Expatriate managers who learn to speak the local language are able to discuss productivity and other job-related problems with employees, and are well-placed to find lasting solutions. But in addition to language skills, expatriate managers need communication skills and the willingness to use those skills so that good relationships with local employees can be established.

When a canning factory in Cairo experienced continual productivity problems, the entire five-man board blamed the expatriate production manager for the failure. The manager was failing to motivate the local workforce even though he had a good grasp of colloquial Arabic.