Shadowing Practice: Speak Like a CEO: English Expressions for Leadership - Learn English Speaking with Video

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What if I told you that the way you speak can instantly make you sound more confident, authoritative and respected - just like a CEO?
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Many non-native English speakers struggle to sound natural and strong in leadership conversations.
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By the end of this video, you'll know the exact expressions that top executives use and how to use them with confidence.
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For those of you that don't know me, I'm Grant and this is exactly what I do every day.
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I am a Business English Confidence Coach for CEOs and what I try to do is share this information with you.
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I talk about this topic and all of these expressions with all of my clients, I understand this.
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This is not just some video of some guy making a conversation topic about CEOs.
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This is what I do.
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And I help people doing this all the time.
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So, this is a really great and genuine video on how to really sound like a CEO.
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So, let me go through this with you.
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CEOs, they don't just speak - they influence.
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Their words inspire action, build trust, and show the ability to make decisions.
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This is NOT about using big words - it's about speaking clearly, confidently and accurately.
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Here are 10 Essential CEO Phrases and How to Use Them.
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1. "Let's circle back on that." Now, you'd use this when you're postponing a decision or discussion in a professional way.
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Here's an example sentence: "Great points - let's circle back on this after we have all the latest data." 2. "What's the key takeaway?" Now, you'd use this when you're cutting through unnecessary details and getting to the main point.
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Here's an example of using it: "We're short on time - what's the key takeaway from your report?" Really nice!
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3. "Let's double down on what's working." And you would say this when you're reinforcing successful strategies and maintaining momentum.
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Things are going well.
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Let's do twice as much of it.
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Here's an example sentence how you can use this like a CEO: "This campaign is exceeding expectations - let's double down and scale it." Powerful!
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4. "I want us to be proactive, not reactive." And a CEO would say this when they're encouraging forward-thinking and strategic planning.
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Here's an example sentence that you could use: "Instead of waiting for problems to arise, let's be proactive with customer feedback." Beautiful!
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5. "This needs to be a top priority." You'd say something like this when you're setting really clear expectations and there's a lot of urgency, something has to be done right away.
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Here's an example: "Improving client retention is our biggest challenge - this needs to be a top priority." That makes you sound like a CEO.
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6. "Let's table this for now." This is a great phrase and as a leader, what you're trying to do here is use this in a strong but diplomatic way to put off an idea without killing it completely.
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Take a pause.
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Here's an example sentence of using this: "This is a great idea, but with limited resources, let's table it for now." That will make you sound like a leader.
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7. "What's the opportunity cost?" Now, this is a great question the CEO is going to ask and what it really means is that this is a high-level way of trying to evaluate the trade-offs and making executive decisions.
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An opportunity cost is what would this cost if we didn't do it and think about it that way.
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So, here's an example sentence: "If we invest in this project, what's the opportunity cost for our main initiatives?" 8. "We need to align on this." Many of my CEOs have alignment meetings and this is real.
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So, you'd use this for making sure everyone is on the same page before moving forward.
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Here's an example sentence: "Before we go live, we need to align on the final details." 9. "I trust you to take the lead on this." A CEO would use this when they're delegating powerfully and motivating a person or a team.
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An example could be: "You've got this - I trust you to take the lead and make it happen." That is speaking like a CEO.
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And finally, 10. "We need to be agile and adapt." Now, this can be used when you're handling some type of uncertainty and handling it well, like a leader.
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Here's an example sentence: "The market is shifting - we need to be agile and adapt quickly." So, we need to be flexible and change quickly when there's lots of things going on.
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But it sounds beautiful.
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Now, with all of these expressions, you got to remember that how you deliver them really matters.
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It's not just about the words - it's how you say them.
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You have to speak calmly, slowly, and with intention.
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Use strategic pauses for emphasis.
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It really matters.
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The most important thing we're going to do today is "pause, pause, pause." Then everybody's listening.
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Works really well.
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And finally, you need to get rid of all your filler words.
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You can't be a great CEO and say something as, "Um"... "ah"... "ah"... Let's... "ah"... table on... "ah"... this... "ah"... for now." There's nothing there.
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You got to get rid of your filler words, your "um's" and your "ah's" if you want to sound that you're the leader.
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You have confidence that you're speaking clearly.
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Get rid of your filler words.
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I'll ask you, which of these expressions do you already use?
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Or maybe if you don't use them, which one would you like to use?
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Give one a try.
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See what happens.
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Speak like a CEO.
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Have some power and feeling in your voice.
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Enjoy!

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Why practice speaking with this video?

In the competitive world of business, effective communication is essential for leadership. This video, "Speak Like a CEO: English Expressions for Leadership," equips you with the expressions and techniques used by top executives. By practicing these phrases, you're not just learning vocabulary; you're gaining the ability to influence and inspire through your words. This approach enhances your confidence in leadership conversations, making you sound articulate and authoritative. Utilizing a shadowing app or the shadowing technique can be particularly beneficial here. By listening and repeating the phrases, you develop a natural rhythm and intonation which is crucial for sounding like a CEO.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the video, several key expressions convey clarity and decisiveness. Here are some important structures to analyze:

  • “Let’s circle back on that.” - This phrase is a polite way of suggesting a follow-up discussion. It employs the present simple, which is direct and effective for setting future intentions.
  • “What’s the key takeaway?” - This is an excellent example of using a question to focus on essential information. The use of “key takeaway” emphasizes the importance of identifying main points in conversations.
  • “This needs to be a top priority.” - Here, the structure indicates urgency. The phrase “needs to be” highlights a necessity, which is a strong directive often used in leadership contexts.

These structures are perfect for those engaging in IELTS speaking practice, as they reflect the kind of clarity and goal-oriented language that examiners look for.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While clarity in expressions is essential, pronunciation plays a critical role in how your messages are received. Some tricky words and phrases from the video include:

  • "Align" - Pay attention to the pronunciation of this word; the initial "a" should be clearly enunciated.
  • "Agile" - This term can often be mispronounced. Ensure that it is articulated with a soft "g" sound, as in 'jelly.'
  • "Proactive" - A common misstep is blending the sounds. Practice emphasizing each syllable: pro-ac-tive.

To refine your pronunciation, incorporate the shadow speak method by repeating after the speaker, focusing on the rhythm and emphasis to improve your communicative effectiveness in leadership scenarios.

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 →