Having the conversation: on language and productivity

After last time, when I explained how not-great English skills can affect business productivity, a few people told me this was “something that needed to be said”—as if the message I’d given was politically incorrect, or broadly offensive but specifically true.

So I thought we should talk about that. If you work with someone whose English isn’t great — who falls into one of those five categories I mentioned — should you stay politely silent?

“Don’t be rude!”

In my experience, socially aware native-speakers in basically any language shy from pointing out your mistakes. When I was teaching in Colombia last year I spent two months barging my way through terrible, awful, smashed-to-smithereens, apparently irrevocably broken Spanish, and my lovely, warm host family never corrected me. Not once. Why not?

Because they didn’t want to be rude, of course.

It was only when I took regular Spanish classes in Mexico that I realised just to what extent I’d been mangling a few of the everyday phrases and verbs I was attempting to use.

How embarrassing!

Worse still, once the teacher made me repeat them a few times, I had them down pat. In a matter of minutes.

Why hadn’t anyone pointed this out before?!

If you’ve ever learned another language in a foreign country, you’ll know what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t, you probably won’t.

The point is: when you’re a non-native speaker, you know you’re on a life-long journey with language. And you want to keep improving.

This is true even of my students who aren’t conscious, dedicated learners. People using a second language away from home want to get better at it.

It’s especially true if they want to work—that is, earn a living and grow their careers—in an English-speaking country. And the first thing you need to do if you’re going to support them in their goal is get over your squeamishness about discussing it.

Start small

To raise the question of language development with a colleague, you—and they—might be most comfortable starting small.

My Colombian host family could have laughed and told me how terrible my Spanish was, but hey, we all knew that already, and we all knew how badly I’d have felt about that. On the other hand, if they’d pointed out when I’d used the wrong verb conjugation, that would have helped.

Similarly, you can raise English as a discussion topic with a colleague or peer based on something innocuous.

“I noticed in that email you sent to the client the other day you signed off ‘Cheers mate!’ I’m wondering… that might be a bit familiar with someone we haven’t met yet, do you think?”

Even a suggestion as basic as this can open up a conversation that leads to enlightenment (yours) and a new sense of understanding (for both of you). You might even get to the point where, if your workmate expresses a desire to learn more English, you can suggest they make it part of their professional development plan.

Make it happen

If you’re a team leader or manager, you can go further than this, of course. You can build feedback on language into your team reviews, or simply discuss the issue with an individual when it arises in their work.

This way, you can help team members make language a focus of their ongoing professional development.

This could include anything from grammar courses to public speaking workshops to listening skills practice. Perhaps your whole team could benefit from an email intensive that helps them meet business standards for clarity and professionalism.

Once you’ve identified a specific area where an individual could improve, and they’ve agreed, you have a starting point.

And if, as I suggested last time, you’ve already identified and met with a local language coach who can work with your staff, you won’t be scrounging to find a solution: you’ll be able to seamlessly put a plan in place for the individual’s development.

Start the conversation

None of us wants to undermine the confidence of someone who’s learned English as a second language. But if you’re sensitive and empathetic, you won’t.

English is a professional skill. You can help a friend or colleague improve their career prospects—and the speed at which they advance—just by starting a conversation about language. (And you might get a better understanding of each other at the same time.)

What are you waiting for?

Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash.