One of my Strengths

Katya: Well, one of my strengths is my work ethic. I see a tight deadline as a challenge and take personal responsibility for the quality of my work. Last week, my boss asked me to give a presentation to a key client, um, with only 24 hours to prepare.

Katya: Rather than say no, or ask to postpone, I stayed late to finish it. The next day I was tired, but it was worth it. The client saw that we were a hardworking and committed team and gave us another account!

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Vocabulary:

work ethic – the belief that working hard is important and the right thing to do, “Her strong work ethic means she always finishes her job early and never gives up.”

tight deadline – a very short amount of time allowed to finish a task or project, “We have a tight deadline to clean the house before the guests arrive.”

personal responsibility – a duty to take care of your own actions and results without blaming other people, “Taking personal responsibility means admitting when you make a mistake.”

presentation – a talk where you share information, ideas, or a project with a group of people, “He gave a short presentation to show his classmates how a volcano works.”

key client – a very important customer for a business or company, “The boss was nervous because we were meeting with our key client.”

postpone – to delay an event or a plan until a later time, “They had to postpone the picnic because of the heavy rain.”

committed – loyal, dedicated, and willing to work very hard for a goal, “She is a committed runner who practices every single day.”

account – a regular business contract or arrangement with a customer who buys your services, “Our company just won a big advertising account with a famous shoe brand.”