Local to global: How English skills unlock a career in leadership

Samantha Ball
Two coworkers discussing some sticky notes on a class window
Reading time: 4 minutes

Of the 1.5 billion English speakers in the world, over half learned it as a second or additional language.

The “language of business”, English has become a foundational skill for anyone looking to work in an international business or at a leadership level, and many English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers find themselves working in English on a daily basis.

But working in your second or third language comes with a unique set of challenges and opportunities.

We spoke to five global leaders about the role English has played in their careers, the challenges of being an ESL speaker, and how businesses can create a culture where everyone has a voice.

How English skills unlock a career in leadership
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree app can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

A passport to leadership

Strong English skills open doors. More than three-quarters of people with advanced English skills are in senior or leadership roles, compared to just 32% of those with limited English proficiency.

app Languages CTO, , describes English as a “passport for this new world of opportunities, opening many, many doors I wouldn’t have had access to.”

There’s a cumulative effect, with one door opening and leading to the next.

Brushing up on his English skills was the spark that won Perrucci a scholarship to Denmark. That semester blossomed into a six-year stay, multiple degrees, his first international job opportunity, and a career with well-known global brands.

Whether it was getting onto a top MBA program or that first role at a big international company, for all the leaders we spoke to, English has proved to be a career catalyst.

More diversity, more innovation, more revenue

For companies looking to innovate and stand out in a competitive global market, an international team is essential.

“We’re aiming to build models of childcare that don’t exist at the moment”, explains Founder and CEO, .

“To do that, we need diversity of thought. With an international team, it’s more likely that someone will say “hey, I was living in Cape Verde for a while, and I saw this interesting thing”.

It’s an approach that pays off. found that businesses with more diverse management teams are more innovative, leading to 19% higher revenues.

Global customers, global team

A more diverse team can also help businesses stay close to their customers.

As technology has made it easier to operate across multiple countries, businesses quickly find themselves responding to the different needs, preferences, and expectations of customers all over the world.

“Reflecting the global nature of our business in our workforce means we can build a better, more effective service and a more successful business as a result”, explains , CEO of .

To help them stay close to their 5.2 million members across 420 cities, Zeeck’s team at InterNations is made up of more than 50 different nationalities.

English is the main language both for the InterNations team and platform, helping them create “a sense of oneness and community by using a shared language”.

The ultimate brain training

The leaders we interviewed spoke, on average, four languages, with many working across multiple languages on a day-to-day basis.

That experience of jumping between different languages also develops important leadership skills.

“When you speak multiple languages,” explains Perrucci, “different parts of the brain have to work together and make connections… It teaches your brain to be flexible about what you see and the way you interpret it”.

Zeeck likened it to working out: “Just as going to the gym improves your physical wellbeing, the mental challenge of learning a new language is good exercise for the brain”. It’s one of the reasons he provides all of his team language training.

The mental load of language

But hopping between languages and navigating different cultural nuances can take its toll.

“People whose first language is English often overlook the computing power it takes to work in your second or third language,” explains, Managing Director of International Wellbeing,, who only spends around a third of his time speaking his mother tongue.

“Even when colleagues are fluent in the language you're communicating in, it might still take them a bit more energy than you expect”, he continues. “By Friday afternoon, for example, I’m struggling to think fluently in whichever language!”.

The challenge of speaking up

For those who are less confident in their English skills, it can significantly impact the way they contribute at work.

Less than half (48%)of ESL speakers feel comfortable speaking up at work, andonly 10%of employees with limited English proficiency felt they could express themselves fully at work.

The dynamic can change depending on who’s in the room. “I see the difference when ESL speakers are on calls with confident, fluent English speakers”, adds, CEO and Founder of.

“They speak less”, she continues, “they caveat their contributions with “I might be wrong”, and you can see their English actually worsens because they feel more stressed”.

Without the right culture and support, businesses miss out on the benefits of an international team they’ve recruited.

Conscious leadership

The task of building a team and helping overcome the challenges of global working falls to business leaders.

The five leaders we spoke to shared practical tips for supporting global teams, including acknowledging and proactively addressing differences, avoiding interrupting ESL speakers, and using voice notes for sensitive communication to allow tone and emotion to come through.

More fundamentally, ESL speakers need business leaders to build a culture where it’s ok to make mistakes.

Leaders with first-hand experience of being an ESL speaker are uniquely placed to understand their increasingly global teams, pre-empt their challenges, and nurture a culture that allows difference to shine.

The journey from local roles to global leadership positions hinges on strong communication skills. The stories shared by our leaders demonstrate how English proficiency not only unlocks individual career potential but also drives organizational success through innovation and diverse perspectives. By fostering a culture that values and supports language learning, businesses can harness these benefits, ensuring their teams are prepared to excel on the global stage.

Find out how app Language Solutions for Work can support your workforce here

This article is part of app Languages’ series,Global Voices: Leaders on Language and Business, an exclusive exploration into the pivotal role of language in achieving international business excellence. For more in this series, check out the leaders’ full interviews, coming soon to

Read the blog post 'Language proficiency and succession planning: Developing future leaders'.

More blogs from app

  • A teacher helping a teenage student working at her desk in a library

    How teachers can use the GSE for professional development

    By Fajarudin Akbar
    Reading time: 4.5 minutes

    As English teachers, we’re usually the ones helping others grow. We guide learners through challenges, celebrate their progress and push them to reach new heights. But what about our own growth? How do we, as educators, continue to develop and refine our practice?

    The Global Scale of English (GSE) is often seen as a tool for assessing students. However, in my experience, it can also be a powerful guide for teachers who want to become more intentional, reflective, and confident in their teaching. Here's how the GSE has helped me in my own journey as an English teacher and how it can support yours too.

    About the GSE

    The GSE is a proficiency scale developed by app. It measures English ability across four skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing – on a scale from 10 to 90. It’s aligned with the CEFR but offers more detailed learning objectives, which can be incredibly useful in diverse teaching contexts.

    I first encountered the GSE while exploring ways to better personalize learning objectives in my Business English classes. As a teacher in a non-formal education setting in Indonesia, I often work with students who don’t fit neatly into one CEFR level. I needed something more precise, more flexible, and more connected to real classroom practice. That’s when the GSE became a turning point.

    Reflecting on our teaching practice

    The GSE helped me pause and reflect. I started reading through the learning objectives and asking myself important questions. Were my lessons really aligned with what learners at this level needed? Was I challenging them just enough or too much?

    By using the GSE as a mirror, I began to see areas where I could improve. For example, I realized that, although I was confident teaching speaking skills, I wasn’t always giving enough attention to writing development. The GSE didn’t judge me. It simply showed me where I could grow.

    Planning with purpose

    One of the best things about the GSE is that it brings clarity to lesson planning. Instead of guessing whether an activity is suitable for a student’s level, I now check the GSE objectives. If I know a learner is at GSE 50 in speaking, I can design a role-play that matches that level of complexity. If another learner is at GSE 60, I can challenge them with more open-ended tasks.

    Planning becomes easier and more purposeful. I don’t just create lessons, I design learning experiences that truly meet students where they are.

    Collaborating with other teachers

    The GSE has also become a shared language for collaboration. When I run workshops or peer mentoring sessions, I often invite teachers to explore the GSE Toolkit together. We look at learning objectives, discuss how they apply to our learners, and brainstorm ways to adapt materials.

    These sessions are not just about theory: they’re energizing. Teachers leave with new ideas, renewed motivation and a clearer sense of how to bring their teaching to the next level.

    Getting started with the GSE

    If you’re curious about how to start using the GSE for your own growth, here are a few simple steps:

    • Visit the GSE Teacher Toolkit and explore the learning objectives for the skills and levels you teach.
    • Choose one or two objectives that resonate with you and reflect on whether your current lessons address them.
    • Try adapting a familiar activity to better align with a specific GSE range.
    • Use the GSE when planning peer observations or professional learning communities. It gives your discussions a clear focus.

    Case study from my classroom

    I once had a private Business English student preparing for a job interview. Her speaking skills were solid – around GSE 55 – but her writing was more limited, probably around GSE 45. Instead of giving her the same tasks across both skills, I personalized the lesson.

    For speaking, we practiced mock interviews using complex questions. For writing, I supported her with guided sentence frames for email writing. By targeting her actual levels, not just a general CEFR level, she improved faster and felt more confident.

    That experience reminded me that when we teach with clarity, learners respond with progress.

    Challenges and solutions

    Of course, using the GSE can feel overwhelming at first. There are many descriptors, and it can take time to get familiar with the scale. My advice is to start small: focus on one skill or one level. Also, use the Toolkit as a companion, not a checklist.

    Another challenge is integrating the GSE into existing materials, and this is where technology can help. I often use AI tools like ChatGPT to adjust or rewrite tasks so they better match specific GSE levels. This saves time and makes differentiation easier.

    Teachers deserve development too

    Teaching is a lifelong journey. The GSE doesn’t just support our students, it also supports us. It helps us reflect, plan, and collaborate more meaningfully. Most of all, it reminds us that our growth as teachers is just as important as the progress of our learners.

    If you’re looking for a simple, practical, and inspiring way to guide your professional development, give the GSE a try. It helped me grow, and I believe it can help you too.

    Additional resources