Objective: To learn how to talk about your workplace, your job and your boss.

Think about it!

Read & listen II

What qualities do great bosses possess? What about great employees? Whos the best boss youve ever had?

Track 23: us woman & us man

Youre
fired!

Five tips for dealing

with your boss

o you have the best

boss in the world? Or
the worst? Either way,
you need to know how to
deal with him/her if you want
to be happy and successful at
work. Here are our top tips.

Ask Theres a saying in

English: If you dont ask, the
answer will always be no. Do
you want a raise, a promotion
or a holiday? You wont get
it if you dont ask your boss.
Yes, sometimes its scary, but
itll be easier if you plan what
youre going to say first.
1

Answers on page 44

Pre-reading

What top tips do you have

for dealing with a boss? What
about asking for a raise?
2

Reading I

Read the article once.

Compare your ideas from the
Pre-reading task with the ones
in the article.
3

Reading II

Read the article again. Then,

answer the questions.
What does the writer say
you should
1. do if youre upset
about something?
2. do if your boss
promises you a raise?
3. try to do given that
you see your boss a lot?
4. find out about the
company before asking
for a raise?
5. have in case your
boss refuses to give
you a raise?

Never get emotional

Work can be stressful. But

always remember to keep
your cool when dealing with
your boss. If you stay calm
and professional, youll earn
their respect. If youre upset
about something, wait until
youve calmed down before
speaking to him or her.
3 Get it in writing If your
boss promises you something
(like a raise or a promotion)
ask for it in writing. That way
youll have a paper trail if they
suddenly forget what they
promised.
4

Understand your boss

Every boss has a different

management style. Is yours
a micro-manager or are they
hands-off? Are they organised
or disorganised? Are they a
good or bad communicator?

Understand their style so you

can decide how best to work
with them.

say them in the meeting.

5 Set up a meeting Dont

ask for a raise by e-mail or
telephone. Set up a face-toface meeting with your boss.

5 Maintain goodwill You

see your boss a lot. Almost
as much as you see your
family! So try to stay on good
terms with him or her. If the
relationship breaks down,
your job will be even more
stressful.

Have a Plan B What if

your boss says no? Or if they
offer you less? Decide before
the meeting what youll do in
either case.

Want a raise?

Good luck!

Follow our 6-step guide.

Asking for a raise can be
nerve-racking. Here are the
six steps you need to follow.
1

Research the market

Find out how much other

people who do the same job
as you are earning. This will
give you an idea of what the
market rate is for your type of
work.
2 Analyse yourself How
long have you been with the
company and how long have
you been in the industry?
This will help you decide your
worth.
3

Analyse the company

Is the company making a lot

of money? Or is it struggling?
The financial health of the
company will also help you
decide how much to ask for.
4 Prepare Why should you
get a raise? Prepare a list of
the reasons and be ready to

Video
How to handle the boss from
hell: http://youtu.be/
aRoMRkgoETI
Or search YouTube: difficult
boss

GLOSSARY
a raise n
an increase in your salary
scary adj
frightening
upset adj
if youre upset about something, youre
sad or angry about that thing
a paper trail n
documents which provide evidence of
something
hands-off adj
if you have a hands-off approach to
things, you keep your distance and dont
interfere much
goodwill n
if theres goodwill between people, they're
friendly and helpful to one another
to break down phr vb
if a relationship breaks down, the people
in the relationship get angry / stop talking
nerve-racking adj
a nerve-racking situation makes you feel
very tense and worried
to struggle vb
if a company is struggling, its trying to
survive and not fail
to set up phr vb
if you set up a meeting, you organise that
meeting
a face-to-face meeting n
a meeting with people talking to one
another (not over the phone / internet, etc.)

For fantastic telephone classes, e-mail classes@hotenglishmagazine.com / www.hotenglishgroup.com /

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