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Language trainingLanguage trainingThe possibilities for communication and interactions are considerably enhanced if managers are proficient in the language of the culture in which they operate. An effective global manager is well versed in at least two languages, if not three. It may be true that English is a widely spoken language in the business world. However, it is also true that it is spoken by only a small percentage of the world's population. Paul Orleman records that the global training and development team at Rhöne-Poulene Rorer, a French-US joint venture in pharmaceuticals, explicitly takes into account that all team members may not be equally proficient in English. One of the rules established is that team members have to speak slowly. Additionally, if individuals become too frustrated trying to make a point in English, they are welcome to revert to their preferred language. Translation is then arranged. Knowledge of, and some fluency in, a local language enable a manager to understand communication patterns as they exist in the new culture. Some people have argued that it is not really necessary for expatriates to learn the language of the country they are assigned to, since they will not be residing there for long. However, language proficiency is a long-term asset, since expatriates will find opportunities to use their language skills professionally, even after returning to their own country. After all, the world is getting smaller on a continuous basis, especially in the world of multinational corporations. When Jaguar introduced an in-company German language training facility for its employees, its sales in West Germany the following year jumped a dramatic 60 per cent (as reported by the Economist), despite stiff competition from rivals Mercedes and BMW. An Asian global manager interviewed for this book recalls how he had been unable to live a full life in Germany because of his inability to speak German. However, he started taking lessons immediately on arrival, and after a year could speak a little German. His experience was that after learning to speak a little German, he felt as if he had been handed the keys to that country. He could now chat a little to people in bars and in shops, and began to feel much more at home than would otherwise have been the case. Other things being equal, clients opt for doing business with the company that has managers conversant with the language spoken in the clients' country. For this reason, a few global companies are considering making mastery of an international language other than English a mandatory requirement for promotion to senior levels. And before they send a group of managers to a new country, they want at least half those managers to have a working knowledge of the language spoken in that country. 365
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