Shadowing Practice: Professional Communication Skills [BUSINESS COMMUNICATION PRO] - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Professional communication skills can make or break your career.
2
So learn a few skills here that are going to set you apart from your colleagues.
3
And if you stay tuned to the end of this video, I have something really interesting for you.
4
Hi, if you're new here, welcome.
5
Don't forget to subscribe to the best career and project management advice coming to you every Wednesday.
6
By improving your communication skills at work, you're just going to increase your probability of success.
7
So let's learn about what those top communication skills are so that you can rock it at work.
8
Let's get to this video.
9
Body language speaks volumes.
10
So I know this is interesting for the first one.
11
We sometimes think about communication as being our words but a lot of communication comes through our body language.
12
So there's positive body language and there's negative body language.
13
So let's kind of get into some examples of what positive
14
body language is like well just what i'm doing right now
15
is i'm focusing my attention on you my eyes are directly looking at you
16
and that's really important it shows the intentiveness some really other
17
interesting ones too is a little bit of a head tilt
18
that shows the interest of what the individual is saying one thing too is
19
when you rub your hands together in glee or excitement
20
that means i'm totally listening to what you're saying
21
that becomes really important how we use our body and most of the time actually is unconsciously.
22
So I want you to really be aware now of how your body is presenting itself.
23
Now let's talk about those negative types of body language.
24
This one right here is really dependent upon how it's done
25
because I'll be honest there are times I myself am talking to someone and I really don't know what to do,
26
where to put my arms so my head is tilted my arms are just crossed
27
because i don't have pockets
28
and it's just a little bit of a natural reaction i'm
29
still attentive i am putting up a little bit of a guard in the sense of give me my space
30
but i'm still attentive but you have to be careful with this one
31
because if your arms are crossed and then you're sideways like hmm
32
and you can see by the body language i'm really not into it
33
or worse yet looking elsewhere and then coming back here
34
that in itself another one too you may see a lot
35
and a lot of people don't know that they do this is
36
when they're sitting at a table
37
and you ever hear the Jimmy leg going where it's like tap tap tap tap tap
38
or worse yet you're on a table
39
and you can see them tapping like this and it's an impatient tap
40
so those are things to really consider is watch your body language what is it doing without you realizing
41
that it's doing it look I'm a hand talker
42
and I'm trying really hard not to talk with my hands
43
because I really want you to focus on what I'm saying
44
so it's important for you to really analyze it
45
if you can why don't you with a friend have them videotape you
46
so you can see what kind of body language you unconsciously do
47
so that you can see if you can improve it particularly
48
if it's on the negative side manage your nerves it is really really important
49
when you are communicating with people particularly if it's something
50
that is really important maybe a little bit high stressful
51
so your nerves are a little bit on edge maybe you're presenting to some really important people
52
or you're doing a media shot all of
53
that is all about the nerves
54
so learning how to calm the nerves down are really going
55
to be important for you to improve the communication skill
56
so what are some techniques you can do to help calm those nerves well just what I did take some deep breaths.
57
Take some belly deep breaths.
58
Really ensure to breathe in through the nose, out with the mouth.
59
That's very purposeful.
60
Not short breaths, but you really want to be able to get full body breaths.
61
It's just going to calm the pace of your nervous heart down.
62
Something else you may want to consider too is visualization.
63
It is so powerful to visualize how you're going to be communicating.
64
So if you are going to be presenting and your nerves are up, visualize how that's going to unfold all in a positive way.
65
Think about it over and over.
66
There have been studies that have shown athletes visualizing them scoring a goal and them actually having a higher probability
67
rate of scoring that goal because of the mental visualization.
68
It's not just about physically doing it it's about getting our mind prepared as well
69
which leads me to the last point on mindfulness
70
consider meditating consider taking even just five minutes in your day before you even start it
71
and you're having that big important meeting where you are nervous
72
and you need to communicate to ground yourself through meditation clearing the mind and
73
if you can't do it first thing in the morning try
74
to do it right before you're about to present go away in a corner somewhere shut a door just really
75
try to dump as much as you can and have a clear mind so that you can focus, take some deep breaths, visualize the success you're going to have,
76
and that does have a really positive impact.
77
Focus on the can versus the can't.
78
So why is this so important when it comes to business communication?
79
Well, how we speak to others in regards to information really plays an important factor in how they interpreted us
80
and their impression of us.
81
So if we're communicating on a business level to other people
82
and all of our ideas are about how we can't do something, even though we are positive in nature, that actually has a negative impact on how they view us.
83
Are we problem solvers?
84
Are we problem, are we trying to find solutions?
85
Or are we just the individuals who tell us why we can't do it
86
and don't come up with any type of alternative to make it happen
87
so it's really easy again to fall back on nerves think about why it won't be successful
88
and now I want you to switch it around nothing wrong about thinking why it won't be successful
89
but think about how you can do it maybe you have to tweak an idea
90
that was presented maybe it has to be a whole new approach
91
but the way you communicate your ideas in business becomes really important
92
and focus on the can versus the can't really critical
93
when it comes to business communication active listening all right you've heard me in many videos talk about active listening
94
and how important this is for professional communication
95
it is not just about the words that we say
96
or even our body language
97
but it's actually truly being able to listen to what the other person is saying
98
that becomes really important do not formulate your thoughts for the next point
99
or for you to come up with a better idea
100
because you're not really in that moment
101
that present moment of listening to what they're saying
102
so this is a skill set it is something you have
103
to practice all right particularly in a society where we all want to make our point
104
because we all have something amazing to say right sound familiar
105
look i work on this too
106
because it's really easy for me to talk right look what i'm doing right now talking away
107
but listening becomes extremely important so what can you do with listening a really good technique
108
that I use all the time in my workshops is I
109
will reiterate what the person said to me on the last sentence
110
or I'll say just so I'm understanding correctly what you're trying to tell me
111
and what I interpreted as is ABCD is
112
that correct it's just a validation and what's really cool
113
when you do that it's acknowledging what the other person is saying there's respect with
114
that and that becomes extremely important with communication
115
because communication is not a one -way street it's a two
116
-way street writing better emails yes emails are all about our
117
communication as well i'm not just talking about verbal communication or
118
when we're together live what we say in our emails
119
and how we say it has a huge impression on our prefers on our professional communication skills
120
and how people view us in fact you can check out a video
121
that i have which is strictly all about how to write awesome emails definitely recommend that you look at that.
122
But why is it that our emails are so important?
123
Because you don't have the benefit of inflection.
124
You don't have the benefit of body language.
125
And things can be misinterpreted really quickly with emails.
126
So what are some things that you can do?
127
Number one, proofread.
128
All right.
129
When you do an email, just don't send it out.
130
And my kryptonite is grammar and spelling.
131
So I try to proofread as much as I can.
132
Yeah, I'm not perfect, but I definitely just can't send out an email right away.
133
I do need to proofread.
134
Ensure you don't CC everybody.
135
That's the worst.
136
Okay.
137
Why are you inviting everyone on this email when it's really just between you and I?
138
You also want to ensure that your emails are concise, just like language of speaking to someone.
139
You don't want to give them a long winded story.
140
I'm a big believer in bullet point what it is you want to say.
141
And if you have something that's extremely long that they have to read, make it an attachment.
142
It just makes it for clear and concise language and bullet points are to the point.
143
And if you know them well, I sometimes end things off with a smiley face just to show that what I'm saying here really is, hey, it's all good.
144
So definitely look at your email communication, big part of professional communication that can definitely make or break you in the professional world.
145
Now that you have some great tips on how to improve your professional communication skills,
146
I want to start talking about projects because you probably do tons of projects and don't even realize that you do them.
147
So what is a project?
148
Well it has a definitive start and end date, usually a unique deliverable.
149
And in some cases, it's cross -functional where you have to bring in people to help you that you wouldn't normally do.
150
So if professional communication skills are really important, your project management skills are just as important.
151
So I want you to go in the download below
152
and grab this free guide on how to ensure that your projects are successful.
153
Don't forget to subscribe to this channel, like this video, and please share it with all the people that you know.
154
Do you have any professional communication skills that you use constantly
155
that are successful for you I would love to hear from
156
you please put it in the comments below until the next video see you later
📺 Same Channel
![Virtual Meeting Etiquette [DOS & DON'TS]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HYUVXQfaVp0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Project Management Status Reports [WHAT TO INCLUDE]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8C1PBSs_cMI/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Introduce Yourself to a Virtual Team [CONFIDENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RCezKg_FZig/mqdefault.jpg)
✨ Recommend Video
B12
30 sentences
Body Language Do's & Don'ts | Good Manners
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B16
7 sentences
Professional Communication 101: Drop “I think…” @Dr.ShadeZahrai
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B14
19 sentences
Top 5 Communication Skills Lessons
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
7 sentences
Communication Barriers
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
87 sentences
How To Upgrade Your Professional Work Emails
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B11
57 sentences
Business English: Four Important Tips to Help You Introduce Your Company
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B221
22 sentences
How to build social skills and remain authentic
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
60 sentences
How to Speak Better at Work | Professional English Communication Skills
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B1101 sentences
Communication Tips for Performance Reviews: What to Say in Your Performance Review
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B23
108 sentences
Contemporary Topics 3 Unit 4 BUSINESS The Art of Maketing in a Global Culture
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B11
51 sentences
B1 English Conversation Practice | 50 Must-Know Dialogues for Real Life
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 156 sentences and 1919 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:33. The speaker talks fast, about 182 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| skill noun | /skɪl/ | A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate. |
| nerve noun | /nɝv/ | A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics. |
| communicate verb | /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ | To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. |
| technique noun | /tɛkˈniːk/ | The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements. |
| impression noun | /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/ | The indentation or depression made by the pressure of one object on or into another. |
| versus | /ˈvɝsəs/ | Against; in opposition to. |
| bullet noun | /ˈbʊlɪt/ | A projectile, usually of metal, shot from a gun at high speed. |
| probability noun | /ˌpɹɑ.bəˈbɪl.ə.ti/ | The state of being probable. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| interpret verb | /ɪnˈtɜː.pɹɪt/ | To decode the meaning of a topic and then act, whether to continue researching the topic, follow through, act in opposition, or further the understanding… |
| tilt verb | /tɪlt/ | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| pocket noun | /ˈpɑ.kɪt/ | A bag stitched to an item of clothing, used for carrying small items. |
| elsewhere adverb | /ˈɛlsˌʍɛɹ/ | Synonym of somewhere else: in, at, or to some other place. |
| pace noun | /peɪs/ | A step taken with the foot. |
| invite verb | /ɪnˈvaɪt/ | To ask for the presence or participation of someone or something. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. |
| fall back on verb | To turn to as a substitute; to rely on as a backup. |
| put up verb | To place in a high location. |
| send out verb | To issue, dispatch or transmit. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 57 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: impression /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/, workshop /ˈwɝk.ʃɑp/, meditation /mɛdɪˈteɪʃn̩/, validation /ˌvæl.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, impatient /ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/
- Long words — get the stress right: communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, probability /ˌpɹɑ.bəˈbɪl.ə.ti/, definitive /dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/, validation /ˌvæl.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, unconsciously /ˌʌnˈkɑnʃəsli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like skill, nerve, communicate.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is tilted · are crossed · was presented |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have been · you've heard |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | may see · may want |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the worst |
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.