22 Sep Working In A Multilingual Environment
Can you guess the number of words you have learned as a native speaker?
The average adult native speaker knows between 10,000 and 35,000 words.
Now, if like me, you speak multiple languages regularly (at home, in life, at work), then multiply that number by the number of languages you speak.
Once you consider this much bigger number of words, please realize the tremendous additional effort a non-native speaker has vs. a native speaker in terms of communication, building efficient relationships, creating clarity. This is because in a different language, it will in most cases be much less natural to be your 100% self.
Personally, I often find myself exhausted and needing a few minutes to re-center after a meeting in German or English even though I use both languages daily. It’s because I need to focus more on what is said, how it is said. I cannot lose track of a conversation because the effort to catch-up will be very intense compared to the same conversation in French.
As an international leader, you need to understand this fundamental aspect of communication. When you communicate with others in a non-native language – e.g., your manager, other stakeholders, the people on your team – don’t assume they will get what you say immediately. Spend extra time making sure that what they understood is what you wanted to say.
When people communicate with you in a language that is not native to them, be aware and curious for what is said and ask questions to clarify your understanding. Also consider the person’s culture, background as it can sometimes explain why they communicate in a certain way.
Next time you have to work with a non-native speaker, stay curious, change your perspective and keep in mind the extra effort the non-native speaker has to do in order to communicate with you.
How do you stay aware and ready to listen to a non-native speaker?
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