Polish Your Grammar and Pronunciation as Part of Your Executive Image
When speaking in public, your vocal and body language, your accent, wardrobe, accessories will be viewed as if you are under a microscope. These attributes are now part of your public persona. The human tendency when viewing public figures, celebrities, or seeing someone present, is to thoroughly inspect the speaker more closely than perhaps you would during a one-to-one meeting.
Therefore, it is always important to your image to be grammatically correct, to sound educated and to pronounce words accurately. Since an image of leadership is a particularly important attribute to a business executive, it is important to carry that positive trait through to your presentations. Proper pronunciation and grammar should be used in your daily speech and your public presentations. If this is a weak area, it is not a difficult ability to learn. This should be an especially important consideration if you are applying for a job or promotion.
Understand that there are regional pronunciations, which are acceptable in a particular area. Lately, in the media I have heard many incorrect uses of “less”, when “fewer” should be used. You may say in’surance, rather than insur’ance. Or, It-ly, instead of It-a-ly. Do you pronounce error and mirror correctly, with two complete syllables? Do you add a syllable to Realtor and say Real-a-tor? The latter is widely done, but certainly not correct.
If you live in America, you will notice that on the network news, the anchors and reporters, have neutral accents. The accents do, however, show up on the regional news reports. CNN International has some anchors with very pleasing British English accents.
Do you drop your adverbs? Say, drive slow, instead of slowly? I am on a mission to keep our adverbs as an integral part of our daily speech and in our writing.
If you are presenting to persons whose second or third language is English, a slower pace of speech, combined with proper grammar and pronunciation takes on a greater importance. Do be cautious of speaking too slowly as to appear condescending. There are broad accents in many countries that make comprehension tricky, even when you speak the language fluently. As many years as I have lived in the US, I still have challenges understanding speech in parts of the Southern states. They make one syllable words into two syllables, as their honeyed speech flows gently forth.
My German husband is at a loss when he hears Cockney and it takes at least a day for my ear to become accustomed to the lilting tones of Scotland and rural Ireland.
Invest in yourself and consider hiring a coach who will help you to enhance your speaking, presentation and interviewing skills. Use recordings of your voice to assess your progress. You will empower yourself, achieve more confidence and adopt skills that will last a lifetime.
