Ear ‘The Truth about Coaches and Business Managers We 1 Hook: eee Coaches often work outdoors while business managers tend to stay in offices. Coaches train athletes’ bodies, while managers are focused on their business. These differences, however, pale in comparison’ to the similarities shared by the two professions, for the main functions of athletic team coaches and business managers are very closely related. 2 One of the most fundamental similarities between athletic team coaches and business managers is the task of leading the team members or employees. Coaches are responsible for training their athletes and focusing on each individual's strengths and weaknesses. Coaches also give directions to their players to improve their performance and commonly give feedback after a game. Similarly, business managers are responsible for the proper training of their employees. Managers use their people skills to ensure that each worker is put in the job that suits his or her abilities best. In addition, managers typically give periodic reviews of their employees as feedback on their job performance. 3 Another important similarity between the two professions is the ability to solve problems between teammates or employees. Athletes tend to be very competitive, and often this competitiveness leads to arguments in practice and during games. Coaches know that this behavior is not productive in leading the team to victory, so they often act as intermediaries?. They listen to both sides and usually come up with words of wisdom or advice to straighten out the problem. In the same way, a manager is often asked to mediate between two or more employees who might not be getting along in the office. Managers know that teamwork is vital to productivity, so they are trained to make sure that the workplace runs smoothly. ‘pale in comparison: to be inferior to “intermediary: a person who acts asthe communicator between people or groups4 Finally, both coaches and managers must represent their subordinates to higher management. Many social groups function as hierarchies’, and the locker room and office are no different. Coaches are regularly asked to report to the team owners with updates on the season. They write up reports to keep the owners informed about who is doing well, who is injured, and who is not performing up to par‘. In addition, they serve as the players’ spokespersons. If players have a particular problem related to something other than their athletic performance, itis usually the coaches who end up speaking with the owners on the players’ behalf. Like coaches, business managers are the links between the executives and lower-level employees. Business managers are given the tasks of overseeing employees and serving as go-betweens. Top management wants to remain aware of what is happening in the company, but they usually do not have the time to deal with such details. Business managers, therefore, serve as spokespeople to both ends of the hierarchy. 5 On the surface, the two occupations seem completely unrelated. The coach tends to work in an informal environment such as an outdoor field or a gym. Business managers are used to interacting with others in more formal spaces such as an office or a boardroom. Upon further inspection, however, these two occupations are very closely related. Both coaches and managers are the glue that holds the members of their teams together. We hierarchy: an organization from higher to lower by rank, social status, or function “up to par: satisfactory or up toa given standard activity 9 | More practice with thesis statements Answer these questions about the thesis statement in Essay 1.6. 1, What is the thesis statement in the essay? 2, Is this a direct or indirect thesis? = Give the reason for your answer. 3. Rewrite the thesis statement using the alternative form. 26 UNIT 1+ Exploring the EssayWriting the Body: Outlining ‘The body of an essay is its main part. It usually consists of three or four paragraphs between the introduction and the conclusion. The body follows a plan of organization that the writer usually determines before he or she starts writing, This organization varies depending on the kind of essay the writer is writing. Writers can write the organizational plan of an essay in an outline. There are different levels of outlining, A general or simple outline (see Activity 4) includes the main points, while a specific or detailed outline includes notes on even the smallest pieces of information that will go into the essay. It is much easier to write an essay from a specific outline than from a general outline. However, most writers start with a general outline first and then add details. Here are a general outline and a specific outline for Essay 1.6. Compare the two. Boe LL Introduction ‘A. Hook: Pose a question ‘A. Hook: Which is harder, working in business or working in sports? B. Connecting information B. Connecting information: They work in diferent places and focus on different jobs. C. Thesis: Similarities in coaches’ _C. Thesis: The two professions share many similarities, because the ‘and managers’ jobs ‘main functions of athletic team coaches and business managers are very closely related. Hl. Body NL. Body A. Similarity 1: Leading the A. Similarity 1: Leading the athletes and employees athletes and employees 1, Coaches train athletes 1 Focus on strengths and weaknesses Give feedback 2. Managers train employees ‘Put employees in jobs that fit them best », Perform jab reviews B. Similarity 2: Solving problems _—_B. Similarty 2: Solving problems 1. Coaches listen to athletes a Stop arguments b. Act as go-betweens 2, Managers mediate in office 4 Stress importance of teamwork with employees 'b Get officemates to cooperate C. Similarity 3: Representing the _C. Similarity 3: Representing the athletes and employees athletes and employees 1. Coaches to owners a Give updates to owners Discuss athletes’ problems 2. Managers to CEOs ‘a. Maintain control on behalf of the bosses Update the CEOs on employee issues IML Conclusion: Fecus on IIL, Conclusion: Both roles are fundamental in improving maintaining communication communication and keeping the team together. a