【在生活中學習語言】〈 職人英語通〉 放牛吃草 Laissez-faire

文／Dr.J.J. 圖／老唐

每個主管的領導風格，往往有很大的差異，有些主管很獨裁（autocratic），只會給命令；有些主管則是採行民主式的管理（democratic），會給下屬充分的機會溝通表達己見，然後甚至可以把大家的意見來表決一下，最多人覺得可行的方案就會被採納。

不過，也有一種主管是完完全全的不做任何干涉，由屬下自己決定什麼該做，何時該做。英文裡常會使用一個法文字lassiez-faire來代表”let …do”（讓…做）的意思。而這，也就是我們中文裡常說的「放牛吃草」之意囉。

Victor：I can never understand why you can always go home for dinner on time everyday.

Victor：我真是不懂，為什麼你每天總是可以準時回家吃晚餐。

Johnson：Well, I’m just lucky to have a very efficient team working for me.

Johnson：我只是很幸運有個非常有效率的團隊幫我工作。

Victor：My team is actually larger than yours. Supposedly I should be able to do that, too. I have more support at work than you, after all.

Victor：我的團隊比你的還大呢。理論上，我也應該能跟你一樣啊。畢竟我在工作上能得到的協助要比你還多。

Johnson：I think it’s because we have totally different managing styles. You are very much “hands-on” with every project your department handles whereas I just have this “laissez-faire” approach.

Johnson：我覺得這是因為我們的管理風格完全不同。你幾乎對你部門所有負責的案子都要「全盤掌控」，我呢，則是放牛吃草。

Victor：I have no choice but doing that. All my team members are quite junior and I have to hold their hands constantly.

Victor：我是沒得選擇。我的組員都很沒經驗，所以我時時刻刻都得拉他們一把。

Johnson：I know but I also think you’re over-protecting them. Sometimes, you need to give them a chance to make mistake so they’ll learn even more quickly.

Johnson：我知道，可是我覺得你也太過度保護他們了。有時候你要給他們機會犯錯，這樣他們才能學得更快。

Victor：Perhaps I should try that!

Victor：也許我真該那樣試試看。

Johnson：Oh, do that! You’ll be surprised how much better and faster they can actually complete tasks with satisfaction!

Johnson：噢，一定要的！你會很驚訝他們事實上可以把任務做得更快更好呢！

自由時報-971211

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