Shadowing Practice: The 3 adjectives that determine how far you go at work | Carla Harris - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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This was the most important thing that I learned during my career.
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No question about it.
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People will engage with you based on the perception that they have about who you are.
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And that perception may be completely opposite to the reality of who you really are, and more importantly, how you see yourself.
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I had a very senior managing director say to me about five years into my career, you know, you're smart, you work hard,
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but I don't think you're tough enough for this business.
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And as I clutch my pearls, I thought to myself, what is he thinking?
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The last thing you can call Carla Harris is not tough.
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But then I thought to myself, maybe he really doesn't think that I'm tough enough for this business.
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Maybe the rest of the organization doesn't think that I'm tough enough of this business.
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And as you might imagine, as a woman and a woman on Wall Street, the last thing that you want to be thought of is not tough.
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And oh, by the way, that is how I saw myself.
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So the fact that he was questioning whether
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or not I was tough enough was a wake-up call to me
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that the real Carla Harris was no longer walking into Morgan Stanley.
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And it was now creating a competitive disadvantage for me.
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So I decided that the way that I would correct that was that I would walk tough, talk tough, eat tough, drink tough, use tough in my language.
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Because it's important that if you want to train people to think about you in a certain way, you must have that consistent behavior around those adjectives,
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but you must use these adjectives, these words in your environment, particularly when you are talking about yourself.
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Generally, when you're talking about someone and someone says, oh, do you know Samantha?
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Oh, do you know Mike?
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People tend to say, oh, she's A, B, C, or Mike is D, E, and F.
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So I say pick the three adjectives that are consistent with who you really are, but pick the three adjectives that are also valued in your organization.
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And to be even more specific, that are valued in your seat.
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In every seat that you have, those adjectives are going to change.
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For example, as an associate, people cared that I had outstanding analytical skills, quantitative skills, and exceptional attention to detail.
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But as a managing director, nobody really cared whether or not I could do a model.
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So those analytical and those quantitative skills were just assumed.
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What's valued now as a managing director is, is that person relationship oriented?
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Is that person commercial?
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And maybe if you're managing a lot of people, is that person fair?
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So understanding what those adjectives are in every single seat are important, but they must also be consistent with who you really are,
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because I am not a fan of playing a role.
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Any of us can do that, but at some point if you're just playing at a role, the real you will show up one day
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and you do not want to worry about whether or not you are in an environment that will embrace the real you.
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So pick the adjectives that are valued by the organization in the seat that you're in, but pick those adjectives that are also consistent with who you really are,
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then it's really easy for you to execute.
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You can train people to think about you in the way that you want them to think about you.
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And when you become a senior leader, you want them to think about you as a strategic thinker.
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You want them to think about you as a visionary.
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You want them to think about you as that person that everybody wants to work for.
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You want them to think about you as a great colleague.
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You want them to think about you as somebody who's very respected in the industry.
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Now, if you want to train people to think about you around those descriptors, your behavior needs to be consistent with those descriptors.
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You want them to think about you as somebody who's very well respected in the industry, which means you need to go to industry events, which means you need to show up
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and engage with some of the key people who are seen as icons in your industry.
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It means that you might need to participate in a few panels so people hear you speak.
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They know that you are focused on the industry.
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They know that you are an expert per se in that particular industry.
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If you want them to think about you as somebody who everybody wants to work for, then you need to make sure that your immediate team loves working for you.
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And you need to understand what you need to do, how you need to show up for them to, quote, love working for you.
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So it's consistent behavior around the adjectives is what will train
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people to think about you in the way you want them to think about you.
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And if you have been in an organization for a long period of time, it's important that you calibrate those perceptions as you're moving up the ladder.
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To watch the full class, become a member at BigThing.com slash membership.
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Thank you.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice speaking English through the powerful concept of shadowspeak, which involves shadowing techniques to mimic effective communication in a business context. By engaging with the transcript of Carla Harris's insightful talk, you will learn how to adopt specific adjectives that shape perceptions in a professional environment. This exercise will enhance not only your vocabulary but also your overall fluency and improve English pronunciation via the shadow speech method. You'll focus on the importance of consistent behavior and self-presentation in a workplace setting, enabling you to communicate more effectively.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Perception - The way something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.
  • Adjective - A word that describes a noun, particularly important for self-identification.
  • Tough - A quality of strength and resilience, often valued in assertive roles.
  • Relationship-oriented - A person who prioritizes interpersonal connections and interactions.
  • Commercial - Pertaining to business interests and the ability to generate revenue.
  • Visionary - Someone with remarkable foresight and creativity in their field.
  • Consistent behavior - Acting in a reliable and predictable manner, crucial for establishing a strong professional identity.
  • Engage - To become involved or interact, especially important in networking.

Practice Tips

To effectively use the shadowing technique with this video transcript, follow these practical steps:

  • Listen Closely: Repeat segments of Carla Harris's speech, paying attention to her tone and rhythm. This will help you improve English pronunciation.
  • Focus on Key Adjectives: Emphasize the adjectives she uses to describe herself and others. Try incorporating these words into your practice to enhance your vocabulary.
  • Engage in Role Play: After shadowing, practice introducing yourself or a colleague using the adjectives and phrases learned. This will deepen your understanding of effective self-presentation.
  • Record Yourself: Use your phone or any recording device to capture your speech. Listen to it afterward to identify areas for improvement and gauge your progress in shadow speech.
  • Repetition is Key: Repeat the exercise regularly to reinforce what you’ve learned. The more you shadow, the more natural the speaking flow will become.

By practicing these techniques, you will not only gain confidence in speaking but also understand the nuances of communication in a professional setting.

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.