That Vision Thing Reading Answers

Nov 24, 2022

That Vision Thing Reading Answers comprises a total of 12 questions that assesses candidate’s ability to read, process information, analyse and evaluate the ideas and narratives. The question formats that are portaryed in That Vision Thing Reading Answers, multiple-choice questions, no more than two words, and completion of flowchart. Multiple-choice questions can be solved by identifying the keywords that are necessary to understand in order to answer them. For no more than two words, candidates must read the passage and understand questions asked to answer them appropriately. However one must ensure that they have to strictly abide by the word limit imposed. To solev questions like flowchart, candidates must understand the passage by reading it thoroughly and make notes of the major keywords. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage carefully, and identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

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Reading Passage Question

In the past, management took a minor role in influencing motivation. It was generally considered that if the correct tools, training, and environment were provided, individuals would do their jobs, and that this was sufficient in itself. People in organisations were considered ‘personnel’. But look how it has now changed. ‘Personnel’ have become ‘human resources’. and staff are now seen in terms of strategic potential, and with appropriate development, are one of the most important assets organisations may have.

A key aspect of this is motivation, and to achieve it, the latest buzzword is envisioning. We often hear management gurus propounding the thesis that any leader of worth must have a vision. This can unite, inspire, and direct the energies of the staff in the right direction. In the absence of such a ‘visionary leader’, the organisation necessarily flounders in complete aimlessness – or at least, that is what we are led to believe. And yet I strongly disagree that this ‘vision thing’ (as famously referred to by former American President, George Bush Senior) is worth much at all. I’d even go further, stating that it can be distinctly bad for the organisation.

The first fact to realise is that ‘envisioning’ fails to acknowledge the true human nature of organisations. These places are not composed of lemmings., all with a simplistic and single-minded dedication towards one goal. They are most obviously composed of groups of human beings, and with their rich variety of personalities and experiences, no such community can be homogenous and share exactly the same sat of personal values. These people are, in fact, merely loosely-bound cohorts pursuing different objectives (status, money, power, or individually defined agendas), in different manners. Thus a truly shared and meaningful vision is very difficult, and often impossible, to generate.

Yet the ‘visionary’ manager attempts to do just this. The trouble is, the high-minded dictates of his fresh MBA do not mention becoming bogged down in a long, laboured excess of word-smithing, or how, in order to reach a consensus, the vision necessarily loses all individuality. The books do not mention the passionless and sterile written exhortation which is ultimately produced, of working towards ‘unshakeable integrity’. As admirable in content as these may be, they are merely corporate mantras rather than words to be lived by. Few will believe in something imposed from above, instead merely complying at a superficial level.

The unfortunate fact is, when turning from rhetoric to reality, the contradictions can be overwhelming. Deep down, all staff members know that envisioning is attempted not to create a more egalitarian company, but only as a means of enriching the company directors. But what about those staff member? Few of them work merely for the love of their job. In a materialistic and consumer-driven world, they work for hard and tangible rewards. This can take many forms, but certainly involves the company giving back profit in the form of salary, overtime, TOIL, bonuses, perks and extra days off. Personal visions never, ever, mention these.

Here’s another reason why envisioning is dubious at best. Workers do not like to be treated as products in the service of profits, or cogs in the organisational machine, yet envisioning ranks them as even worse – as animals in a sociological experiment. The assumption is that they lack their own personal vision and are helplessly adrift, deficits which can only be remedied by a great leader who can herd the lost sheep in the right direction. This is not a feeling likely to enhance commitment to the cause, and often make staff feel the very opposite, a fact about which I can personally testify from my own experiences of working in big companies where the envisioning farce was played out.

Personal visions are, in fact, necessarily complex. Almost everyone would surely have difficulties in articulating their deepest motivations, as well as in being honest about this to themselves. They would similarly have some reluctance to openly talk on the subject, often with people who might be competitors for that next promotion. Furthermore, envisioning begs the question of whether a vision is even necessary. Some people are not driven by a determination to stridently blaze a trail through life. This may merely show a spiritual calm, and a desire to appreciate the present. It may also be a smarter and more strategic approach to life’s inpredictable turns, applying equally well to the business world. In short, a lack of vision may be better – much better.

George Bush, as with many presidents, occasionally did not articulate his thoughts clearly, but his famously dismissive comment about envisioning speaks volumes. ‘That vision thing’ is remarkable in its concision. In just three words, it encapsulates the trendy, contrived, pigeon-holing, simplistic, top-down, and often insulting and hypocritical nature of the process. Mr Bush, you have my vote.

Solution and Explanation
Part A: Question 14 to 17, Short answer question
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer
Broadly, what do staff need in order to most benefit a company?

14……………………………..

Which people advise envisioning?

15…………………………….

What do they believe a lack of vision might cause?

16…………………………..

What aspect can groups of people never have in common?

17…………………………….

Question 14.

Answer: Appropriate development
Keywords: Staff, development, appropriate
Supporting statements: But look how it has now changed. 'Personnel' have become 'human resources. and staff are now seen in terms of strategic potential, and with appropriate development, are one of the most important assets organisations may have.
Location: Passage 1, last line
Explanation: Humans have turned into resources, and with appropriate training, they can help in the mutual growth of the organisation and themselves.

Question 15.

Answer : Management gurus
Keywords: vision, thesis, suggest, leader.
Supporting statements: A key aspect of this is motivation, and to achieve it, the latest buzzword is envisioning. We often hear management gurus propounding the thesis that any leader of worth must have a vision.
Location: Passage 2, first line
Explanation: Management gurus are the experts in the industrial field and they have five ideas and explanations that a successful leader must possess a vision for the future.

Question 16.

Answer : Complete aimlessness
Keywords: lack, vision, cause, aimless
Supporting statements: This can unite, inspire, and direct the energies of the staff in the right direction. In the absence of such a 'visionary leader', the organisation necessarily flounders in complete aimlessness, or at least, that is what we are led to believe.
Location: Passage 2, third line
Explanation: A leader when possessing a vision to the future leads to the success of the organisation, if the leader is visionless, then the entire organisation fails in complete aimlessness.

Question 17.

Answer : Personal values
Keywords: variety, lack homogeneous, personalities
Supporting statements: They are most obviously composed of groups of human beings, and with their rich variety of personalities and experiences, no such community can be homogenous and share exactly the same set of personal values.
Location: Passage 3, third line
Explanation: An organisation is composed of different types of people, all of them have different nature, and varied personalities, which comes together and plays a crucial role in the all-around success of the organisation.

Part B: Complete the flowchart, Question 18 to 23

Complete the flow chart.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Question 18.

Answer : an MBA
Keywords: manager, MBA
Supporting statements: Yet the 'visionary' manager attempts to do just this. The trouble is, the high-minded dictates of his fresh MBA do not mention becoming bogged down in a long, laboured excess of wordsmithing, or how, in order to reach a consensus, the vision necessarily loses all individuality.
Location: Passage 4, first line
Explanation: A manager possessing MBA often is a good visionary for the organisation.

Question 19.

Answer : personalities and experiences
Keywords: variety, lack homogeneous, personalities
Supporting statements: They are most obviously composed of groups of human beings, and with their rich variety of personalities and experiences, no such community can be homogenous and share exactly the same set of personal values.
Location: Passage 3, third line
Explanation: An organisation is composed of different types of people, all of them have different nature, and varied personalities, which comes together and plays a crucial role in the all-round success of the organisation.

Question 20.

Answer : passionless and sterile
Keywords: words, sterile, passionless
Supporting statements: The books do not mention the passionless and sterile written exhortation which is ultimately produced, of working towards 'unshakeable integrity'.
Location: Passage 4, fourth line
Explanation: The books do not mention the passionless and sterile written exhortation which is ultimately produced, of working towards 'unshakeable integrity'.

Question 21.

Answer : a superficial level
Keywords: agree, believe, level
Supporting statements: Few will believe in something imposed from above, instead of merely complying at a superficial level.
Location: Passage 4, last line
Explanation: All the suggestions provided by the management gurus, may not be applicable for everyone, and can be merely applied at a superficial level.

Question 22.

Answer : commitment
Keywords: enhance, commitment, opposite, etc.
Supporting statements: This is not a feeling likely to enhance commitment to the cause, and often make staff feel the very opposite, a fact about which I can personally testify from my own experiences of working in big companies where the envisioning farce was played out.
Location: Passage 6
Explanation: All these points mentioned by the gurus may enhance the commitment of the employees too.

Question 23.

Answer : hard and tangible
Keywords: rewards, job, world, work for
Supporting statements: Few of them work merely for the love of their job. In a materialistic and consumer-driven world, they work for hard and tangible rewards.
Location: Passage 5, second line
Explanation: Some people work in an organization, since they love the work, whereas, other people just work to get monetary benefits.

Part C: Multiple choice questions, Question 24 to 26

Questions 24-26:
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

Most people

A can define what makes them want to succeed.
B will discuss their personal visions with others.
C are interested in promotions.
D express their deeper feelings truthfully.

Personal visions

A take people forward in life.
B result in the absorption of immediate details.
C provide defence against unexpected events.
D help calm people’s minds.

With regard to envisioning, the author feels

A critical.
B contemptuous.
C impartial.
D suspicious.

Question 24.

Answer : C
Keywords: rewards, job, world, work for
Supporting statements: Few of them work merely for the love of their job. In a materialistic and consumer-driven world, they work for hard and tangible rewards.
Location: Passage 5, second line
Explanation: Some people work in an organization, since they love the work, whereas, other people just work to get monetary benefits.

Question 25.

Answer : A
Keywords: development, appropriate
Supporting statements: Personal visions are, in fact, necessarily complex. Almost everyone would surely have difficulties in articulating their deepest motivations, as well as in being honest about this to themselves.
Location: Passage 7, last line
Explanation: Management gurus are the experts in the industrial field and they have five ideas and explanations that a successful leader must possess a vision for the future.

Question 26.

Answer : B
Keywords: vision, conclusion, thoughts
Supporting statements: George Bush, as with many presidents, occasionally did not articulate his thoughts clearly, but his famously dismissive comment about envisioning speaks volumes. 'That vision thing' is remarkable in its concision.
Location: last passage
Explanation: The author tries to conclude by saying that, vision is crucial for the development of an individual and organisation.