Bronstop Enlish News #002

At a networking event, the perfect response comes to you immediately in German, while everyone else has already moved on to the next topic. You smile, raise your glass and realise that your own thought is still stuck behind your teeth.

In my English lessons with working professionals, I see this moment quite often: someone explains a complex topic effortlessly in German. But as soon as we practise the same situation in English, their voice becomes quieter and their hand starts searching for support from their pen.

Perhaps you know this feeling from meetings: you understand the question, but you mentally check every single word of your answer. While you're still searching for the perfect way to start, someone else says more or less exactly what you wanted to say.

Of course, having a broader vocabulary helps, especially when conversations move quickly and you need to express technical or professional topics precisely. And yes, some mistakes can feel embarrassing, particularly when you're standing in front of your boss and her reaction matters to you.

But your silence says nothing about how well you know your subject or how intelligent you are. What holds you back at networking events is often the pressure to come up with a flawless English sentence before you dare to speak.

Confidence in speaking grows when you allow yourself to express your thoughts in simple words, before the conversation moves on again. That's when you start hearing your own voice in the conversation, even if your sentences aren't perfect yet – and others finally get to hear your ideas.

Contact me if you'd like to feel more confident speaking up in English conversations.