Chapter 2: Personal Management
8 Reading
Hi! I’m Ray, your Strategy Coach. I will give you some important tips to help you build your learning strategies.
Before you read
Discuss these questions to prepare for the reading:
- Look at the title of the reading text that follows. What do you think this reading will be about?
- Look at the headings. What information do you think you will read about in this text?
Read
Read this newsletter from CDN Malls.
After you read
Comprehension
Answer the questions below. Be ready to discuss your answers.
1. What is the main purpose of this newsletter?
a) To share important information with the employees at CDN Malls
b) To entertain the employees of CDN Malls
c) To get people to buy it
2. Who is this document written for?
a) Customers of CDN Malls
b) Employees of CDN Malls
c) Customers and employees of CDN Malls
3. What is the main article in the CDN Malls newsletter about?
a) The top employees at CDN Malls
b) How to be punctual
c) How to be an effective employee
Scan the newsletter to find the answers to the following questions:
4. Which of the following demonstrates effective personal management skills?
a) Be an expert in technical skills.
b) Manage your time effectively.
c) Prove you are better than your co-workers.
5. The section titled “Learn continuously” talks about
a) enrolling in courses all the time
b) taking opportunities to extend your knowledge
c) doing what you can to get a promotion
6. What are two ways you can show that you work responsibly?
a) Improve your technical skills and get a promotion.
b) Challenge others and solve problems.
c) Be accountable and show that you are dependable.
7. Who should people report unsafe conditions to?
a) Co-workers
b) The nearest store
c) Security
8. What is the date of the Safewalk review?
a) 12
b) 6
c) 9–13
Vocabulary
Meaning
- Refer to the text. Guess what these words mean. Use your own words to describe them. Talk about their meanings in the reading.
a) punctually (Paragraph 2)
b) continuously (Paragraph 4)
c) accountable (Paragraph 5)
- Fill in the blanks with suitable words or phrases from the list in the box.
| optimistically | can-do attitude | valued |
| solution-oriented | nominate | personal management |
a) She always found a way to make things work, no matter how hard it was, because she had a .
b) He received an appreciation award because he was a member of the team.
c) If you look at life , your future looks positive.
d) She demonstrated excellent skills, so everyone enjoyed working on her team.
e) He was very , so he always looked for ways to improve issues.
- Match the Personal Management Skill on the left to an example on the right.
| Personal Management Skills | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Work responsibly | Susan is reading a book titled The Secrets to Positive Team Leading so that she can be a better manager. | |
| Demonstrate a positive attitude | Paul arrives 10 minutes early before each shift to give himself time to change his shoes and get ready to work. | |
| Be creative and flexible | Sima noticed the schedules were getting mixed up and a few people were double-booked. She looked for a new computer program for managing schedules and suggested it to Susan. | |
| Manage time effectively | Customers noticed and commented that Raja always greets them with a smile and is always willing to help. | |
| Learn continuously | Sima takes a few minutes every day to check in on Raja and Paul to see if they need help and to let them know she is available if they need anything. |
Form
Some words in English are used as both nouns (person, place, or thing) and verbs (action or state words). The spelling is the same, but the meanings are different, depending on how they are used in a sentence. Read the words and their definitions below:
Address
Noun: the location of a building, including the number and street
Verb: to deal with a problem
Challenge
Noun: something that is difficult to do
Verb: to disagree with someone’s ideas, rules, or authority
Report
Noun: a written document about a subject
Verb: to tell someone about something that has happened
Break
Noun: a short period when you stop what you are doing
Verb: to damage something
Notice
Noun: a sign that gives information about something
Verb: to see or be aware of something
Contact
Noun: a person you know at a particular place who could help with a job or position
Verb: to phone, email, or communicate with someone
Value
Noun: the amount that something is worth
Verb: to feel that someone or something is important to you
Fill in the blanks in the sentences with the correct words from the box below. Each word will appear once as a noun and once as a verb.
| address | challenge | report | break |
| contact | value | notice |
a) She had to the accident to Security right away so that they could call Maintenance.
b) Who should I to sign up for training?
c) What is the of the Canadian dollar?
d) That project is very complicated. It will be a .
e) Your for lunch is from noon until 1:00 p.m. every day.
f) Please the problem with the entire
g) Did you the new schedule posted in the staff room?
h) I have to submit my weekly on the progress of this project.
i) If you are looking for a job, I have a at the gas company.
j) Remember to fill in your on the top of the form.
k) I read the reminding us about the meeting
l) Boss to employee: “You are very smart and work very hard. I your contributions to the team.”
m) She does not agree with the information presented, so she will it.
n) Don’t drop the laptop, you might it.
Discussion
Refer to the CDN Malls newsletter. Do the following:
- Notice the kind of information that is included in this workplace newsletter.
- Think about what other kinds of information can be included in workplace newsletters.
Discuss how newsletters are useful in the workplace.
Reading progress check
Complete the following:
This is a completed Employee of the Month nomination form. One of Sima’s co-workers has nominated her for this award. First, read the questions in the Comprehension section so you know what information to look for. Then read the form and answer the comprehension questions that follow.
Comprehension
Answer the following questions:
- What is this document for?
a) To submit hours for pay
b) To recognize employees for their good work
c) To recognize management for their good work
- Who can be nominated for Employee of the Month?
a) All employees and management at CDN Malls
b) Employees and management who have been working for at least six months
c) Employees who have been working for at least six months, but not management
- What day must the nominations be submitted by?
a) The first day of each month
b) The last day of each month
c) The 15th day of each month
- Which of the following people should be nominated for this award?
a) The maintenance worker who started last month, gets things done on time, and is very courteous to customers
b) The security person who always greets customers with a smile, has never been late in 10 years of working at the company, and is always willing to help others
c) The customer service manager who encourages her team to do their best, supports them in everything she can, and is always trying to improve her skills
- What are three reasons why Sima’s co-worker has nominated her for Employee of the Month?
a) She provides great customer service, helps new employees, and makes the mall a positive place.
b) She has been working at the mall for a long time, carpools, and organizes the Information Desk.
c) She is always on time, helps new employees, and does a lot of training.
Vocabulary
What do the following words mean? Match each word with the correct meaning.
| Word/phrase | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| a) nomination (Title and Section 3) | A formal suggestion for someone to receive an award, recognition, or position | |
| b) criteria (Section 2) | The person who suggests that another person should be considered for an award, recognition, or position | |
| c) submitted (Bottom of page) | Sent in or handed in to be considered; usually a document or suggestion | |
| d) nominator (Section 3) | The qualities used to guide how a selection is made |