You can be fluent in English and still be misunderstood every day at work. Although English is the working language of many teams and companies, we often forget that people do not speak the same English. Different accents, idioms, cultural norms, communication styles, and expectations all sit beneath the surface. When these differences are not recognised, misunderstandings happen. Not because people are unskilled or careless, but because they are speaking different versions of English.
This is where global communication often breaks down.
Throughout my career, I have worked with the English language a great deal. Teaching English was my bread and butter for many years. I spent much of my life living abroad and training speakers of other languages in English to prepare them for the world of global communication. I worked with many beginners back in the early nineties; the English speakers I work with these days are upper intermediate and advanced speakers. And yes, this may surprise you – I even work with people who speak English as their first language!
Over time, my work has covered everything from presentation skills and executive storytelling to intercultural communication. I have taught English in boardrooms, classrooms, and even through step aerobics and baseball.
All of this experience led me to one clear insight.
You don’t have to be perfect in English to be a good cross-cultural communicator. You need to be culturally aware.
After living abroad for many years, I am now back home in the UK and mainly working in the area of cultural awareness and global communication for teams. I am often working with international teams to align or “calibrate” the Englishes used in the global workplace. It’s a fascinating space, sometimes the speakers of English from the UK teams have to tone their English down, use fewer idioms and enunciate words properly. And speakers of English as a second language may have to think about HOW they deliver the message as opposed to concentrating on getting the grammar right!
Unlike some languages, English does not have a widely accepted “standard” version that naturally aligns speakers like Hochdeutsch in German does for example. Instead, there are many Englishes. British English, American English, international business English, and countless regional and cultural variations.
In the workplace, these differences show up in tone, directness, humour, formality, and expectations around hierarchy and feedback.
When teams are unaware of this, communication becomes exhausting and trust can erode quietly.
When I started working in this field over 30 years ago, miscommunication was often softened by in-person contact. Trust was built around tables, over dinners, and through slower, relationship-driven business.
These days people travel less for business and the amount we write has gone up considerably! Emails, chats, project tools. The tone of a written message is much easier to misread, and very often clients tell me they find themselves reading between the lines and trying not to take things personally.
This is why talking about HOW we say things, reflecting on the words we use, and our preferred communication style can really make a difference here.
In my Global Communication Training, we explore practical questions such as:
- How do we build trust in virtual, international teams?
- What does effective communication really mean in different cultural contexts?
- How can teams reduce confusion caused by acronyms, jargon, and assumptions?
- What small changes can immediately improve clarity and inclusion in meetings and written communication?
The goal is not to police language, but to create awareness, confidence, and shared understanding.
Working in a global team is a true joy and is often the creator of many wonderful ideas and solutions.
But sometimes it’s not so easy, especially if one kind of English is dominant, and this is where training is a useful tool to help navigate the world of communication and context.
Whether you’re a company working across borders or an international professional wanting to improve English and communication, global communication training helps to bridge cultural gaps, build confidence in English and unlock global potential. And by acquiring specific information about cultural norms, etiquette and expectations, giving feedback becomes easier if you are more culturally aware.
Of course, building global communication skills takes time to grow – it evolves with practice, and there is never a static solution as communication is constantly changing within our domestic cultures. But understanding context, hierarchy, and respect gives professionals a strong foundation to adapt.
Learn how to succeed in diverse environments and improve team performance through cultural awareness training and creating synergy from diversity!
If you’d like to know more about my work and Global Communication Training, please reach out below!