Confident Business English 315. It’s Not Just You: The Reality of Speaking English at Work
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Mar 11, 2026 They explore the strange doubts and self-questioning that come from speaking English at a senior level. They unpack reading faces and interruptions in meetings. They describe feeling like a different personality in another language and ways to rebuild nuance with vocabulary and technique. They offer mindset shifts and a simple weekly log to track progress and reduce confidence‑draining moments.
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Discomfort Doesn't Equal Incompetence
- Communication discomfort at senior levels often triggers self-doubt and questions about competence.
- Anna Connelly highlights that many reactions are normal and reframing them prevents misattributing discomfort to incompetence.
Weird Facial Expressions That Weren't Feedback
- A client noticed weird facial expressions from a colleague and assumed it meant disapproval of their accent or phrasing.
- Anna explains facial expressions are uncontrollable and recommends not building a negative story without explicit feedback.
Ask For Clarifying Feedback Not Assumptions
- Often we interpret signals without actual feedback and build stories about how others view our English.
- Anna advises checking if criticism is explicit and, if needed, asking colleagues directly about clarity or areas to improve.