Shadowing Practice: What is the role of a leader? - Learn English Speaking with Video

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What is the role of a leader?
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Well, the first one clearly is to be the chief meeting officer.
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To let everyone in the place know where you're going, why you're going there, and most importantly,
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what's in it for them to get there with you.
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People like to talk about where they're going, why they're going there, but they don't, they always leave out the third thing.
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When you come into a new job and you say, we want to change, change is great, we got to do it.
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You forget people hate change.
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You got to explain what's in it for them to change with you.
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So be the chief meeting officer and give meaning to every one of those people that are out there doing that job.
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So that they understand why you're going where you're going.
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And they know what's in it for them.
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Better job, more pay, more flexibility, maybe nothing if you can't say nothing.
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But you've got to understand that's one of them.
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have a job, your job is to not give all these directives
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and not be the person getting rid of the clutter getting
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rid of clutter is a huge deal you can't all of
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a sudden have bureaucracy let's go here let's go there
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that have 20 rules to stop the employees from getting there you've got to break down all those little silos
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that occur all those little bureaucrats who are checking the boxes in some layers, slowing you down.
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You've got to be the person in the.. we always use this analogy of curling.
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You see it every four years in the Olympics with the broom out in front of the thing.
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You've got to be brooming away the stuff that's in the way.
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You've got to be the chief broomer out there to get rid of things so people can act and do things.
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You've got to have, if you want to be, in my experience, and I've looked at thousands of managers in my lifetime, you've got to have a generosity gene.
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It's got to be in your body.
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You've got to love to see people promoted.
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You can't have a jealous vein where you can't, oh, Joe got promoted and I should have got that job, or Mary got this and Pete should have got it or whatever.
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You gotta enjoy people's success.
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You gotta love people's success.
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You gotta get in their skin and really be excited as hell for them.
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You gotta love to give raises.
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You gotta be turned on giving bonuses.
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It's got to make you feel great and not, geez, I gave him a bonus and I didn't get one that big.
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None of those feelings.
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You've got to just get over them.
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And if I look at all the leaders I've seen, the best ones I've seen, have this generosity gene.
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Ask yourself, do you have it?
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Or do you have a little small gene in there that's killing you and give raises, is killing you to see other successes and jealous in your body.
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You can't have it.
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Brush it out.
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Clean it out.
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And then do you go to work every day, finally, to really have fun?
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Are your people having fun?
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Make, find all kinds of ways to win.
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There are small victories all the time and celebrate every one of them.
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We found a way to bring a keg in on everything.
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Find a way.
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Find a way to make little victories big victories.
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And if you get a lot of little victories, you'll get a big victory when you add them all together.
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But think of the job that way.
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Work is fun.
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And your job is to make it fun if you're a leader.
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Don't be some grinding horse's ass.
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If you're a bore, slap yourself.
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Think of the excitement and fun you can have in your job.
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Make it fun.
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Be the chief fun officer.
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So in my view, you've got a huge responsibility, most of you.
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God gave you a job where you are responsible are responsible for people's lives.
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It's a big deal.
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You got families you're responsible for?
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Make it a big success for them.
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You got one of the luxuries of life to impact people's lives.
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Grab it, squeeze it, and take advantage of it.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking with the video "What is the role of a leader?" offers an invaluable opportunity for English learners to engage with real-world dialogue. The speaker articulates key leadership concepts using accessible language and clear expressions, making it easier for learners to understand and replicate in their conversations. Shadow speech, where learners mimic the speaker's intonation and rhythm, can significantly enhance pronunciation and fluency. This video serves as an excellent resource for IELTS speaking practice, providing contextual examples that are relevant for both academic and professional environments.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

  • Directives: The speaker mentions, "your job is to not give all these directives." This structure introduces the concept of using positive language rather than just authoritative commands, which is crucial for effective leadership.
  • Generosity gene: The phrase "you've got to have a generosity gene" employs metaphorical language to convey the importance of being supportive as a leader. It highlights using figurative expressions to make abstract ideas relatable.
  • Finding ways to win: The speaker states, "find all kinds of ways to win." This expression exemplifies the imperative form, which may serve as a motivating call to action for listeners. It’s an effective way to encourage individuals to think proactively.
  • Celebrating victories: The line "celebrate every one of them" emphasizes the need to recognize small achievements, which is an empowering expression for fostering a positive environment.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While practicing with this video, English learners may encounter a few pronunciation challenges. For instance, the word “bureaucracy” can be tricky due to its multiple syllables and rhythm. Slow it down and emphasize each syllable: "bure-a-u-cra-cy". Additionally, the phrase “generosity gene” contains soft and hard sounds, which can confuse non-native speakers. Pay attention to the smooth transition between 'generosity' and 'gene' to enhance clarity. Finally, listen for the speaker's intonation on phrases like "what’s in it for them”, as this can influence comprehension during conversations. By practicing these elements through shadowing, learners can improve not just their pronunciation but also their overall confidence in english speaking practice.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.