6 Ways to Be a Confident English Speaker at Work

“I know you can become confident. I will show you how to do it.”

Step 1

Listen every single day

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Listening is the core skill that builds a foundation for your confidence.

The English students who make the most progress are the ones who find listening material that they truly enjoy!

What is your hobby?

Find a podcast, a radio station, or a YouTube channel that focuses on that topic for native speakers.

You don’t need to use “ESL” listening material.

Listen for 8-12 minutes every single day. Do it at the same time each day to build the habit.

Step 2

Strike a power pose

Your physical posture can change the way you feel about your own English skills.

Even if you don’t feel confident, put yourself in a physical position where your mood will change and you will start to build confidence.

Put your hands in the sky. Stretch them out. Pump your fists.

Amy Cuddy presented her research in this TED Talkand she found that your stress levels can go down and your sense of strength can go up when you use a power pose.

Step 3

Start thinking in English

Thinking in English is the fastest and easiest way to start sounding like a native.

This is a habit, just like brushing your teeth, that you need to create. Once you create the habit, it will be easy to continue.

Look at what’s happening around you. Be observant. Describe and label those things that are happening in English in your mind.

**Pro Tip: When you listen to a native say something, repeat it silently in your mind using the same intonation and pronunciation.

Step 4

Understand how your American colleagues see the world

Get confident by understanding the people around you.

Don’t be afraid to “sell” yourself: At work it’s often important to be able to talk about your career accomplishments and how you have helped your company grow. Don’t be afraid to self promote.

Participate: American people will judge you based on how much you participate verbally in a meeting or a class. You need to learn the right vocabulary words so that you feel comfortable entering a conversation spontaneously.

Respect the value of time: Americans value their time. To build successful professional relationships, try to show them that you know how important time is also.

Step 5

Deepen your vocabulary

Stop memorizing the dictionary.

It will not lead you to confidence.

Stop memorizing lists and dictionaries

Learn vocabulary based on situations. Try it here: www.speakative.com

Learn only the most common words in English like phrasal verbs with “go,” “get,” “come,” “bring”

Step 6

Use pronunciation tricks

Implement these 2 key American English tricks and people will understand you.

Chunk your sentences into thought groups and pause in between the two thoughts. Put more stress on the end of each sentence.

Pronounce “T” as “D” sound when “T” falls between two vowels.

Bonus Tip!

Get on your own side

Be patient with yourself.

As you go through this journey toward confidence in English, be on your own team!

Be patient with yourself.

Don’t focus on your mistakes.

Measure your success by how hard you try and not the results.

“It’s not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power!”

-Robert Kiosaki

Do you need a little more guidance?

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