INTERMEDIATE

In company in action: Scenario C

Before you watch
1 How many different reasons can you think of for a drop in staff morale in a company?
Compare your ideas with a partner.

While you watch

2 Watch the videos and number Anton’s expressions in the order you hear them from 1–6.
Video C1
a If this goes on, all our jobs are on the line.
b Now what is going wrong, people?
c Please, can we all just calm down!
d Six months running we have failed to meet our targets.
e It’s no good making excuses.
f Don’t bring me problems, Heather, bring me solutions.
Video C2
g I haven’t been listening to you.
h We’ve all been under a lot of pressure.
i From now on that’s how we’re going to behave.
j We obviously need to take this discussion further.
k I’m counting on him to do it for us again.
l I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.

3 Work with a partner. Discuss what you understand to be the differences between the
following terms. Use the words in the box to help you.
a extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation
b market relationships and social relationships
company car   ​belonging to a team   ​having input in company decisions   ​a salary increase   ​
bonuses   ​feeling valued   ​being asked for your opinion   ​tight deadlines   ​threats of job losses   ​
being able to make decisions   ​following orders from a boss   ​learning new skills

4 Watch the videos again. With your partner, discuss how Anton changes from relying on
extrinsic motivation and a market relationship with his staff in C1 to using intrinsic motivation
and a social relationship in C2.

In Company 3.0 Intermediate © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014 SCENARIO C 1

 INTERMEDIATE

After you watch

5 Work with a partner. Imagine you both work for the same company, and that the company
has recently been experiencing the situations in the box. Decide how these situations might
have a negative effect on staff morale.
an important new contract   ​rumours of a takeover of the company   ​a new CEO   ​
a new computer system   ​shorter working hours   ​a new staff bonus scheme   ​

6 Work with a partner. You are going to prepare a motivational speech to deliver to the staff
of your company. Follow the instructions.
a Look back at your answers to 5 and decide the main reasons why staff morale has dropped
in the company.
b Look back at 3 and 4 and decide what you can do to improve social relationships between
the staff and to increase intrinsic motivation.
c Write your speech. Use expressions g–l from 2 to help you. Begin your speech as follows:
“Before everyone goes, there are just a couple of things I’d like to say. Yes, you guessed it,
it’s motivational talk time. As you know …”
d Decide which one of you will deliver your speech to your class. When all the speeches
have been delivered, take a class vote to decide which speech would be more effective in
improving staff morale, and why.

In Company 3.0 Intermediate © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014 SCENARIO C 2