Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

B2-C1

8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

TED

615K views 7 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What makes a company a place people enjoy working for?
Which is more important in a workplace: strong rules and processes, or trust and communication? Why?
What changes do you think companies will need to make in the future?

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8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

Intro + Lessons 1–3 (adults, teams, meaningful work) (00:00 – 02:07)

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1. What does the speaker suggest instead of using HR jargon and acronyms?

Measuring every employee behavior more strictly
Using more detailed written guidelines for everyone
Hiring more HR professionals to explain the acronyms
Talking to each other like regular human beings

2. According to the speaker, what does “best practices” usually mean?

Methods that are scientifically proven through measurement
Practices only used by start-ups
Rules created by government agencies
Copying what everybody else does

3. What does the speaker say are the metrics that really matter for managers?

Whether customers are happy and the team has done amazing stuff
Whether employees arrive on time and follow rules
Whether the company uses OKRs and performance reviews
Whether people ask for permission and take vacation

8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

Lessons 4–6 (understand the business, truth, values) (02:07 – 04:04)

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1. Why do some companies move fast and do innovative things, according to the speaker?

They are collaborative and teach each other what matters and what they measure
They keep performance reviews only once a year
They avoid sharing business information with most employees
They have strict guidelines and many layers of approval

2. Why does the speaker say giving feedback is “so hard” for many people?

Because employees are too sensitive to hear criticism
Because managers are not allowed to be honest
Because it requires a yearly official meeting
Because people don’t practice

3. What does the speaker say is the most important way to “uphold your values” if you are in leadership?

Write the values on posters around the office
Live the values through your own behavior
Measure values through quarterly surveys
Hire a consultant to define new values

8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

Lessons 7–8 + ending (start-up ideas, change, nostalgia) (04:04 – 05:04)

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1. Why does the speaker say “all start-up ideas are stupid”?

Because if an idea were reasonable, someone else would already be doing it
Because start-ups usually fail due to poor planning
Because only large companies can create good ideas
Because start-ups focus too much on HR processes

2. What does the speaker warn people to beware of?

Working too fast with agility and speed
The smoke of nostalgia
Strict equality policies
Executive teams with too many meetings

3. In the speaker’s “dream company,” what phrase shows that the company is ready to change direction?

“We should do this only once a year.”
“All bets are off.”
“Let’s wait until next year.”
“We should keep the old rules.”

8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

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1. Which overall message best matches the speaker’s view of employees?

Employees are motivated mainly by rules and punishments
Employees need strict control to perform well
Employees should stay in one role as long as possible
Employees are adults who generally want to do an amazing job

2. How does the speaker redefine “feedback” in the talk?

As a yearly formal rating system
As avoiding negative comments to protect feelings
As written notes shared only with HR
As telling people the honest truth in the moment

3. What is the speaker’s attitude toward change in companies?

Change is only necessary for start-ups
Change should be embraced with excitement
Change mainly comes from better acronyms and processes
Change is risky and should be minimized

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | The Way We Work, a TED series

Which lesson (1–8) do you agree with most, and why?
The speaker says “humans can hear anything if it’s true.” Do you agree? What makes feedback easier or harder to accept?
What are some examples of leaders “living out” values at work? What happens when leaders don’t do this?
What is one process or rule in workplaces that you think treats adults “like they’re children”? How could it be improved?