Shadowing Practice: How good leaders communicate - Learn English Speaking with Video

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20 sentences
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How good leaders communicate.
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Number one, they say more with less, meaning they use smaller words and make shorter sentences.
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Now you might think you have to use fancy language to sound intelligent.
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It's just the opposite.
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It's actually more impressive when you can explain complex topics simply because that simplicity shows mastery.
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When you say things like implementation of our strategic initiative optimization,
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it doesn't make you sound more trustworthy because it sounds like you're hiding behind your words.
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Good leaders know that the more simple the language, the more powerful the message.
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Number two, a good leader doesn't blame others for not understanding.
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They take ownership of being understood.
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They know that the responsibility in communication lies with the sender, not the receiver.
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And instead of blaming others, like, why don't you get it?
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They say things like, I could have done a better job explaining that.
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When you blame others for not understanding your message, you are admitting you didn't do your job leading them to it.
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And number three, they ask this question early and often.
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What are your thoughts?
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Not, do you agree with this?
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Not, do you something to add what are your thoughts
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because asking them their perspective isn't just a question it's a sign of mutual respect
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and that's how good leaders communicate so try that or follow me

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “How good leaders communicate”. This video has 20 sentences and 227 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:09. The speaker talks fast, about 198 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 3 of its 20 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
communicate verb/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell.
topic noun/ˈtɑpɪk/A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
impressive adjective/ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress.
strategic adjective/stɹəˈti.dʒɪk/Of or pertaining to strategy.
ownership noun/ˈoʊnɚʃɪp/The state of having complete legal control of something; possession; proprietorship.
initiative noun/ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.tɪv/A beginning; a first move.
fancy noun/ˈfæn.si/The imagination.
implementation noun/ˌɪmplɪmənˈteɪʃən/The process of moving an idea from concept to reality. In business, engineering and other fields, implementation refers to the building process rather than the…
intelligent adjective/ɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒənt/Of high or especially quick cognitive capacity, bright.
mutual adjective/ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/Having the same relationship, each to each other.
receiver noun/ɹəˈsi.vɚ/A person who receives something in a general sense; a recipient.
simplicity noun/sɪmˈplɪsɪti/The state or quality of being simple
optimization noun/ˌɑptəmaɪˈzeɪʃən/The design and operation of a system or process to make it as good as possible in some defined sense.
mastery noun/ˈmæs.tɚ.i/The position or authority of a master; dominion; command; supremacy; superiority.
trustworthy adjective/ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/Deserving of trust, reliable.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordMeaning
hide behind verbTo use someone or something as a shield in order to avoid taking responsibility for something; to avoid attention by using someone or something as a shield.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as doesn't, didn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • The “sh” and “zh” sounds: ownership /ˈoʊnɚʃɪp/, initiative /ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.tɪv/, implementation /ˌɪmplɪmənˈteɪʃən/, optimization /ˌɑptəmaɪˈzeɪʃən/
  • Long words — get the stress right: communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, initiative /ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.tɪv/, implementation /ˌɪmplɪmənˈteɪʃən/, intelligent /ɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒənt/, simplicity /sɪmˈplɪsɪti/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like communicate, topic, impressive.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →