Clear, inclusive communication takes more than strong language skills or cultural awareness - it needs both.
When developed together, English and intercultural skills support shared understanding, more open teamwork and greater confidence in external communication. With the right support from L&D, these skills can have a meaningful impact across the organisation.
With insights from learning and inclusion experts, we share how and what L&D teams can do to support their development.
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Whether it’s a team call, a project handover or an informal chat, how we communicate shapes how well we work together. Even when we’re using the same language, we may not always understand things in the same way and that can lead to misunderstandings, missed opportunities or uneven participation in teams.
This is why developing English and intercultural skills side by side matters. While English supports clarity and confidence, intercultural awareness gives people the tools to interpret intent, adapt and connect. It’s not only about culture in the traditional sense. Factors such as job role, seniority and company norms all play a role. To explore how L&D teams can support people to build these skills, we spoke to Catherine Gater (Head of EDI, British Council English and Exams), Craig Shim (Intercultural Consultant and Founder of Alphacrane Intercultural Specialists), Lucy Butters (Intercultural Strategist and Founder of Elembee), and Tamerlaine Beasley (Founder and CEO of Beasley Intercultural). They shared their insights on why this matters and how to embed it in practical, relevant ways.
Read on to explore three key areas where developing English and intercultural skills together makes a difference and how L&D can support that development.
1. Shared understanding and clarity
When teams have strong English and intercultural skills, communication becomes clearer, more consistent and easier to navigate. Good English skills help people express their ideas more clearly, while intercultural skills support understanding of and adaptation to different communication styles, behaviours and expectations. Together, these skills reduce misunderstandings, not just in the words being used, but also in how those words are received.
As Tamerlaine puts it, ‘Good communication isn’t just about using the right words. It’s about whether those words are understood in the way we intended.’
This combination makes it easier for teams to align on shared goals, processes and priorities. When everyone can follow the conversation and feels confident about how to contribute, there’s less risk of miscommunication slowing things down. It also means team members are more likely to listen actively, ask for clarification when needed and check understanding rather than making assumptions.
Lucy explains, 'When you’re communicating externally, but the real challenge is often around tone, intent and expectations. If you don’t get those right, it’s easy to unintentionally sound abrupt, hesitant or unclear.'
Shared understanding also increases flexibility. When people can adapt their tone, phrasing or level of formality and know when and why that matters, their communication becomes clearer to a wider group.
How L&D teams can support this:
- Offer integrated training that builds English and intercultural skills together
- Use live online classes or forums to bring together learners from different locations, teams and job scopes. Our surveys show that almost 80% of learners rate this as important to success; learn more about how our live online classes can benefit your organisation here.
- Use scenarios that reflect real global team communication challenges
- Encourage reflection on different communication styles and preferences
- Ensure course methodology is practical, with plenty of opportunities for practice and feedback. Discover how Tecpetrol’s teams benefitted from our interactive, targeted learning solutions.
- Support teams in creating shared norms for respectful, clear communication
2. More open mindsets and inclusive teamwork
Developing intercultural skills alongside English goes beyond communication, it shapes how people approach working together. When individuals gain insight into different cultural perspectives, they’re more likely to question their own assumptions and become open to new ways of thinking. This openness builds empathy and helps reduce unconscious bias, making teamwork more inclusive and collaborative.
As Catherine points out, 'If we work actively to build our own cultural intelligence, we become better able to empathise and adapt to colleagues around us. It’s about respecting different perspectives and interacting across those boundaries respectfully.'
An open mindset also supports stronger relationships within diverse teams. People become more comfortable sharing ideas, knowing that differences are respected rather than dismissed. This creates a positive environment where varied viewpoints are valued and innovation can thrive. It also helps teams navigate challenges constructively, as members are more willing to listen and adapt rather than become defensive.
Craig adds, 'Cultural intelligence is really about understanding someone’s mindset: their values, motivations and communication style. It’s about adapting how you engage with them so your message lands clearly.'
Inclusive teamwork also depends on psychological safety. Intercultural skills help team members recognise the different ways people express themselves and participate. When combined with confident English skills, this means everyone can engage in ways that suit their style, without feeling pressured to conform to one dominant way of working.
As Catherine notes, 'That sense of psychological safety comes up a lot in inclusion work. People need to feel that they can be themselves at work. That’s when they’re most productive and engaged.'
In the long run, building inclusive, culturally aware teams leads to stronger collaboration and greater resilience, essential in today’s workplaces where diverse perspectives are the norm rather than the exception.
How L&D can support this:
- Design learning experiences that challenge assumptions and encourage cultural curiosity
- Facilitate activities that build empathy, such as storytelling or perspective-taking exercises
- Encourage inclusive learning environments where different views are shared and respected
- Provide training on recognising and managing unconscious bias in everyday interactions
- Equip managers with tools and guidance to support inclusive team discussions and decision-making
- Train facilitators and internal trainers to model inclusive behaviours and handle sensitive topics with confidence
3. Greater confidence and impact in external communication
When working with clients, partners or stakeholders across regions, clear and culturally aware communication can have a direct impact on how professional and trustworthy a team appears. Developing both English and intercultural skills helps individuals feel more confident representing their organisation, whether that is in meetings, emails, negotiations or everyday exchanges.
Lucy explains, 'When you're representing your organisation to people from different cultures, it's not just about what you say, but how it's perceived. Cultural awareness helps you strike the right tone and avoid sending the wrong signal.'
It's helpful for teams to find practical ways to apply that awareness. This might mean adjusting language for different audiences, being clearer about intent, or creating space to check understanding. These small habits can make communication feel more respectful and effective, especially in unfamiliar or high-stakes situations
Craig also notes, ‘Cultural intelligence means knowing how to adapt your communication. That’s especially important when decisions or negotiations are involved, because what works in one context might not translate in another.’
Confident external communication also supports better outcomes. It helps teams ask the right questions, listen actively and express their ideas in ways that land well with diverse audiences. When people feel equipped to navigate these interactions, feel ready to handle these conversations, they are more likely to speak up and less likely to hold back.
How L&D can support this:
- Include real client or partner scenarios in learning content to build practical skills
- Focus on tone, clarity and purpose when communicating across cultures
- Offer coaching or role plays to help teams practise handling external communication with confidence
- Support teams to reflect on past interactions and identify what worked well and why
Final thoughts
The value of English and cultural intelligence becomes clear in the everyday moments of working across cultures. A well-timed question, a carefully worded message or a willingness to pause and listen can shift the direction of a project or build trust where it's needed most.
Supporting both skills gives people more than tools. It gives them the awareness to communicate in ways that are considered, respectful and effective in real-world situations.
These are the conditions that help teams collaborate with confidence, across differences and across borders.
For over 90 years, the British Council has worked with organisations around the world to help teams communicate, collaborate and lead across cultures.
Our Professional Skills programmes focus on practical outcomes, from navigating cultural differences to managing global teams with confidence.
Download the Corporate English Solutions brochure or book a free consultation to find out how we can support your team.