You have been asked to repeat yourself. Told to slow down. “Needs to improve communication” has been one of the primary growth objectives on your performance evaluation. You are self-conscious, and it prevents you from sharing your ideas, being heard, taking your rightful seat at the table, and making the impact you know you can. 

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Research shows that the human brain expects patterns, including organization of sounds into words; words into sentences; and sentences into thought groups. When those patterns differ from expectations, comprehension is delayed or fails altogether. However, speaking slower may not be the right solution. Similarly, a notion of a “strong accent” may be perceived, not real. 

 

And while it may be true that the music of the native language is evident, it may have nothing to do with clarity. In essence, only a professional coach can determine the true reason for comprehension challenges and address them while boosting confidence.

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