This episode’s vocabulary
Distraction
noun — something that prevents someone from giving their attention to something else. → When you work from home, there can be a lot of distractions.
On top of that
phrase — in addition to something. → The work was difficult, and on top of that, the deadline was very short.
Accustomed to
adjective — familiar with something; used to it. → After a few months, he became accustomed to the new system.
Wind up
phrasal verb — to find yourself in an unexpected and usually unpleasant situation; to end up. → If they don't change their strategy, they'll wind up losing the contract.
Isolated
adjective — happening only once, or separated from others. → He felt very isolated in his new job.
Off-putting
adjective — slightly unpleasant or worrying so that you do not want to get involved in any way. → I found the smell of the paint quite off-putting.
Muck about
phrasal verb — to behave in a silly, careless way, especially when you should be working. → The manager told them to stop mucking about and get back to work.
Get credit for
phrase — to receive praise or approval for something you have done. → She did all the work, but her boss got all the credit.
Social species
noun phrase — an animal species that lives in a society and interacts with others. → Humans are a social species, which is why we need to cooperate.
Charismatic
adjective — having a special quality that makes them able to attract and influence other people. → The new CEO was very charismatic and quickly won the support of the employees.
Abuse power
verb phrase — to use one's position of authority in a harmful or morally wrong way. → A good leader should never abuse their power for personal gain.
Leadership
noun — the set of characteristics that make a good leader. → The company is looking for a candidate with strong leadership qualities.
Tech-savvy
adjective — knowing a lot about modern technology, especially computers. → The younger generation is generally more tech-savvy than their parents.
Fall in line
idiom — to start to follow the rules and behave in the same way as other people. → When the new regulations were introduced, all employees had to fall in line.
Questions and answers
Why do some people prefer to work by themselves?
Well, I suppose it's easier to focus without the distraction of others, isn't it? And on top of that, it can be quite draining having to coordinate with other people, especially if they aren't the most organized in the world.
And can you explain it any further?
Well, if everyone is off doing their own thing, then coming up with a plan for how to do things can be pretty difficult.
What advantages are there for students experiencing teamwork at school?
Well, it could be a good way to get them accustomed to things they'll be expected to do in the future. Even if they wind up working in a pretty isolated way, they still might want to do team sports or something which requires you to interact with others to achieve various outcomes. So it's still good preparation for life.
And what about disadvantages?
Well, if they don't have the experience, then building up or developing that skill might be difficult, at least at first, which could be pretty off-putting. Not everyone has the same levels of maturity either. So dealing with people like that could also be irritating if they're mucking about and wasting time. You can also get people who are just dead weight in teams and still get credit for the group effort, which isn't very encouraging.
What group tasks are there in schools?
Oh, loads. The most obvious would probably be competitive sports and working in teams to win, but there can also be various collaborative or cooperative tasks that students can complete as part of their regular education. Not to mention quiz teams and other things like that.
What evidence do you have for that?
Well, this is all just based on my experience and observation. I've been in various schools and seen how things are done for a while.
Should students learn to do group work?
I think so. Like I said, it's good preparation for later life, provided it's done well.
Why?
Because, well, we live in a society. So we have to be able to cooperate with each other, don't we?
Do you think that can change?
Not unless there's some radical change in how human beings live and work together. We're a social species.
What makes a good leader?
That's a good question. It's probably very context specific, but generally, they should be charismatic so people find them inspirational and responsible so they don't abuse their power or do anything silly with it.
Has this always been true?
No. I think there are all kinds of examples from across history of leaders that were uninspiring or irresponsible but still got things done. There are no absolutes in things like leadership, it seems.
What should a leader do to make team members want to follow them?
That probably depends on the culture, but if they have a track record of success and can be seen to work hard and make an effort, then that seems to work for most people.
Will this be true in the future?
I think so, though, if technology keeps developing the way it has been, then being pretty tech-savvy might also encourage others to fall in line.