Do you speak too quickly? Are all your sentences connected? Do you have trouble thinking while speaking? Do you have too many “uh’s”? This is one of a series of newsletters to help you use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help you pause when speaking. I’ve been using the Yoodli AI-Platform (www.yoodli.ai) since its inception in 2022 and have seen how it has evolved as a Coach Advisor. I now have the white-label Advantage Platform to include my own video content and courses for my clients. Today, one of my clients was preparing for an interview. Initially, we were going to assess the quality of ..read more

Do you monopolize a conversation? Do you ever ask your conversation partner questions? Do you leave a meeting and say to yourself, “We had a great conversation!” only to realize that you know very little about the other person? Perhaps you are uncomfortable or nervous and when a person asks you a question, you just keep going. However, we must be mindful that a conversation requires turn-taking. The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘conversation’ as a “talk between two or more people in which thoughts, feelings, and ideas are expressed, questions are asked and answered, or news or information is ..read more

Although written and spoken English are the same language, there are many distinctions between their usage and style. Written English is more formal, structured, and follows grammatical rules. The writer can correct and revise the content and the immediacy of a response is not a factor. On the other hand, spoken English is informal, at times not grammatical, filled with contractions, slang, and even word fillers. There is no time to prepare or check the grammar. Texting messages are more aligned with spoken English are filled with abbreviations, and acronyms, and often lack punctuation. The c ..read more

American English pronunciation can be quite confusing! There are so many different rules. For example, what is the rule for pronouncing “t”? Should it be a “t” or a “d” sound? Many non-native American English-speaking clients ask me that question. Although the pronunciation of the “t” will not affect the person’s ability to be understood, some people want to learn the American pronunciation. I must emphasize that this is not essential to be an effective communicator. In fact, there are regional variations across the US.  “T” is pronounced in different ways depending on its position in th ..read more

Do you demonstrate good listening skills?  Listening is a critical component of effective communication…whether it is at work, in an interview, with friends, family, or even on a date. What is the difference between listening and hearing? Hearing is a passive activity. Our ears detect the signals and deliver the sound impulses to our brain. Even if we hear someone, we may not be listening. Listening is a more complex process that requires attention, desire, and interpretation. How often do you hear noise, but ignore it, or hear someone talking, but tune them ..read more

There have been many questions from my international clients about how to address someone when you know their first and last name and perhaps if you do not know their name at all? Let’s use the Smith family as an example. Their names are Mary and Jim Smith. We typically say the woman’s name first. In the USA, we use our birth name first and our family (sir) name last (Jim Smith). If we switch the order when writing the name, we must use a comma to indicate so, e.g., Smith, Jim. We would not say it that way or write it in a greeting. This is used when you might be listing names. Let’s look at ..read more

How much interaction do you have with your attendees and students during your training sessions and classes? As a coach, teacher, trainer, or instructor, are you checking in with the attendees in your classes and workshops? I attend several classes at a local gym. My experiences there have led me to think about how I am as a coach and trainer and how we communicate with our participants and attendees. Suzy (name changed) is a spin instructor, and she greets you, learns your name, and checks in with you during and at the end of the class. It’s a pleasure to take her class because you feel seen ..read more

What do you do when you can’t pronounce someone’s name? Many of my clients are non-native English speakers and some have names that are challenging to pronounce. They often adopt an American name to make it easier for their conversational partner, tolerate the mispronunciation or abbreviation, or simply say “It doesn’t matter how you say it.” Our names are our identity! Often, our parents chose that name for specific reasons, e.g., honoring a family member, maintaining a cultural connection, embodying certain attributes, etc. Abbreviating the name without that person’s permission is disrespec ..read more

If you are a non-native English speaker and you are learning to speak American English, there are several rules of pronunciation, stress, and intonation that will help you be more fluent. These practical tips can make a significant difference in your communication. In North American English, many words with three or more syllables are “reduced,” or shortened. This is done by eliminating the syllable with the weakest stress or shortening it to sound more neutral. These syllable reductions help us pronounce the word more smoothly and naturally. Remember, syllable reductions and pronunciation ma ..read more

Over the past few decades, I’ve coached and trained scores of international professionals who are nonnative American English speakers and represent many varied professions. A common question comes up in our sessions. Do you think your listeners understand you? Many of my clients work in positions of authority, e.g., physicians, attorneys, priests, managers, to name a few.   A common response is that their listeners seem to understand, and they don’t complain, so it must be fine. Here lies the problem. When someone is in a position of authority, the listener may hesitate to provide negati ..read more