Once, while managing a financial services company in a former Soviet Republic, my operations manager solemnly informed me that there was no need to worry about a certain delinquent client; the manager had personally confiscated the client's "family jewels." Once I managed to stop choking on my coffee and explain the slang meaning of that expression, we had a good laugh over it. But language mishaps in a business environment aren't always funny. They can be downright expensive.

Alles klar?

A key stage of the project has come due, and your staff hasn't done it. You were so sure they understood! They nodded and smiled, you asked if everything was clear and they said "yes." What's the problem?

Working with a foreign language manager is just as intimidating for employees as it can be frustrating for the manager. Perhaps they're afraid to tell you they don't understand. Perhaps they really thought they understood and didn't want to look silly asking for a confirmation. Whatever the reason, as the manager, you have to be proactive in ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Here's how:

1) Don't say "on the same page." Avoid slang, jargon, and complex vocabulary in your oral and written communications. This makes it easier for foreign language teams to understand you.

2) Follow up. Asking if everything is understood isn't enough to ensure understanding. Ask your team how they plan on carrying out the task, or what they think the barriers to it might be, or who else they think should be involved. By asking open follow-up questions, you can not only find out if they understood you, but also empower your staff to move forward with confidence.

3) Say it in writing. Some are stronger with the spoken word, others with the written word. Let your team know that you'll be following up on what you've discussed with an e-mail. Ask staff to let you know if their understanding of the task varies from what you've written.

4) Check in. Don't assume work is flowing happily along without you, even if your staff is fabulous. Language confusion doesn't make your team incompetent, it makes them human. A friendly check in to see how work is progressing gives you a chance to catch any minor misunderstandings before they snowball into major expenses.

5) Don't take yourself too seriously. It can be hard to keep a sense of humor when you've tried to explain something three different ways and you still aren't understood. But try. The additional stress caused by a bad-tempered manager won't improve your team's language skills it may just terrify them into silence rather than admitting they don't quite understand you. Remember, it's a small world after all, and some day you may well be the foreigner with the funny accent. Being able to laugh is just good karma, and good management.

Learn more about this author, Kirsten Weiss.
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