According to an article, published 9th September 2013 on the serious Cadre Emploi website, almost 50% of French managers consider their level of English insufficient. This statistic is based on some research that was carried out in June 2013 in which just under 4000 people were interviewed.

I came to France in 1987 and have been working as a trainer and coach in management communication skills in both English and French, so I know this subject well. The results of this survey do not surprise me at all…and for three major reasons.

The presentation, often a source of panic

The presentation, often a source of panic

1) In school – pass the exams

English lessons in school, which generally start between the ages of eight and ten, are taken in large classes where pupils are not grouped according to their levels or skills. As a result, the brighter students get bored and the weaker ones get left behind. The poor teachers are stuck with having to cope with an often impossible situation – and frequently get blamed for pupil failure.

Furthermore, the curriculum imposes learning vocabulary from lists and grammar in a way that would confuse most native speakers. The final exams are not based on oral communication skills but on an ability to explain grammar rules and translate. There are few opportunities for speaking in the classroom and many learners become blocked due to this obsession with being perfect rather than clear and coherent.

2) Professional training – one size fits all

Much money is spent on language training in France – but the linguistic malaise still exists; why?

Most of the training on offer tends to focus on general English rather than professional and it is organised in such a way that the learners go round in circles instead of going forwards. Furthermore, most managers responsible for training are also in charge of the other elements of human resources – in short, they are too busy to look in detail at what happens. Providing the price is not too high and that no-one complains about their “prof”, the managers focus on their other priorities. But the linguistic challenges faced by the employees are not solved…

3) An obsession with perfection

From their first steps in English right through to their first presentation, the average employee or manager in France is convinced that s/he has to be perfect…otherwise, nobody will understand them! They forget that the majority of their correspondents will also be non-native speakers, and will be more interested in a clear message delivered quickly rather than a grammatically perfect one delivered after five minutes spent thinking about how to conjugate verbs in the present perfect continuous tense…

So what is the solution? Surprisingly, it’s quite simple!

The entry point is listening:

Just as we learn our mother tongue as babies by listening to our parents and then repeating everything, before we become more sophisticated, the adult learner needs to have regular contact with simple recordings in English; no need to understand everything, just the gist.

Minimum baggage

Instead of trying to learn the complexities of some English grammar rules, it can, in many circumstances, be quite acceptable to manipulate the simpler structures with more confidence. If your business partner is a non-native speaker, s/he will possibly speak in the same way that you do…while if your correspondent is a native speaker, s/he will probably commend you for your abilities and bemoan their own language skills.

Shakespeare or presentations?

It’s very important to know exactly what you need to achieve and why English will be important for you. The chances are high that you will not need to be able to read Shakespeare or translate Agatha Christie! You will probably need to give presentations, confirm something over the phone…and send an email to avoid any misunderstandings!

Agatha Christie books - already translated into French!

Agatha Christie books - already translated into French!

Three ingredients

Once you have discovered and clarified your target, you’re almost ready to begin your training… but it’s important to remember the three ingredients which are necessary to reach these objectives.

a pertinent method which gives you what you need but not too much information or complex details
a motivated learner – and this depends on you alone!
a motivated and motivating trainer, who is able to simply the complex and adapts to your ups and downs

Just as a tripod needs three legs to be stable, a successful learning programme requires these three ingredients.

In conclusion, it’s important to realise that there is no magic potion to becoming proficient in professional English. It requires time and energy…but a skilled trainer can help you manage these and can help avoid any negative impacts on your work-life balance.

And what about the cost? It should be looked at as a long-term investment rather than a major outlay. The chances are that the better you speak English, the more important your role in the company, and as a result…the higher your salary. In a nutshell, a major investment leading to a greater return.

After all, if you want to light a fire, you can rub two sticks together and hope…or invest in a box of matches...

clear coherent credible