Transcript

If you're an immigrant who works in corporate America, and you're ever in a conversation where you're trying to explain your point and somebody acts like they don't understand you, and then they kinda blame it on your accent, for example, they say things like, oh, oh, I get what you're saying. I think with the word you meant to use was this or just like, something to grab on to your accent versus potentially them just not understanding the subject at hand. My best advice is don't have a reaction and just say, oh, let me say that in another way, and keep the same tone of pace and just repeat what you were saying, potentially using other words, because it could actually be that they don't understand the word you used. But if you do that and they do that again, and they like again bring up to the fact that they don't understand you is based on your accent, my best advice is to respond to that and say, is there a certain point you want me to clarify that potentially doesn't make sense? Because when you do that, you pivot the attention back on them. And the fact that they potentially don't understand something versus so much on your accent, it's a small, subtle way to shift it back on them and make them a little bit more insecure by saying that they don't understand you, because it almost makes it sound like, okay, what do You want me to repeat there's something that you don't understand, versus them just kinda blaming your accent in the process. I don't know if that makes sense, but that has happened to me before when I didn't speak English so well, and that always helped me. So my first reaction is very nicely repeat what I'm saying, potentially using other words, because I always give somebody the benefit of the doubt. My number two step is to say, is there a certain point you want me to clarify that potentially doesn't make sense? So I hope that helps anybody who's struggling with that. You're not alone. I've been there, too. But don't you dare use that as a reason to hide in your shell and to be afraid of explaining yourself or opening your mouth and speaking in meetings because you're too afraid somebody won't understand you or somebody will make that comment. Take back control of the conversation, put it back on them. Don't be shy about your accent because you, unlike everybody else, speaks another language, and that's something to be proud of. So hope that helps and hope you all have a really good day today. Bye.