Lecture Notes: Listening to Native Speakers (Part 2)

Overview

• Series Focus: Listening to native speakers in LA talking about their jobs.
• Objective: Analyze expressions, understand meanings, and practice using them.
• Additional Topic: English pronunciation rules and American accent.

Leadership and Communication

• Guest: Gene Sullivan, Executive Coach
• Key Topic: Qualities of a leader and practice tips.
• Highlights: Employee relationship dynamics, pronunciation nuances, leadership qualities, biases, and practice importance.

Employee Relationships and Promotion Challenges

• Dynamic Shift: Former peers now direct reports.
• Leadership Style: Dictatorial vs. Inclusive.
• Expressions and Pronunciation:
  • Buddies: /ˈbʌdiz/ vs. Bodies (different vowel sounds).
  • Dictatorial: /ˌdɪktəˈtɔriəl/ (emphasize 'o').
  • Peer: /pɪr/ vs. Pear (different vowel sounds).

Pronunciation Focus

• Vowel Sounds: Uh vs. Ah (e.g., Luck vs. Lock, Fund vs. Fond).
• Courses Available: American Accent Course on accurateenglish.com.

Leadership Tips

• Listening Skills: Importance of genuinely listening and setting biases aside.
• Bias Example: Cultural respect differences (e.g., Egypt context).
• Impress Upon: To stress or emphasize importance.
• Biases: Setting aside preconceptions.
• HR Interactions: Importance of neutral interactions.
• Expressions:
  • Do Someone Good: Benefit or help someone.
  • HR: Human Resources.

Natural Born Leaders?

• Debate: Nature vs. Nurture in leadership.
• Conclusion: Leadership develops through practice and learning.
• Deliberate Practice: Importance of consistent effort.
• Prodigy Example: Early training (e.g., Beethoven).
• Expressions:
  • To Subscribe To: Agree with/support an idea.
  • To Lend Itself: To be suitable/cause something.
  • Run Into a Wall: Encounter an insurmountable barrier.
  • Body of Research: Large amounts of collected studies/work.

Practice and Motivation

• Practice Importance: Developing skills through consistent practice.
• Expressions:
  • Put In: Effort spent on something.
  • At Stake: Risk or value involved in an action.
  • Pick Up: Learn something new.

Inspirational Quote

• Leadership Quote: “Leaders think and talk about solutions. Followers think and talk about problems.”

Additional Resources

• Courses Available: American Accent Course and 400 Advanced Words course on accurateenglish.com.