Learn the language of getting ahead
• When customers come to the store and speak in very fast English, I feel anxious. I know all the products but my English is not so good; so I get panicky and can’t respond properly. This irritates the customers and they ask me to go away and send my manager instead. I feel humiliated but I don’t know what else to do.
• Though I studied in an English-medium school, my classmates and I always spoke to each other in Hindi, which was also the language spoken at home. Since I’ve not had practice, I can’t speak fluently in English. In office, I’m self-conscious about speaking in front of ‘convent-educated people’ from big cities. My boss says I have good ideas but I’m so scared of being mocked that I rarely share them at meetings.
These are real quotes from two young professionals. The first works for a home decor company; the other for an FMCG firm. Both are bright, enterprising and educated. They’re also multi-lingual Indians, whose first language is not English.
That would not be a problem but for the fact that they’re both employed by large corporations and English is the language of business. Not just across the world, but also in India, where 96.71 per cent of citizens speak one of the country’s 22 scheduled languages. Without English, a Tamilian or Gujarati would not be able to communicate with a Bengali or Punjabi colleague or vendor. So yes, a professional is likely to need fluency in English, especially if they’re looking for opportunities in areas away from home. But how do they go about it?
I say start by listening.
Listen to English podcasts, audio books, shows and movies on TV. Most importantly, listen carefully when your colleagues converse or make presentations. Pay attention to the words and phrases they use. Notice how they structure sentences and how they pronounce difficult words. If you’re watching a film or podcast, replay bits that you don’t understand. You can also turn on the subtitles or look at the transcript for more clarity.
When you think you’ve gathered enough material, start practising what you’ve learned. Initially, practise by yourself at home. If you’re not sure about how to go about it, just imitate a colleague or professional who speaks well. Record yourself and see how you sound. Rope in a friend or relative to listen with you and give you critical feedback. Do this for at least 20 minutes every day; remember, practice makes perfect.
Meanwhile, don’t stay quiet at work. If you know there’s an important meeting coming up, write down your ideas in advance and practise saying them. For more universal situations, such as asking a colleague for help, ordering lunch or making changes to a presentation, write up a cheat sheet for yourself and use the relevant phrases when required.
Most importantly, anytime you find yourself feeling insecure, remind yourself that the company hired you for your abilities, not your language skills. You wouldn’t be there if your bosses thought you couldn’t do the job. Also remember, everyone around you is also there to work and get ahead; not to judge you or test your fluency in English. Sure, someone may snigger at your mistakes at first but once they realise your ideas have value, they won’t be bothered about what language you communicate them in.
Shampa Dhar-Kamath
Delhi-based writer, editor and communication coach
shampadhar@gmail.com