Which core skills should a supply chain expert have?
- The knowledge of information technology and automation
- Enterprise IT skills
- A profound understanding of market growth and dynamics
- Project management skills
- Leadership skills
Of course, the knowledge of a foreign language is nowhere near these competencies. And yet, it is crucial for a successful career in logistics.
A study of a food supply chain has revealed that one in three language-dependent U.S. employers reports a language skills gap. Besides, one in four U.S. employers has lost their businesses because they lacked foreign language skills.
The lesson is simple – knowing at least one foreign language can help you expand your expertise and build a resilient supply chain, mainly because it lets you keep up with global supply chain trends.
How exactly?
Let’s take a look.
1.   Read and Analyze the Resources in the Language of Origin
Even though English is the international language of logistics, it doesn’t mean that all publications are written in this language.
For instance, here’s a great study on supply chain management in the digital era in French, with no annotation in English. Surely, you will be able to find mentions of this study in English somewhere, but only reading it in French will help you understand the automation trends it describes.
The situation is the same with publications and other resources in foreign languages – you need to know their language of origin to analyze the trends they are discussing, especially if you’re planning to expand your supply chain abroad.
2.   Communicate with Industry Influencers in their Native Language
Influencers are at the forefront of any industry, and logistics and supply chain are not an exception. Influencers always inform their followers of the latest trends and can give you many valuable resources to learn more.
Why is English not enough to communicate with influencers?
It will do great, but it’s a good move to approach an influencer and start a conversation in their native language if you want to make a good first impression.
The good news is that you don’t have to master a foreign language completely to talk to a supply chain industry influencer. For instance, if the influencer’s first language is Spanish, you can learn a few basic words and phrases to start a conversation. This knowledge is enough to introduce yourself, mention where you’re working, and ask the right questions.
Surely, you will need a more profound knowledge of the language to read and analyze supply chain publications and resources since they use a more difficult language. However, a conversational level of a foreign language is enough to have a meaningful interaction with an industry influencer.
3.   Interact with Other Industry Professionals on Social Media
A big part of following supply chain trends is communicating with fellow industry professionals in social media groups. On LinkedIn, there are plenty of communities that talk about supply chain trends, and not all of them are in English.
The knowledge of a foreign language can come in handy if you’re trying to expand your supply chain to foreign markets and looking for trends that govern there. Talking to experts from these markets through social media can help you better understand these trends, but it’s better to know the language of this market since you need to understand the local terminology.
On a more general note, the knowledge of foreign languages can help you get a job in supply chain overseas. Here, knowing the local market’s trends is not enough – you need to master all processes behind the local supply chain, which is very hard to do if you don’t know the language of the market.
Over to You
Is it absolutely necessary to know a foreign language to understand the current trends in the supply chain? It’s not a vital necessity, but you’d be surprised how much knowledge of a foreign language can help you understand certain concepts more profoundly.
The best part is that you don’t have to wait until you master a foreign language – basic knowledge is enough to start studying the trends. Of course, for some publications and resources, you’ll need the knowledge of more complicated notions, but it’s a matter of experience and continuous practice. If you keep working on your language skills consistently, you’ll be able to explore expert-level resources in no time.
About the Author
Ryan Pell
Ryan is a passionate writer who likes sharing his thoughts and experience with the readers. Currently, he works as a blog article writer, you can check his last articles here. He likes everything related to traveling and new countries.
