Business English Class – When your friend became your boss

(Office ambiance)

  A:Good morning, Chen Hao..

  CH:Hi Amy.

A: I heard your best friend Brad got a promotion. Is that true?

  CH: 没错。Brad如今是我的老板了。

  A: That can make things awkward.

  CH: 是啊,我们俩儿从好朋友一下子变成了上下级的关系,还真不好办。

  A: I think you will be able to work it out since you already recognize that things will be different.

  CH: 人事处昨天才通知的他,所以我们还没有机会谈起这件事。

  A: That’s one of the first things you need to do and soon.

  CH: 急什么呀,他现在肯定特别忙。

  A: Everyone knows that you and Brad are close friends. They are going to be watching to see what happens.

  CH: 别说别人了,连我都不知道要怎么处理这种关系。

  A: It could go two entirely different ways.

  CH: 两种完全不一样的可能?哪两种?

  A: Because you are his best friend, he might be tempted to give you special treatment by offering you the best assignments and according you unusual favors.

  CH: 如果因为私人关系好,他就在工作上照顾我,那其他人肯定会有意见。

  A: Yes. It would affect the way everyone views Brad. He could lose the respect of everyone who works with him.

  C: 另外一种可能性呢?

  A: I don’t have time to talk about that right now, Chen Hao. Shall we meet for tea this afternoon and continue our conversation?

  C: 好,那我们下午见。

  ******

  Mary和Chen Hao两人下午一起喝茶。

  CH: Amy, 我们上午说,如果Brad特别关照我,那对我们两人都不利。你说的另外一种可能是什么?

  A: He might go out of his way to avoid any hint of giving you special treatment and treat you more rigidly than the others.

  C: 你的意思是,他为了避嫌,可能对我的要求会格外严格?

A: He might pass you over for assignments that you might otherwise have gotten.

  CH: 这听起来可不太妙。那下班以后呢?我们以前总是一起去打乒乓球,或是一起去喝酒。

  A: I know that and I have heard you share some funny stories about each other. You’ll have to be more careful about the tales you tell about your adventures.

  CH: 不能再跟同事讲Brad的故事?为什么?

  A: Others might misunderstand and think that you are trying to impress them with the fact that you and the boss are best friends.

  CH: 要把工作和私人关系分开,还真不简单。你觉得我有必要换到别的部门去吗?

  A: That’s a possibility if things don’t work out. If you can’t accept Brad as your boss or he can’t make the leap to being your supervisor, a change might be the only solution.

  CH: 我想我们两人一定能做到公私分开。

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