Being understood - it's more than just words

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When the euphoria of being selected for an international assignment has died down, amongst the key issues identified by the assignee and their family in facing their new challenge are:

• understanding how people will behave differently

• understanding why people behave differently

• re-establishing a normal daily routine

• making themselves understood.

However when the language spoken in the new country is not their own (or even English) the overriding concern is always

Effective communication and negotiation.

The ability to communicate with new neighbours, acquaintances and colleagues, even on a very basic level, is probably the most critical requirement to a quick and effective settlement. Family members need to have the ability to establish a friendly rapport, to ask questions and to be able to conduct basic everyday tasks with confidence.

Equally the ability to make yourself understood in the workplace demonstrates commitment to the job, helps establish partnerships and co-operation and creates an increased air of management authority.

It is therefore somewhat surprising to learn of the indifference many companies still pay to the acquiring of basic language skills. At best, arrangements are made for a programme of drip-feed tuition in the destination country after arrival (often very difficult in practice, as the assignee becomes too involved in learning their new role). At worst, there is an expectation that the individual's own language (or English!) will be the acceptable medium of communication (an increasingly unacceptable approach!).

Farnham Castle's reputation is built on delivering the highest quality intensive tuition in any language. Almost without exception these programmes are evaluated with a score of 5 - excellent (on a scale of 1 [low] to 5 [high]).

A recent delegate commented

"First rate for language training and as a venue for other management events. Tutors and staff are all first class in their field".

Wouldn't it be ideal if you could combine the highest quality country briefing and an intensive introduction to the required language in a co-ordinated programme?

You can! Farnham Castle's Language Plus programmes provide the exact solution. This format is proving highly popular with organisations and delegates who recognise the importance of communication within the context of cultural and practical understanding of the host destination.

A recent delegate who attended a Japanese Language Plus programme commented

"excellent course, professionally run with exceptional teachers and speakers".

Each programme provides the opportunity to undertake a one or two-day briefing within intensive language tuition, normally delivered by a national of the country whose language is being taught, with often spectacular results. The same delegate, who undertook a five-day programme consisting of one-and-a-half days briefing and three-and-a-half days language, further commented

"The language course was exceptionalØ starting from scratch, I have developed a good grounding in the Japanese language, both written and spoken."