Keep a Person on a Short Leash Download MP3 (Right-click or
option-click the link.) I'm Susan Clark with the Special English
program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. Susan Cleveland is the young
president of a candy company in the city of Chicago. Her father
began the company in the nineteen sixties. He died three years
ago. Now, the company belongs to Susan. Many of her father's
employees were concerned when Susan took control. Susan's father
had worked many years for other candy companies before starting
this one. He had known a great deal about business. Susan,
however, did not have any jobs before becoming head of the
company. She just finished college. The employees became even
more concerned during Susan's first months on the job. Mr.
Cleveland had been a strong leader. But Susan permitted many
employees to make their own decisions. One employee said: "Old
Mr. Cleveland always told us what to do. He kept people on a
short leash. But the company did well." What does a short leash
mean? A leash is a kind of rope.