It is very hard to fix language and communication errors when you do not know what you are doing wrong. This is where feedback is useful, and herein lies the problem.

Many non-Native English speakers express frustration that their colleagues do not point out language mistakes, written or verbal, or do so only sparingly and when prompted. So what could be the issue here? There are a number of different responses to this from Native English speakers including:

• I don’t want to offend my colleagues by pointing out their language mistakes. Who am I to offer that feedback?
• In my office culture, it may be too risky, or not politically correct, to focus on others’ differences and view them as shortcomings.
• If I give feedback, it may become a routine and I do not want to be stuck in that position. Giving feedback can be time consuming, especially for writing, and our work environment is very fast paced. There’s not enough time in the day.
• It’s amazing that Paulo speaks and writes that well in English—if I were in Spain, there’s no way I could even come close. Any feedback I could give would feel like nitpicking.

So these are some of the classic answers, and hopefully they are helpful in conveying the mostly American viewpoint on why giving feedback on language can be difficult. Also remember that many of your colleagues, while Native English speakers, may not necessarily have the “trainer’s eye” to look into your language and communication idiosyncrasies as a trainer or communications coach would.

Now this brings us to some solutions, and hopefully how you can get past these barriers onto the feedback that is so critical to understanding where you may be falling short of professional communication standards. Consider the following steps:

1. Identify one or two trusted colleagues (Native English speakers) or professional persons who you are close with. This could be a same-level peer, an adviser, or an HR person.
2. Single out the areas you believe you may be struggling in, based on any prior feedback (mid year, annual reviews) and your own perceptions. Write that list down and dig out some writing samples that you feel exemplify these issues.
3. Make this engagement deliberate. Your professional development, and ultimate advancement, might hinge upon your improvement. Your sense of urgency should be conveyed in your manner of approach to your colleague. E-mail, call, or speak face to face with this person, singling out enough time for a worthwhile discussion. Clearly state your purpose for the meeting, e.g. “I believe my language and communication level, written and/or verbal, may be impacting my work product or standing in the way of advancement. To date, no one has given me any substantive feedback, so I’m looking for a serious evaluation of where I stand so I can get the help I need.”

These steps should get you on the road to receiving feedback on your language and communication skills. Notice how in the last step, you are not asking your colleague to become the go-to person for feedback from here on out, rather you are looking for a reasonable commitment of their time. Also, if you treat this as a formal engagement and express a degree of urgency, others are more likely to empathize and become open to the request.

On a final note, follow through. If you do get the feedback you are looking for, be sure you take the steps to do something about it. Talk to your HR or employee benefits person; there may be a tuition reimbursement perk that you are unaware of. You may also look for options on your own.

What you do not want to do is ignore the problem, especially if you have gone to great lengths to get feedback. Consider that all people working a job anywhere are continuously investing in their professional development in one way or another. Your area of need just so happens to be English and professional communication.

Best of luck on your journey! Please let us know how we can help or if we can answer any questions.