Role-play "What the CEO said"
Aim: To promote discussion on aspects of running a business
Task: To give one's views on aspects of running a business and evaluate quotations from experienced business people
Time: 35 minutes
For teachers:
Overview
Students read the advice of well-known CEOs on various aspects of running a business. Before reading the quotations, they give their own views on these aspects.
Preparation
One copy of the worksheet for each student. Cut the worksheet into two.
Procedure
1 Hand out copies of the top half of the worksheet and ask the students to do Exercise 1 individually. Students then discuss the questions in Exercise 2 in pairs. Spend a little more than a third of class time on this stage. Go round helping with vocabulary as necessary.
2 Check/Pre-teach: but = except, steamroller, nimble, trembling. Then hand out the bottom half of the worksheet and get the students, one at a time, to read out each quotation, making sure they understand them. As you go, find out what their views were on each question and whether they agree with what the CEO said.
3 Ask if anyone has a favourite business quotation or memorable piece of advice given by a manager or CEO. If nothing is immediately forthcoming, ask students to bring one to the next lesson.
For students:
1 Complete these sentences with your own opinions.
a Change is always __________________________ because____________________
b Shareholders should not be allowed to_____________________________________
c Large companies tend to________________________________________________
d Acquiring a company usually _____________________________________________
e The best way to save company expenditure is to_____________________________
f The most important business ethic is_______________________________________
2 Keeping in mind your own beliefs expressed in 1, discuss the following questions in pairs. Try to find a joint opinion. Then summarise this opinion in one sentence.
1 What are the aims of your business? What should the aims of a large multinational company be?
2 In what order of importance to your company would you put these three groups: shareholders, customers, employees?
3 What should be the attitude of a modern company to change?
4 When the company needs to save money, which areas of a company’s expenditure should you consider cutting first? What are dangerous areas to cut costs in?
5 What advantages do small companies have over large companies?
6 How can a company be sure it makes good acquisitions?
3 Read the quotes of these CEOs and see whether they agree in any way with your analysis in 2.
‘A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business.’
Henry Ford (Ford Motor Company)
‘The traditional priorities of company boards are shareholders first, then customers, and last employees. But if you put the employees first, and look after them, then customer satisfaction will follow. And satisfied customers mean more profits for shareholders.’
Richard Branson (Virgin)
‘Change has become like a steamroller. If you’re not on the steamroller, you’re destined to become part of the road.’
R. Steve Letbetter (Reliant Energy)
‘When you cut costs you have to be sure you don’t damage your product. You can make a pizza so cheap nobody wants to eat it.’
Gordon Bethune (Continental Airlines)
‘People say smaller competitors have an advantage in being more nimble. That works so long as the guys who are big
aren’t nimble. Because big and nimble can overwhelm small and nimble.’
Mr Lee Raymond (Exxon Mobil)
‘Acquisitions are very risky. Most do not deliver; most do not work. Any intelligent CEO approaches acquisitions with fear and trembling.’
Ralph Larsen (Johnson and Johnson)
