Worried about your communication skills affecting your job performance?

The telephone rang at Business Speech Improvement with a call from a person I'll call "Pat".  "I really want to improve my speech so I can get promoted."  Another call came from "Bob" (a pseudonym). "My assistant is great, but customers say she's so hard to understand, especially on the telephone.

Do you, too, see the connection between your (or your employee's) speech and job performance?

The first thing you need to do in this situation is to write down examples of exactly what you want to improve. Is the concern due to mispronunciations of various words, and if so, what are they? Is a fast rate of speech, or tone of voice, part of the problem? Maybe the primary issue is giving a presentation in front of  your supervisor or a client. Is the concern due to a regional accent, sometimes called "country speech"? Does the problem occur all the time, only when you are nervous or speaking to a certain type of person or group?

Then, decide how you want to get training. Do you want to get help through in-person or online coaching? These would give you helpful feedback and customized exercises for your specific needs. Another option is inexpensive e-books on communication, which give practical exercises and are available 24/7.

 Business Speech Improvement offers some small group in-person seminars, too; one on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is enrolling learners now. This is a three day intensive, customized seminar with  a follow-up plan.  Get  the help that you, specifically, need, in a small group environment. Time is included so you can practice some of the words you use at your job! Check it out now and find out how past learners felt about this seminar!

Great speech makes business sense; enroll in the seminar or coaching program of your choice and take the first step today!

Accent modification - the intensive way

Accent modification for strong foreign and regional accents can be done on many schedules. The most frequent one is one lesson a week for an hour, with the hope that learners will practice between sessions.  Some learners do practice as instructed. Others are busy and don't have time for this, or fear that they are practicing incorrectly and soon stop.

Intensive accent modification is done either 8 hours a day, for several days, or at least several hours a session or several sessions a week. There are 3 advantages to this.  Learners have less time to forget, so minimal time is spent in review. Learners make faster progress, because they are getting more lessons and errors are corrected immediately by the instructor if the learner does not catch them. Third, learners are more motivated, because progress is faster.

A follow-up plan of some type needs to be in place, to help the learner maintain his or her new skills. Newly learned skills must be reinforced by the instructor or others who are native speakers until they are habitual.

Intensive accent modification especially appeals to busy professionals who may have tight schedules,
those who need to speak clearly as quickly as possible for upcoming meetings or presentations, and
managers who need their employees to speak clearly as fast as possible.


Business Speech Improvement offers open enrollment small groups for accent modification. Other options are offered as well. Click here for details!

Speech training and you!

Are you concerned about your speech or the speech of an employee? Speech training provides an assessment and a targeted program designed to make a person's speech as good as it can be, within a certain time frame of instruction. Listen as I explain what services are available from Business Speech Improvement. Business Speech Improvement also offers e-books and other products, for those who prefer them. Think about this: all of business requires some form of communication, whether it be pointing, talking or using electronics. Improve your verbal skills; visit www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com today!

Is your regional accent hurting you at work?

Some British professors are modifying their speech patterns to sound more "posh", according to a study by PhD students Victoria Mountford and Michelle Addison. The professors feel that having a higher-class speech pattern will help them when staff cut-backs are being considered. The research, entitled "Talking the Talk and Fitting In: Troubling the Practices of Speaking "what you are worth" in Igher Ed in the UK" will be presented this week at the British Sociological Association's annual conference being held this week. The effect of strong regional accents in the workplace has been studied here in the USA as well. In a study done by Patricia Cukor-Avila and Dianne Markley of the University of Northern Texas published in 2000, 56 people in a position to hire were asked to rate the 45-second recordings made by 10 white males from different parts of the country, each with a regional accent. Each read the same passage. Those with the least identifiable accent were rated most highly, and were given hypothetical jobs involving the most public contact. An exception was made by people in Texas, who preferred their own regional accent. This correlates with a study done at Texas A & M University. In business today, the impact of a strong regional accent may be even stronger. People giving speeches, participating in teleconferences or even calling clients in different parts of the country report listeners judge them first on how different they sound, and in some cases may not even consider the message they are sharing. In at least one business in the USA, where employees are on the telephone constantly with many clients for brief periods of time, employees are required to use a standard American speech pattern at work. Those who need it receive training on how to change their speech patterns. Business Speech Improvement provides both intensive speech coaching in regional accent modification. Those who prefer to try to change by themselves may be interested in our e-book on "Diction Makes a Difference!" and the mp3 file on "Pronounce American English More Clearly"

What's YOUR accent?

The USA is a land of many accents. Accents are usually fine, in my opinion, as long as people can communicate easily. When an accent is so strong that it impedes communication, people pay more attention to HOW you talk, not what you say. That's when you need help. So, what kind of American accent do YOU have? Check this fun (and surprisingly accurate)quiz! If you have a strong accent, research is showing that it can impact your career even if you are working in the same community in which you were raised. One reason is that you communicate today with people from all over the country, and often the world. Whether they moved to your community, you give a presentation in another part of the country or online, you talk on YouTube, or you speak with others on the telephone, a strong accent can be an impediment to careers in many cases. An easy way to hear how standard English is spoken is to listen to an anchor on a national television station when he gives the news. Pay special attention to how he or she says word endings and vowels. If you want to work on your diction yourself, the concise e-book Diction Makes A Difference has many exercises to try. It is designed primarily for those with strong American regional accents. If you have a strong accent from another language, try the mp3 series, Pronounce American English More Clearly! Great speech makes business sense! Listen to how you speak - others are!

Tips on understanding different dialects over the telephone

Here's a common scenario: someone calls you on the telephone and has a strong regional or foreign accent. You want to have a conversation, but his or her speech is hard to understand. Here are some ways to improve the communication. First, speak slightly slower yourself. This will subconsciously cue the other person to slow down, which gives you time to figure out what he or she said. Second, tell the other person if there is a specific word that you did not understand. For example, "What was the word you said after ___?" If you still do not understand, ask him to use another word for the confusing word. Another option is to ask for the word to be spelled, with key words, such as "b as in boy". If you get many calls that are hard to understand, on your outgoing message you can speak slowly yourself and give out your e-mail address. Some callers may be very relieved to get it! If nothing else works, ask for the message to be texted or e-mailed! Business Speech Improvement provides intensive coaching in verbal skills. Specialties include American English Pronunciation for Non-native Professionals, helping people learn ways to reduce their rate of speech, communication coaching for leadership development, and more.

Regional accents - and their impact

Many people report that having a strong regional accent, such as a strong New England, Midwestern, Southern or some other accent can impact their careers, even if they continue living in that part of the country. The reason is that they give presentations or make phone calls to people in other parts of the country, who may have trouble understanding them.

Have you had difficulty being understood or understanding someone else who has a strong regional accent? If so, what part of the country (and country) are you in? What did you have to do to communicate?

What kind of training would help in this case, if you were the speaker? Would you want regional accent modification alone, combined with customer service training or with public speaking training? Would you prefer it in person alone or in a group, in a webinar online (although you wouldn't get feedback), or in an e-book/mp3 file?

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive individual and group training, and e-books, on many topics related to communication.

How to assess your American English pronunciation

You want to improve your American English pronunciation. Maybe you want a chance at a professional job. Possibly you are frustrated by people giving you puzzled looks and asking, "What did you say". Try this self-test. Count the "no" answers.

1. You can say the two American "th" sounds clearly - in conversation.

2. You know which 3 words are spelled with "th" - but the "th" is silent.

3. In British English, "pro" is always pronounced as "pro", with a long o sound. In American English, you know which words have a "pro" that is pronounced as "prah" instead.

4. You can say all of the following sound combinations clearly:
str (as in "street"), asks (as in "tasks"), sp (as in "special") and st (as in "first").

5. You can say the following single consonants the American way: l,r,v, w.

6. The vowel- r sounds ar (as in "hard"), er (as in "person") and or (as in "born") are clear.

7. When you speak, your rate is reasonably slow so others can understand you.

8. You can emphasize the correct syllable of at least most all of the words you use.

If you score is less than 8, here are three ways to improve it.

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive small group open enrollment courses in Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals. The program takes only 3 days, which may be consecutive. This makes it ideal for those who want to improve in a hurry!Individual coaching is offered as well, for those with strong foreign or regional accents that impede clear communication. Economical e-books are also available for those living far away.

The bottom line is that your speech matters. Poor communication may be costing you. How will you improve it?

How to assess your business communication skills

1. Actually listen to yourself talking. Is your telephone greeting automatically cheerful, clear and professional? Can every word be clearly understood by the listener? Do people often look puzzled, or ask you to repeat yourself?

2. When you meet a stranger at a gathering, do you know how to make small talk with him if you choose to do so?

3. How's your hearing? Three groups are most at risk - and one of them is a surprise to many employers. The three are older employees, starting in their late 50's, those exposed to loud noise, and...employees in their late teens and twenties who use earbuds while playing music too loudly. (Twenty percent of teens and those in their early twenties have some signs of hearing loss.) If in doubt, get your hearing acuity checked by a certified audiologist - and wear ear protection when exposed to loud noise (such as lawn mowers).

4. When you try to persuade someone, do you first think of his needs before you plan your reasoning? For example, does he need something done fast, accurately, at less cost, more conveniently or in a simpler manner?

5. If you are an executive, how are your skills in professional listening, delegating, employee retention, leading brain-storming sessions, making employees feel connected to the company and verbalizing ideas concisely?
Most of an executive's work involves professional-level communication skills; do yours need an upgrade?

Business Speech Improvement offers small group seminars, individual coaching, and coaching via telephone or Skype (in selected states only). For details, go here.

E-books on presentation skills, speaking slower, diction, American English pronunciation practice, making small talk,  executive communication skills, or communicating with someone with a hearing loss, click here.

Imagine yourself or your employees with better communication - and visit Business Speech Improvement today!

How to pronounce three difficult words in English

"How do you say that word?" is a frequent comment I receive. As a communications coach, I work with non-native professionals from all over the world who are in the USA to live and work.

Three of the most common questions are about world, excellent, and schedule. To say "world", pronounce it in 2 parts: "wor" and "uld". It sounds like "WOR-uld". "Excellent" is pronounced as "EK-sel-lent", while "schedule" is
"SKED-jule". (The British pronunciation is "SHED-jule".)

A full three day seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is offered periodically by Business Speech Improvement. For more details on this, on e-books and other seminars, click here.

Have difficulty pronouncing American English clearly?

American English can be a challenge for people from other native languages to pronounce.
We have some sounds not found in other native languages, such as "th". Many of our words, such as Chicago, and women, do not follow the usual pronunciation rules. Many international businesspeople, scientists and other professionals who do business in the United States want to improve their pronunciation and seek coaching.

Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is a three day intensive seminar to be held October 4 - 6, 2010 in Chattanooga, TN (USA).
Each learner will receive an individual speech assessment and a customized program, plus more.

Past learners report increased self-confidence as well as improved pronunciation. The course is taught by an experienced corporate speech pathologist.

Only six learners will be accepted. The fee is $1795.00 USD per person. To enroll, visit http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?Classes.

Two things to listen for if you are self-conscious about your speech

Do you come from another part of the country and are self-conscious about how you sound? Do people ask you where you're from? Is this affecting your work or social life?

If you want to change your speech patterns, you need to listen to others whose speech you admire to find out what they are pronouncing differently than you. For example, they may say a certain vowel differently, or have a different intonation pattern or "lilt" to their speech. Record your speech and listen to it so you can analyze what you want to do differently. Start by saying the new sound in single words. (Use a dictionary to get a list of the words with that sound.)

A great set of speech archives of different dialects of English is at http://accent.gmu.edu/.

Professional Diction and Grammar/Regional Accent Modification is a intensive course offered by Business Speech Improvement. A rare Open Enrollment class will be offered in June, 2010. For details, visit http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?Classes .

Clients ask, "Why don't Americans help us?"

Many clients from other countries in the Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals seminar offered by Business Speech Improvement ask the same question: why don't native-born Americans help them improve their pronunciation of American English? In their native countries, their work groups naturally help the newcomers with various aspects of their job, including their communication skills. In the USA, though, native-born Americans are afraid this would offend their non-native co-workers; in addition, many people don't have the time or skill to know how to make corrections efficiently and effectively.

If you yourself or your valued employees want to improve your American English pronunciation,
learn about upcoming seminars at www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/accents .
What would better pronunciation do for you or your employee?

American Pronunciation Struggles

Over the years, many foreign-born professionals in the US have told me how they struggle with our pronunciation patterns. They tell me of the importance of excellent speech on their careers, and how they wished they knew what they were doing wrong with their pronunciation. The Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals class, in a mere three days, has helped many to make a significant change in their speech. The classes have a maximum of six learners each. All learners have their speech individually assessed, and get a customized program to follow.

As their instructor, I enjoy hearing the difference in their speech patterns before and after the class, and the new confidence they express in their pronunciation. They know better speech will make a difference in their lives and careers.