TASK 2 (AGREE OR DISAGREE): OLDER LEADERS
The leaders or directors of organizations are often older people. But some people say that young people can also be leaders. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer
There has been a contentious debate as to whether organisations’ boards of directors should often be comprised of senior leaders or executive directors, with proponents of youth leadership fervently arguing the case for younger people in managerial roles. Despite legitimate defences underpinning the primacy of either demographic, I firmly believe that leadership roles should include a mix of age brackets for optimal efficiency and diverse perspectives.
Advocates of exclusively reserving directorship positions for senior leaders cite critical attributes such as consolidated experience and moderate composure. These supporters maintain that it normally takes years or even decades of rigorous training, experiencing first-hand corporate demands, and overcoming professional challenges to acquire profound knowledge and in-depth experience in an expertise. Younger colleagues, even with adequate qualifications and specialised certificates from professional bodies, tend to lack the maturity and experience to make crucial decisions that steer companies in the right direction or to avoid potential financial losses. Additionally, most young professionals are eager for early success, and such eagerness can oftentimes lead to poorly thought-out and unethical decisions, engendering far-reaching consequences. An instructive example is Sam BF, the former CEO of the FTX trading platform, whose imprisonment was largely due to his recklessness and a lack of guidance from senior associates.
However, the aforementioned shortcomings of young leaders can largely be rectified by having senior counsellors working alongside them on the Boards of Directors. With tailored support, personalised management training, and psychological mentorship, younger managers and CEOs are far more likely to address their weaknesses in terms of experience and immaturity. Once these drawbacks are resolved, young associates thrive in technological prowess, adaptability, and flexibility. Compared with older leaders, who are likely not as technologically adept, adaptable to the ever-changing world, and flexible in terms of mindset, young people bring innovations, creative decision-making, and real-time updates in their field. A case in point is Berkshire Hathaway, a company owned by Warren Buffet. Although most important decisions are executed by Mr Buffet himself, he also relies on the advice of numerous younger executives, who can offer varying perspectives and flexible approaches.
In conclusion, while older people in leadership roles have the benefits of cultivated experience and calmness, their younger counterparts thrive in technological advancements, flexibility, and real-world adaptability. Ideally, a board of directors consisting of both demographics would utilise the strengths of both senior and junior leaders, provided that there are continuous training programmes to minimise their inherent shortcomings.
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TỪ VỰNG HAY
The leaders or directors of organizations are often older people. But some people say that young people can also be leaders. Do you agree or disagree?
There has been a contentious debate as to whether organisations’ boards of directors should often be comprised of senior leaders or executive directors, with proponents of youth leadership fervently arguing the case for younger people in managerial roles. Despite legitimate defences underpinning the primacy of either demographic, I firmly believe that leadership roles should include a mix of age brackets for optimal efficiency and diverse perspectives.
Advocates of exclusively reserving directorship positions for senior leaders cite critical attributes such as consolidated experience and moderate composure. These supporters maintain that it normally takes years or even decades of rigorous training, experiencing first-hand corporate demands, and overcoming professional challenges to acquire profound knowledge and in-depth experience in an expertise. Younger colleagues, even with adequate qualifications and specialised certificates from professional bodies, tend to lack the maturity and experience to make crucial decisions that steer companies in the right direction or to avoid potential financial losses. Additionally, most young professionals are eager for early success, and such eagerness can oftentimes lead to poorly thought-out and unethical decisions, engendering far-reaching consequences. An instructive example is Sam BF, the former CEO of the FTX trading platform, whose imprisonment was largely due to his recklessness and a lack of guidance from senior associates.
However, the aforementioned shortcomings of young leaders can largely be rectified by having senior counsellors working alongside them on the Boards of Directors. With tailored support, personalised management training, and psychological mentorship, younger managers and CEOs are far more likely to address their weaknesses in terms of experience and immaturity. Once these drawbacks are resolved, young associates thrive in technological prowess, adaptability, and flexibility. Compared with older leaders, who are likely not as technologically adept, adaptable to the ever-changing world, and flexible in terms of mindset, young people bring innovations, creative decision-making, and real-time updates in their field. A case in point is Berkshire Hathaway, a company owned by Warren Buffet. Although most important decisions are executed by Mr Buffet himself, he also relies on the advice of numerous younger executives, who can offer varying perspectives and flexible approaches.
In conclusion, while older people in leadership roles have the benefits of cultivated experience and calmness, their younger counterparts thrive in technological advancements, flexibility, and real-world adaptability. Ideally, a board of directors consisting of both demographics would utilise the strengths of both senior and junior leaders, provided that there are continuous training programmes to minimise their inherent shortcomings.
Vocabulary
- a contentious debate – cuộc tranh luận gây tranh cãi
- comprised of senior leaders – bao gồm các lãnh đạo cấp cao
- youth leadership – lãnh đạo trẻ
- legitimate defences – lập luận hợp lý
- mix of age brackets – sự kết hợp các độ tuổi
- optimal efficiency – hiệu quả tối ưu
- diverse perspectives – góc nhìn đa dạng
- exclusively reserving – dành riêng, chỉ định riêng
- critical attributes – đặc điểm quan trọng
- consolidated experience – kinh nghiệm tích lũy
- moderate composure – sự điềm tĩnh vừa phải
- rigorous training – đào tạo nghiêm ngặt
- experiencing first-hand – trải nghiệm trực tiếp
- overcoming professional challenges – vượt qua thách thức nghề nghiệp
- profound knowledge – kiến thức sâu sắc
- in-depth experience – kinh nghiệm chuyên sâu
- specialised certificates – chứng chỉ chuyên môn
- crucial decisions – quyết định quan trọng
- potential financial losses – tổn thất tài chính tiềm ẩn
- poorly thought-out – suy nghĩ chưa chín chắn
- engendering far-reaching consequences – gây ra hậu quả lâu dài
- tailored support – hỗ trợ cá nhân hóa
- technological prowess – năng lực công nghệ
- creative decision-making – ra quyết định sáng tạo
- continuous training programmes – chương trình đào tạo liên tục
✔ DÀN Ý & PARAPHRASING
Introduction – Giới thiệu:
- Topic paraphrase: There has been a contentious debate / tranh luận gay gắt about whether boards should be comprised of senior leaders (older executives) or youth leadership (younger managers).
- Thesis statement: I believe a mix of age brackets (sự kết hợp các độ tuổi) is best for optimal efficiency (hiệu quả tối ưu) and diverse perspectives (góc nhìn đa dạng).
Body 1 – Older leaders (Lợi ích lãnh đạo lớn tuổi):
- Keyword: senior leaders → paraphrase: experienced executives, older professionals
- Ideas:
- Critical attributes: consolidated experience, moderate composure (kinh nghiệm tích lũy, điềm tĩnh)
- Process to gain expertise: rigorous training, experiencing first-hand, overcoming professional challenges
- Decision making: Avoid potential financial losses, make crucial decisions
- Example: Sam BF – warns about recklessness and lack of guidance
Paraphrase lesson: “experience” → profound knowledge / in-depth experience, “careful decision” → crucial decisions / well-thought-out choices
Body 2 – Younger leaders (Lợi ích lãnh đạo trẻ):
- Keyword: young leaders → paraphrase: junior managers, emerging executives
- Ideas:
- Weaknesses fixable with support: tailored support, personalised management training, psychological mentorship
- Strengths: technological prowess, adaptability, flexibility, innovations, creative decision-making, real-time updates
- Example: Berkshire Hathaway – younger executives provide varying perspectives and flexible approaches
Paraphrase lesson: “young people bring new ideas” → innovations / creative decision-making / real-time updates, “help guide decisions” → flexible approaches / varying perspectives
Conclusion – Kết luận:
- Summarise both sides: Older leaders → cultivated experience, calmness; Younger leaders → technological advancements, adaptability
- Final thesis paraphrase: A board of directors consisting of both demographics would utilise the strengths of both senior and junior leaders, with continuous training programmes to minimise shortcomings
Paraphrase lesson: “use strengths of both” → utilise the strengths of both senior and junior leaders, “fix weaknesses” → minimise shortcomings / address weaknesses
Tips:
- Luôn paraphrase keywords trong đề để tránh lặp từ:
- debate → contentious debate
- young leaders → youth leadership / junior managers
- experience → profound knowledge / in-depth experience
- Triển khai idea với collocations mạnh: critical attributes, tailored support, technological prowess, creative decision-making…
- Dùng examples minh họa thực tế để tăng tính thuyết phục
- Kết luận nên tóm gọn + paraphrase lại thesis, nhấn mạnh balanced solution
