“经理人”一职要消失了吗？
No more bosses
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
大家好。这里是BBC教学英语的《六分钟英语》。我是尼尔。
And I'm Georgina.
我是乔治娜。
After working together at BBC Learning English for many years, Georgina,
乔治娜，你和我在BBC教学英语工作了很多年，
you and I have a good working relationship, don't we?
我们的工作关系很好，不是吗？
Sure, I think we make a great team!
当然，我认为我们组成了一个很好的团队！
But have you ever had a boss who you just couldn't work with?
但你是否遇到过无法共事的上司？
Oh, you mean a bad boss – someone you just can't get on with no matter how hard you try.
哦，你是说一个坏上司——无论你多么努力都无法相处的人。
Yes, I've had one or two over the years – not you of course, Neil!
是的，这些年来我遇到过一两个，当然没有你，尼尔！
I'm glad to hear it, Georgina!
很高兴听到你这么说，乔治娜！
Often this happens because workers feel they aren't listened to by managers.
发生这种情况通常是因为员工觉得经理人没有听取他们的意见。
Or it might be because most companies are hierarchies
或者，这可能是因为大多数公司都是等级制度
- systems of organising people according to their level of importance.
——根据员工的重要程度来组织员工的制度。
Managers on top, workers down below.
经理人在上层，员工在下层。
But in this programme, we hear from companies who've got rid of managers,
但在本期节目中，我们会听听一些公司是怎么说的，这些公司裁掉了经理人，
and say it has helped them do a better job, made them happier and saved money.
并称这帮助他们把工作做得更好，让他们更开心，还省了钱。
We'll meet a self-managing company which isn't hierarchical and has no boss.
我们将会看到一家自我管理型公司，它没有等级制度，没有上司。
And of course we'll be learning some new vocabulary along the way.
当然，在这个过程中我们也将学到一些新词汇。
But first, today's quiz question.
但首先是今天的测试问题。
One of the biggest problems in hierarchies is the excess cost of management and bureaucracy.
等级制度的最大问题之一是超额管理成本和官僚主义。
But how much is that estimated to cost the US economy every year?
但这估计每年会给美国经济造成多少损失？
Is it: a) 3 million dollars, b) 3 billion dollars, or c) 3 trillion dollars?
是a)三百万美元，b) 30亿美元，还是c) 3万亿美元？
I'll say c) 3 trillion dollars – that's one followed by twelve zeros - a lot of money!
我选c) 3万亿美元——那后面跟着12个0——很多钱！
OK, Georgina, we'll find out later if you're right.
好的，乔治娜，我们稍后将揭晓你是否正确。
Now, one of the first companies to experiment successfully with self-management was Californian tomato grower Morning Star.
现在，第一家自我管理试验成功的公司是加州番茄种植公司Morning Star。
Here's one of their employees, Doug Kirkpatrick, talking to Dina Newman for the BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World:
这是其员工道格·柯克帕特里克在接受BBC全球服务节目People Fixing the World采访时同迪娜·纽曼谈到的：
The first principle was that human beings should not use force or coercion against other human beings.
第一条原则是人们不应对他人使用武力或胁迫他人。
And the second principle was that people should keep the commitments they make to each other,
第二条原则是人们应该遵守他们对彼此所做的承诺，
and so we adopted them as pretty much the entire governance of the enterprise.
我们几乎在全部企业治理中采纳了这些。
Because Morning Star has no bosses, decisions are made by all employees equally without coercion
因为Morning Star没有上司，所以决定是由所有员工平等达成的，员工没有受到胁迫
– the use of force to persuade someone to do something they do not want to do.
——使用武力来说服某人做他们不愿意做的事情。
As self-managers, employees can't tell other employees what to do.
作为自我管理者，员工不能告诉其他员工去做什么。
Everything is based on requesting someone to act and them responding.
一切都是基于要求某人做什么，然后他们做出回应。
This motivates and empowers workers but also means they must keep their commitments
这激励了员工并赋予他们权力，但那也意味着他们必须遵守自己的承诺
- promises or firm decisions to do something when requested.
——在需要时做出的许诺或坚定的决定。
This way of working is great for some – they feel listened to and have a voice in how the company is run.
这种工作方式对一些人来说非常棒——他们觉得自己得到倾听并对公司的运营有了发言权。
But Dina questions whether this is true for everybody working at Morning Star:
但迪娜质疑这是否对在Morning Star工作的每个人都适用：
Would it be true to say that a self-managed company like yours empowers people who are already very good,
真的能这么说吗？像你们这样的自我管理型公司让已经很优秀的人更有能力，
and it leaves behind those who are not so good?
而将那些没那么优秀的人落下？
I'm not sure I accept the phrase 'left behind'.
我不确定我是否接受“被落下”这个说法。
There are some people who take full advantage of this environment;
有些人充分利用了这种环境；
others take less advantage but they do benefit because their voice is respected,
其他人则没那么充分地利用，但他们确实受益，因为他们说的话得到重视，
when they do propose something it must be listened to, they are not subject to force and coercion,
人们必须听取他们所提出的事宜，他们不会受到强迫和胁迫，
and if they don't act according to their commitments they can be held accountable by anyone.
而且如果他们没有按照自己的承诺行事，他们会被任何人追究责任。
Having no bosses sounds great, but the extra responsibility can create more work and stress.
没有上司听起来不错，但额外的责任会产生更多的工作和压力。
Different workers respond to this in different ways and some employees may be left behind
不同的员工对此有不同的反应，一些员工可能会被落下
- remain at a lower level than others because they are not as quick to develop.
——保持在较低水平，因为他们的发展速度没有那么快。
However other workers enjoy managing themselves and take full advantage of the system
然而，其他员工喜欢自我管理并充分利用这个制度
- make good use of the opportunity to improve and achieve their goals.
——很好地利用这个机会来提升自己以及实现自己的目标。
No matter whether employees are good self-managers or not, ultimately they are held accountable for their work performance
无论员工是否是优秀的自我管理者，最终都要针对他们的工作表现追究责任
– asked to accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions.
——要求他们为自身行为所造成的后果承担责任。
So, although having no boss sounds good, if things go wrong, there's no-one to blame but yourself!
因此，虽然没有上司听起来不错，但如果事情出了问题，除了你自己，谁也不能怪！
So maybe we do need those managers after all – which reminds me of our quiz question.
所以，也许我们确实需要这些经理人——那让我想起了我们的测试问题。
You asked me to estimate how much the US economy loses in excess bureaucracy and managerial costs every year.
你让我估算因官僚主义和超额管理成本，美国经济每年要损失多少钱。
And you said?
你说是？
c) 3 trillion dollars.
c) 3万亿美元。
Which was absolutely right! Well done!
完全正确！做得好！
And the cost keeps rising because, of course, the more managers there are, the more managers you need to manage the managers!
当然，成本一直在上升，因为经理人越多，你需要的管理经理人的管理者就越多！
Today we've been looking at the world of self-management - companies run without bosses,
今天，我们一直讨论自我管理的世界——公司在没有上司的情况下运营，
which, unlike most businesses, are not based on a hierarchy
和大多数企业不一样，它不是基于等级制度
– system of organising people according to their level of importance.
——根据人们的重要程度来进行组织的制度。
Instead companies like San Francisco's Morning Star allow employees to make their own commitments
相反，像旧金山Morning Star这样的公司允许员工做出自己的承诺
– promises to act, rather than using coercion – or forceful persuasion – to get results.
——许诺采取行动，而不是通过胁迫或强迫说服来获得结果。
Many employees react positively to this working environment and take full advantage of it
许多员工对这种工作环境反应积极，并对其进行充分利用
- make good use of the opportunity to progress or achieve their goals.
——很好地利用该机会来取得进步或实现自己的目标。
However, there is a risk that others who are more comfortable being managed may get left behind
然而，也存在这样一种风险，即那些更愿意接受管理的人可能会被落下
- remain at a lower level than others because they are not as quick to improve and adapt.
——保持在比其他人更低的水平，因为他们没有那么快地提高和适应。
But whatever their job role or feelings about self-management,
但无论他们的工作角色是什么，或对自我管理的感受如何，
all workers are held accountable – asked to accept responsibility for their performance at work.
所有员工都要被追究责任——要求他们为自己的工作表现承担责任。
Meaning they can take the credit for when things go well…
这意味着当事情进展顺利时，他们可以得到赞扬……
…but have nobody to hide behind when things go badly!
但是当事情变糟时，没有人可以躲避责任！
That's all from us today,
以上就是我们今天的全部内容，
but remember to join us again soon for more topical discussion and related vocabulary here at 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
记得下次再加入我们啊，更多话题讨论和相关词汇，就在BBC教学英语的《六分钟英语》。
Bye for now.
再见啦。
Bye.
拜。