IS BD Your Second Language?

I’m currently traveling through northern Spain with my family. We’ve been exploring new cities, leaning on our basic Spanish, and doing our best to communicate with a mix of words, gestures, and context clues.

What’s stood out to me is that we're not alone. Every day, I see people from all over the world trying to speak the local language. Some are better than others, but most are struggling just like we are.

Many don’t even try. They jump straight into English and hope the locals will adapt. Sometimes that works, but more often, it creates a little distance. You can feel it.

But when someone makes the effort, even if they butcher the pronunciation, something shifts. The locals lean in. They appreciate the attempt. They meet you halfway because effort shows respect.
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The same thing happens in business development.

For many professionals, BD feels like a foreign language. The words feel unfamiliar. The rhythm is off. Some people pick it up quickly, but for most, it takes practice. And with most anything in life, practice promotes growth.

You can’t get frustrated when it doesn’t feel natural at first. You show up. You make the effort. You keep going.
That’s how fluency builds in any language.
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This is also why in-person conversations still matter. You don’t just rely on words. You get body language, tone, and real-time feedback. That’s where trust is built.