Satya Nadella: 'Learn-It-All'
Grammar: Hedging and reframing language in contrast to blunt negative statements, examined through authe
A Business English English lesson exploring business.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on business, practising hedging and reframing language in contrast to blunt negative statements, examined through authe. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: Satya Nadella: 'Learn-It-All'
"Don't be a know-it-all, be a learn-it-all." Satya Nadella said this to Microsoft employees not long after he became CEO in 2014. The company he inherited was tired. Engineers competed against each other instead of helping each other. Nadella didn't say the old culture was wrong. He said it was incomplete. That single choice of word mattered more than people realised at the time.
Vocabulary
- against
- from
- past
- to
- candid
- data
- growth mindset
- incomplete
- learning curve
Grammar
- Blunt vs reframed
- That's wrong. vs That's incomplete. — same fact, different judgement
- Hedge with modals
- It might be worth treating this as a learning curve. — softens a claim
Discussion questions
- Which matters more in a crisis — calm words or quick action?
- Would you rather work for a boss who admits mistakes or one who hides them?
- Is 'we're still learning' more honest than 'we failed', or less?
Satya Nadella: 'Learn-It-All'
Grammar: Hedging and reframing language in contrast to blunt negative statements, examined through authe
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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