件事因发生的时间相同而) 产生冲突

perform

• 简易

英/pəˈfɔːm/美/pərˈfɔːrm/
v.演出，表演；执行，履行（尤指复杂的任务或行动）；运行，表现；起……作用，有……功能

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第三人称单数performs现在分词performing过去式performed过去分词performed

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

perform/pəˈfɔːm/|CET4 TEM4
performing performed performs

1. V-T When you perform a task or action, especially a complicated one, you do it. 做; 执行 (尤指复杂的任务或行动)

   • We’re looking for people of all ages who have performed outstanding acts of bravery, kindness, or courage.
   我们正在寻找各个年龄的、曾有过无畏、善良或英勇之举的杰出人士。

   • His council had had to perform miracles on a tiny budget.
   他的委员会不得不靠一笔微薄的预算来创造奇迹。

2. V-T If something performs a particular function, it has that function. 行使 (某种功能)

   • An engine has many parts, each performing a different function.
   一部发动机有很多部件，各自行使不同的功能。

3. V-T If you perform a play, a piece of music, or a dance, you do it in front of an audience. 演出; 演奏

   • Gardiner has pursued relentlessly high standards in performing classical music.
   加德纳在演奏古典音乐方面始终不懈地追求高标准。

   • This play was first performed in 411 BC.
   该剧于公元前411年首次上演。

4. V-I If someone or something performs well, they work well or achieve a good result. If they perform badly, they work badly or achieve a poor result. 表现 (好/不好)

   • He had not performed well in his exams.
   过去考试他都考得不好。

   • State-owned industries will always perform poorly.
   国有工业将始终经营不善。

expectation

• 简易

英/ˌekspekˈteɪʃ(ə)n/美/ˌekspekˈteɪʃn/
n.期待，预期；期望，指望

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复数expectations

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

expectation/ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən/|CET4 TEM4

1. N-UNCOUNT Your expectations are your strong hopes or beliefs that something will happen or that you will get something that you want. 期盼

   • Their hope, and their expectation, was that she was going to be found safe and that she would be returned to her family.
   他们的希望和期盼是她被找到时安全无恙并被送回她家。

2. N-COUNT A person’s expectations are strong beliefs they have about the proper way someone should behave or something should happen. 期望

   • Stephen Chase had determined to live up to the expectations of the company.
   斯蒂芬·蔡斯已决心不辜负公司的期望。