Unit 26
Do mission statements
really matter?
職場攻略/辦公日常
Workplace English/Workplace Communication
BRAIN STORM
Share your ideas with your teacher and try to make sentences.
What is your mission in life?
VOCABULARY
Repeat these sentences after your teacher.
1. mission statement (n.) 使命宣言，宗旨說明
Please read the company’s mission statement.
請閱讀公司的使命聲明。
2. resonated (v.) 引起共鳴
After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt’s call to war resonated throughout the nation.
日本攻擊珍珠港之後，羅斯福總統號召全民參戰在全國產生共鳴。
3. jargon (n.) 行話，行業術語
Do not use jargons so we can understand you.
不要使用行話，這樣我們才能了解您。
4. embodies (v.) 體現
Your mission embodies your purpose in life.
您的使命體現了您人生的目標。
5. empowered (adj.)給（某人）做… 的權力;使自主
Mr. Chen’s words empowered me.
陳先生的話賦予了我權力。
6. alignment (n.) 校準;一致
Make sure your shape alignment is correct.
確保您的形狀對齊正確。
7. on the ground (n.) 實際
Can you do 50 push ups on the ground?
您可以在地面上做50次俯臥撑嗎？
8. lofty (adj.) 崇高的，高尚的
He is a man of lofty ideals.
他是一個有遠大理想的人。
Dialogue
Read the dialogue aloud with your teacher.
Hey Billy, did you finish the survey about choosing our new mission statement?
嗨，Billy，你完成新使命宣言的調查了嗎？
Yeah I wonder if they’re going to go with the Amazon-style “be customer-centric” one.
嗯，我很好奇他們會不會用亞馬遜公司”以客戶為中心”的風格。
“Maintaining principles while growing” like Starbucks really resonated with me.
像星巴克的使命宣言”在不斷發展中堅守原則”，這種就很能引起我的共鳴。
In any case, do you think it really matters what empty jargon we put up on the walls?
不管怎樣，你覺得在牆上貼哪一句空話，這對我們來說很重要嗎？
Absolutely. I’m here for more than just a paycheck. I want to work for a company that embodies my values.
當然重要。 我來這兒工作不僅是為了薪水。 我是希望可以在與我的價值觀相吻合的公司裡工作。
But are you actually empowered to live the values? Our statement has zero alignment with any of the work actually done here.
但你真的能實踐公司的價值觀嗎？ 我們的使命宣言和我們實際在做的工作完全不符啊。
That’s why we’re changing it: To reflect the situation on the ground, instead of just some lofty ideals.
所以公司才準備換掉使命宣言：需要反映實際情況，而不只是一些崇高的理想。
I still think we should come out and say “Make more money by selling more things.”
我還是覺得我們應該直接改成”多賣東西多賺錢」…
It’s pithy, to be sure! But maybe you’d prefer it to say “be as cynical as possible.”
這當然很精闢！ 但是或許換個說法，改成”利益至上”更好。
If that were our company’s ethos, I’d be CEO by now!
如果這是我們公司的理念，那我現在就能當首席執行官了！
Grammar
The suffix “-centric”
In today’s lesson we learnt that part of Amazon’s mission statement is to be customer-centric. What they mean is that they believe in putting the customer first, or regarding the customer as the most important.
Centric is used quite commonly in physics and astronomy. In ancient times, people believed that all of the stars and planets revolved around the Earth. This is what is known as the “geocentric” model. A model where the Earth revolves around the Sun by contrast is called “heliocentric.“
Whenever you want to express putting someone or something first, putting them in the center, or regarding them as the most important thing, you can use “-centric.” It doesn‘t really matter if you use a hyphen or not, although if you are being creative and making your own word, it’s usually safer to use one.
1. Before the end of the Qing Dynasty, East Asian international relations were Sinocentric.
2. There are those who argue that our society is too child-centric.
3. 21st century hospitals are becoming more patient-centric through the use of technology.
DISCUSSION
Make a conversation with your teacher.
1.What do you think is the purpose of having a mission or a goal in life?
