There is no clear answer to this question. It depends on your profession.
Imagine you are a painter from Hyderabad who is in Toronto for an art festival. You know a few words in English to get by. It’s okay. People are not concerned about your level of English. And why should they be? They have come to see your art.
Similarly, a chef does not need to know English. Of course, it would be helpful. She could explain her dishes better. But, speaking English is not essential. Her food is her message.
English for business
For jobs in the corporate sector, it is a different story.
In this globalized world, English has become the language of business. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, companies such as Airbus, Daimler-Chrysler, SAP, and Samsung have adopted English as their common corporate language.
Interestingly, a Japanese company Rakuten has pursued Englishnization, a language policy that embraces English. The policy requires employees to improve their level of English, or face consequences such as demotion.
Why did Mr. Mikitani, the CEO of Rakuten, take such a drastic measure?
Mr. Mikitani believes that it was essential for his company’s growth and survival. Rakuten is Japan’s largest online marketplace, with a presence in many countries including the US, UK, Germany, China, Indonesia, and Brazil. To unify communication throughout the network, Englishnization was felt to be necessary.
English in corporate India
What is true for Rakuten is true for corporate India as well.
We live in a globalized, competitive world. One of the reasons why the IT sector has done so well in India is that software engineers in Bangalore speak English.
If you work with an MNC or an Indian company, you have to communicate in English when talking to foreign clients. Even within India, there are clients/vendors in the south and the north-east of the country who may not be fluent in Hindi.
We can agree that English is important in the corporate workplace. But, how high does your level of English need to be?
How well should my English be to succeed at work?
To get an entry level job, companies are ideally looking for at least a B2-level speaker — a person who is at the upper-intermediate level. At this level, she communicates with ease and is able to comprehend the main ideas of complex texts. She is able to write clearly on a wide range of topics, and express her opinions.
In my experience as a corporate trainer, many employees in corporate India are at the B1 level, which is the intermediate level. This means that they can understand information about familiar topics. B1-level speakers can manage their work.
The key word being manage.
There are speakers who speak fluently, but make grammatical errors along the way.
For example, a person may say, ‘I didn’t went to the warehouse.’ Of course, it should be ‘I didn’t go…’.
But does it really make a difference?
Communication is all about being understood. If the listener understands the message, communication has been achieved.
In many situations, it is alright to make grammatical errors–as long as no confusion is generated.
Even incorrect pronunciation need not be an issue. If the listener understands a strong accent, then there is real communication. Thoughts are exchanged. Work gets done.
Miscommunication leading to misunderstanding
Things get complicated when speaking to people from other countries.
Let me give you an example. An irate client in Southeast Asia was talking to an engineer in India. The client complained that some machinery parts were not delivered on time.
The person in India replied, “I could understand your problem.”
This upset the client even more.
“What does could mean? Does it mean that you don’t understand my problem?” asked the client.
The client escalated the issue.
The Indian engineer did not understand why the client was so angry. Although the engineer was trying to be empathetic, he was misunderstood.
As you can see, things get complicated when dealing with sensitive situations. A person may not have the vocabulary to express precisely what he wants to say.
The need for better communication skills
When you rise up the corporate ladder, more will be expected of you when it comes to communication. For instance, you may have to attend a conference in Singapore, representing your company. At the event, you would want to network. The common language of communication would be English. If you speak the language fluently and clearly, people would find it easier to speak with you. You would be more successful in your networking.
When you become a CEO, you have to make speeches and presentations to wider audiences. The information and thoughts you convey will be more complex and nuanced. Also, you would have to read and absorb information about topics that are not in your domain of expertise.
To accomplish all of this effectively, you would have to be an advanced-level user of the language, which means at the C1-level . Such a speaker uses language fluently in social, academic, and professional settings.
Putting it all together
Now that we have had a bird’s eye view of what is expected in the corporate sector, the picture becomes clearer.
When hiring a junior engineer, executive, or accountant, companies may search for B2-level candidates, but in reality, B1 would be just fine.
Remember, domain knowledge counts for a lot. Being good at your job is a big advantage. When you know your work well and speak the jargon, you should be able to communicate well enough, even if you are at the B1 level.
Here is a telling quote from Rakuten CEO Mikitani who implemented Englishnization.
There is a powerful message in what he said: When people are on the same page, and open to collaboration, a lot can be achieved. And you do not need to be a native speaker (that is at the C2 level). Grammatical errors do not impede communication.
I agree with what he says, but with some reservations.
If there are unexpected situations, you may not have the language to express yourself effectively. As we saw in that example of “I could understand….”
Are you at the B1 level? If yes, I urge you to improve your English to reach the B2 level. The effort will be worth it. You will be better able to handle difficult situations.
And if you are at the B2 level, put in the hard work to reach the C1 level. There is a big difference between a B2 and a C1 user of the language. Your peers will notice that difference, and so will your clients.
Beware of the language plateau
There is something that could prevent you from improving your language: the dreaded language plateau.
When you begin learning a language, you do so enthusiastically, covering miles of territory. After you arrive at the intermediate stage, your enthusiasm wanes. You need to work much harder to see results. When this happens, you are at the intermediate plateau. (There is an advanced-level plateau as well.) Read this article by Preply to learn more about plateaus.
To ensure you escape the plateau, find ways to rekindle your enthusiasm for the language. Watch English movies. Read novels. Listen to songs. Be persistent, even when learning does not look as rewarding as it once did.
Persistence will get you to the finish line.
Next steps
If you are keen to improve your language, you need to know your level of English. Many people overestimate their language skills. It would be better to get an objective assessment. A reality check never hurts, at least when it comes to language learning.
Once you are clear as to where you are, start improving your skills. These 3 free websites are useful.
Why don’t you learn English from the world around you? You could become your own language coach!
If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section below.
FAQs
Why is English important for success?
- We live in a world where the largest economy is the U.S.A. – an English-speaking country.
- Even many French, German, and Japanese companies use English for internal communication.
- To reach a global audience, one needs to know English.
Why is English important for your future
- A lot of information is available in English, when compared with other languages. 55% of online domains are in English.
- Being proficient in English will help you better explain your ideas and thoughts in interviews, in meetings, and during presentations.
- English will help you with networking, especially when meeting people from other countries.
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