Xenophon Strategies

The Communications Key: Language

Blake Rhodes

After hearing Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen’s recent comments about Japanese baseball players being afforded more privileges than Latino players when it comes to having translators at their disposal, I began to think about my personal experiences with both Japanese and Latino players as well as some of my clients here with Xenophon. 

You’re probably asking:  “Your clients?  Don’t they speak English?”  Well yes, they do. But, each industry -- and company for that matter -- has its own language.

Language is the biggest key to communicating effectively, whether it’s from English to Japanese or Spanish, or learning all of the acronyms that are common place within a company or industry.  If you can’t understand what’s being said, it becomes increasingly difficult to operate in that environment until you learn the language.  But once you’re comfortable in your surroundings and have a better understanding of what’s being said, you begin to thrive.

Take for instance Pedro Feliz, currently a third baseman with the Houston Astros.  When we met at the Giants Spring Training camp in Scottsdale, AZ, in 1998, Pedro was a 23 year-old from the Dominican Republic whose English consisted of “hello” accompanied by a large grin.  After signing a free agent contract with the Giants in 1994, he was known as “Pedro Felix.”  That was until he stopped me at Spring Training in 1999 and said in much improved English, “that’s not my name” and handed me a handwritten note that said “Feliz.”  He smiled and said, “That’s my name.”

I felt awful and asked him why he hadn’t told us earlier.  He told me that he was uncomfortable telling us, but he became more comfortable due to his increased knowledge of English.  Pedro Feliz has played in three World Series, while Pedro Felix is but a memory.

If you have the opportunity to meet Pedro today, you will find a well-spoken, 10-year big league veteran whose command of the English language allows him to share his wicked sense of humor and sarcasm.

When I started my assignment with the Coast Guard, I have to admit that I found myself feeling much like Pedro did when he was known as Pedro Felix.  I barely knew between starboard and port on a ship, much less all of the acronyms used by the military to identify the different commands.  However, by studying the Coast Guard language and immersing myself in its culture, I became fluent and was able to hold high-level discussions about our communications strategies with three-star admirals.

When Xenophon starts working for a client, we work hard to understand its unique language so that we can provide strategic counsel in a way they can understand, and effectively speak with their voice.  You can’t speak or write unless you know the language.

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