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Indispensable Employees?
Upper-Intermediate
the ARTICLE (for teachers)
Most employees at one time have had a department head who couldn't give up control. He jumps in and offers
assistance and advice, even when it's not asked for or needed. To executives farther up the chain of command,
it seems like this individual is very important. It looks like the people beneath him would seriously struggle in his
absence. Although this is an example of ineffective management, it's a problem difficult to detect. Even worse,
though, is when a department head causes problems in order to fix them and look like a hero. And it happens
far more frequently than ever imagined.
For example, at a clinic in Pittsburgh, insurance checks didn't go out as scheduled. The manager pointed to a
problem with the computer system, which she then fixed. However, there had never been a computer glitch, and
instead she had printed out and placed the checks in her desk. She hoped to gain some recognition from her
superiors because she took care of the computers. In another case in Louisiana, a manager spread rumors that
some employees would be laid off. A few weeks later, he then told his staff that the situation had been resolved.
Thanks to him, he had saved everyone's job. Unfortunately, the story turned out to be a complete work of fiction.
Not a single layoff had ever been planned.
In both of the examples above, the managers acted deliberately. In many more cases, people's actions aren't
really planned. Some employees get bored, others just need to fix problems, and more than a few enjoy the
feeling of power. As a result, these people unconsciously start fires. They may withhold information, fail to send
out emails or schedule meetings, or even pass on tasks to people ill-suited for the job.
The commonness of the problem means managers should stress teamwork. Managers need to have good
communication and be aware of employees' needs, too. The alternative may be an "indispensable" employee.
Teacher's Notes:
* Underlined words in red typeface are the recommended vocabulary for this lesson.
Heads Up English - 1
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Upper-Intermediate
WARM-UPS
Select one or all of the following warm-up activities.
1. Define: What does "indispensable" mean? Can you use it in a sentence? Can you give examples?
2. Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner(s) words and ideas associated with "indispensable" for 2 minutes.
Spend another 5 minutes or less discussing the words and ideas together.
3. Title: Speculate and/or discuss the contents of today's article from its title: "Indispensable Employees?"
4. Speculate: Write in the missing word for today's article title: "( ) Employees?" Why did you
choose this word for the blanks?
5. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

a. My boss is good at what he/she does.
b. In the past, I have worked under a terrible boss.
c. I have worked with someone who has caused problems.
d. I have worked with someone who has deliberately caused problems.
e. In the past month, I have caused at least one problem at work.
Upper-Intermediate
VOCABULARY
Select one of the following vocabulary acquisition activities.
1. Vocabulary match: Individually or in pairs/groups, match the words in column A (from the article) with the
best choice in column B.
a. absence q. notice
b. ineffective r. gossip
c. detect s. emphasize
d. glitch t. not capable
e. recognition u. fix
f. rumor v. essential
g. resolve w. small problem
h. deliberate x. not there
i. stress y. planned
j. indispensable z. congratulations
2. Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
detect absence indispensable glitch deliberately
resolved stress rumors ineffective recognition
a. It looks like the people beneath him would seriously struggle in his ( ).
b. This is an example of ( ) management.
c. It's a problem difficult to ( ).
The manager pointed to a problem with the computers, but there had never been a computer
d.
( ).
e. She hoped to gain some ( ) from her superiors because she took care of the computers.
f. In another case in Louisiana, a manager spread ( ) that some employees would be laid off.
g. A few weeks later, he then told his staff that the situation had been ( ).
h. In both of the examples above, the managers acted ( ).
i. The commonness of the problem means managers should ( ) teamwork.
j. The alternative may be an "( )" employee.
3. Define: Define each word, correctly pronounce it, explain the meaning and/or usage, and offer an example
sentence to the class.
a. absence c. detect e. recognition g. resolve i. stress
b. ineffective d. glitch f. rumor h. deliberate j. indispensable
Upper-Intermediate
WORD RECOGNITION
1. Word Search: Find the target words (in bold). Time yourself, and see how many words you can find in three
minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes.
Y J S S E R T S E B D G Y I G
L P W O L T D J A E L Q Y N R
T W G E B X A B V I E L R E Q
A A P O A Z Y L T L E J C F B
R M B S S W O C T T B O S F D
E J E C N S H G A I G H R E E
B I C D E B N R G N X R O C T
I P P R P N E B I O Y U M T E
L G C H S B S T Z E B F U I C
E D H L I M I E M B P V R V T
D I F L D O A B S E N C E E M
C R E I N N E F F E C T I V E
S D K K I W D Q R Q I O J D J
E P Q Q K G X E B S O L X K U
N O I T I T N O C E R B C X K
2. Target Word Pool: Find the target words (in bold) with their exact match. Time yourself, and see how many
words you can find in three minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes.
deliberately glitches
unresolved absent detective rumor
gulch recognize stressful deliberateness
indispensable resolution absence
rummage indubitably
detection stress effective gulp
effectively recognizable
rumored ineffective deliberate resolved stressed
detects
recognitions absences delivered
deliverable indispensably glyph dispensable
detect recognizing
ineffectiveness
stresses glitch rooms abscond
resolves
resolving recognition stresses
absentee
undisclosed ineffectively detected rumors
Upper-Intermediate
pre- or post-COMPREHENSION
1. Word Association: Brainstorm words associated with today's topic for two minutes. Present to the class.
2. Brainstorm Questions: Brainstorm questions that you would like to ask about today's topic. Answer the
questions without looking at the article.
3. True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false.
If false, correct the sentence.
a. Employees who cause problems seem to be quite common. T/F
b. The manager in Pittsburgh broke the computer system and then fixed it. T/F
c. A manager in Louisiana laid off many employees. T/F
d. Employees cause problems because it's fun. T/F
e. According to the article, managers should encourage good communication. T/F
4. Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.

a. What happens far more frequently than ever imagined?
b. What happened in Pittsburgh?
c. What happened in Louisiana?
d. According to the article, why do some employees cause problems?
e. What do the quotation marks mean here: The alternative may be an "indispensable" employee.
5. Vocabulary: In pairs/groups, remember how the words were used in today's article.
a. absence c. detect e. recognition g. resolved i. stress
b. ineffective d. glitch f. rumors h. deliberately j. indispensable
6. Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article.
a. He jumps in and offers assistance and advice, even when...
b. It looks like the people beneath him would...
c. In many more cases, people's actions...
d. They may withhold information, fail to send out emails or schedule meetings, or even...
e. Managers need to have good communication and...
Upper-Intermediate
post-COMPREHENSION
1. Vocabulary: Circle any additional unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use your
dictionaries to understand the meanings. Present to the class.
2. Class Questions: Read through the article once more, and write down any questions that you would like to
discuss in pairs/groups or as a class. Discuss.
3. Summarize: Work with a partner to summarize the article in your own words.
4. Discuss: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
a. Did you like this article?
b. What was your general impression after reading this article?
c. Have you ever worked for someone (or with someone) that caused problems in the office?
d. What would you do (or what have you done) if you worked with someone as described in the article?
e. What would you do as a manager (or what have you done) if you oversaw someone as in the article?
f. How common a problem do you think this is in your home country? Please explain.
g. What kind of problems are there in your home country with regards to work? Please explain.
h. What other problems have you experienced in the professional world? Please explain.
i. What problems have you caused in your professional life? Which was the most serious?
j. What would you consider an indispensable employee to be like?
5. Discuss: Imagine that your boss often causes problems. To people outside the department, he looks like a
hero. To people in the department, he causes more work and stress for everyone. List four actions you could
take that would solve the problem, and the pluses and minuses of each. Present your answers to another
student, and decide on the best.
Action #1:
Action #2:
Action #3:
Action #4:
6. Google Search: Type "workplace" into Google news and read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or
write an essay about your findings.
Upper-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (the article)
Most employees at one time have had a department head who couldn't give up control. He jumps in and offers
absence. Although this is an example of ineffective management, it's a problem difficult to detect. Even worse,
though, is when a department head causes problems in order to fix them and look like a hero. And it happens
far more frequently than ever imagined.
problem with the computer system, which she then fixed. However, there had never been a computer glitch, and
instead she had printed out and placed the checks in her desk. She hoped to gain some recognition from her
superiors because she took care of the computers. In another case in Louisiana, a manager spread rumors that
some employees would be laid off. A few weeks later, he then told his staff that the situation had been resolved.
Thanks to him, he had saved everyone's job. Unfortunately, the story turned out to be a complete work of fiction.
Not a single layoff had ever been planned.
In both of the examples above, the managers acted deliberately. In many more cases, people's actions aren't
really planned. Some employees get bored, others just need to fix problems, and more than a few enjoy the
feeling of power. As a result, these people unconsciously start fires. They may withhold information, fail to send
out emails or schedule meetings, or even pass on tasks to people ill-suited for the job.
The commonness of the problem means managers should stress teamwork. Managers need to have good
Notes:
Upper-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (fill in the blank)
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
pointed unconsciously absence deliberately Unfortunately
detect resolved indispensable rumors glitch
stress recognition situation department ineffective
Most employees at one time have had a (a. _______________) head who couldn't give up control. He
jumps in and offers assistance and advice, even when it's not asked for or needed. To executives farther up
the chain of command, it seems like this individual is very important. It looks like the people beneath him
would seriously struggle in his (b. _______________). Although this is an example of
(c. _______________) management, it's a problem difficult to (d. _______________). Even worse, though,
is when a department head causes problems in order to fix them and look like a hero. And it happens far
more frequently than ever imagined.
For example, at a clinic in Pittsburgh, insurance checks didn't go out as scheduled. The manager
(e. _______________) to a problem with the computer system, which she then fixed. However, there had
never been a computer (f. _______________), and instead she had printed out and placed the checks in
her desk. She hoped to gain some (g. _______________) from her superiors because she took care of the
computers. In another case in Louisiana, a manager spread (h. _______________) that some employees
would be laid off. A few weeks later, he then told his staff that the (i. _______________) had been
(j. _______________). Thanks to him, he had saved everyone's job. (k. _______________), the story
turned out to be a complete work of fiction. Not a single layoff had ever been planned.
In both of the examples above, the managers acted (l. _______________). In many more cases, people's
actions aren't really planned. Some employees get bored, others just need to fix problems, and more than a
few enjoy the feeling of power. As a result, these people (m. _______________) start fires. They may
withhold information, fail to send out emails or schedule meetings, or even pass on tasks to people ill-
suited for the job.
The commonness of the problem means managers should (n. _______________) teamwork. Managers
need to have good communication and be aware of employees' needs, too. The alternative may be an
"(o. _______________)" employee.
Upper-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (extended listening)
Listen and fill in the missing sentences. Compare your answers with a partner, and
then listen once more.
a) ____________________________________________________________. He jumps in and offers
absence. Although this is an example of ineffective management, it's a problem difficult to detect.
b) ___________________________________________________________. And it happens far more
frequently than ever imagined.
problem with the computer system, which she then fixed. c) _________________________________________
______________________. She hoped to gain some recognition from her superiors because she took care of
the computers. In another case in Louisiana, a manager spread rumors that some employees would be laid off.
A few weeks later, he then told his staff that the situation had been resolved. Thanks to him, he had saved
everyone's job. Unfortunately, the story turned out to be a complete work of fiction. Not a single layoff had ever
been planned.
In both of the examples above, the managers acted deliberately. d) ___________________________________

__________________________. Some employees get bored, others just need to fix problems, and more than
a few enjoy the feeling of power. As a result, these people unconsciously start fires. They may withhold
information, fail to send out emails or schedule meetings, or even pass on tasks to people ill-suited for the job.
e) ____________________________________________________________. Managers need to have good

Upper-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (notes)
Upper-Intermediate
ANSWER KEY
Vocabulary
1. Vocabulary Match: 2. Fill in the Blanks:
a. x f. r a. absence f. rumors
b. t g. u b. ineffective g. resolved
c. q h. y c. detect h. deliberately
d. w i. s d. glitch i. stress
e. z j. v e. recognition j. indispensable
pre- or post-Comprehension
1. True or False: 2. Fragments:
a. T a. it's not asked for or needed.
b. F b. seriously struggle in his absence.
c. F c. aren't really planned.
d. F d. pass on tasks to people ill-suited for the job.
e. T e. be aware of employees' needs, too.
Student Handout
1. Fill in the Blanks
a. department i. situation
b. absence j. resolved
c. ineffective k. Unfortunately
d. detect l. deliberately
e. pointed m. unconsciously
f. glitch n. stress
g. recognition o. indispensable
h. rumors
2. Extended Listening
a. Most employees at one time have had a department head who couldn't give up control
b. Even worse, though, is when a department head causes problems in order to fix them and look like a hero
c. However, there had never been a computer glitch, and instead she had printed out and placed the checks in her desk
d. In many more cases, people's actions aren't really planned
e. The commonness of the problem means managers should stress teamwork

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5. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

4. Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.

In both of the examples above, the managers acted deliberately. d) ___________________________________

e) ____________________________________________________________. Managers need to have good

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