Business executives need specific English coaching tailored to their industry
For executives who do not speak English as their first language, improving their oral and written communications in English can be a vital step to furthering their careers.
However, it is important to take a strategic approach to your language development. This means your approach should be tailored to match the unique requirements of your understanding of English, your role, your organization, and your industry. For this reason, typical English language classes may not be your best approach to reach your professional goals. Here is why:
Not Enough Focus on Business Writing Skills
While there are niche classes available for English language learners, most language classes focus on very general, day-to-day communication skills. These classes are designed to appeal to the greatest number of people possible, making the skills taught in these classes broad in nature. This 2020 article from MultiBriefs highlights these challenges. It states that students who may succeed in general English language skills, may still be ill-equipped to use “specific content-related skills such as business vocabulary, idioms and cultural understanding.”
While it might be helpful to learn how to order a cake at a bakery, tell the time, or ask when the next train is set to arrive, many business professionals are past this point in their English language development. Nonetheless, working with a business language coach who can hone in on your industry’s specific language and issues is a more valuable use of your time than general classroom learning.
Passive Versus Active Learning
Another strong criticism of English language learning in a classroom setting is the idea of passive versus active learning. Passive learning occurs when you are simply exposed to information by an instructor/teacher. For example, when you are told about a concept or you are asked to read about it in a book. By contrast, active learning occurs when you really engage with the content. You think deeply about it, repeat it, and put it into a different format or context. For many of us, actively engaging in language learning is a much more effective strategy than passive learning. For this reason, English language classes, that are often too focused on passive learning, tend not to provide efficient and effective learning tools for a busy executive with a demanding workload.
Wasted Time
Another way that English language classes are unable to accommodate the unique needs of business executives is their inability to tailor learning content to an individual’s needs. In a standardized class with individuals from all walks of life, learning content is entirely determined by the instructor. As well, it is designed to appeal to a greater number of learners. As a business professional, spending your time learning about extraneous nuances in the English language does not translate into practical business communication skills. It will only end up costing you more time and money in the long run.
When you work one-on-one with a business language coach specializing in English skills for experienced business professionals, you will not get this one-size-fits-all approach. As your partner in learning, I will work with you to target specific elements of your English communication skills. We will focus on these elements to improve your professional communication. This tailored and flexible approach will save you valuable time. Concentrating earning the skills you need to improve is a more effective way to achieve your career goals, to overcome your current challenges, and to meet the needs of your day-to-day work requirements.
Schedule a 30 Minute Complimentary Meeting to meet Sandra via phone or video. Find out if you both are a good fit to work together. Come to the call with your questions and what business communications challenges you’d like to get help with.