Speak Like a Manager: 8 Advanced Adjectives

Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. This lesson is part of my "Speak like a Manager"

series. And, today, we're going to focus on eight advanced adjectives that you

can use to describe people at work, or even to describe yourself in the context

of business or work. Now, of course, you can also use these words in other

situations, but especially at work. All right? So, what we're going to do is

this: I'm going to read you a short kind of description of what the word is, and

then you can try to see... perhaps you know the word; perhaps not. I've

written, here, the first letter of the word in each case, but try to work with

me. Okay? Here we go. So, the first word describes this kind of person: "He does

what he says he will do." Okay? Do you know what that might be? Someone who

does what he says he's going to do, or what he promises to do. That person we

describe as... starts with "r". "Reliable". Okay? Say it after me:

"Reliable. He's reliable. She's reliable. I am reliable." Okay? It comes

from the verb "rely"; "to rely on someone" means to be able to depend on

them, to trust them. Trust what they say; trust what they promise. Okay? So,

for example, in the context of work, if someone says that they're going to send

an email — then you're going to trust; you're going to believe that they

actually send the email. That person would be "reliable". All right? Or if

they said that they're going to finish the report, you believe that they are

actually going to finish the report. When it's a reliable person, you know

that they're going to do what they say they're going to do, or what they

promised to do. The opposite: "unreliable" people sometimes say things

and then don't do them. Okay? So, let's focus on just the positive right now:

"reliable".

Next: "She won't let anything stop her." Okay? "She won't let anything stop her."

She's very... it starts with "d". Do you know what it is? She's very

"determined". Okay? A person is "determined". For example, to get a job.

She's determined to get the job. She's determined to win the contract. She's

determined to pass the exam. Okay? Anything that you really... serious,

like: "Yes, I'm going to do it. I am determined." Like, I'm sure you are

determined to radically improve your English. Okay? And you're doing it.

Okay. Next word. "He takes action before it becomes a problem." How do we

describe a person like that? It starts with "p". What's the adjective? This is

quite a modern word. It's used quite often. It's a really strong word,

actually. Someone who takes action before something becomes a problem is

called "proactive". Okay? "Proactive". So, let me give you an example. Suppose

a manager knows that his employees are not very happy, and he knows they're not

happy because of their salary. So, he could do nothing, and just wait until a

big problem arises or a crisis arises, or they go on strike and now he's got a

huge problem on his hands; or he could decide to do something in advance,

before the situation blows up and becomes a huge problem. Right? So, that

kind of person who thinks like that, or acts like that is being "proactive".

He's doing something before something becomes a problem, and not after it

becomes an even bigger problem. So, think about it: Are you a proactive kind

of person? Okay? Or think about people you work with. Who in your department is

more proactive? And who's the opposite, which is a little bit reactive? Okay?

But don't worry so much about the reactive; let's make sure you know this

word: "proactive". Say it after me: "proactive". Good. And this one was

"determined". "Determined". Good.

Let's look at the fourth one. "She's absolutely necessary; we can't manage

without her. We need her." Okay? So, this kind of person that you really want

them in your company, what is that kind of person? Starts with "i". You need

them; you can't manage without them. That person is... we have a word for it.

Okay? So, this word is "indispensable". Say it after me: "indispensable".

"Indispensable". Now, the word is made up of a few parts. If we take away the

"in", we say something is "dispensable" — it means we can do without it; it's

dispensable. But when we make it "indispensable", it means we cannot

manage or do without it. Okay? "Able" — able to do without or able to do with.

Okay? So, "indispensable" means we really need that person. He's

indispensable to the team; he's indispensable to this department. She's

indispensable to our company, or to this project. Okay? Think of someone in your

department or company who is indispensable. Of course, sometimes no

one is actually indispensable, but it seems like that many times. Okay? So,

these are the first four. "Reliable" means you can trust them; you can count

on them. "Determined" means somebody is going to do something; not going to let

anything stand in their way to achieving a goal. "Proactive" means you do

something before it becomes a bigger problem. And "indispensable" means

you're absolutely necessary or wanted in that situation or company. Okay? Let's

look at four more really powerful adjectives.

All right. So, now, we're going to talk about four more words that will help you

to sound much more like a manager. Okay? Because you don't want to just keep

saying: "He's good at that", "She's good at that." You want to be able to

describe exactly in which way they are good. All right? And these words will

help you do that. So, let's go to the first one. "He works in a quick,

organized way; without wasting resources." He is... It starts with "e".

Okay? When we say without wasting resources, it means without wasting

time, without wasting money, for example. Okay? Someone who works in a

quick, organized way; without wasting resources is "efficient". Okay? I'm sure

you've heard this word a lot, because it is used very frequently and it's a very

good thing. If you have efficient people working around you, they get more done

more quickly. Okay? So, that person is efficient. By the way, you can not only

use these words when you're speaking, of course; you can use them in writing. And

you can especially use them in writing performance evaluations for your

employees. When you become a manager, you will need to do that. Okay? All

right.

Next, this is pretty basic. The des-... the explanation, which is: "She works

hard." So, instead of saying just that she works hard, or she's a worker who

is... She's a hard-working person — okay? — or she's a hard-working employee

— instead of saying that, you can just say: "She is..." what? This is a bit of

a long word; starts with "i". Do you know it? It's "industrious". Okay? Say

it after me: "industrious". "She's industrious." Okay? Good. Here: "He's

efficient." Again: "He's efficient." Very good. All right. Next one: "He pays

attention to every detail. He pays attention to every detail." This word

starts with "m". Isn't it lovely that we have a word that says all of that? Okay?

So, what is that word? This is a... quite an advanced word; it starts with

"m". Do you know it? The word is "meticulous". Say it after me:

"meticulous". So, even it starts with... even though it starts with "m-e-t" —

don't say: "meticulous". Just say: "me". Shorten it, okay? "Meticulous". Again:

"meticulous". So, for example, who could be "meticulous"? Well, if someone is an

editor, they need to be meticulous because they're looking for very tiny

mistakes or errors. Right? The same with an accountant. You... you should hope

that your accountant is a very meticulous person because they pay

attention to every detail. I'm sure you know people in your office who are, in

fact, meticulous. And I wonder if you are. Think about it. Okay. Next: "She

thinks about other people's feelings." Okay? It could be "she"; could be "he".

We mixed up he's and she's because could be men; could be women — doesn't matter.

"She thinks about other people's feelings." This word starts with "c".

What adjective describes that kind of person, who's very thoughtful, and they

think about other people? "Considerate". Again, say it after me: "Considerate".

Again, because we started with "c-o-n" doesn't mean we say: "considerate" — no.

"Con" — shorten it, right? "Considerate". So, what's an example of

somebody being considerate in an office? For example, if she's going out for

coffee, she might ask the other people in... in the team — right? — "Hey, can I

get you guys something? Can I get you some coffee?" or whatever. Right? That

person is considerate; not only thinking of herself, but thinking of the others.

Or let's say there's a line at... at the photocopying machine. Okay? And she's

ahead of you, but she's got lots of pages and you just have one page. So,

the considerate person might say: "Hey, why don't you go first? You just have

one page. Okay? I've got a lot of things to do." So, that kind of considerate

person is very nice to have around the office. All right?

So, let's look at the words again: "considerate" — very thoughtful,

"meticulous" — very detailed, "industrious" — very hard-working, and

"efficient" — very quick and organized. All right? Now, of course, you can use

these to describe different kinds of people; you could say: "I have a very

efficient assistant. I have a... an industrious worker. I have a meticulous

employee", or: "She's a very considerate receptionist." Whatever. Okay? You can

use it to describe anyone in your office or anyone in your life, really. Now, I

mentioned to you that some of these words can also be used not only to

describe people, but also other things. For example, you could say: "He's a

reliable manager", but you could also say: "This is a reliable firm, or

reliable company, or reliable service". Right? Or you could say: "My laptop has

been really... has been very reliable". Okay? So, you could also describe a

thing. The same with the word "indispensable" that we look at before.

Remember? "Indispensable" means you need it. Okay? You can't manage without it.

So, we could describe not only people this way, but you could say: "This is an

indispensable piece of machinery; I don't know what our company would do

without it." Or the same with the word "efficient". You could describe an

efficient worker, but you could also define... use it to say an efficient

process. Okay? So, a few of these words can be used for things besides people,

but they're all very good words to be able to use as a manager; they're much

more advanced and much more businesslike. So, now, let's see how

well you've mastered these eight words by doing a short quiz.

All right. So, now, in this next part, you can do it in two ways. One is you

can just keep watching with me, and I'm going to give you the answers pretty

quickly. But if you'd like a little more time, what you can do is pause the video

— okay? — I'm going to stand away so you can see all of it, and work through it

by yourself. Maybe get a piece of paper, write down the numbers one to eight.

Here are the words we learned — the eight adjectives, right? — so, match

them up, or maybe even just write the first letter of the answer for you

quickly. And then, as I do it, you will check if you are right or wrong. Okay?

So, if you want to pause it, pause it now; and if you're not pausing, let's

continue. Or if you want to come back, then join us right now. Here we go.

Okay. So, the first sentence: "I bought the get well card for Mary." So, that

person is, what? That person is "considerate". Okay? Because they bought

a get well card for someone in the office who wasn't feeling well. Right?

That's rather kind, thoughtful, considerate thing to do. Good. Next:

"I'll definitely send the shipment tonight; you can count on me." This

person is, what? "Reliable". Okay? Because they said it, and they're going

to do it — they're reliable. All right? Next: "I spoke to the media before the

news broke, so we could get the message that we wanted out to the media, and we

could control our message." So, that person is — what would you say? I would

say this one: "Proactive". Okay? Because they did something in advance; before

something else worse happened. All right? Next: "I found three spelling

errors in the report." What's that? That person is, what? This. "Meticulous".

Remember? The meticulous person is very detail-oriented, so they're very good

with words, numbers, things like that. They find all kinds of small errors. And

they're just very careful with details. Next, number five: "I came in early and

worked till midnight." This person is very, what? "Industrious". Right?

"Industrious" means hard-working. Next: "I found a way to get it done in half

the time." This person is very... What's left? There aren't many left, here.

"Efficient". Okay? Remember? A person who works efficiently gets things done

quickly in a very organized way; saving time, saving money, saving resources.

Okay? Next: "I'll solve this problem no matter what." This person is very...

Right, you got it. "Determined", right? Remember? A determined person knows that

they are going to achieve their goal; it doesn't matter what the obstacles are,

what the barriers are, what the problems are — they will achieve success. Okay?

That person is "determined", like you — determined to improve your English.

Okay? And the last one: "I don't know what we would do without her; we need

her in this company." She is — whatever is left here — "indispensable". Okay?

All right.

And, now, what's the best way that I suggest to really master this

vocabulary? So, one of them... one of those ways I mentioned, which is: Think

about different people that you know that really represent this quality, and

write that. For example, my mother is a very determined person; my manager is

extremely reliable. Okay? You could write it about people in your personal

life or about people at work. But, really, you just want to do something

that really helps you to fix these words in your mind. And then another thing you

can do is to consider these word... words in relation to yourself. So,

perhaps in the comments on YouTube, on engVid, write a sentence about yourself.

Perhaps find three adjectives that describe you. You could say: "I'm

determined, industrious, and reliable", or whatever. Okay? Whatever applies to

you. There's nothing better than also being able to describe yourself; not

just others. Okay? So, if you want to practice some more and master these

words for sure, then also go to our website at www.engvid.com. There, you

can do a quiz on this to further... just reinforce your memory. Okay? Because the

more you reinforce that, the more easily you will remember these words and be

able to use them when you speak and when you write. Okay? Thanks very much for

watching. Subscribe to my channel. Bye for now.