It is early on a Tuesday morning, and I am up early preparing for a couple of weeks of Executive Communication Skills workshops with our largest client. The participants will come from all over Europe, and the Middle East.
I have advocated many times in the past that we all should “know our audience.” And part of “knowing your audience” is modifying your speech pattern and delivery style when you are communicating with people for whom English is not their first language. I am not suggesting that you degrade the quality of your ideas. This is not a question of capacity. But it is a question of communication of those ideas. When you are speaking with people who speak different first languages, make sure to keep it simple. Keep the sentences short, the metaphors limited, and pace measured.
But my main point today is to practice. I preach all this stuff all the time. And I am up today, hours early, to practice that which I preach. Everyone should build time for preparation and practice into their routine. All of us.
Back to work. Have a great day.
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