Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 496
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 496 – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 496
READING PASSAGE – 2
How to become a great leader
Stepping into a new management role can be unnerving. Here’s how to inspire your team:
Set the tone of your leadership style from the outset. Be confident, self-assured and respectful with everyone you meet. Speak as you want to be spoken to, and remember to listen. The first few weeks is when people develop their perceptions of you, so work hard to earn their trust. This will be key to effective change and progress.
Part of a leader’s brief is to set bold goals. They could take years to achieve, but they need to be specific enough that everyone in the organisation understands them, buys into them and is willing to work together to achieve them.
IELTS General Reading Test
Don’t do everything yourself. Great leaders surround themselves with talented individuals and they should trust them to make things happen. If things need changing, tell people and involve them in making the changes by participating in the design of a new strategy. If the team is too cautious to embrace change, give them one more chance but be clearer about what you want.
Stamp out the ‘them and us’ culture. In many organisations, employees feel distant from senior management. The message must be plain: we all work together, but leaders need to work hard to ensure this filters through to everyone in the organisation.
IELTS General Reading Test
Allow time for innovation. It’s important to give staff time to come up with new ideas and solutions that will fix new problems. However, be clear that a decision is expected; set a time limit and stick to it.
It is likely that the formula that makes the business you are managing successful will have been created many years ago – but it’s important to remember how the business started. Honour those early pioneers and instil a sense of pride across the organisation.
IELTS General Reading Test
Leaders need to accept that some risk may be required if the situation calls for it. Playing it safe is never a good business rule, and leaders must make sure their business stays ahead by being prepared to act quickly.
Show you are passionate and enthusiastic. People spend a large part of their lives working for an organisation, and having a leader who is genuinely thrilled about its future is hugely inspiring.
Questions 15-21
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
15. Initially, a leader needs to focus on gaining the ………………….. of the staff.
IELTS General Reading Test
16. A leader should decide on ………………… that their staff are happy to fulfil.
17. Leaders should involve their staff in the process of producing a different ……………
18. If tricky issues arise, leaders should give staff the space to find …………………. to them.
19. Leaders need to encourage their staff to feel …………………. in the past achievements of the company.
20. It is important for leaders to agree to a certain degree of …………………. when necessary.
21. If leaders find the ………………….. of the company exciting, their staff will be more motivated to work hard.
IELTS General Reading Test
Read the text below and answer Questions 22-27.
Resigning from a job in a professional manner
When you take the decision to resign and move on to another job, you might really want to dance your way out of the door, or get your own back by criticising your boss to the whole office. But you need to resist these temptations because in future you might find you’re working with your ex-line manager or other colleagues in a different company.
Letting your manager know
Show courtesy by telling your boss first. Request a meeting to say that you’re leaving, following up soon after with an official letter. Before the meeting with your boss, write a list of ongoing tasks along with status updates and suggestions concerning completion Use the meeting to clarify any other points, such as your notice period and leaving date, and how you will inform others (colleagues or external clients, contacts and suppliers). Ask about a reference too; your employer may only supply the most basic type but your line manager might also give you a more personal one. Making sure you get a good one can make subsequent job hunting less stressful.
IELTS General Reading Test
Preparation
Work out how you can ensure a smooth transition and minimise disruption to your employer. There may be a range of things you can do to hand over professionally, such as completing projects, working out the priorities with your line manager, and leaving clear documentation for the successor in your post concerning processes or software.
Your letter of resignation
Keep your letter short. You don’t need to give lots of explanations or justification for why you’re leaving. Don’t be tempted to address the failings of the company or your boss, either. Instead, thanking your employer for the job and mentioning what you appreciated about it is a graceful touch. Here’s an idea of what to include:
IELTS General Reading Test
• First paragraph – the basics
Inform the employer that you wish to resign and confirm the agreed final date at work.
• Second paragraph – thank your employer
Mention any particular career-building projects you worked on or opportunities to develop skills and contribute to the employer’s goals and successes. You can also mention your appreciation at being able to work in a great team.
• Third paragraph – handover
State your willingness to finish existing projects and hand over your work smoothly.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 22-27
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
The best way to resign
Avoid all (22)…………………. to resign in an angry way. Instead follow this procedure:
Arrange a meeting with the boss to:
• mention any projects which are underway and give ideas for their (23)………………
• discuss how much notice you need to give before you go.
• request information on the type of (24)………………. you will receive.
IELTS General Reading Test
Steps you can take before you leave:
• Work to cause as little (25)……………….. as possible to the organisation.
• Make sure your successor has adequate guidance on the organisation’s systems.
In the resignation letter:
• avoid mentioning any (26)…………….. in the organisation.
• show appreciation for aspects of the job, e.g., the chance to improve your (27)………………
• indicate your wish to leave everything in good order.
IELTS General Reading Test
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
15. TRUST
16. GOALS
17. STRATEGY
18. SOLUTIONS
19. PRIDE
20. RISK
21. FUTURE
22. TEMPTATIONS
23. COMPLETION
24. REFERENCE
25. DISRUPTION
26. FAILINGS
27. SKILLS
IELTS General Reading Test