Becoming Team Lead Over Former Peers

The task

Your friend Olivia works at a call centre in Moncton. Her manager has offered her a team lead position, which means she would supervise the colleagues she has worked beside for four years. She is excited but worried it could damage her friendships at work. Advise Olivia on whether to accept and how to handle the change.

• Read the task, prepare during the preparation time, then speak aloud for the speaking time.
• This is an original practice question written in a CELPIP-style format. It is not a real test question.
• The CLB level of each model answer was reviewed by a TESOL-certified instructor. It is not an official CELPIP score. This practice material is not affiliated with or endorsed by Paragon Testing Enterprises.
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Preparation

30 seconds

Speaking time

90 seconds

Question

9 of 10

Olivia, congratulations! Your manager trust you, that's very good. I know you are worried about your friends. But I think you should say yes. It's a good chance for your career, maybe it doesn't come again soon. Before you start, talk with your team, especially the close friends, the close ones. Tell them you still like them but your job is different now, sometimes you have to say no to them. If you tell them early it's less awkward later. When you are the team lead you have to be fair with everybody. Same rules for all people, breaks, schedules, everything. If you help only your friends, the others see it fast. Oh, and maybe stop to complain about the managers with them, because now you are, like, kind of the boss. Training also, ask your manager. Some friendships maybe change a little bit, but real friends will stay. You'll be good, I'm sure.

Why this answer works

• Answers the first question clearly ("I think you should say yes") before giving tips, but the tips are loosely joined and one is tacked on as a fragment ("Training also, ask your manager.").
• Simple workplace words with varied slips ("Your manager trust you", "Same rules for all people", "stop to complain") and a restart ("the close friends, the close ones"), typical of a CLB 7.
• The reasons are short and the ending is general, so the advice is helpful but not very persuasive.

Olivia, congratulations! Your manager clearly trusts you, and I think you should accept the job. Chances like this don't come every year, and the fact that you're worried about your coworkers shows you'd be a caring leader. Still, the change needs some planning. Before you start, talk to your team, or at least to your closest friends. Tell them their friendship matters to you, but explain that sometimes you'll have to make decisions they don't like. It's easier to have that conversation now than after a problem comes up. Once you start, treat everyone the same. For example, if two people want the same day off, use a clear rule, like who asked first, and apply it to your friends too. People notice favouritism very quickly. You might also need to stop joining in when people complain about management. Finally, ask your manager if there's any leadership training you can take. A few friendships might change a little, but the strong ones will last. I'm sure you'll do a great job, and I'm proud of you.

Why this answer works

• Gives a clear yes first, with a reason, and then plain steps for handling the change.
• One practical example ("if two people want the same day off, use a clear rule") shows what fairness looks like.
• Simple, accurate workplace words (favouritism, leadership training, caring leader) and an encouraging ending.

Olivia, take it, but ask for one thing before you say yes. Ask your manager for a short handover, maybe two or three weeks where you shadow the current lead. You've essentially got two options here. You can turn it down to protect the friendships, or you can accept and change how those friendships work. Declining sounds safer, but think about what realistically happens. Someone else gets the role, maybe someone you don't respect, and you end up resenting it. So, the second. You'll probably worry that Kayla and Marc will think you've switched sides. Some of that's unavoidable. What helps is being upfront about the one thing that changes, which is that you'll be making calls on schedules and performance, and you'll make them the same way for everyone. Then prove it the first time a friend asks for a favour you'd refuse anybody else. And if, six months in, you really hate it, team lead roles aren't a life sentence. Plenty of people return to their previous position. But I think you'll surprise yourself. So, what would you want from that handover?

Why this answer works

• Opens with a decision plus a condition ("take it, but ask for one thing"), then compares saying no with saying yes and explains why no is not really the safe option.
• Names her fear concretely ("Kayla and Marc will think you've switched sides"), answers it, and offers a fallback ("team lead roles aren't a life sentence").
• Precise, natural phrasing ("being upfront", "making calls on schedules", "switched sides") and a closing question that keeps her planning.