Design of Communication

Delivering bad news is one of the most difficult parts of being a design or tech leader. 

When we deliver bad news we can receive backlash and you might have had some negative experiences in the past of when you have had to deliver some bad news. You might be the one delivering the bad news, but you aren’t necessarily responsible for it.

For many working in Design and Tech, challenging news is likely a very common occurrence. It might be that you are given a new deadline and have a lot less time than you had anticipated, you might have received news that there is going to be an impact in the scope of the project, or they have had to make budget cuts. It might mean that you have to lay off team members. 

In today’s episode I am sharing how you can deliver bad news in a professional and authentic way that builds trust and shows respect, as well as what to consider and what to avoid so you don’t make things worse.

Times to check out:

(02:50) Preparing for delivery

(04:40) Check in with yourself

(06:55) Timing

(08:23) Location

(13:17) Delivery

(18:30) Top tips

If you’d like to enhance your communication skills or language fluency in English let’s connect. Send me a direct message on LinkedIn and I’d be happy to help and share how I can further support you.

Recommended Episode: 

Good relationships with your colleagues, your managers, your clients and those around you can make all the difference in your career and overall work satisfaction. By having better relationships at work, it has been found that it makes you more productive, it improves your mood, and it can help you have better work life balance. It can be challenging to connect with others, and even more challenging when you work remotely.

In today’s episode I am sharing different communication techniques that you can use you build better rapport and enhance your professional relationships and how you can do this even when working remotely and with international teams and clients.

Times to check out:

(02:48) Your career growth and relationship building

(05:40) Why positivity matters 

(07:48) The most negative words to avoid

(10:22) Avoiding always and never

(12:46) Let's check in 

(13:53) Acknowledge their feelings

If you’d like to enhance your communication skills or language fluency in English let’s connect. Send me a direct message on LinkedIn and I’d be happy to help and share how I can further support you. 

Recommended Free Guide: 

Many times we think we need to move to an English speaking country to improve our English.

After my own experience of studying languages, studying linguistics and my own experience of teaching my students and watching many other friends and clients, I've seen again and again that you do not need to live in the local country to develop your speaking skills.

In today’s episode I share how you can develop your English speaking skills without living abroad or having many opportunities to speak.

I also share some of the biggest mistakes that I have made living abroad and what I have learned teaching clients from all over the world who believed that they needed to move abroad to develop their fluency, and what happens when you are taken out of an English speaking environment.

Times to check out:

(01:57) This is what happens when I stop trying

(06:16) Language learner’s number one enemy

(8:55) Why comprehension is not enough as a Design Professional

(11:00) I could have had a very different experience

(15:27) The harsh truth

(18:17) What happens when you move back home

(21:00) Create the opportunity 

The time has come where I want to get to the next level. What you have been doing to improve your communication skills and fluency might have worked up until now but you have reached a point in your career where you want to improve quickly. 

No matter how frustrated or far away you are feeling right now from reaching the level of fluency you desire, I’ve helped even the most shy and nervous professionals overcome self-doubt, and figure out how to articulate their ideas and decisions with clarity.

But how?

In today’s episode I’m going to be sharing exactly how you can take your English Fluency to the next level. I’ve found is that there is a five step process for Design and Tech professionals to go from feeling judged, awkward, and ashamed using English and scared of not having the right words in an interview or a professional situation to building their professional language skills so they can confidently saying yes to more opportunities and feel satisfied using English in their role and life. I share some very actionable steps you can do to reach the next level of fluency right away, no matter where you are on your fluency journey. 

Times to check out:

(01:26) There is no time like the present

(05:52) One of the biggest fluency mistakes 

(10:16) How to be more concise 

(11:55) This is how you can be better understood 

(13:12) You might be annoying people 

(15:52) Most people underestimate this

A big part of the job interview is to show case your strengths.

Your goal is to demonstrate your strengths and experience that is most relevant to the job that you are applying to.

But highlighting your strengths in a confident way can be challenging.

Not just because you don’t like to brag, but we don’t see ourselves the way other people see us. It's not always easy to see our strengths.

In today’s episode I am sharing what are the types of strengths and how you can figure out your strengths to confidently talk about them in an interview. I share how you can comes across with ease and in a way that doesn’t sound like you are reading the job description. 

Times to check out:

(03:18) Why it isn't always easy to see our strengths

(07:48)How can I make my strengths stand out?

(10:01) Types of strengths 

(13:59) Identifying your strengths

(15:12) Quality over quantity

(17:47) Using your voice

Have you ever delivered a presentation at work to colleagues, clients or stakeholders and as soon as you finish, you are asked questions that you have just addressed in your presentation.

They weren't listening! 

It’s a harsh truth but people aren’t paying attention to your presentation. 

You might be sharing interesting information, data, graphs, designs, empathy maps, sketches, and ideas but your listeners can still zone out and stop listening.

But if you fail to connect with your audience, teammates, clients and stakeholders you may lose out on getting buy-in. You can lose time. Many mistakes can be made which can end up being very costly.

In today’s episode I am sharing how you can make your colleagues and audience listen to you by having a dynamic presentation that captivates and inspires your team mates so they aren’t leaving the presentation feeling more confused than when they first joined.

Times to check out:

(02:40) Why no one listens

(05:20) When people 'actually' pay attention

(07:21) Starting with a strong opening

(10:07) Asking a question

(11:47) Expectations of what is to come

(13:22) What to do when people start to zone out?

(16:24) How to keep it dynamic

(18:00) An engaging presentation structure 

(20:17) Important tips for engaging people 

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

When it comes to communicating our ideas, speaking concisely is a frequent challenge for most speakers. It doesn’t matter if English is your first language or not.

We have so much to say but a short time to share it.

There are many advantages when it comes to speaking concisely. Concise language portrays your professionalism and competence. It's easier for you to understand what you want to say and for your listener to trust you more, remember your message and be more persuasive.  This is even more crucial when you are communicating across global teams and cultures. 

In today’s episode I am sharing how you can simplify your language so you can be better understood no matter who you are speaking to or the situation you are in, what are deadwood phrases and language to avoid and how A.B.C are the most important aspects of communication. 

Times to check out:

(04:12) The benefits of simple language 

(05:33) Simple language does not mean make it simplistic

(07:55) Are you familiar with the content or topic? 

(09:19) Don't forget your ABCs

(11:41) Using too many words 

(15:06) Your choice of language 

(18:49) An important checklist

Recommended episode:

When it comes to delivering a talk or presentation, the closing is one of the most difficult parts. 

It’s the last thing that your audience hears and remembers. 

It doesn't matter how strong you started or how well you used storytelling and shared interesting data, facts, and information if you have a shaky ending. 

But how can you summarise information and finish stronger? 

In this week’s episode I am sharing how you can summarise your ideas in your presentations to entertain, inspire, educate, and motivate your audience. I share the step-by-step progress of how you can summarise your ideas and information and give a killer call to action. 

Times to check out:

(03:04) Putting your presentation together

(05:28) What is a summary?

(07:31) Using storytelling when summarising 

(09:23) Decisions to make for your summary 

(11:38) The process to summarise 

(14:20) Ending on a high

(16:46) Why use a strong call to action 

If you have been dealing with no’s and rejection recently, you are not alone. My inbox has been filled with messages from professionals from all over the world sharing how they are losing opportunities and the rejection is getting to them. 

It’s easy for your confidence to take a hit. We can start to feel ashamed and embarrassed when we’re rejected. We might even deny that it is affecting us so much and just keep going anyway… We naturally want to protect ourselves from future rejection. It can even start to lead to blame. We can blame ourselves for not being enough or doing enough. 

But there is a way out. After reading 'The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan with Dr Benjamin Hardy', I have started to understand what I was doing wrong and why I always felt like I was failing. 

In this week’s episode I am sharing mindset hacks when it comes to handling setbacks and dealing with rejection and more specifically when you are being rejected for jobs or professional opportunities. I share my own take-aways and insights from the book and what that can mean for you when it comes to dealing with career and interview rejection. 

Times to check out:

(01:35) Are you losing hope?

(4:51) Acknowledge the pain

(05:57) Am I in the gap?

(07:17) Comparing yourself

(09:40) Measure backwards

(10:38) Define your own success

(14:04) How can you support me with my interview skills, Gemma?

No one can or should do this alone.

Today I am interviewing Rosie Yeung, President and Founder of her own company, Changing Lenses. Rosie is a Coach, Speaker, Educator, and Podcaster for Justice, Equity, Decolonisation and Inclusion (JEDI). She helps people with privilege dismantle systemic inequity, while helping people without privilege survive it. Her life goal is to reduce social inequity and discrimination, especially in wealth, race, and gender. 

Rosie shares her own story as a Chinese-Canadian, immigrant, cis-straight female. We discuss some very deep and complex topics around systemic racism and inequity as well as language loss and assimilation. We touch on language equality, the advantages of English and being an English speaker as well as what this means in recruitment, business, and your life.

Times to check out:

(1:05) Rosie's background 

(5:17) A holistic approach 

(6:46) Becoming a JEDI 

(10:25) Surviving privilege

(13:05) The advantages of being a native English speaker

(16:14) Experiencing assimilation

(19:50) My heart is being pulled (English vs world languages)

(21:11) What happens when you lose your language

(23:15) I am smart in my first language, I promise! 

(28:37) How to stop apologising for your level of English

(30:45) Being rushed when speaking

(36:45) Hiring international talent 

(43:47) Becoming aware of bias and the questioning the system 

(48:08) Do you really need all of these qualifications?

(58:40) Jobs descriptions and the hiring process 

(1:03:17) What we can learn from Gandhi 

(1:08:38) An important message 

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Rosie

365 days... 52 Episodes... 78 countries... 1000’s of downloads and one year of The Design of Communication! Today is an extra special day and episode. Not only are we celebrating one year of the Design of Communication Podcast, we also celebrating and welcoming in new member’s to The Fluent Club! 

I thought what better way to celebrate than to share 7 of my favourite episodes For Communication Fluency. These episodes have been selected because they all focus on important parts of speaking, fluency and communication skills. 

Stage 1 - Unlock your language

Stage 2 - Enhance your communication

Stage 3 - Build your professional skills

Stage 4 - Skyrocket your career

Stage 5 - Refine your advanced skills

This is The Fluent Speakers Success Path. 

This framework has been developed over the last 13 years and has since helped 1000’s of students and professionals build their communication confidence, language and fluency.

In today’s episode, I share the exactly how you develop, build, implement and refine your professional speaking skills so you can go from insecure and overwhelmed with using English to feeling confident with your advanced communication and speaking with fluency and ease. 

Times to check out:

(01:47) How it all started 

(3:05) Children are better at speaking than adults?!

(05:40) Why the first professionals I ever worked with were able to make HUGE progress

(07:55) Flawed methodologies and curriculums

(09:47) Latest research not reaching the classrooms

(11:47) It wasn't only their English level holding them back

(14:10) What designers taught me

(16:16) A good place to start

(19:00) The most important key to growth

(20:53) Don't ignore this step

(23:12) Moving 100% to English 

(25:02) I don't even want to speak English

(27:10) Keep learning and refining 

A lot of the time we think becoming more confident in English means spending more time speaking the language - speaking more with native English speakers and that you aren’t doing enough.

You might think you need to

Spend more time reading books or watching videos

Find more resources to help you improve your English

Speak more and generally do more…

But actually, it is not that.

In today’s episode, I am sharing the reasons why you are not a confident English speaker and the steps for Designer and Tech Professionals to build their confidence in using English.

Times to check out:

(02:23) Why confidence fluctuates - can we be confident all the time? 

(4:01) This is where designers and techies get it wrong

(07:50) The 3 types of awareness

(09:15) Why does any of this matter...?

(12:01) The critical building blocks 

(14:44) Knowing this can build your confidence immensely

(15:49) Focus and intention 

(18:34) Your invitation 

Why is it so difficult to make new vocabulary words stick in our brains? The working memory is crucial when it comes to learning and acquiring vocabulary.

Like a memory card or your iPhone, our working memory holds a limited amount of information. It has a limited capacity. There comes a point where you will get a warning to delete files and photos - in this case the new vocabulary word you just learned!

If you struggle with learning new vocabulary in English or want to be able to implement easy strategies that work based on research then you’ll enjoy today’s episode.I am sharing 3 ways to remember vocabulary and how we can use working memory strategies to enhance English vocabulary learning.

Times to check out:

(02:00) Do I have a good or bad memory?

(5:40) What does memory have to do with vocabulary?

(07:27) Can we expand our working memory to better learn language?

(08:27) Growing your vocabulary in your first language 

(12:49) Chunking and why you need to do it 

(14:41) Imagery, stories and associations 

(16:41) Keep it weird and you'll never forget it 

(19:41) Do nothing!?

(23:04) 30 is the magic number

If you have had an interview in English before - you've probably been asked this question. How do you handle challenging situations? 

Coming up with an answer for a situational question can be tricky. Do you describe the situation in lots of detail or focus on the results? What situation should I even talk about? 

Whether you have had interviews in the past and struggled to answer this question or you are preparing for your first interview in English and want to be ready, you'll find today's episode very helpful. 

I am also sharing a free PDF Comprehensive resource guide to Answering the Interview Question: How Do You Handle Challenging Situations

Living and working abroad is a unique experience that shapes who we are and enriches our lives. 

Today I am interviewing Laura Nicole Brown, founder of Inspiratti, an innovative branding agency that helps businesses to discover their unique differentiation, story and position so they can uncover a brand identity and visual style that perfectly reflects them and resonates with their target audience. Inspiratti also creates websites and other digital assets that embody this identity to attract, engage and move their ideal customer to action. Laura shares her experience of living and working across three continents and her experience in multiple industries. 

We discuss how you can get clients on the same page by setting clear boundaries and expectations, the unspoken rules of working in the UK and dealing with Brits and some of the shocks and challenges that come with living and working abroad in technical industries, as a visual designer, and a business owner. 

Times to check out:

(2:36) Living and working across three continents

(9:40) Adapting to working in multiple technical industries 

(12:32) Culture shock working internationally 

(14:01) It's illegal to do what in Singapore?! 

(17:02) Running an international business while living in Argentina

(19:38) Our experience of switching languages 

(24:54) Experiencing reverse culture shock in the UK

(28:03) The unspoken rules of working in the UK

(32:25) Building relationships with Brits - we are more social than you think!

(40:20) Challenges working as a designer 

(43:33) Managing client expectations and boundaries

(52:44) Design unicorn or Design specialist?

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Laura 

Not only do first impressions count… they last. We only get one chance to make a great first impression. According to research that window is very small and most people will make an initial judgement of someone within 7 seconds.

We observe people's facial expressions, their voice and tone, their posture, how they dress, their enthusiasm, how distracted or interested they are, and how they might interaction with others. The details that someone takes in about you all factor into how you are perceived and the overall impression that you give. 

In this week’s episode I am sharing 5 ways to make a great first impression. 

Times to check out:

(2:12) We don't mean to judge, but we do.

(4:15) She kept me waiting, but she wasn't late. 

(8:03) It all counts.

(11:23) You do not want to do this in the UK

(14:21) Why being yourself is all that you can do...

(16:08) Do you really care about them?

(19:56) It's how you make them feel.

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Why do we sometimes forget our words?

Why do we feel pressure when speaking in English?

Why do we freeze up and our mind goes blank?

Do you ever find you lose your words when you have to speak English?

For me, this happens in English and in foreign languages. The words are at the tip of your tongue but they seem to run away. It can also be that you want to join a conversation and go to say something and nothing comes out. So you say oh sorry forget it, my mind has gone blank. Or you might say… sorry I’ve lost my words. Or you might say I can't find the thingamajig… 

In today’s episode I am talking all about handling situations where you have to speak English under pressure. I discuss reasons why we feel pressure speaking, in our first and in foreign languages and some of the challenges that being a bilingual speaker can bring. 

I am also sharing a free PDF guide with the top tips of how to think on your think, speak under pressure and the main takeaways from todays episode.

Many times we can feel like a different person in English. 

I am often told by Designers and Tech Professionals that they don't feel as smart in English as they do in their first language. That they are less charming, less charismatic and less conversational.

A lot of the times we can feel like this because we get stuck on the usages of certain words, sentence structures, or grammar.

For this reason, I am sharing one specific area of grammar and the rules of how to use should, would or could.

If you have ever wondered how to use should, could or would or if you are using these correctly then you want to continue listening to today’s episode.

I am sharing how to use should, could and would, when to use them, how to pronounce them naturally, and a free PDF guide that you can download with the explanations and lots of examples.

Make or do? Say me or tell me? Lie down or lay down? 

After coaching 1000’s of students with all different levels and language backgrounds, you start to see the same common errors happening.

In today’s episode, I am addressing some of the most confused verbs in English that I see come up the most often. I am also sharing a free PDF guide for you with the examples from today's episode. 

This is such a simple question.

Probably the first question that you ever learned English…

And it’s one that was probably drilled into you.

When you first learn English - one of the first questions you learn is ‘how are you?. And yet, if you speak with English speakers, you rarely hear them say it.

Today I’m sharing 15 alternative ways to ask how are you… and ways to answer the expressions. There are so many different ways to ask about someone’s wellbeing. There are slight differences in how we ask this question based on our age group, how formal or polite we want to be, your social background, and the variety of English we are using.

Disagreeing with someone can be difficult. 

Whether you are disagreeing with someone about their preferred pizza toppings… Or how much time you need to complete a project… Disagreeing with someone doesn’t just come down to the words we use. What you say and the way you communicate it really matters and makes the difference.

How can you disagree with someone but still show you are listening to them, and you respect their opinion?

In today's episode I am sharing what you need to do and think about before even saying a word to disagree with someone so you can get the best reaction and outcome. I am also sharing a free PDF guide for you with phrases to disagree in English and the important steps to follow before disagreeing. 

Customer journey, ideation, put a pin in it... What are they all talking about? If you are working with global teams and in the tech industry, you've likely heard these words many times. 

These words and phrases are known as buzzwords. 

Buzzwords usually come from technical terms but their meanings might slightly change as they become mainstream and more widely used.

Buzzwords can leave us feeling confused. They are so popular we might start using them without understanding their exact meaning. We hear them so often we might be afraid to question their meaning.

In today's episode I am sharing some of the most common buzzwords and their meanings. This is not a list for you to memorise and use randomly but shares a definition and explanation around using them and why many of these words can be loved and hated. 

This is one of the hardest things for people to say and it’s something that is so simple… These two letters cause a lot of issues for us. That's right, it's how to say no. 

How can we politely decline and refuse in a way that feels good for us? Having the right strategies and phrases as well as understanding different ways to say no will allow you to feel good, see a lot of positive changes in your life and career and not feel awkward replaying the whole situation in your mind for days after.

In today's episode, I share how you can say no with confidence and sounding firm without sounding rude.

Learning to say no can create more confidence and self-esteem and free up the time for what is important… whether that is to focus on only key projects or spend more time with your family and friends.

To speak fluently we need to be able to produce the sounds, words, and sentences and interact- so have a conversation in the language. Doing a combination of things will help you reach a higher level of Fluency in English. There are many ways to build your spoken fluency in English. 

But there are some things that will help you get there faster and some things that you might be doing that seem completely boring and waste your time.

In today’s episode, I am going to go into why you should laser focus on what you need, and why it is so important to learn actively using resources that are made for your level and needs.

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

Language learning changes us.It changes how we see the world and interact with it. So much so that our brains get rearranged as we learn new languages, which is pretty cool. Learning English, or any foreign language, not only influences your view of who you are, who you want to become, and your desires, but it also shapes the identities of whole nations.

Your identity is your sense of self - your self image and understanding of who you are. We spend our adult life navigating our sense of who we are and sense of self.

Language learning and speaking English isn’t just about producing meaning through the words and language that we use.

Our relationship with others and ourselves is negotiated through our language. It changes our sense of who we are and how we see the world and how we see ourselves. 

In today’s episode, I am talking about building your language identity and feeling secure in your language and your sense of self and embracing who you are right now is something I could talk about all day. I share my own journey of building a foreign language identity and touch on some complex and challenging, but important topics. 

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

We work hard to improve our language and communication skills. When I first learned grammar and studied languages, I thought it was very rigid. My perception was I would learn the rules and the language, and that would be it. I quickly learned that this was false. 

I know for many people who learn English, they are used to learning from books and many strategies haven’t worked. The methods of learning English were very traditional or you have taught yourself and picked up some bad habits or never been corrected for the mistakes that you might be making.

When I teach language learning strategies and language acquisition, I am always looking to share new and different strategies that are not based on memorising words or learning from books, or memorising the entire dictionary…!

In today’s episode, I am sharing some common vocabulary mistakes English learners make and how I have been able to embrace my own language mistakes and some tips for how you can, too.

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

You have probably been told it is really bad to translate when you are learning English or a foreign language. 

There has been plenty of valid arguments put out there that we should not use translation when learning a language. The person you’re speaking with is going to get pretty bored if you have to stop and use your translator every time you want to say something—or understand what they’re saying. You aren't going to develop the cognitive skill to speak if you are relying on translation.

But when used in the right way, translation can help you on your English language journey and in today's episode I share the times when translation could be beneficial but also when you want to avoid translating and how to know if it is preventing you from improving.

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

Change is inevitable.

But when you suggest change, you are likely to be met with pushbacks. Most of the time we might even be on the same page and have the same vision, we just can’t voice it and share ideas how we would like - and sometimes we do but not always in a tactful way. 

Resistance and dealing with pushback can be one of the most frustrating areas that we have to deal with as a professional.

In today’s episode I am sharing why we can be so resistant to change and what can you do when dealing with pushback. I share some of the lessons I have learned and three key reasons why there can be resistance and pushbacks, and how we can communicate in the best ways when this happens to be able to gain alignment, respect, and trust with others. 

When to use formal or informal language?

It can be hard to know if the language you are using is appropriate? Am I being too formal? Do I come across as unfriendly? Am I being too personal and it makes others feel awkward?

I find that many people who speak English as a second language either fall into the category of using very informal language or very formal language. Depending on how you have acquired the language and the influences you have had (whether you learned at university, living in an English speaking country, or watching your favourite movies and series).

It's difficult to know which phrases or language to use in which settings. The truth is, it’s not as simple as formal or informal. There are five varieties of formal or informal registers.

In today’s episode I am going to be sharing 5 examples of professional formal language and their alternative informal or slang version as well as a standard version with examples of when they are used in real life situations.

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

I find myself having a very familiar conversation with many adult English language learners from across the world. They want to know their English level. They ask if their English is good enough or proficient enough? I know they aren't satisfied with being given a label like 'upper intermediate' or 'B1'. What does that even mean? It can be frustrating. 

They want to be able to develop skills around the language they are using in their jobs or for very specific situations like delivering presentations, facilitating meetings or getting buy-in from their team. It could even be so they can take their family on a trip to another country. 

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how we can best approach our learning so it’s focused in order to make the most progress in the areas you most need in developing English communication.

I’m sharing some of the best strategies that successful language learners do to reach a higher level of proficiency and success. 

If you want to build your communication confidence in English then Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

How can you speak up and build confidence as a woman - especially in male dominated industries? Do we really have to fake it until we make it and deal with imposter syndrome? 

In today's episode, I am very lucky to be interviewing Best Selling Author and incredible Professional Development Coach for Women, Jamie McKinney. As we are approaching International Women's Day 2022 it is the perfect time to discuss all the big issues we face. Jamie shares her system to unleash your confidence and so much knowledge to build your confidence currency and speak up! I know you are going to love it. 

Times to check out:

(2:36) Confidence is a currency

(6:52) The biggest challenges women face in male dominated industries 

(14:11) The power of a sound bite 

(17:33) Should we fake it till we make it?

(24:11) The system to unleash your confidence 

(29:49) The biggest do’s and don’ts to build confidence

(35:35) I’m missing out on opportunities - what do I do?

(37:09) I’m too nervous to give a presentation

(39:25) I want to stand out

(42:37) I want a promotion

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Jamie

Understanding emotion in another language can be pretty complicated. Even in your own life it can be difficult to gauge a situation or what is considered appropriate.

Some of the way we share emotions and handle certain situations is biological. There are six basic emotions: anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise and joy. However the culture and social pressures as well as our own experiences all shape how we express emotions. 

There are different rules of what is considered normal or appropriate in terms of how we express emotions - there are rules that we learn when we are very young from our environment. People from different cultures may interpret the same social context in very different ways

In today's episode I am sharing how we communicate emotions and use our intonation to share feelings in English. 

Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

Our language is incredibly powerful.

The language we choose to use changes how others view us. It’s so powerful, in fact, that a single word can change human behaviour.

Positive language leaves a powerful impression and instills confidence. When we express ourselves in a negative way, listeners may misconstrue our message and not take you or your ideas seriously.

In today’s episode I am diving into language that immediately increases and decreases your credibility and how you are perceived. 

Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

Not everyone enjoys the social aspect of learning a language and communicating with others. The thought of meeting strangers to speak with them in a foreign language might make you want to stay at home or make you very excited to meet new people and use the language. 

Our ability to learn and speak languages and express ourselves with confidence comes down to a lot of factors. In today's episode, I am sharing how personality can affects the way you speak and learn a language. 

I share the common characteristics that all learners have or do that makes them successful in their language learning journey. 

Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

Today is an extra special episode because I’m going to be talking about what Fluent Speakers Academy is all about, what is it solves for design and tech professionals, what’s inside the course, and some amazing results of my past students.

I also answer a question I am asked all the time...

...why designers? 

... why tech and creative professionals...?

I answer all your questions about Fluent Speakers Academy and give you a sneak peak into the lessons, topics, modules, and experience inside the programme. 

Want to find out more? 

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What does it take to become a confident English speaker? 

The good news is, we can learn to project confidence using our voice, body language, our tone and intonation, and our language. 

In today's episode, I share some strategies to show confidence even when you aren't feeling it inside. 

Times to check out:

(3:30) Appearing vs being confident 

(6:46) Preparation prevents poor performance 

(8:47) Do you have the right attitude?

Want to learn my 3 Most Effective Strategies to Communicate with Ease?

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Being charismatic is a characteristic that many leaders strive towards. It is usually easy to identify when someone is charismatic. They have this energy about them that everyone gravitates towards. 

I read a quote from Larry Tesler, pioneer of UI, and he said “When I wasn't sure what the word "charisma" meant, I met Steve Jobs, and then I knew.”

But, what was it about Steve Jobs and other leaders and speakers that make them so powerful in their communication? What does it take to be motivational, confident, charming, relatable, and strong communicators? 

In today's episode, I share some techniques that you can use to get your listener and audience better engaged. Whether you want to be a better communicator, are leading teams or want to be the next leader in your industry, I share some effective strategies that leaders, and especially leaders in tech have in common.

Times to check out:

(3:21) Charismatic leadership traits and styles 

(5:01) Telling stories that inspire 

(9:15) Should I open up and make it personal?

(13:30) Being present and having presence 

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For many, the ultimate dream for second language learning is fluency. But it seems, no matter how long we learn a language, we unable to achieve this goal. It is always so much more difficult to be able to accurately produce language forms than it is to understand. 

In today's episode I am sharing why it can seem so difficult and break it into the two main areas we need to develop. I also share some of my favourite strategies to reach a higher level of fluency, while having some fun in the process.

Times to check out:

(4:20) production vs interaction 

(6:09) Why we have been doing it all wrong 

(9:26) Shadowing 

(13:19) How do we take it a step further?

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You can be using English every day in your role, for many years... but still feel like you are not making any progress. 

Sometimes, we have to do things differently to get the results we are striving for. In today's episode I discuss some common obstacles that might be holding you back in your learning and the areas to focus on to get better results. 

If you are a non-native English speakers working in the tech and design industry that wants to communicate with clarity, confidence, and ease this episode is a must listen for you. If not, then I share a lot of strategies and how we can all move forward in our learning, whether that is a course you are working on, a project at work, writing content/ a book, or studying a language. 

We have the power to move forward.

Times to check out:

(5:20) It's all in the mindset 

(7:15) What's holding me back? 

(9:16) Going all in - all or nothing 

(13:10) Where to focus 

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I am sharing some of the highlights from this year as well as some of the lessons we can all learn from going forward to 2022. I discuss the type of goals to focus on, embracing the journey, and how we can’t see what incredible things we are doing without communicating our worth and finding our voice. 

This episode is dedicated to 2021 and some of the lessons I’ve learned throughout the year.

If you had to describe 2021 in one word, what would it be? 

Times to check out:

(4:01) Prioritising yourself 

(8:40) Planning for a successful year 

(11:17) Word of the year 

(15:45) Sharing wins, even when it feels uncomfortable 

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It's the most wonderful time of the year... 

Yes, Christmas has come early! 

Today I am talking about some British Christmas traditions and some seasonal phrases you can use to impress your British friends or colleagues. I know when my international friends experienced winter and Christmas in the UK, it has always been fun to see what traditions are completely new and also strange to them.

Times to check out:

(3:24) How we know Christmas has arrived 

(5:00) Letting your hair down!  

(6:50) It's the thought that counts... 

(10:50) Pulling Christmas crackers 

(14:59) Christmas puddings and fun 

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Gemma

I'm Gemma Keeling, Founder and CEO at Fluent Speakers. With a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from The University of Oxford, and an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second Language, I have extensive training in what it takes to learn and teach English and expertise in education. I teach design and tech professionals the steps to language fluency and communication confidence so they can express themselves with ease. 

When we are not face-to-face, and speaking to others through conference or telephone calls, communication does not flow in a natural way. When we are communicating on video calls we run into all kinds of technical issues. Some people won’t turn on their cameras which can be more difficult to know if the other person is listening or even present. It can be very challenging.

In the second part of this two-part interview series with Julie Crenshaw, we discuss challenging but common situations that we all face and how you can best handle them. If you haven’t listened to the first part of the interview, make sure to do that now.

Julie empowers others who desire to speak with confidence and connection by knowing what to say, and how to say it. She shares many insights around how we can empower ourselves to be better understood. 

Times to check out:

(2:01) Virtual communication 

(6:47) What we get wrong when it comes to speaking...

(12:02) Making a great first impression 

(14:45) Delivering a presentation with confidence 

(18:33) What to do when you say something weird 

(22:50) Being interrupted by rude people

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Julie

Small talk is one of those things we either love or hate. Some of us hate the idea of exchanging pleasantries and find small talk pointless, for some of us it comes so naturally, we don't understand what the fuss is about it anyway? 

Sometimes, it's not because we are shy but because we don't know what to say. What topics can I discuss without offending my colleagues? I want to build closer relationships but I don't know how to open up more or when I can ask a more personal question to get to know them on a deeper level?

Today I am interviewing Julie Crenshaw, your conversation expert, coach, and author, who shares incredible insights into the do's and don'ts when it comes to conversation. Julie empowers others who desire to speak with confidence and connection by knowing what to say, and how to say it. We discuss how chitchat builds better relationships and goes a long way when making friends with American colleagues. She also asks some of my most commonly asked questions about what is considered polite or rude in the US, which topics you would completely avoid and why it's so important to speak up.

We discuss questions like: 

If speaking doesn’t come naturally, what should you talk about with strangers or colleagues?

Should we stick to short and sweet answers? 

If you were working with an American company or moving to the US, what would be expected in terms of manners and showing politeness?  

Times to check out:

(2:26) Is small talk important?

(8:30) Making friends and working in the US 

(11:34) Safe questions and topics 

(14:55) The big 3...

(17:59) The American Dream

(23:30) Speaking with strangers 

(30:00) Do I need to say 'Thank you Ma'am'?

(34:35) Am I being rude?

(39:12) Clarity, Speed and Confidence 

💌 GET IN TOUCH with Julie 

As useful as feedback can be, usually, we are reluctant to give it. When we give critical feedback, many of us worry that it comes across as rude or too direct. 

Sometimes you will receive negative feedback that is hidden in niceties. It sounds like you are being given a compliment, but actually it’s critical. The sandwich method is used to soften the feedback in the hope it will make the feedback receiver more comfortable. You sandwich the negative feedback between two pieces of positive feedback. The idea is to balance the negative feedback with positivity.

Many leaders have used the very common sandwich method to deliver feedback. In today's episode I am sharing why we should this method and what to do instead. 

Times to check out:

(02:06) Getting attached to your work 

(4:34) What is the sandwich method?

(06:08) Dreading compliments 

(10:02) An alternative way

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When you arrive in the UK or speak with British friends you might be surprised by some of the vocabulary and phrases that you hear. British English is full of unique phrases and unless you grew up in the UK they might be pretty confusing. 

Today I’m breaking down 20 quintessentially British vocabulary and expressions that you might have heard but didn’t quite understand. These expressions will not only give you an insight into what the British mean (yep, I translated them for you!) but show how the language and phrases we use express our culture. 

I share when it is appropriate to ask how are you doing? vs how are you?, common responses to greetings, how the British show emotions, some common stereotypes, how we compliment someone or something, phrases to disagree and so much more! 

Times to check out:

(2:59) How are you vs How are you doing? 

(7:57) How Brits show emotions 

(12:42) Tuts and disagreeing! 

(14:10) Giving compliments 

(18:50) Feeling peckish - have a jammy dodger! 

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We all know how important it is to have clear communication. 

But how can we communicate our process and ideas without a communication breakdown? Communication breakdowns can happen for a number of reasons but one of the most common reasons is that we are not able to express ourselves clearly and our thoughts are not being clearly expressed to the listener. 

In today's episode, we explore how our culture can influence how we express ourselves, why it helps to understand our own communication style, and how we can be better communicators and explain your process clearly. 

Check out my free guide all about the 7 Must Do's for Confident English Communication:

When it comes to staying motivated, I've learned a thing or two about why we struggle to stay consistent with our learning. 

I’ve spoken before about my own language learning motivation and how many English learners will lose their interest during the language learning process.

In today’s episode, I am sharing simple but highly effective techniques that I have used to keep going even on the hardest days.

Times to check out:

(1:23) Why it's SO hard to stay motivated 

(3:50) Types of motivation 

(08:46) The key to communication success 

(10:46) The most simple but highly effective technique for taking action 

Check out my free guide which shares activities to understand what has been holding you back, what gaps you have in your knowledge and what you can do to reach your goals and full potential in the shortest possible time:

Today I am speaking with Sandi Small, a British accent expert who works closely with American Actors to utilise the British English speech & language to confidently land their dream roles. Sandi, originally from the North of England, has been teaching for more than 20 years and working closely with actors for the last three. 

We discuss the importance of culture in shaping your accent, how English does not belong to anyone… and some of the key differences of British and American English.

We also touch on the varieties of British accents, what accent you should train as a non-native English speaker and some of the difficulties American actors have in understanding the British culture and language.

Times to check out:

(5:05) What is misunderstood about British/American accents and culture?

(9:17) The most difficult thing for American actors to train 

(10:50) Key language differences 

(16:47) Varieties of British accents 

(27:15) English today 

(43:04) British Accent Quiz

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