Most international engineering teams work in English.

Some team members are fluent. Others are proficient. A few might still be learning. But in most cases, communication seems to work well enough: emails are sent, meetings are held, and specs are written. Everyone speaks English. So it must be fine... right?

Well, not quite.

What sounds like fluency can sometimes cover up a deeper issue: engineers are communicating, but they're not always understanding each other. And underneath that? Often it's not a language problem at all. It's an authenticity problem. Engineers trained to sound professional end up performing a version of themselves in English -- and that performance is where the gaps appear.

When that happens, miscommunication doesn't just slow things down. It can derail projects, erode trust, and create problems that cost far more than a few awkward moments in a meeting.

"Fluency doesn't guarantee clarity. And clarity is what keeps projects moving forward."

This article is based on my conversation with Saskia Slotboom, coach and trainer for professionals in technical fields, in episode 22 of the English for Engineers podcast – Authentic Leadership for Technical Minds. If you want to go deeper on the authenticity side of engineering communication, that episode is a good place to start.

The Myth of “Good Enough” English

Here’s the trap: someone speaks English confidently, maybe even with a great accent. They hold meetings, write reports, and participate in reviews. Everything looks fine on the surface.

But then a spec is misunderstood. A timeline is misread. An instruction isn’t followed the way it was meant. And suddenly, the team is chasing fixes that could have been avoided.

This happens more often than people think.

And the root cause? A quiet assumption that “good enough” English means good enough communication.

But fluency in a second language doesn’t always include the skills engineers need at work—things like:

• Knowing when to be direct vs. diplomatic
• Adjusting tone to match formality
• Writing clearly under time pressure
• Asking questions to confirm alignment
• Or even recognizing when a misunderstanding has happened

These are subtle skills. They don’t show up on a language test. But they matter more than we realize—especially in technical teams, where small gaps can turn into big delays.

Everyone’s Speaking English, But Not the Same Version

Let’s be honest: even native English speakers don’t all speak the same way.

Now add in engineers from Austria, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, India, the Netherlands—and you don’t just get different accents. You get completely different ways of using English.

Here’s what happens:

• An engineer might explain something clearly in casual conversation, but struggle to write a concise project update
• A team member might be fluent, but unsure how formal they should sound in an email to a senior manager
• Someone might be overly polite when giving feedback, so their disagreement isn’t noticed
• Others might use complex vocabulary to sound professional, but end up confusing their peers

And it’s not just about “better grammar” or “speaking more fluently.” It’s about register (how formal you sound), tone, audience awareness, and knowing how to match your message to your listener.

“Saying something clearly isn’t the same as saying it in perfect English.”

Saskia, a Technical English trainer and language expert, often sees engineers who are fluent—but still misunderstood. Not because they said the wrong thing, but because they didn’t shape the message for the context.

Why This Hits Hardest in International Teams

In multinational teams, communication is already layered. You’ve got different:

• Native languages
• Cultural norms
• Expectations around feedback
• Ideas of what “clear” actually means

Take this simple example:

• A Dutch engineer gives a quick, direct answer in a meeting.
• Their Austrian colleague finds the tone abrupt, maybe even a bit rude.
• Meanwhile, an Indian team member gives very polite feedback, but no one realizes they’re actually disagreeing.

No one did anything wrong. But clarity still suffered.

These subtle mismatches aren’t just awkward. Over time, they erode collaboration:

• People stop asking questions because they’re unsure what’s “appropriate”
• Colleagues assume agreement when there isn’t any
• Misunderstandings are left unspoken and eventually show up in the work

Even worse, bias can creep in:

• Engineers might be perceived as “less professional” based on how they speak, not what they know
• Team leads may unintentionally favor those whose English sounds more familiar to them

And none of that helps your project. Or your people.

Technical English: A Tool, Not a Theory

So how do you fix this?

Not with general English lessons. Not with grammar workshops. And definitely not with more PowerPoint decks on “professional communication.”

What helps is purposeful language training, built around real technical work.

Because Technical English isn’t a theory. It’s a practical skillset engineers can use every day to:

• Write instructions that are easy to follow
• Ask for clarification without sounding unsure
• Give feedback in a way that’s both polite and clear
• Adjust tone based on the setting
• Translate expert knowledge into words that the team can act on

“Good engineers solve problems. Great engineers make sure people understand the problem in the first place.”

Saskia has seen the difference it makes. When engineers learn how to switch between informal conversation and task-critical communication, they don’t just “sound better”—they work better together.

What Can HR and L&D Leaders Do?

If everything above sounds familiar, not for yourself, but for the engineers in your organisation, it might be time to take action. Communication training built for technical teams looks different from generic language courses, and the difference is worth understanding.

This problem often flies under the radar. Everyone's busy. Language seems fine. No one complains.

But here's what you can look for:

• Teams that collaborate smoothly... until things get written down
• Senior staff rephrasing others' messages instead of building on them
• Small misunderstandings that cause delays, confusion, or friction
• Engineers who hesitate to speak up in cross-functional settings

If any of this sounds familiar, it might be time to go beyond general language tools -- and offer targeted training built for technical professionals.

And no, it doesn't have to be a huge investment.

Even short, high-impact coaching can give your team the tools to:

• Communicate with more precision
• Reduce misunderstandings
• Feel more confident in global settings

Want to explore communication training for your engineering teams?

Let's talk about what's possible →

Don’t Wait for Miscommunication to Become a Mistake

We assume engineers speak English well enough to get by. And most of them do.

But "getting by" isn't the same as being understood.

Clear communication isn't a soft skill -- it's core to safety, efficiency, and collaboration. And in international teams, it's one of your greatest risk points.

The good news? This is fixable.

With a little guidance, technical teams can learn to communicate more clearly, work more smoothly, and avoid the silent mistakes that cost time and trust.

Want to go further? Why Engineers Need Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills for Engineers: It Is a Translation, Not a Transformation, both pick up where this article leaves off.

They already speak English. Let's make sure they're really being understood.

_{Article originally posted June 25, 2025. Edited in June 2026 (new links added, header image updated.)}