What to do about your accent

It happened again this week.

A client wants to improve their communication by “fixing” their accent.

If you grew up in Wilkesboro, Brooklyn, Dallas, or Santo Domingo…chances are you sound like you’re from there. 

What should you do about your accent?

Reject it? Hide it? Silence it?

No.

Embrace it. Love it. Share it. 

Your accent is not a distraction, it’s a pattern breaker that has the power to capture attention.

 Instead of focusing time and effort on the things you can’t control about your voice, focus on the things you can. Impact is not about speaking without an accent, it’s about speaking with:

1.     Confidence: Do the work required to be a subject matter expert. Own your stuff. 

2.     Clarity: Be aware of your pace, articulate your words, and ensure your message follows a logical sequence.

3.     Conviction: You can’t bullet-point your listeners into profitable action, they need to feel your deep belief.

 Resist blaming your accent when improving your skills as a speaker might be the answer.

 If speaking more persuasively would impact your career trajectory… here’s a professional development opportunity that could be your launching point:

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