THE BUSINESS B1+ UNIT 4.2 Flashcards

Unit 4.2: The Business B1+ - Overview and Professional Vocabulary

The materials for Unit 4.2 of "The Business B1+" were prepared by mgr Artur Dąbrowski from the Cracow University of Economics. This unit focuses heavily on the terminology of human resources, recruitment processes, career transitions, and the linguistic tools required to express varying degrees of agreement and disagreement in a professional environment. The content is designed to provide students with a comprehensive lexicon for navigating corporate life, from applying for a position to retirement or dismissal.

Selected Vocabulary and Polish Equivalents

The following terms are essential for understanding the recruitment and employment cycle as presented in this course. Each term is provided with its specific Polish translation as used in the study material:

  • apply for: ubiegać się o prace

  • be a good listener: być dobrym słuchaczem

  • be appointed: być powołanym

  • be dismissed: zostać zwolnionym z pracy (z własnej winy)

  • be hired: zostać zatrudnionym

  • be short-listed: zakwalifikować się do kolejnego etapu rekrutacji

  • build good working relationships: budować dobre relacje z pracownikami

  • concern: zmartwienie

  • corporate policy: polityka firmy

  • deliver the goods: pracować na oczekiwanym poziomie

  • find a new job: znaleźć nową pracę

  • flag: zaznaczyć

  • headhunter: łowca talentów

  • high-flier: młody, ambitny

  • interview: rozmowa kwalifikacyjna

  • job opening: wolna posada

  • liaise: współpracować

  • make a commitment to: zobowiązać się do

  • make a valuable contribution to: wnieść cenny wkład w

  • make sb redundant: zwolnić pracownika z powodu redukcji etatów

  • manage a busy workload: zarządzać obciążeniem w pracy, radzić sobie z nawałem pracy

  • multitasking: wielozadaniowość

  • offer a position as: zaproponować stanowisko

  • on sabbatical: na urlopie naukowym

  • on the spot: na miejscu

  • possess strong negotiating skills: posiadać wybitne umiejętności negocjacyjne

  • profit-sharing: udział w zyskach

  • qualities: cechy

  • resign from: zrezygnować z

  • retire: przejść na emeryturę

  • retired: emerytowany

  • rise, raise: podwyżka

  • stock options: prawo do wykupu akcji

  • strict deadlines: ścisłe terminy

  • take initiative: przejąć inicjatywę

  • take on ownership of a project: zarządzać projektem z ogromnym zaangażowaniem i odpowiedzialnością

  • unconventional: oryginalny

  • unemployed: bezrobotny

  • wannabe: osobą, która chce (zwykle bezskutecznie) odnieść sukces

  • work closely with: ściśle współpracować

Expressing Degrees of Agreement and Disagreement

The ability to navigate professional discussions requires a nuanced range of expressions to signal agreement, neutrality, or disagreement. The transcript categorizes eighteen specific phrases based on their level of alignment with a statement or individual (‘X’).

Category: No (Disagreeing)
Expressions in this category range from polite disagreement to very informal and impolite rebukes. They include: "I don’t quite agree (with X)"; "I disagree (with X)"; "I strongly disagree (with X)"; and the very informal/impolite "(X is) rubbish!".

Category: 50-50, Maybe? (Ambivalence and Neutrality)
These phrases are used when an individual is undecided or partially aligned. They include: "I agree (with X) up to a point"; "I feel ambivalent (about X)"; "I have an ambivalent attitude (about X, towards X)"; "I’m inclined to agree more with (X)"; "I’m indifferent (to X)"; "I’m in two minds (about X)"; "I’m on the fence (about X)"; and "I tilt (more) towards (X)" or "I tilt towards (X)".

Category: Yes (Agreeing)
These expressions signal strong or complete alignment with a person or idea. They include: "I agree (with X)"; "I completely agree (with X)"; "I couldn't agree (with X) more"; "I wholeheartedly agree (with X)"; "I’m in complete alignment (with X)"; and "I strongly agree (with X)".

Professional Workplace Scenarios for Discussion

To apply the language of agreement and disagreement, the course material provides seven statements reflecting common workplace dynamics and dilemmas. Students are expected to react to these statements using the phrases mentioned above:

  1. The importance of breaking the ice with new colleagues.

  2. The reaction to criticism from a boss, specifically whether one should avoid "talking back."

  3. The desire for public praise when contributing positively to the company.

  4. The ability to appreciate constructive criticism despite the potential pain of hearing the truth.

  5. The comparison between the value of verbal praise and monetary compensation.

  6. The belief that a boss must be demanding and strict with new workers to maintain respect.

  7. The acceptability of a boss punishing an employee when a mistake is made.

Categorization of Career Moves

Career moves are evaluated based on their impact on a professional's trajectory. These moves are categorized as positive (J), negative (L), or ambiguous (??).

Positive Career Moves (J)
These are events typically associated with career advancement: to apply for a job; to be offered a position as a trainee; to be short-listed; to be appointed (manager); to be invited for an interview; to be hired by a company; and to find a new job.

Negative Career Moves (L)
These are events involving job loss or unemployment: to be fired (an informal term); to be made redundant; to be unemployed; to be laid off; to be dismissed; and to be given (or to get) the sack (another informal expression for termination).

Ambiguous Career Transitions (??)
These events vary in impact depending on the context and the individual's personal goals: to retire; to resign from a job. These are not inherently positive or negative without further context regarding the individual's age, reasons for leaving, or financial situation.