Think of synonyms for the following phrases (see the text, if need be)

to lay off sb

a phased lay-off

he thrived on people

problems were worth listening to

customers aren’t conscious of it

the problems will show in their work

to work on conked-out cars

tension-ridden industries

to drop by some place

frustrations and issues of the program

a toll-free consultation service

to be positive about sth

to lend a hand to sb

to have scores of long-time associates

to be owed a response

to possess the people skills

2. Look at the nouns and adjectives below. Combine them meaningfully (see the text):

times tight

measures tough

episodes wrenching

opportunity daunting

standards poignant

task exacting

decisions austere

market rough

test toughest

3. The narrator used some words uncommonly, if unexpectedly, for us, foreigners. After we have scanned the dictionary and analysed the context, we’ll be able to translate them:

- On the flip side, if employees are happy, their positive attitude will be felt (somewhat unstable, unprepared, unstudied – or what?)

- All of our managers were trained to flip hamburgers (is it a long procedure?)

- Compared to other companies that have “downsized”, “right – sized” themselves, Marriott’s lay-off of 1 000 employees might not seem like a big deal (they changed their structures, didn’t they? But how?).

- Social workers field questions and find solutions to any problem (in plenty, eh?)

4. We also stumbled upon some words hardly detectable in the dictionaries we possess. Here they are:

- A special team helps the new staff debug systems, put on the finishing touches (to unpack, install and make ready for work).

- Many of our associates must cope with interpersonal cultural clashes (between two persons).

- A terrific consultant helped us with setting up an off-site outplacement center near our headquarters (the process of dismissal from office).

Big money, big talk, big deal, etc.” – you know these combinations. By analogy with this idea you can understand the phrase “to be big on sth.” in no time (see in the text: “We are big on providing safety nets for our associates”). Think of other situations.

6. Write your well-considered translations of the sentences below and compare them with your classmates’ (special attention to the underlined words):

- The company had been on a roll in the 1980’s – building hotels, selling them, and negotiating contracts.

- We had hit upon a formula for expansion that was tailor-made for the go-go times.

- With real estate dead in the water, we did not need to keep idle staff.

- My father listened to the family problems of an associate while managers cooled theirheels waiting for him to return to the office.

- Relations between management and labor required a continuous courting ritual to sort out respective interests.

- Sometimes the assistance is as simple as covering for each other on the job to make sure everyone gets time off.

- I’d like to think that we put our money where our mouth is.

- I want our associates to think of the company more than as a clock-in – clock-out job.

- A manager without the people skills is going against the grain of the organization.

- I soon saw and heard enough to convince me that the whole staff was walking on eggshells.

7. Part 3 provides you with a new collection of lexical units for the profession:

human resources department

no-pay internship

hourly workforce (positions, employees, internship etc.)

welfare recipients

substance abuse

turnover

absenteeism

tardiness

profit sharing

phasing-down process

tenure

job leads.

Tacks for Debate on Part 3:

1) Why is Mr. Marriott proud of Marriott’s concept of teamwork? Doesn’t he write about it just to look popular?

2) Should an executive know of the personal problems of associates?

3) Training employees for jobs is indispensable for a company, isn’t it?

4) SOP.s and training programs are not sufficient for Marriott. They boast safety nets. What are these? Social work?

5) Mr. Marriott relishes the idea of hands-on management. Isn’t it the foundation of relations between management and labor?

6) Hands-on management and safety nets – are they not inventions of Marriott?