Having an accent in English has long been considered a disadvantage. Many of my clients come to me with concerns that their accented English is a liability to career advancement. Though I am not an accent reduction coach, my work centers on helping bilingual or multilingual executives embrace their speech patterns and focus instead on intention, message clarity, articulation, and delivery.
In this week’s Master Communicator Blog post, I offer my take on the benefits of speaking with an accent, plus tips for speaking clearly with any type of accent.
In this blog post, I offer my take on the benefits of speaking with an accent, plus tips for speaking clearly with any type of accent.
Rather than trying to hide or “neutralize” an accent, professionals can discover that owning it proudly can bring unexpected advantages. The way I see it, progressive organizations, where authenticity and cross-cultural understanding are valued, can make accents not just accepted but admired.
An accent signals a worldly background and a deeper connection to different cultures. It suggests adaptability, resilience, and experience navigating diverse environments. Leaders and team members who can bridge cultural gaps are more relatable and more trusted when building global relationships.
However, in the U.S., where 75 percent of the population is monolingual, people who speak with accents have been considered less educated and intelligent. Accent discrimination is a real thing.
Research suggests that listening to someone speaking with a foreign accent makes human brains work harder, which can lead to unintentional discrimination against people communicating in languages other than their own. Similar tendencies exist for people who speak with marked regional English accents.
Accents reflect a global perspective
Here’s why I think speaking with an accent is a good thing. In the noisy world of business communications, being memorable is a competitive advantage. A distinctive accent can help you stand out in meetings, pitches, and networking events. It brings a natural uniqueness to your voice and makes you more recognizable and harder to forget. If you speak with an accent, listeners often pay closer attention to understand you better. This heightened focus can create more engaged conversations and meetings.
Authenticity is one of the most prized traits in leadership today; audiences and clients crave real human connection, not polished corporate scripts. Speaking with an accent can project authenticity, showing that you bring your full, unfiltered self to the table — a quality that builds stronger emotional bonds with colleagues and customers alike.
Accents signal perseverance and intelligence
Contrary to misconceptions and accent bias, learning to master professional language and communication skills in a non-native language demands tremendous discipline and intelligence. Speaking with an accent naturally hints at a backstory filled with challenges overcome and skills acquired — a story of hard work that can inspire respect and admiration. Many successful CEOs, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who speak with accents are seen as symbols of determination and grit, key qualities in business leadership.
Accents build bridges and broaden networks
When you speak with an accent, you naturally attract people who are curious about your background or who share similar international experiences. This can be a great icebreaker and a foundation for building genuine relationships in business settings. Your accent becomes a bridge to opportunities for cross-cultural collaborations, partnerships, and friendships that might not have occurred otherwise.
Speaking other languages helps your brain
People who speak more than one language often have higher cognitive abilities, better attention, memory, and critical thinking skills due to the increased demand on the brain to process multiple languages. If just speaking more than one language leads to better cognitive flexibility, imagine the benefits of speaking several languages.
The Future is accented
Accents can be part of the new language of business, one that is inclusive, dynamic, and representative of a global workforce. What matters most is not how “perfect” your English sounds, but how clearly you express your ideas, how genuinely you connect with others, and how effectively you deliver value. Confidence, clarity, and conviction matter far more than sounding like a native speaker.
While your accent is a strength, clear communication is still key to making an impact. Here are a few of my favorite techniques to help you speak with more clarity and confidence:
Tips for clear speaking with an accent
1. Slow down your speech
Many people speed up when they’re nervous, which can make any accent harder to understand. Pausing between ideas and speaking at a measured pace gives your audience time to process your words — and it gives you more control over your message.
2. Emphasize and enunciate key words
Highlight important words by slightly stressing or elongating them. This helps listeners grasp your main points even if they miss a few details along the way. Enunciate more deliberately when on video calls to override audio distortions.
3. Work on pronunciation and substitution
You don’t need to perfect your pronunciation. Go for clear articulation instead. Break important words in your industry or field into syllables and pronounce each one, even if it sounds odd. The idea is to be understood. Also, you can substitute long, monosyllabic words for shorter words or phrases that are easier for your tongue.
4. Use simple, direct language
Avoid lofty, overly complex sentences or jargon. Clear, simple language reduces the chance of misunderstandings and keeps your message powerful and accessible to everyone who is listening.
5. Record yourself speaking
Recording short practice speeches or even casual conversations can help you catch small habits you might not notice otherwise. Listening back can show you where you might need to slow down, enunciate, or vary your tone.
6. Smile and use body language
Nonverbal cues — like smiling, nodding, and open gestures — support your spoken message and heighten your influence and persuasive ability. Body language signals boost comprehension of spoken words significantly and create an engaging atmosphere.
So, if you speak with an accent, embrace it proudly. You can turn your accent into an asset. It’s not just part of your identity — it can be part of your competitive edge.
