321. It's Not Just You: The Hidden Struggles of Speaking English at Work
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In this episode of Confident Business English, host Anna addresses the emotional and psychological challenges senior managers face when using English in high-stakes professional environments. She validates the common experience of feeling isolated and inadequate, emphasizing that lack of confidence is not a personal failing but a shared struggle. Anna explores three key barriers: background noise in social settings, the natural reduction of sounds in fast spoken English (like the schwa and connected speech), and the fear of losing credibility when asking questions in meetings. She shares real client stories to normalize these experiences and offers practical mindset shifts—such as starting with micro-challenges and using AI tools thoughtfully—to build confidence gradually. The episode concludes with a strong call to action: take small, consistent steps to reclaim your voice and presence in English-speaking workspaces.
Confidence in English at work is as much about mindset as language skills.
Background noise and fast, reduced speech (like schwa sounds) are common causes of misunderstanding—not your fault.
Fear of asking questions often stems from a deep fear of losing credibility or job security.
Start with 'micro-challenges'—small actions like asking one question—to build confidence over time.
Use AI tools like ChatGPT strategically, but prioritize writing drafts yourself to maintain language connection.
…and 1 more takeaway available in PodZeus
The Mindset Behind Confidence in English
“It's not just you. And I hope by doing this, that you can feel a bit more at peace with these types of experiences and less critical of yourself.”
The Challenge of Background Noise at Work Events
Anna discusses how loud environments like dinners and lunches make listening difficult, normalizing the experience and offering strategies like making jokes or moving to quieter areas.
Why Real Conversations Sound Different From Podcasts
“English is about efficiency. It's not the same as a language like Spanish, which is syllable timed and everything is equal weight.”
The Fear of Losing Credibility When Speaking Up
“If I ask this question, am I going to lose my job? Potentially, right? That's kind of the ultimate fear, isn't it?”
Balancing AI Tools with Language Connection
Anna discusses how over-reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT can weaken language fluency. She recommends writing rough drafts first, then using AI for refinement, and suggests using email frameworks to save time and improve quality.
“If I ask this question, am I going to lose my job? Potentially, right? That's kind of the ultimate fear, isn't it?”
“It's not just you. And I hope by doing this, that you can feel a bit more at peace with these types of experiences and less critical of yourself.”
“English is about efficiency. It's not the same as a language like Spanish, which is syllable timed and everything is equal weight.”
Host
Anna
person
Confident Business English
media
ChatGPT
product
Jolie
person
Wukasz
person
Chris Fenning
person
Effective Emails
book
Neural Language Coach
other
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