[Global Business English] People who are valued more than those who are fluent in English—How to use English that is truly required in global business

On note, I share not only English skills but also how to stand tall, be independent, and succeed globally for business people who want to play an active role in global business from now on.

"If I could speak English more fluently, I would be able to speak up in meetings with confidence."

When working in global roles, many business people feel this way.

Words don't come to mind immediately.
I lack confidence in my pronunciation.
I can't think of natural, native-like expressions.

As a result, they think, "I'll speak once my English improves a bit more," and miss opportunities to contribute.

However, looking at actual global business settings, it becomes clear that this way of thinking is a major misunderstanding.

The people who are valued globally are not necessarily the ones with the best English.

The people who are valued are those who "move work forward."

Many global meetings are conducted between non-native speakers

When people think of English, many think of the United States or the United Kingdom.

But in real business, it is not just Americans holding meetings.

Japan, China, South Korea, India, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia...

In actual international meetings, an overwhelming number of participants are people for whom English is not their native language.

In other words, the most widely used English in the world is not "native English," but "English as a second language."

In this environment, being easy for the other party to understand is many times more important than beautiful pronunciation or difficult expressions.

Being understood by everyone.

Not creating misunderstandings.

And moving work forward.

These are the evaluation criteria for global English.

The more you aim for fluency, the less you are able to speak

When you try to speak like a native speaker, various things start happening in your head.

"Is this the right word?"

"There might be a more natural way to say this."

"What if my pronunciation is weird?"

The moment this thinking starts, a person becomes unable to speak.

It may seem like you are thinking about English, but in reality, you are in a state of searching for a "way not to fail."

As a result, you miss your timing in meetings, and someone else starts speaking first.

On the other hand, people who are active globally are different.

They do not look for perfect English.

They choose English that conveys their message.

It can be short.

It can be somewhat awkward.

What is important is "contributing to decision-making right here, right now."

What is valued is not English proficiency, but the ability to provide material for judgment

In international meetings, it is not always the case that all participants have the same information.

That is why the person who is valuable is the one who can organize the situation and convey it in a way that makes it easy to make a decision.

For example,

"This is my proposal."

"There are three reasons."

We can complete this by next week using this method.

Everyone, is this understanding correct?

These kinds of statements are by no means difficult English.

However, they have the power to move a meeting forward.

In a global environment, this 'power to move things forward' is valued more highly than English proficiency.

The simpler the English, the stronger it is in the world

In English learning, we tend to think, 'Let's learn more advanced vocabulary.'

However, in actual practice, I often see the opposite.

The more difficult the words you use, the more the level of understanding varies depending on the person.

On the other hand, simple English is understood regardless of nationality.

For example,

We need a decision today.

Let's confirm the schedule.

I have one suggestion.

Could you clarify this point?

All of these are junior high school level words, but business people all over the world can understand them.

Global English is not a 'competition to speak difficult English.'

It is the 'skill of choosing English that can be understood by anyone.'

Design before speaking is more important than English ability

People who achieve results globally have something in common.

It is about organizing your content before you start speaking.

For example, before you speak, just think about these three things:

・What is the conclusion?
・What is the reason for it?
・Who will do what next?

If these three points are organized, your English will become surprisingly simple.

Conversely, if you try to speak while this design is still vague, it will be difficult to explain even in Japanese.

In other words, what many people think is a problem with their English proficiency is actually a lack of organized thinking.

English that works in the world is 'English for communicating'

English is not for showing off your abilities.

It is a common language for cooperating with others, making decisions, and moving work forward.

That is why what you should aim for is not native-like fluency.

What you should aim for is a way of communicating that makes people think, 'Working with this person gets things done.'

To that end, there are three things you should be conscious of starting today.

First, prioritize clarity over fluency.

Second, speak from the conclusion, even if it is short.

Third, indicate the next action at the end of your statement.

Just by continuing these three things, your English will change from 'English you study' to 'English that produces results.'

What is required in global business is not perfect English.

It is English that allows you to cooperate with people around the world and move work forward.

The moment you gain that perspective, English will no longer be a 'weak subject,' but will become the most powerful weapon supporting your work.