Using English at Work：48 Meeting with the Boss(7)（在线收听）

I don't know for sure that this promotion is going to happen, so I don't want to jump the gun by thinking about it too much, because then I may be disappointed or embarrassed if the regional manager later changes her mind or decides to give the promotion to someone else.

The expression "jump the gun" comes from running, such as races in the Olympics.

The race begins - runners begin when they shoot a gun up in the air, and when you hear the gun then you can start running.

To jump the gun means to start running before you hear the gun, to start running too early.

Well, I don't want to jump the gun, so I'm not going to think about the promotion too much, just in case it doesn't happen, that way I won't be disappointed.

As you can see, the meeting with my boss went very well.

Let's listen to the story again, this time at a normal speed.

Before leaving work for the day, I want to stop by my boss's office to give him an update on my progress.

I know he's expecting the report on Monday and I want to let him know that it will be finished on schedule.

Before I can do that, he calls me into his office and tells me to sit down.

He tells me that the regional manager is impressed with my work and is considering me for a promotion.

He says that this information is hush-hush, but he wants to give me the heads up.

He says that the promotion would give me a new title and a small raise, but the most important thing is that it will put me in line to eventually become a regional manager myself.

He praises me for my hard work and encourages me to keep my head down and to keep plugging away.

I'm so surprised, I don't know what to say.

I've never thought of myself as a corporate climber and I didn't think that my work was a standout from my coworkers'.

Of course I thank my boss, shake hands with him, and leave his office.

It's nice to get a pat on the back from him and I hope that the promotion does come through.

I don't want to jump the gun, though, so I'm not going to think about it too much in case it doesn't happen.

In this lesson, I met with my boss and received some good news.

In lesson number nine, our next lesson, I'm going to talk about leaving work at the end of the day.

This course has been a production of the Center for Educational Development, in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Visit our website at eslpod.com.

This course was produced by Dr. Jeff McQuillan and Dr. Lucy Tse. Copyright 2008.