Do you ever find yourself sitting in a meeting, knowing what you want to say but suddenly feeling frozen because it’s in English? You’re not alone! It even has a name: xenoglossophobia.
Many people who are non-native speakers of English experience this. It’s a type of fear or anxiety that can cause blackouts and make it hard for people to speak as well as they would in their own language. A lot of people remember this from times when they had a blackout during an exam or if they had to play a musical instrument in front of an audience.
So, why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you get past it?
One of the main reasons is the fear of making mistakes. You are sitting there worrying that your pronunciation is wrong, or maybe you think your grammar isn’t perfect. Many people also feel nervous about being judged by native speakers or colleagues, especially in a professional setting. This leads to what some experts call language anxiety.
Another common cause is a lack of self-confidence. You are unsure from the outset whether you can understand and respond quickly. This causes you to have negative feelings about your abilities even if you are quite proficient in English. It might also be caused by the fact that you are too much of a perfectionist, or you might be suffering from imposter syndrome.
Finally, some people have had negative past experiences that stick with them, like being laughed at in school, or corrected in a way that felt embarrassing. These memories can make it harder to speak up the next time.
Language anxiety can impact your work in several ways. If not addressed, it will lead to inhibited participation in meetings, You will remain silent and refrain from contributing to discussions. This can lead to missed opportunities for collaboration and idea-sharing. Don’t let this create a perception of disengagement or lack of knowledge, as that will further impact your career advancement. In some cases, language anxiety can lead to misunderstandings, as employees may struggle to articulate their thoughts clearly under pressure. The stress associated with language anxiety could diminish your overall job satisfaction, as you will feel isolated and undervalued if you cannot communicate effectively with clients or colleagues.
Now that you know why this fear happens and what the impact could be, let’s look at ways to overcome it and start speaking more confidently in your upcoming English meetings.
- Accept that mistakes are a natural part of learning. Instead of fearing them, see them as opportunities to improve. Nobody speaks perfectly all the time, even in their native language! It is important to adopt an attitude where you don’t care about making mistakes. This can be a bit of a paradigm shift for people who were educated that making mistakes is bad and were constantly marked down for every little error.
- Don’t compare yourself with native speakers. It is not always desirable to sound like native speakers as they are often the people who are overly complicated and cause communication difficulties in international meetings. Some people expect to sound like a native speaker overnight!
- Start practicing your English in situations that aren’t as stressful. Why not rehearse difficult situations like meetings or presentations with a colleague or trainer before you immerse yourself in the real thing? The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become. You will also be able to fill your knowledge gaps in a safe environment where you do not feel threatened. Take small steps forward and gradually increase the challenge level. For example, start with very general small talk situations, before you practice more complex business situations.
- Set yourself some SMART goals. They are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
- Focus on being understood rather than being perfect. Remember that other participants in a meeting do not always notice all the mistakes you make. If your counterpart is more focused on content, they won’t notice language errors. They might also be non-native speakers themselves and not have the capability to judge your English.
- Join a language group or find a conversation partner who understands your struggles. Having someone to practice with who won’t judge you can make a big difference.
- Before your meeting, imagine yourself speaking clearly and confidently. Visualization helps reduce stress and prepares your brain for the actual event.
- In her popular TED talk, Amy Cuddy emphasizes the power of “power posing” which is the idea that adopting confident, expansive body postures for just two minutes can alter our hormones, boost our feelings of power, and positively influence outcomes in stressful situations such as business meetings or presentations.
- When anxiety strikes, it helps to pause and take a deep breath. It calms your nerves and gives you a moment to gather your thoughts. It can be helpful to take a moment to drink from a glass of water.
- Use Tools Like TPR (Total Physical Response). If you struggle to remember vocabulary, try associating words with physical actions. This method has been proven to help people recall language more easily.
Remember, overcoming this fear of speaking English will take time, but it is possible! Each time you speak English, you’re getting one step closer to becoming more comfortable in this language. Try to stay positive, practice, and allow yourself to make mistakes. Soon, you’ll find that participating in meetings will be a lot easier. You might even find that you are enjoying it!
Amy Cuddy’s popular TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are
Further Reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_language_anxiety
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/say-what-foreign-language-anxiety-global-workplace-karin-lee-hansen/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/language-anxiety-how-xenolossophobia-may-holding-you-gemma/
https://www.verbalplanet.com/blog/overcoming-fear-speaking-foreign-language.asp
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