In the second of a series of three blog posts, Shehzaad Shams explains why English can cause a blind spot, which gets in the way of ‘leadership through languages’. 

English as the default

Most leadership research comes from English-speaking countries. There’s an unspoken assumption that language is just the background noise, not something that actively shapes how we lead (Steyaert & Janssens, 2015). This “Anglocentric” view means we miss out on the richness—and challenges—of leading in multilingual environments.

Communication ≠ Language

Leadership books love to talk about “communication skills,” but rarely dig into the deeper stuff: how language shapes identity, power, and belonging. It’s not just about being clear; it’s about understanding the cultural baggage every phrase carries. As Fairhurst & Connaughton (2014) point out, real communication is about connection, not just clarity.

ED&I/DEI misses language

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives often focus on gender, race, or disability, but overlook language. Yet, language is a huge part of who feels included, who gets heard, and who gets left out (Creese & Blackledge, 2010).

One-size-fits-all models

There’s a hunger for universal leadership “competencies,” but that often means ignoring context — like the reality that multilingual teams have different needs and challenges (Neeley, 2017).

What’s the impact?

When we ignore language, we miss out on:

•    Understanding why teams fall apart over miscommunication

•    Seeing how language can build or break company culture

•    Harnessing linguistic diversity as a source of creativity and innovation

•    Managing conflict that’s rooted in misunderstanding or exclusion

Studies show that language barriers in global companies lead to silos and disengagement (Neeley, 2017), but when managed well, linguistic diversity actually boosts creativity (Tenzer et al., 2014).

What can we do?

•    Make Language Core to Leadership: Leadership training should go beyond “communication tips” and teach linguistic agility, narrative skills, and code-switching

•    Put Language in DEI: Celebrate linguistic diversity, make translation resources available, and ensure everyone — no matter their first language — has a voice at the table

•    Do More Research: We need more studies on how multilingualism affects leadership, team dynamics, and outcomes—not just anecdotes, but real data

•    Give Leaders Practical Tools: Things like linguistic audits, inclusive meeting practices, and storytelling workshops can help leaders use language as a force for inclusion and innovation

Any drawbacks?

It’s hard to measure the impact of language on leadership, and some leaders might resist — thinking, “I’m not a linguist, why does this matter?” But ignoring language is a missed opportunity. It’s time to move beyond the basics and see language as the engine of leadership, not just the fuel.

Read the first blog post in this series here:

Leadership through languages: Where four fields meet and magic happens 

Shehzaad Shams is based in London, UK. He is the COO at Aesara Partners, and also the founder of Rononiti, a consultancy on language and leadership. He specialises in Operations & Project Management, speaks nine languages with varying fluency and does freelance multilingual voice acting and translations. His views are personal.
 

Views expressed on CIOL Voices are those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or CIOL.