Use your accent to shine in public speaking
One night, I was out in the Melbourne night at a bar. I was in line to order a drink when I asked the guy in front of me if he was in line too. He seemed like he was having fun with his friends and replied, "What language are you speaking?" My world fell apart, and I had to leave the bar because I couldn’t hold back my tears.
At that time, I was working in leadership roles in the food industry. I was in charge of delivering training for hundreds of operators, maintaining the quality system, and conducting audits. I had a professional level of English, still, all my confidence fell apart with one comment from a guy who could barely listen to me due to the bar noise.
I, too, used to believe that a great English was one that had no mistakes and no accent. Now that I am a successful professional having the top 10% of income in Australia, I know for a fact that my accent and grammar mistakes have helped me stand out from the crowds.
Use your accent to shine in public speaking
1. The Challenge
Many years ago, I loved the idea of learning English ‘like a native’. I started to practice the American and British accents through countless hours, particularly with the YouTube channels English with Lucy and Papa Teach Me. However, despite my efforts, I found myself frustrated and disheartened by my lack of progress.
When I moved to Australia in 2019, I had the impression that my English was getting worse. I was struggling to adapt to the new environment, and people would frequently ask me to repeat myself. Let’s not even talk about how I didn’t understand my coworkers.
My sentiments towards the English language were turning extremely negative.
After reaching bottom, I decided to reevaluate my perspective on what it means to be good at a language.
2. The Mindset
I acknowledged that my obsession with perfecting my accent was making me speak worse. So, I shifted my attention from HOW to sound to WHAT to say, feeling more relaxed and prioritising content over delivery.
I started to ‘trust’ that whatever word selection my brain did, it was for the best.
Verbal tenses, pronouns, and conjugation brought me so many nightmares. It was time for me to enjoy speaking in English. For the first time, I embraced my natural intonation, and my speech became more authentic and engaging.
3. The Material Changes
On top of the mindset, I did one technical change in my speech: I started to speak slower. The strategy behind it was to “gain time” to think at the same time that I embraced being relaxed.
4. The Results
This change in mindset and pace made my sentences have fewer grammar errors and became more coherent. I discovered that by allowing my personality to shine through my speech, I was able to connect with others on a deeper level.
My confidence in having a ‘perfectly imperfect’ speech translated into professional success too. I secured job interviews with ease, highlighting my value to potential employers by speaking confidently.
5. The Benefits
I used my accent and imperfect speech to captivate audiences, persuade others, and ultimately grow in my career.
My accent and mistakes went from being a limitation to become a source of strength, allowing me to stand out from the crowds.
I took courage and offered to deliver training sessions at work, hosted hundreds of meetings as a project manager, and became a paid coach.
6. Your action
Prepare a speech to introduce yourself to a recruiter over the phone. Explain who you are , what your background is and what you can bring to a company. Make sure to add your personality and normal intonation to provide yourself with confidence and security.
Conclusion
The main lesson I learned was that true success lies in authenticity.
There may be many people more proficient than you; however, there is no substitute for being true to oneself.
Embrace your voice with all its flaws to express your identity confidently, both professionally and personally.
I can’t say I will never cry again if someone criticises my English. But today, I no longer view my accent as a barrier; instead, I see it as a tool to connect with others on a deeper level, infusing my words with passion and authenticity.
Use what is unique to you and turn it into your strength and superpower.
Your accent is not just a reflection of your cultural background; it is the very essence of who you are.
See you next week.
With love,
Nadia
