One of the things that frustrate a manager is the communication problems with the workplace. Even if we all agree that English ought to remain the South African language of business and professional conversation; nonetheless, the facts of everyday life say that managers must learn Xhosa. Workers understand the authority vested in a manager’s title, but they will respect and willingly follow the leader who takes initiative to communicate with his workers in Xhosa.
The leader who develops proficiency in Xhosa proves to his workers that he joins them in common grounds. Investing time and effort in learning Xhosa, a leader proves his respect for his workers’ culture even as he initiates them into his own. In addition, learning Xhosa makes the manager and his team more efficient because they understand his instructions and expectations.