How to Decorate Your Cubicle

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How To Decorate Your Cubicle
(Youtube / Howcast, 2013)
http://youtu.be/mEiqMZvzYp4
Go ahead and celebrate your individuality, just don’t announce to the office that you’re a lazy nut job!
You will need: awareness of the messages you’re sending and a little restraint.
Optional: plants, a clock, a bowl of candy and personal mementos.
Step 1: The first rule -- keep politics and religion out of the decor. You’re at the office to do a job, not win
converts.
Step 2: Keep collectibles at home. You need to be able to spread out your work without constantly having to
upend your glass menagerie.
Step 3: Limit photos of friends, pets and family lest your cubicle begin to resemble the celebrity endorsement
wall of a restaurant. Desk photos that face outwards make the statement that family is important to you.
Step 4: Buy some plants and take good care of them. Studies show (that) this sends a message that you are
committed to your job. To follow one of the principles of Feng Shui, have an odd number of plants.
Step 5: Get a clock. Contrary to logic, studies show (that) it sends the message that you’re meticulous and
hard-working – not a clock-watcher.
Step 6: Have a few sentimental mementos around, like the snow globe from the place (where) you got engaged.
They tell visitors that you are an agreeable person.
Step 7: Put out a bowl of candy – unless, of course, you don’t want colleagues dropping by. It’s the office
equivalent of a welcome mat.
Step 8: However you decorate, keep your area tidy. Research shows that employees with messy work stations
are rated lower on agreeableness, conscientiousness and intelligence.
Did you know? According to one study, too many sticky notes send the signal that you’re
overwhelmed by your job.
Vocabulary
1. Go ahead
2. a lazy nut job*
3. awareness
4. a little restraint
5. keep politics and religion out
6. to win converts
7. collectibles
8. to spread out your work
9. to upend
10. lest
11. endorsement wall
12. that face outwards
13. make the statement
14. you are committed to your job
Allez-y
(familier*) un cinglé fainéant
conscience
un peu de retenue
laisser en dehors = ne parlez pas de
faire des convertis
pièces de collection
étaler vos documents de travail, etc.
mettre à l’endroit (après avoir renversé)
de peur que
un mur dans un restaurant qui arbore des photos et
signatures de personnalités
qui donnent / sont tournées vers l’extérieur
donnent l’idée que / ‘déclarent que’
vous êtes dévoué à votre travail
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15. an odd number
16. get a clock
17. a clock-watcher
18. you got engaged
19. put out a bowl of candy
20. drop by
21. a welcome mat
22. however you decorate
23. keep your area tidy
24. messy work stations
25. to be rated lower
26. agreeableness
27. conscientiousness
28. sticky notes
29. to be overwhelmed by one’s job
un nombre impair
procurez-vous une horloge
quelqu’un qui surveille sa montre pour partir
dès que sa journée de travail est terminée
vous vous êtes fiancé(e)
mettez sur votre bureau un bol de bonbons (pour vos collègues)
rendre visite, passer vous voir
un paillasson qui dit “bienvenue!”
quelle que soit votre manière de décorer
gardez votre espace rangé / ordonné
un poste de travail désordonné
être considéré, jugé plus bas
amabilité
le fait d’être consciencieux
nom générique pour des « Post-it »
être submergé, accablé par le travail
How To Decorate Your Cubicle
(Youtube / Howcast, 2013)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
_________________ and celebrate your individuality, just don’t announce to the office that you’re a _________
Allez-y
paresseux
nut job!
You will need: _________________________ of the messages you’re sending and a little ________________.
la conscience
retenue
Optional: plants, a clock, a bowl of candy and personal mementos.
Step 1: The first rule -- ____________ politics and religion _________ of the decor. You’re at the office to do
laissez en dehors (phrasal verb)
a job, not win converts.
Step 2: Keep collectibles at home. You need to be able to __________________ your work without constantly
étaler
having to upend your glass menagerie.
Step 3: Limit photos of friends, pets and family ______________ your cubicle begin to resemble the celebrity
de peur que
endorsement wall of a restaurant. Desk photos that __________ ____________ ________________________
sont tournées
versl’extérieur
donnent l’idée / déclarent
that family is important to you.
Step 4: Buy some plants and take good care of them. Studies show (that) this sends a message that you are
__________________________ your job. To follow one of the principles of Feng Shui, have an ___________
dévoué à
number of plants.
impair
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Step 5: ___________ a clock. Contrary to logic, studies show (that) it sends the message that you’re meticulous
Procurez-vous
and hard-working – not a clock-watcher.
Step 6: Have a few sentimental mementos around, like the snow globe from the place (where) you
____________________________. They tell visitors that you are an agreeable person.
(vous) vous êtes fiancé(e)
Step 7: _______________ a bowl of candy – unless, of course, you don’t want colleagues _________________.
Mettez
passent vous voir
‘vous rendent visite’
It’s the office equivalent of a welcome ______________.
paillasson
Step 8: _______________________________, keep your area ____________. Research shows that employees
Quelle que soit votre manière de décorer
rangé / ordonné
with _______________ work stations are ________ lower on agreeableness, conscientiousness and intelligence.
désordonné
jugés / considérés
Did you know? According to one study, too many __________________________ send the signal that you’re
Post-it
___________________________ your job.
submergé / accablé par