[Notes From Harvard] Leadership English

By Jason Lim

Cambridge, Mass. _ Bertrand Russell, in his Outline of Philosophy, wrote, “What is distinctively human at the most fundamental is the capacity to persuade and be persuaded.” And what do we use as the tool of persuasion, which is, as defined by Russell, what actually makes us human beings? Language. More specifically, the English language. In today’s globalized world-held together by instantaneous communication that connects partners, decision-makers, and statesmen from countless ethnic and cultural backgrounds-we use English as our common medium of persuasion. Not just to persuade, but also to be persuaded by others.

What is persuasion, then? Persuasion, in short, is getting someone else to change their mind and realign their thoughts to your argument. There is no force involved. You have to convince others to change their minds through the sheer power of persuasion. Unfortunately, we already know how difficult it is for people to change their minds. As John Kenneth Galbraith put it nicely, “Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.”

This is why persuasion is almost synonymous with leadership. It’s such a large part of the leadership equation. It is easy for a manager in a strict hierarchy to order his underling to do something specific. However, we know that energy and creativity are key factors driving any successful organization. Energy and creativity are only possible in influencial incarnations in a leadership environment which is not arbitrarily enforced. This system encourages passionate commitment of individual free will.

In this vein, Dwight D. Eisenhower stated, ‘’Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.’’ This definition of leadership is more insightful because it is coming from one of the most celebrated military commanders of the 20th century, and as a key part of his job, could literally order hundreds of thousands of people to their deaths. Even for Eisenhower, leadership is about persuasion, not order.

How does this relate to English? Let me first ask another question.

As a Korean, why do you learn English? Perhaps you want to watch movies without subtitles, or understand rap lyrics from 50 Cent, or enhance your personal skills as an executive, manager, and academic in today’s global economy? My guess is it’s probably the latter. If so, your purpose is to increase your leadership potential by improving your skills at persuasion.

Your study of English is not merely enabling you to say, “What’s up?” to an American, or speak with the easy, everyday fluency of native English speakers. Not only is that not realistic, it’s not even salient. Fluency does not automatically translate into persuasiveness. The English you should be studying should be to influence others. As such, English study should be specifically focused on persuasion. In short, you need to study Leadership English.

We all know that we work more efficiently and improve results when we have a vision for our plans. Without such a vision, how can you expect to generate enough lasting enthusiasm to make it all worthwhile? For a moment, forget about yourself. What about the children? With all the money that we are spending on English education to help them get a ‘leg up’ on global competition, are we sure that they are learning to be leaders as well as English speakers? With all the time and effort we expect our children to sacrifice in the name of English, are we sure that they will be that much ahead when everything is said and done? Have your children understood the vision of studying English? Have you, or are you, forcing your children to study English because everyone else is doing so? Is it fear, or vision, that’s driving you and your childrens’ education?

I believe that Kant said that we invariably forget what we set out to do. We have all experienced the frustration of losing our way because we were so caught up in the specific details of the process itself. Then we look up and realize that we are in a different place from where we wanted to be in the first place. This happened because we lost our vision.

This is why we need to remind ourselves the original purpose of learning English, as well as learning any other foreign language. We study English not just to be skilled in the language, but to enhance our position in the world. Let’s keep reminding ourselves of that.

Jason Lim is a graduate student at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

David Hng

English Language Proposal Steaming The Country

By Eric Pfeiffer
The Washington Times

WASHINGTON — The push to make English the nation’s official language is building momentum, with a congressional bill on the horizon and seven states pushing legislation to make English the official language or to strengthen laws already in place.

“There’s been such strong support,” said Rep. Steve King, Iowa Republican. “And it’s gaining momentum.”

Mr. King is expected next month to reintroduce the English Language Unity Act, which seeks to make English the nation’s official language. However, he said that timetable had been postponed until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could complete the Democrats’ “first 100 hours” agenda. “Nancy Pelosi has us under martial law,” he said.

“The states have been wonderful on this,” said Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of English First, an organization that supports making English the official language. “The problem isn’t getting bills passed, it’s getting them enforced.” Mr. Boulet described Mr. King’s bill as “a good first step.”

In the last session of Congress, Mr. King drafted similar legislation and counted 160 co-sponsors, placing the bill in the top 2 percent of co-sponsored legislation. Although control of Congress has switched hands, the bill’s advocates say the issue has broad, bipartisan support. “We don’t necessarily expect them to jump in and say they support this unanimously,” said Rob Toonkel, spokesman for U.S. English Inc., a group that supports making English the official language.

The legislation would not bar private businesses or individuals from using multilingual material, but it does seek to prevent federal funds from being spent on such efforts.

Mr. King has long been an advocate of English-language laws. In 2002, as a state senator, Mr. King authored a successful bill making English the official language in Iowa. The bill was signed by then-Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is now a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

Mr. King on Jan. 10 filed a lawsuit in state district court against Gov. Chet Culver and Secretary of State Michael Mauro, both Democrats, for violating Iowa’s English-language law. The lawsuit accuses Mr. Culver, who served as secretary of state before running for governor, and Mr. Mauro of illegally placing voter-registration forms and absentee-ballot request forms on Iowa’s secretary of state Web site in foreign languages.

David Hng

Zhang Ziyi Polishes Her English Skills In New York

China Daily 23 Jan 2007

Zhang Ziyi studied at one China’s top theater schools. Now the star of “Memoirs of a Geisha” has gone to one of the best in the West: Juilliard School in New York.

The young actress just finished polishing her English delivery skills by taking voice and dialect classes at Juilliard, her manager Ling Lucas told The Associated Press in an e-mail Tuesday.

Lucas also confirmed Zhang has a voice role in the upcoming animated movie, “TMNT,” based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon characters. The movie will be released in March 30 in the United States.

Zhang plays Karai, the new leader of the Foot Ninja Clan, Lucas said.

The actress will fly to Winnipeg, Canada, later this week to start filming the crime thriller “Horsemen,” featuring Dennis Quaid, the manager said.

In “Horsemen,” Quaid plays a detective who discovers a personal connection to the suspects in a group of serial killings that are linked to the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Zhang plays a young woman who’s crucial to solving the case.

Zhang studied at China’s Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. She made her name in Chinese films like “The Road Home” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” before moving on to Hollywood. Along with “Memoirs,” she has appeared in “Rush Hour 2.”

David Hng

English Proficiency Still Low At Local Varsities

23 Jan 2007
Hamidah Atan

PUTRAJAYA: The Higher Education Ministry is carrying out a study to gauge the level of English proficiency among lecturers and students of local universities.

Once the feedback is obtained, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said appropriate action would be taken to rectify it.

Mustapa said preliminary findings revealed that the level of proficiency of about 29 per cent of the 132,000 university students was either at “Level One or Level Two” — the lowest in the Malaysian University English Test (Muet).

About 43 per cent is at Level Three (average), 21 per cent at Level Four (satisfactory), five per cent at Level Five (good) and the remaining two percent is at Level Six, which is excellent.

Mustapa said for lecturers, a similar study and “classification” would be implemented.

“Previously, there was a study to ascertain English proficiency among lecturers of public universities. However, we found that the findings were not specific, as it did not involve all universities and courses.”

He said the management of some universities had been directed to carry out programmes or courses that could further enhance the command of English among their students and lecturers.

“Their command of the language is not at the worrying stage but there is room for improvement if we are to turn Malaysia into an international educational hub.”

At the ministry’s monthly gathering, Mustapa also said that the management of several universities had already taken the initiative to conduct extra English Language classes for students.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has taken steps to improve the command of the language among its students and lecturers.

UTM vice-chancellor Datuk Professor Dr Mohd Zulkifli Mohd Ghazali said short- and long-term programmes had been lined up.

“We recently formed an English unit, headed by a director. This unit serves as a support system in promoting English in UTM’s learning and teaching processes.”

Starting this year, Zulkifli also said English was being used in all the courses conducted at UTM.

“Except for subjects like Tamaddun Islam, all professional courses are taught in English. All lecturers must teach both local and foreign students in English.

“If we want to encourage international students to come to UTM, or any local university for that matter, we must ensure that they are taught using good and not broken English.”

Universiti Teknologi Mara vice-chancellor Datuk Seri Prof Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah said English had been the medium of instruction for all the programmes in UiTM.

“All lecturers, especially junior lecturers, must have a good command of the language. From time to time, their performances are assessed by the respective deans who will be making their rounds in classes or lecture halls.”

Special English courses were also held regularly for lecturers.

“We also make it compulsory for Public Speaking to be the subject for all courses, diploma and degree programmes. We will continue to introduce courses or programmes that can improve English proficiency of our students and lecturers,” he said.

David Hng