Getting ahead as a business owner in a world where everyone is more connected than ever before often requires you to cross the language barrier. Globalization has emphasized the need for multilingualism in the workplace, and language is quite obviously a vital tool for international business.
CEOs that are multilingual immediately give off the impression that they’re effective communicators. It widens the market for their businesses and allows them to interact with various clients in numerous geographic locations it would have been isolated from.
Essentially, multilingualism in the workplace leads to more exposure, more revenue, and long-term success. But with that said, what exactly are the benefits of being a multilingual CEO? Does it really pay to speak more than one language?
Let’s dive into the benefits of being a bilingual business owner to answer that question!
Advantages of Being a Bilingual Business Leader
Benefits that Stretch Beyond Language
A business leader’s multilingualism can give them an edge whether they use their language skills in the workplace or not. Speaking two or more languages is advantageous to your brain. Constantly switching between different sets of grammatic rules, vocabulary, and nuances is a lot of hard work. That one of the main reasons why really professional translators are not that easy to find.
This kind of adaptability makes you a better problem solver that thinks on your feet and sets you apart from your monolingual counterparts. Speaking a variety of different languages makes you better at solving workplace problems and a whiz when it comes to multitasking. As far as working with people is concerned, multilingual leaders are more adept at ‘reading’ others and effectively communicating with them.
Bilingual Employment Opportunities
Globalization isn’t an emerging trend any longer, and it seems like English won’t always be the lingua franca of business. As companies try to penetrate new, foreign markets, it makes more sense for them to hire professionals that speak the local language of the new market.
Some of the most sought-after languages in the business world include English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, German, Portuguese, Russian, and French. Multilingual CEOs understand that they need to harness the power of business languages by bringing linguistically-diverse teams onboard to expand across language and cultural barriers effectively.
Speaking More Than One Language Fosters Inspiring Leadership
Business executives are responsible for setting the standards for company culture, and they also need to tend to employee satisfaction. The last few years have seen the world transition into a way of hiring, and it’s not uncommon for organizations to employ diverse teams of professionals that speak multiple languages.
In the United States alone, it’s estimated that foreigners make up some 20% of the total workforce. This naturally means that leaders need to get acquainted with the languages and cultures represented in their teams to provide the best kind of leadership for them.
A business leader that establishes a diverse workplace will also find it easier to attract the right kind of talent. Within the diverse workplace, employees can also learn about other cultures, working together as a team to break down any possible barriers in their business world. This mix of different experiences and talents results in a variety of new creative concepts within the organization, which all positively contribute to organizational values, goals, and relationships, both internal and external.
Learning a New Language Leads to Improved Client Relationships
When you understand their culture and are able to speak their native language, you’ll build rapport with your audience much more effortlessly. Although language interpreters can help facilitate communication between you and your target audience, there’s a level of respect that’s demonstrated from a business leader’s side when they showcase their ability to address their clients in their native language.
Business leaders need excellent communication skills. And if you can speak more than one language, you can communicate better with a broader range of people. But it doesn’t only enable you to speak to more people; it also improves your linguistic skills and provides you with a broader scope of cultural references, traditions, and vocabulary to use within your communications.
Armed with multiple languages and a variety of communication styles, multilingual CEOs can better express their voice in terms of personal and business goals. Of course, there are more than plenty of languages out there, and if a CEO doesn’t speak a particular language needed for business purposes, on-demand phone interpreting can certainly help. Nowadays, you can even download an interpreting app for free to spread your business message loud and clear.
Speaking a Second Language Helps You Gain a Deeper Understanding of Other Business Cultures
Aside from building better customer relationships and improving your leadership skills as a business leader, there is more to gain from multilingualism. Learning new languages improves cognitive skills whilst simultaneously exposing you to fascinating new cultures. This exposes you to new perspectives and business strategies that you might have otherwise never gained insight into.
Speaking Multiple Languages Creates More Business Opportunities
Technological advancements and globalization broke down a lot of boundaries (both cultural and geographical) that hindered business in the past. Yet, there are still various language barriers at play, and they can limit collaboration opportunities and stall growth.
Business leaders need to find ways to bridge the cultural gap to position their organizations for success. And it is here where multilingualism can open doors to greater investment opportunities. It makes business process outsourcing (BPO) much easier and creates room for cementing more partnerships.
Wrapping Up
Multilingualism won’t necessarily benefit business leaders that plan to keep their operations local. Still, with the world growing more connected by the day, this won’t be a viable growth plan for much longer. Even businesses that are less open to international trade will soon find it too tempting to resist globalization.
It’s become almost second nature for leaders to learn and interact with people from other cultures and countries, which is why multilingualism has become central to business success. Learning a new language is an opportunity where you’ve got nothing to lose and the world to gain.
Business leaders don’t necessarily need to shoot for fluency in the language of their target audience. It’s as simple as starting with a few key phrases that’ll set you up for success in the greeting and politeness arena.
