The Advantage of Multilingualism
Unlocking Leadership Success
My oldest son's passion for languages is genuinely inspiring. He diligently navigates over seven languages while the rest of our family manages three. His enthusiasm led me to explore Viorica Marian's "The Power of Language," where I experienced a profound "AHA" moment. I realized why I feel more emotionally connected in my native toungue, more analytical when using English at work, and playfully creative in the third language of our new home. This personal journey has revealed how language shapes our lives and leadership. Drawing from Marian's insights and tailored for leaders like you, understanding multilingualism can unlock your potential and drive innovation.
The Foreign Language Effect: A Catalyst for Rational Decision-Making
Nelson Mandela once said1,
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart."
This insight is more relevant than ever in the global business arena.
Research into the foreign language effect shows that using a non-native language can lead to more logical and less emotionally driven decisions. This applies in various contexts, from moral judgments to financial planning, suggesting that a multilingual approach could refine strategic decision-making.
Bilinguals often exhibit different personality traits when speaking different languages. They score higher in extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness when using their second language. This flexibility can help leaders adapt to diverse team dynamics and challenges.
Multilingualism: Fuel for Creativity and Innovation
The multilingual mind thrives on creativity. With languages processed in parallel, multilingual individuals naturally forge connections between seemingly disparate concepts. My family's experience has shown how this linguistic diversity enhances our creative problem-solving. Indeed, we are not short of diverse views expressed by those in different languages, which fuels fun, laughter, and wild creativity.
Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Connectivity
Language transcends mere communication; it's a window into different cultures and emotions. Leaders who embrace multilingualism can connect more profoundly with international teams, building trust and empathy. This duality of language use allows for a balance of logic and empathy in decision-making, which is crucial for nuanced leadership.
Cultivating a Multilingual Leadership Culture
Imagine a world where leaders connect across cultures, where decision-making is sharp, creativity is boundless, and inclusivity is the norm. Viorica Marian's insights in "The Power of Language" show that multilingualism isn't just a skill; it's a transformative power for leadership.2
Here are actionable steps for leaders :
Encourage Language Learning: Foster an environment where your organization celebrates and supports learning new languages.
Use Multilingualism in Strategy: Incorporate multilingual team discussions for diverse perspectives in strategy sessions.
Cultural Immersion: Promote cultural exchange programs or language immersion experiences for your team to enhance understanding and creativity.
Have you ever noticed a shift in your personality or decision-making style when switching languages? How might this influence your leadership approach?
If you could add one more language to your repertoire to enhance your leadership skills, which would it be and why?
And remember, you are more logical in your second language. :) Leadership's true potential lies in the rich tapestry of languages (communication), and this linguistic journey helps achieve it. Here's to a fantastic year 2025, leading with compassion and purpose! Che il tuo leadership sia tanto diversa e vibrante quanto le lingue che parli. Faleminderit.
PS Also, Did you know that in 2024, leaders in 24 countries and 11 US states read toleadwell.com articles? I am grateful and humbled.
As quoted in various sources, Nelson Mandela, including his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom."
Viorica Marian, "The Power of Language: How the Codes We Use to Think, Speak, and Live Transform Our Minds" (HarperCollins, 2023).
With Global business, international teams are a given. And technological advances are providing short cuts in translation (E.g. Google Translate) apart from gaining language proficiency. But such short-cuts also affect quality and "getting to the heart." Mandela You wrote "They score higher on extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness" Could the cause-effect go the other way, those who tend to be more agreeable and conscientious are more likely to be bi-lingual all else being equal? Under your point "Cultural Connectivity," multilingualism "builds trust and empathy" I could not agree more. One additional factor that it might build trust and empathy is that native speakers of your second language understand you are lowering yourself, lowering your perceived giftedness in order to defer to them. In the opposite direction, many times I have seen a potential leader incidentally evaluated by his ability to speak in my language (her second language), and not evaluated purely by her abilities, and experience... and even when she would be leading in her native language.