Shadowing Practice: 4 Hacks to Appear ‘Smarter’ at Work and Elevate your Credibility - Business Communication 101 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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How can I sound smarter at work?
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How can I sound smarter at work?
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Believe it or not, this is a question I'm actually asked a lot.
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And it's usually from high potential employees who want to be noticed at work by their manager or by leadership.
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And it makes sense given that those who are considered smarter are more likely to be considered for a promotion, more likely to receive a pay rise, and it's important for overall career advancement.
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So in today's video, I'm going to share with you four super simple hacks you could apply immediately to convey intelligence at work for greater visibility.
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Hi, I'm Sade Zerai and I help professionals to hack their careers, overcome their limiting beliefs, and confidently create the extraordinary life they deserve.
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A massive caveat before I go any further though.
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The reason why I'm sharing this topic is because I have a lot of clients who are introverts or simply not getting any visibility at work.
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they're overlooked, they're undervalued, and because of that they don't get any opportunities.
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So they basically become invisible and their career progression just comes to a halt.
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On the other hand, I've also worked with clients who are trying so hard to impress others that they're being completely inauthentic to who they are.
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So the key here is that these tips are not designed to make you feel fake.
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In fact, if you feel like a fake doing any of them, don't do them.
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Stick with what feels natural for you.
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These are just suggestions.
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Your intention for wanting to appear more intelligent at work should be because you want to be recognized for the real value that you contribute, not because you're feeding your ego.
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It's a really important difference and I'm sure you get what I'm trying to say.
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Now that I've shared that, let's dive right in.
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First, simplify your language.
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I'm a former lawyer and when I used to work in the legal industry, I noticed that a lot of people would use really complex and complicated language even to say really simple things.
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And it was even worse on email.
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You needed a decoder to decipher what they were actually trying to say.
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Do you know someone like this?
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Sometimes at work people feel like they need to overcomplicate their message with too many fancy long words and corporate jargon.
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But it requires far too much brain power to decipher what they're saying.
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And the thing is, a lot of people who do it think they sound really smart, but they don't.
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Daniel Oppenheimer, the professor of cognitive psychology at the University of California, has found that people are actually considered as smarter when their message is easier to understand.
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He says, people associate intelligence with clarity of expression.
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When you use too many fancy corporate words, you actually complicate what you're trying to say.
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For example, you could say, based on the customer sentiments obtained via NPS survey undertaken to ensure we're leveraging best practice, it implicates the project completion to be within a four-week period.
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Huh?
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Or you could say, we've applied best practice and customer feedback is positive, so we'll finish the project in under a month.
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Much easier to understand.
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You'll come across as composed, controlled, and professional, and you won't leave people scratching their heads trying to figure out what you just said.
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You also won't come across as contrived, and you'll be seen as far more approachable and authentic.
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Second, boil it down to a single point.
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When you're sharing information, for example, in a meeting or to your team or manager, end with your one key compelling message.
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Say something like, here's what I believe, or my point is this.
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It instantly re-engages your audience's focus, brings back their attention, and you're controlling the key message that they'll take away.
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Too often what I see is people share their ideas or their perspectives in a really long-winded way with no structure, so it becomes really difficult for people to keep up, and they don't remember what you said.
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So to come across as more composed and clear, when you share what you want to say, you wrap it up with a short, focused anecdote, story, or key message, not longer than a sentence, to leave people with one meaningful thought or action.
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This goes a really long way in reflecting that you are considered and can consolidate information.
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Number three, be confident.
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There's a direct link between how confident you appear and how competent people believe you are.
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This was first found in a pioneering study from 1982.
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This is why often the outspoken introverts are the ones to be promoted quicker than the quiet, diligent introverts.
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People assume that if they're confident, then they must be smart and good at their jobs.
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And it's a really big shame for the quiet, diligent ones who have always done the right thing and performed really well, but they're quiet.
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If you're one of those quieter, humble people, maybe you're an introvert, at least if you're aware then you can do something about it.
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The point is all about practicing exuding confidence.
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It could be around how you speak in a meeting, are you projecting your voice?
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It could be how you present your ideas, are you speaking with conviction and self-belief?
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It could even be around how you carry yourself around the office.
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Do you have a confident demeanor?
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Do you stand tall with your shoulders back?
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Or do you slouch and look at the floor when you walk?
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Being assertive is also a really important part here so you want to practice speaking your mind.
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It's really really helpful.
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It comes down to practice and the more you start to take on more confident looking behaviors, the more confident you'll actually start to feel and the more confident you'll appear to others which will impact how competent people believe you are.
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Number four, level up your vocabulary.
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I learned these from a business communication coach that I met more than half a decade ago.
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The words that we choose to use at work have a huge impact on how we're seen by others and how we come across.
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If you just simply make some tweaks to your language, it can absolutely increase your perceived professionalism and make you sound a lot smarter.
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So instead of using the words problem, issue, or even challenge, all of which are often overused at work, try and use the word complication.
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The reality is no one likes hearing the words problem, issue or challenge because they're very negative.
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Complication, on the other hand, doesn't sound nearly as scary and it's far less serious because it implies that you're either working through it or you can work through it, which gives a far more positive impression.
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So instead of saying we have a problem, try, we have a complication.
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Next, instead of the word change, use modify.
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People don't really like changes at work.
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It frustrates them.
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So even the word change might affect them negatively.
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Try swapping it for modify.
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For example, instead of, we should change our plans based on the new information, try, we should modify our plans based on the new information.
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See how much better that sounds.
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Next, instead of awesome or cool, try fantastic or brilliant.
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I used to hear the word awesome shared really often at work, especially by more junior professionals.
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But it doesn't necessarily project professionalism if you're trying to make a really professional first impression.
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Next, instead of asking someone to explain something, try using the word elaborate.
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Let's say a senior team member gives you a task and you don't really understand it.
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Instead of saying, can you please explain what you mean?
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Try, can you please elaborate?
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This reinforces a position of credibility, and it might even make you feel more confident in the moment.
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So instead of, sorry, I don't understand, can you explain again?
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You could say, could you please elaborate on X point?
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So there you have four very easy hacks to appear smarter at work, but more importantly, to actually increase your visibility, which helps with perceived competence.
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Of course, everything I've shared in the four hacks are just optional based on whether you feel that they might work for you, given your work environment, given the company culture, and given the people that you work with.
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And importantly, you want to make sure that you're still being authentic.
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In the comments, let me know which of the four hacks were your favorite.
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And if you enjoyed this video, please hit the like button, subscribe, and hit the bell icon.
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It really helps my channel, and it means a lot.
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I'm Sade Zerai, and I'll see you next time.
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Thank you.
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Why practice speaking with this video?

In the professional world, effective communication can significantly enhance your career trajectory. This YouTube video provides practical, actionable tips to help you sound smarter at work, thus improving your visibility and credibility among colleagues and managers. By practicing the strategies shared in this video, you can develop a style that not only elevates your professional image but also encourages you to engage meaningfully with others. Notably, as you learn English with YouTube, you can adopt these speaking hacks to improve both your fluency and confidence in a business context. The implementation of these tips can lead to more opportunities, be it for promotions or professional networking, making this video an invaluable resource for English learners looking to excel in their workplaces.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The speaker in the video demonstrates key language structures that can enhance your professional communication:

  • Condensed Key Messages: Phrases like "my point is this" are essential for summarizing your thoughts concisely. By practicing such expressions, you will improve your ability to express complex ideas clearly.
  • Simplification of Language: The speaker emphasizes avoiding overly complex vocabulary. Instead of saying, "the project completion implicates a four-week period," opt for "we'll finish the project in under a month." Embracing this simplification can help you improve English pronunciation and make it easier for others to follow your ideas.
  • Confidence-Linked Statements: Phrases that indicate conviction, like "I believe," serve not only to express your perspective objectively but also demonstrate authority. Practicing these structures through shadow speech can help you sound more assertive and credible.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you watch the video, pay attention to specific words and phrases that may be challenging to pronounce. Consider the following:

  • ‘Complicated’ and ‘considered’: These words often trip up learners due to their vowel sounds and syllable stress. Practicing them in context is key.
  • ‘Approachability’: This word can be especially tricky because of its multiple syllables. Break the word down—“ap-proach-a-bil-i-ty”—to master its pronunciation.
  • ‘Visibility’ and ‘credibility’: Both emphasize the importance of vowel sounds that can alter meaning. Make the effort to properly articulate these terms as you shadow speech from the video.

By focusing on these challenges, you can enhance your overall speaking skills using shadowspeak techniques, paving the way for clear and effective communication in English.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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