Should You Learn Languages or Just Better Communication?

When non-native English-speaking professionals are faced with the possibility of learning stronger ways to present to and influence their audiences, they still very much want to learn how to refine pronunciation and intonation and generally yearning for a “neutral accent”.

Now let’s get this clear! I don’t think anyone is yearning for an Australian accent, but there is this feeling that having the identity laid upon one as a “foreigner”, is still something that holds people back in their career.

The question is, is it an externally-laid identity that is real and speaks to the bigotry of our country or is it an internally-laid identity of ‘these professionals’ holding themselves back. And, when I say ‘these professionals’, I simply mean almost all language learners who are doing business in their non-native tongue - myself included.

I’m not suggesting that bigotry or bias – conscious or otherwise – doesn’t exist, but rather, if we are going to improve our effectiveness at achieving our dreams, the quickest way to getting to our destination is to change ourselves.

And again, I will clarify, that’s not to say you need to become (or not become) Australian or I become French, Dutch or Chinese, but instead we all need to grow our language and communication skills as well as - and maybe most especially - our intercultural skills.

Intercultural skills are skills that allow you to communicate in any culture with the greatest flexibility, adaptability and empathy. These skills have nothing to do with changing who you are, but everything to do with broadening out who you are.

Be all of who you are, improve your language, your communication, your adaptability and especially learning the skills of talking to all people from around the world about how we can connect in real ways and not get caught up in the details of you say tom-aye-tow and I say tom-are-tow - hmmm, makes me want to go roller-skating.

If you’d like to know where to start to improve these skills, join the ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS CLASSROOM on WeChat. Download the WeChat app and then scan my QR code in the image above.

Here’s what people are saying:

From her classes I've boosted my confidence because it's practical and can be adapted immediately for the workplace or daily use. – Edmund

I feel like got a lot out of it. I am joining the classroom again for further systematic study. – Linda