Global is everywhere today. You can hardly turn on the news or read an op-ed without hearing how our world is growing more crowded and interconnected. Yet I was dismayed to read a troubling piece in Sunday’s New York Times about foreign language suffering cuts yet again in elementary schools around the country this fall. In this day and age, American students need second language skills to keep pace with globalization and the competition rising from the super economies of China, India, Brazil, Mexico and Russia.
Take, for example, the streams of recent American college graduates who could not land a job in the U.S. and so, in order to escape hard times at home, headed to China to find work. Graduates with some Mandarin skills will fare better than those without; most likely all will learn while they are there. If and when these students return to the U.S., future employers will appreciate their ability to work cross-culturally, to understand aspects of Chinese business and language, and will -- if history is any indicator -- reward them with faster promotions and greater responsibility. Companies understand the value of global education.
In the global financial crisis, Americans learned that – for the first time – the so-called developing world surged past the developed world in its share of global productivity; Americans are learning that we can no longer afford to ignore China, Russia, India or Brazil. When today’s kids grow up, they are as likely to be competing for jobs in and with people from Beijing or Brasilia or Bangalore as from Boston or Baton Rouge. In our ever-shrinking world, global experience will continue to move from “nice” to “must-have” for career success.
At stake is nothing less than our ability to compete successfully in the raw global arena, and one of the deciding factors will be American professionals’ ability to speak strategic foreign languages.
However, because studies show that language learning comes more easily to those whose brains are still in the development phase – up until roughly 12 or 13 years of age – when we cut language programs from elementary schools, we are inhibiting bilingualism in future adults. We comfort ourselves with the unrealistic expectation that students will learn in high school or college. But that is unlikely to happen due to the increased difficulty in language learning as we get older. Arguably, bold and innovative new methods of teaching foreign language are needed now more than ever – and instituted in schools as early as kindergarten.
Moreover, cultural knowledge and understanding (gestures, choice of vocabulary) need to be married to actual language acquisition in a systematic way. Having native speakers with different world views as teachers allows children to acquire their language skills accompanied by enhanced levels of cultural, political and historical context. School districts need help in rising to this new challenge.
Yet despite the need, our foreign language skills have decreased precipitously. Perhaps this is because the time commitments required to achieve and retain a high level of skill, weighed against expected use and the widespread perception that foreign language skills are not really necessary – do not favor language learning in school. Until this situation changes, it will be very difficult to radically alter our foreign language education system.
The United States must act boldly, and all sectors of society must participate lest we lose our competitive edge in the international marketplace. While multi-million dollar government grants continue to be issued to school districts interested in pursuing language curriculum, the current economic crisis does not bode well for growing these programs nor enabling schools to stretch beyond their basic needs. Businesses must continue to embrace international operations through expansion and operations abroad, but simultaneously through language and cultural acquisition. Universities and colleges must emphasize internationalism, including playing a leadership role in achieving language proficiency – which begins before students arrive on campus.
The stakes for our children are high, and rising. Americans must fight for the need to keep foreign language in the budget as a critical component to our children’s success. Knowledge of and appreciation for another language and culture will help our children grow up ready for a complex and multi-cultural global economy. If we are to continue to prosper as a country, our children must become global citizens: open-minded, bilingual kids ready to see global interconnectedness as both opportunity and welcome challenge. Learning a second language is an integral part of this cross-cultural sophistication.
As originally appeared on Huffington Post.com:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacie-nevadomski-berdan/no-more-cuts-keep-foreign_b_285172.html
In the Forbes, Aug. 19, issue, there is a great interview with Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Kraft, who recently helped steer the company into a second-quarter earnings report that beat expectations. Rosenfeld tells Forbes that she considers getting the right people in the right job has been her biggest challenge. Asked for her prediction of when more women will be put in CEO roles, she said: "I can't comment on whether we will see more women, but I certainly believe that there is enough evidence that increased diversity of leaders can be quite successful in delivering on shareholder value, and I feel good about the evidence and the progress that has been made there."
Check out the entire piece on these outstanding business leader at: http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/18/kraft-leadership-management-forbes-woman-power-women-09-irene-rosenfeld.html
Forbes Magazine has published its annual Best Countries for Business ranking. For the second straight year Denmark has taken the No.1 spot.
Best Countries for Business:
1. Denmark
2. USA
3. Canada
4. Singapore
5. New Zealand
6. United Kingdom
7. Sweden
8. Australia
9. Hong Kong
10. Norway
Forbes analyzed business climates in each of 127 national economies, focusing on degrees of trade freedom, monetary freedom like the right to participate in free and fair elections, or freedom of expression and organization.
The Criteria
With the shrinking job market in the
Working with campus career counselors, I'm conducting workshops to help students apply their international experience to future goals by focusing on practical tips and advice on how to get started, what resources are available, how to manage expectations and set objectives. Using my original research from my book, Get Ahead By Going Abroad, real-life anecdotes and vast network of contacts with multinational companies and organizations, I provide practical and effective advice on:
- Packaging international skills in order to apply them to the current global business trends and the needs of potential employers
- Devising a plan for an international job search, managing expectations and setting objectives
- Determining which markets, industries, and companies are ‘hot’ right now, networking, and cover letter & resume writing tips
Companies value international experience and, after a few years in another market, these globetrotters could return to the
If you're interested in more information or having me conduct this workshop on campus, contact me StacieNBerdan@aol.com
Interest piece on integrated leadership vis-a-vis gender issues. Ginny makes some interesting points about the importance of a balanced masculine/feminine
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It's being called the ultimate outsourcing: Americans looking for jobs overseas. With IBM's recent announcement of Project Match -- in which the company actively encourages employees to take their pink slips and apply for jobs in China, India and Brazil -- more companies are sure to follow suit.
Some people are outraged. Some are scared. Others who understand the value are supportive. To be sure, today's current economic climate is a serious force to be reckoned with. But rather than curse the storm clouds overhead, American workers would be well-advised to see this challenging moment as an opportunity to reap the rewards that others have for decades: By looking beyond their own borders to gain valuable experience overseas.
Make no mistake about it: American intellectual capital is still considered some of the best in the world, which is why IBM and other companies are willing to incur the expense of sending their people overseas. Those that accept will be rewarded with more than just a roof over their head and a weekly paycheck. The extraordinary personal and professional growth that takes place when living in a foreign culture can be cashed in on future career opportunities -- like when the U.S. economy rebounds and companies need employees who can operate effectively in the international marketplace. When that happy day finally comes, those who have proven that they know how to work across cultures will be prized commodities.
And working abroad does not only mean working for American companies. There are hundreds of large, foreign companies that offer tremendous opportunities. This role reversal may seem scary, but it reflects the future of global commerce. Now is not the time to be afraid of the global marketplace but to embrace it.
Yet picking up and moving yourself and your family to a strange new land is a daunting proposition. Americans must be able to adapt to succeed and, with a bit of caution and a lot of research, many will take the deep dive.
And yes, you can do it even if you're married -- I was -- and have children. And trust me, you'll be doing your children a favor: by the time they enter the workforce, a global mindset will be expected.
Last but certainly not least, living overseas can be fun, interesting and exciting.
So if your employer offers you the opportunity to work abroad, be it as part of a promotion or an "or else" proposition, think twice before you say "no." Not only might it be the best offer you're going to get -- it's probably a whole lot better an offer than you think it is. And who knows? It just might be the best career move you ever made.
The Expert:
Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, international careers expert and co-author of Get Ahead By Going Abroad: A Woman’s Guide to Fast-Track Career Success (HarperCollins, 2007).