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How to speak English like a pro in your international meetings and negotiations

Disclaimer: This post is intended for non-native speakers of English who want to improve their speaking skills in international meetings and negotiations. If you are a native speaker, you may find some of the tips too basic or obvious.

“Public speaking is not a gift, it’s a skill. “

And if you want to impress your English-speaking counterparts, you need to master some essential techniques.

4 Key skills for effective English communication

Here are the four keys to becoming an effective and persuasive speaker in English.

1. Polish your voice and diction
   Your voice is your main tool of communication. It should be clear, calm and expressive. To achieve that, learn from actors and singers: do breathing, resonance and articulation exercises. Also work on your eye contact, posture and body language: they reinforce your message and your credibility. And if possible, stand up: you will have more presence and freedom of movement.
   
   Exercise: Record yourself reading a short text aloud. Listen to your recording and identify the areas where you can improve your voice and diction. For example, you can check if your voice is loud enough, if you pronounce the words clearly, if you use intonation and stress correctly, etc. Then, practice reading the same text again with the improvements in mind.
   
   
2. Tame your fear
   Fear is inevitable when you speak in public. But it should not paralyze you or prevent you from expressing yourself. Coaches, trainers and experts offer methods to overcome fear and learn to assert yourself. To downplay the drama, don’t overthink, prepare well and breathe are the most common tips to cope with stress and channel your emotions.
   
   Exercise: Think of a situation where you had to speak in public in English. How did you feel before, during and after the speech? What did you do to cope with your fear? Write down your answers in a few sentences.
   
   
3. Know how to convince
   Improving oral communication also requires a deep work on persuasion techniques and the fundamentals of argumentation: a well-structured speech will include both a captivating opening and a convincing conclusion.
   
   Exercise: Choose a topic that you are interested in or passionate about. Write a short persuasive speech on why other people should agree with your point of view or take action on the issue. Make sure to include an opening that grabs the attention of the audience, a body that presents your arguments and evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes your main points and calls for action.
   
   
4. The little extras
   Taking the audience into account is another point not to neglect, especially the management of exchanges and interactions. Finally, to strengthen the impact of a presentation, mastery of visual aids, such as Powerpoint, is often one of the frequent uses in negotiations. It is important to learn how to effectively use tools and applications that can engage the audience.
   
   Exercise: Find a video of a speech or presentation in English that uses visual aids, such as Powerpoint slides, charts, graphs, images, etc. Watch the video and analyze how the speaker uses the visual aids to support his or her message. Write down your observations in a few sentences.
   
   Here is a sample video that you can use for this exercise: How to Speak so That People Want to Listen – Julian Treasure

Elevate your English pitch: Masterful techniques for success

Your English pitch stands as a critical frontier. Whether it’s a product demonstration, a sector overview, or a captivating narrative about your company, your ability to communicate in English can make or break the deal.

Get ready for an exciting adventure where we’ll turn the nervousness of speaking English into a magical well of confidence and positivity!

1. Lexicon acquisition
   In business, your arsenal must be armed with the finest vocabulary.
   
   Exercise: Challenge yourself to explore industry-specific dictionaries and resources to unearth those elusive technical terms. Dive into technical journals and dissect your competitors’ documents in English to understand the linguistic nuances of your field.
   
   
2. Seek wisdom from mentors
   Pitching is an art, and every masterpiece deserves critique and refinement.
   
   Exercise: Take these steps: Craft an initial version of your pitch, and gather feedback from mentors, teachers, or peers. Allow others to coach you, guiding you toward expressions that resonate with your audience and enrich your narrative.
   
   
3. Commit to Memory
   To speak with confidence, the script must be etched in your memory.
   
   Exercise: Practice this mantra. Memorize your pitch diligently, and recite it aloud. With each recitation, you reinforce fluency and solidify the English terminology in your mind.
   
   
4. Adapt to Questions
   Prepare for the unpredictable by practicing flexibility.
   
   Exercise: Challenge yourself to answer common questions about your project without relying on notes. Engage in group exercises where you and your team take turns asking and answering questions, gradually transitioning from rote responses to spontaneous, creative dialogues.
   
5. Record and Reflect
   Video and audio recordings are your allies in self-improvement.
   
   Exercise: Use these exercises: Record yourself delivering the pitch, focusing on pronunciation, articulation, and breathing. Review your posture and body language in the video. Are you conveying confidence and engagement, or do you appear tense and withdrawn?
   
6. Tune your ear
   To master the art of accent and comprehension, immerse yourself in the English soundscape.
   
   Exercise: Challenge yourself to listen to English content, from American series to BBC broadcasts, to enhance your accent and improve your oral comprehension. Consider online conversation classes or intensive listening sessions as an investment in your linguistic skills.
   
7. Continuous Language Enhancement
   The path to mastery is an ongoing journey. Transform your English pitch into a catalyst for perpetual growth.
   
   Exercise: Leverage your pitch practice to identify and address long-term language weaknesses. Set tangible language goals, such as improving your score on English proficiency tests, and work systematically to achieve them.

The mastery of English communication stands as a crucial skillset. These exercises serve as the building blocks of your proficiency. Embrace this transformative journey, and witness the gradual dissipation of anxiety, replaced by a reservoir of unwavering positive motivation. Your adeptness in English is more than a skill; it evolves into a dynamic force propelling you toward unparalleled success.

In summary, Key skills for effective english communication

• Voice and diction
  • Use your voice as your main communication tool.
  • Learn from actors and singers to improve clarity, calmness, and expressiveness.
  • Work on eye contact, posture, and body language for credibility.
  • Stand up when possible for presence and freedom of movement.
    
    
• Overcoming fear
  • Don’t let fear stop you from speaking in public.
  • Seek guidance from coaches and experts to overcome fear and boost confidence.
  • Prepare well, avoid overthinking, and focus on breathing.
    
    
• Persuasion and argumentation
  • Persuade and structure arguments effectively.
  • Create well-structured speeches with captivating openings and convincing conclusions.
    
    
• Audience engagement and visual aids
  • Consider audience interaction and exchange management.
  • Master visual aids, like PowerPoint, to engage your audience.
  • Learn to use tools and applications that enhance your presentations.
    
    
• Lexicon acquisition
  • Build a rich vocabulary for your industry.
  • Explore specialized dictionaries and industry resources.
  • Analyze technical journals and competitors’ documents for language nuances.
    
    
• Seeking mentorship
  • Refine your pitch with feedback from mentors, teachers, or peers.
  • Allow others to coach you, improving your expressions and narrative.
    
    
• Committing to memory
  • Memorize your pitch to speak with confidence.
  • Recite it aloud repeatedly to enhance fluency and vocabulary retention.
    
    
• Adapting to questions
  • Respond flexibly to unexpected questions.
  • Engage in group exercises for spontaneous, creative dialogues.
    
    
• Recording and reflecting
  • Use video and audio recordings for self-improvement.
  • Focus on pronunciation, articulation, and body language.
  • Evaluate your posture and demeanor in recordings.
    
    
• Tuning your ear
  • Immerse yourself in English sounds for accent and comprehension improvement.
  • Listen to English content, such as TV series and broadcasts.
  • Consider online conversation classes for linguistic enhancement.
    
    
• Continuous language enhancement
  • Leverage pitch practice for ongoing language improvement.
  • Identify and address long-term language weaknesses.
  • Set tangible language goals, such as improving test scores.

“Sound affects us physiologically, psychologically, cognitively, and behaviorally. Sound can heal and sound can hurt.”

Julian Treasure