Accent modification: they missed the point!

In the news today, there have been many stories about Oak Ridge National Labs canceling a class on modifying a Southern accent. The class was requested by an employee, but the response from other employees was that they were proud of their accents. ORNL canceled the class.

The point they, and the hundreds of others who have commented on this in various blogs, missed was vital. All business requires communication, and easily understood speech is essential. Now that clients can be across the country or the world, when speaking to them, both parties need to be easily understood, and that requires a neutral-sounding speech pattern.  The message is what matters, so a common speech pattern is needed.

At least two studies show this to be true. One study done in Illinois showed that speakers with strong Illinois accents who were supposedly supervisors were rated as "impatient" by women managers, while those who were supposedly employees were considered "immature".

Another study by Patricia Cukor-Avila and Dianne Markely found that hiring managers  rated prospective employees more highly when they had a less identifiable accent. The accented participants were from all over the country.

Accent modification does not have to be a long-drawn out program. It can be done intensively, in a short amount of time, in a group or individual program.

Business Speech Improvement in NC offers accent modification for foreign and regional accents, as well as other types of speech coaching. A small group open enrollment seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is enrolling learners now!

For those who are in other parts of the USA and Australia, and want local, in-person coaching, visit the Corporate Speech Pathology Network to find a trainer closer to you!

Occupational therapists: searching for another career choice?

Are you an occupational therapist who is ready to consider another option - if only you knew about appropriate choices? Maybe you had a very difficult year last year, or are about to retire and want a part-time job later. You don't want to go back to school for extended training; you want to use your current skills in a different way.

A while back, I was unexpectedly asked by a desperate unemployed speech-language pathologist what options she had, especially since she didn't want to go back to school.

I didn't know this person, and yet her question gnawed at me. Finally, I began researching the choices.

The book, Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists, is my answer. It covers the choices made by 18 speech-language pathologists who each sought to combine speech therapy with some other field. The other fields ranged from sales to graphic arts to a lot more. Many of these choices would  also apply to special educators, who also use products and equipment, work with others and can provide training geared to specific learning styles.

Even though who don't want any of the choices presented often comment that the information sparked further ideas for them. (One speech-language pathologist decided to become an equine massage therapist, which was definitely not covered in the book!)

As an occupational therapist commented,

Although this book is geared toward speech pathologists, this is a source of inspiration for occupational therapists too! Sometimes those of us in helping professions need a change due to burnout or unrealistic work demands, and this book shows us that there are other ways to use our skills and training to make a living and to continue to make a difference in people’s lives. Even if they aren’t feeling burnout and just have an entrepreneurial spirit, this will give any allied health professional ideas to explore or a place to start.   

Alicia Kollmar MS, OTR/L

To learn more about Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists, go to www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/slp . Copies are limited; get yours today!

  Why your rate of speech can matter at work

Speech rate can make a difference at work. First, of course, speaking too quickly can reduce listener comprehension. The actual rate of speech at which  someone has difficulty understanding depends on the usual rate of speech of the two people, the amount each knows about the topic being discussed, each person's hearing acuity and other factors.

Research has shown that people trust each other more when they match rates of speech. This is a process called speech convergence. This has implications for law enforcement, sales, counseling and management. One study showed that once trust started, speech rates began approximating each other.

However,  it is possible to mirror speech rates intentionally.

When trying to calm an angry person, speaking in a slightly slower rate of speech can be helpful. Another time when speaking slower (but not louder) is helpful is when speaking to someone whose English may not be fluent.  A third time to speak slowly is on the telephone, when leaving your phone number or an outgoing message.

Some people experience an unusual amount of difficulty with speaking slower. There could be several reasons for this, including cultural and physiological.

Business Speech Improvement, a corporate speech pathology practice,  provides intensive 1-2 day individual and small group coaching  on how to speak slower. For those who prefer to work on this themselves with some guidance, an e-book on How to Speak Slower in Six Simple Steps is also available.

3 Easy Tips for Giving a Polished Presentation

You're giving a business presentation, a speech to your colleagues in your field, or maybe a speech to a civic organization. What can you do to make it better?

As a speech coach, I see many people make similar errors. Here are three tips to make your next presentation better.

First, practice the key words of your presentation much more than you think is necessary. Key words are the main points, "linked" to each other in your mind. If you link them powerfully, when you think of the first word, you will be then able to think of all the other linked concepts. Do not memorize the entire speech word-for-word; if you forget a single word, you may forget the entire speech!

Second, you have only 30 seconds to get the audience to decide to pay attention to you. Make sure every word in those first 30 seconds is important! Let the audience know why it is worthwhile for them to listen to you. 

Third, if a member of the audience asks you a question, repeat it into the microphone before answering it. This allows your entire audience to hear the question and gives you time to think about the question. 

You only have one chance to make a great first impression on your audience!

Business Speech Improvement can help you with speech coaching,  in-person or, in many cases, online. An e-book, Public Speaking: You Can Do It, is also available.

Be prepared for your next presentation; get speech coaching today!

SLPs: Considering retirement?

At this time of year, many speech-language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists, physical therapists and special educators are tired of excess paperwork/IEPs/insurance claim denials/productivity demands/etc and considering other career choices in the field. (Supervisors, beware!) Others in the helping professions are Baby Boomers who are considering retirement or want to have a second job.

 Creative SLPs for years have been combining speech pathology with other fields to find greater career satisfaction. Most of the choices do not require a new degree.

"Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists" is a book describing the choices made by 20 of these speech-language pathologists. It covers each person's choice, how he got into it, the advantages and disadvantages, and more. The book includes a career self-assessment survey to help readers consider new possibilities.

Many of the choices in this book are suitable for physical and occupational therapists, special educators and others in the helping professions who are ready for a change, a second job, or who are considering retirement and yet want to stay in the workforce, albeit in a slightly different way.

Alternative Career Options for SLPs comes with  a special bonus that expires February 10, 2015; check here to learn about this remarkable offer!

The speech coaching process - and you!

Have you ever wondered what happens during speech coaching?

It starts with goal-setting. What do you want to be able to do differently by the end of the process? Some clients want to pronounce American English more clearly, due to either a strong foreign or regional accent. Listeners have trouble understanding them, they report.

Other clients want to be able to speak more effectively at a department meeting, or to give a business or scientific presentation better.

Some clients want help to learn to speak slower, or to be more effective leaders. Others want help learning non-verbal communication, how to make "small talk" or how to speak more concisely, as their supervisor is requesting.

Others have different requests involving verbal communication.

After goal-setting, your communication will be assessed, and then customized training will be developed.

Coaching may take place in small groups, be done individually, or sometimes online. Concise e-books filled with practical tips are also available.

Clients comment that the speech coaching they received made a difference; they reported feeling more self-confident, were delighted that others understood them more easily, or did better with their careers. 

Better speech can have a big impact!

Learn more about Business Speech Improvement's speech coaching options now!

Nervous about Speaking in Departmental Meetings?

Many people report that they are nervous about speaking in departmental meetings. They are concerned that their ideas will not be accepted, or worse,  ignored and then presented again by another member of the group who takes credit for them. As a result, they are quiet when in fact they may have a valuable contribution to make to the discussion.

If you are one of the "silent ones", here are 3 strategies for speaking up at meetings.

1. Rehearse your comments ahead of time. Use a brief "executive summary" approach. State your main point or recommendation, and then the reasons for it in just a few sentences.  For those of you who are used to giving reasons or details first and then getting to the main point, this "executive summary" may be difficult at first to do. Writing it down first may make it easier.

2. Notice which of the people you plan to meet with is highly regarded by others. Present your idea to this person ahead of time and ask for feedback and improvements. Then present this idea to the group, being careful not to say it is "my" idea. Hopefully the other person will then offer support to your idea.

3. Communication cultures between companies and managers can vary. Some are more formal, while others may be more relaxed.  Use the approach prevalent in your company or department. If in doubt about the best approach, or if you are new to the company, choose a more formal one.

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive, customized communication coaching. Presentation skills coaching is available as a full day seminar for individuals and groups. Coaching for experienced speakers who want practice before a specific presentation is also available, and may be done online in many cases.