A practitioner's commentary on C. Chan (2019): Long-term workplace communication needs of business professionals

Abstract

This commentary attempts to offer a practitioner's perspective on Chan (2019), which looks at how the communication skills of senior managers have changed throughout their careers. The findings of the study suggest that educators in ESP and higher education should prepare future leaders in a more long-term and holistic way so that they can become successful members of the business community. As they take up leadership functions, they will not only need an advanced proficiency of English but will have to use it as a lingua franca in business combined with relationship building, which requires relational language and soft skills. This repertoire will not only empower them but also create a company culture of trust and integrity for all the stakeholders. Educators in ESP and higher education need to prepare their learners to become holistic leaders and to overcome the challenges of workplace communication using English. This commentary discusses how Chan's findings could also be used to inform corporate training/coaching. It also provides tasks intended to support course participants in learning more about themselves, their own values, and their beliefs that are important for long-term relationship building.