Gain an Edge while pursuing MBA: Learn a Foreign Language

 

 The world is becoming a smaller place by the day. Since 1991, India made Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation reforms, the Indian economy has transformed, the commerce and trade have opened up in a very big way.   Along with multinational companies, even small and medium-scale enterprises are striving hard to make a global presence. With the government of India’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises doing its best to put the MSME’s on the global map, being in line with the efforts and advancements is extremely necessary.

 

We all are aspiring employees or entrepreneurs who would want to have their presence felt in the global workspace. What can be done to at least have a shot at actually realising that dream?????

Along with formal education, in our case MBA… we also need to have additional qualifications to gain an edge….

One of the ways to do so is learning a foreign language……..

Now let’s talk of some benefits of learning a foreign language….

         Learning a foreign language is intriguing: With its warmth and voluptuous sounds, hearing someone speaking a foreign language is like the sound of gold coming to embrace you. Speaking a foreign language is incredibly alluring and it can make you more attractive, interesting, and gives you an air of intelligence. A lot of people find a certain language or accent to be really appealing —think Penélope Cruz’s Spanish or Monica Bellucci’s Italian—you get the picture.  Learn a foreign language and you might just have that certain someone hypnotized and drawn to your exotic prowess. The rich textures of almost any foreign language can be incredibly interesting

          Learning a foreign language opens up a world of job opportunities: With globalization in full swing, there’s a good chance you’ll be working with people whose first language isn’t English. Maybe it’s a development team in India, or a manufacturing plant in China, or an alternative energy supplier in Germany. Being able to communicate in other languages makes you much more valuable to an employer and having that competitive edge on your resume is without a doubt an eye-catcher.

·         Studying a foreign language is good for the brain:  Studies have demonstrated the cognitive benefits of learning another language, no matter how old you are. These studies have shown that bilinguals tend to have bigger brains, better memories, are more creative, better problem solvers, etc. Not only do these advantages make it easier to learn yet more languages, they also make it easier to learn, well, anything. The ability to quickly switch between tasks is especially important in today’s busy multitasking world. Bilinguals can switch between tasks much faster than their monolingual counterparts and can handle many more tasks at once.  

 

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    Studying a foreign language makes you more open minded: Foreign language study is simply part of a very basic liberal education. To educate is to lead out—to lead out of confinement and narrowness and darkness. Learning a foreign language and getting soaked into an entirely new culture and worldview is the surest way to become an open-minded, understanding, tolerant individual, and that is absolutely priceless. Once you are aware of the fact that we are all cultural beings, products of our own environments, and that you recognize the cultural base for your own attitudes and behaviour, you are ready to consider others in a more favourable light. Seeing the world from a different perspective, and understanding where you and others come from, is a fantastic, eye-opening experience.

          Learning a foreign language is of the utmost importance and the reasons to study a foreign language are innumerable. Studying (and ultimately fluently speaking) a foreign language helps break barriers and connects human beings on a deeper level of mutual understanding. Plus, reaching this mutual understanding will inevitably open a series of doors leading to a more interesting and satisfying personal and professional life!

 Last but not the least… Remember, while learning a foreign language can indeed provide a competitive advantage, it's also important to develop other skills relevant to your desired field or industry. A well-rounded skill set, combined with language proficiency, can greatly enhance your employment prospects.

 

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Prof.  Girija Shirurkar.

Girija.Shirurkar@indiragbs.edu.in.

Indira Global Business School, Pune.