Throughout my professional career, I’ve been a huge advocate of asking the dumb question. It makes me good at what I do. Whether as a journalist, a communications consultant or an in-house comms guy, the willingness to look a little dumb is important. If I don’t understand your story, I can’t tell it. So I’ll ask as many questions as I need to get it right.
In those situations, though, I’ve always clung to the other trait that has defined my career. Like most communications-type people, I take great pride in my ability to articulate myself. I can usually find the words I need to say what I need to say. I may ask the dumb question, but I tend to ask them well.
Which brings me to French.
I spent my high school years in northern BC. I’ve always kind of liked French and I studied it throughout high school but BC didn’t offer many opportunities to use the language. I lost my confidence with it and even when I moved to Ottawa I avoided situations that called for French.
I used my pride in articulation as a crutch. I justified my inability to embrace French by making excuses.
Fast forward to today. The organization that employs me is bilingual and as the lone comms guy I should have more French than I do. The org took a chance and hired me anyway so when they offered to provide me with French training I felt obliged to give it a shot.
Sitting in class last night I was hit with the sudden realization that my trusted crutch was total bullshit.
I haven’t been embracing my ignorance. I haven’t been asking the dumb question. Selfish pride drove me to abandon the principle that makes me good at what I do.
Well that’s over. I’m in for the long haul now and I don’t care how stupid I look in the process. I have built a career I am proud of because I am willing to look dumb. Now I am ready to sound dumb too.
And you know what? That’s the attitude that will get you on the path to being fluent in French. If we could all get over ourselves for just a little while, we’d realize that the moment we’re no longer afraid to speak a language we’re learning in front of others is the moment we start to truly absorb the language.
Exercice 1: understand this comment written in French 😉
La capacité à poser des “questions idiotes” et à les poser de la bonne façon est vraiment une capacité professionnelle essentielle pour tous les métiers liés à l’écriture / à la communication. Je souscris entièrement à ce que tu écris. Elle nécessite deux capacités à priori inconciliables : réussir à se concentrer sur le discours pour être sûr que tu en comprends tous les points et savoir s’en extraire pour prendre du recul sur ce qu’on est en train de te dire.
Bon courage pour l’apprentissage 🙂
And you know what? That’s the attitude that will get you on the path to being fluent in French. If we could all get over ourselves for just a little while, we’d realize that the moment we’re no longer afraid to speak a language we’re learning in front of others is the moment we start to truly absorb the language.