Executive Presence (4/4): Your Body Speaks

Executive presence is reinforced or weakened by nonverbal signals. Posture. Eye contact. Movement. Facial expression. Energy. Below are the most common nonverbal patterns that quietly undermine leadership presence — and what to replace them with.

1️⃣ Bad Posture

Rounded shoulders, lowered head, hunched back, uneven shoulders, lifted shoulders. - this signals hesitation or tension.

Instead:
Stand and sit upright. Open your chest. Ground your feet. Physical expansion creates psychological authority — both for you and for your audience. You can find posture and supporting breathing exercises in the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause.

2️⃣ Avoiding Eye Contact

Looking down. Looking at notes excessively. Scanning the room nervously. This signals insecurity.

Instead:
Hold steady eye contact for a full sentence. When speaking to a group, anchor key messages by looking at one person at a time.

Eye contact equals ownership and reinforces your credibility.

3️⃣ Excessive or Nervous Movement

Fidgeting. Touching your face or constantly improving your hair. Adjusting clothing repeatedly. Shifting weight constantly. Movement without intention weakens presence.

Instead:
Move with purpose. Pause physically when making an important point.
Stillness is power.

4️⃣ Inconsistent Facial Expressions

Smiling when delivering serious information.
Showing visible frustration.
Blank expression when enthusiasm is required.

Your face must match your message.

Leadership requires emotional control — not emotional suppression, but alignment.

5️⃣ Open Gestures & Owning Your Space

Confident leaders take up space — physically and energetically.

People who lack confidence often shrink themselves. They cross their arms, keep gestures small and tight, pull their shoulders inward, or make themselves physically smaller in the room.

This sends a subtle but powerful signal: I do not deserve to take up space. I am unsure of myself.

Instead:
Use open gestures. Keep your arms relaxed and visible. Allow your hands to move naturally to support your message. Stand grounded, with a balanced posture. Sit fully in your chair — don’t perch on the edge.

Owning your space is not arrogance. It is a visible sign of self-assurance.

Executive presence happens when:

• Your words are clear.

• Your voice is controlled.

• Your body reinforces the message.

  When all three align, authority becomes natural — not forced.

This concludes the Executive Presence series. If you had to improve just one element — speech, voice, or body language which would create the biggest shift in your leadership impact?

Look forward to your comments

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Decoding Other People’s Messages

One of the most challenging aspects of communication isn’t expressing ourselves — it’s decoding others.

Every message we receive carries more than words. It reflects a person’s upbringing, culture, experiences, and personality. The same sentence can mean very different things depending on who’s sending it and the context behind it.

In our globalised world, where we collaborate across countries, cultures, and time zones, this skill matters more than ever. Misunderstandings don’t always come from bad intentions — they often come from different frames of reference.

That’s why suspending judgment is so important. Instead of reacting quickly or filling in the gaps with our own assumptions, we can pause, ask questions, and truly listen. Curiosity over judgment changes the quality of our conversations.

This is also what inspired me to build Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause — an app designed to help people become more intentional communicators. Not just in what we say, but how we say it: our power, our pitch, our pace, and our pauses. Because better communication starts with awareness — of ourselves and of others.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Executive Presence (2/4): The Signs of Weakness

Often, what not to do is more important than what to do. In the second edition of the Executive Presence series, I focus on what gets in the way of projecting authority and leadership.

Below are the most common patterns we observe during our elucution lessons that undermine confidence and are unconsciously perceived as signs of weakness:

1. Over-explaining.

2. Seeking approval

3. Avoiding discomfort

4. Rushing, multitasking, reacting to everything

5. Projecting low energy

What can you substitute it with?

1. Instead of over-explaining, focus on the key message, key goal, unless you want to lose the plot in the sea of unnecessary words

2. Instead of seeking approval, be open to the fact that what you say will not be liked

3. Instead of avoiding discomfort, thrive on it and use it as a growth tool

4. Instead of rushing, multitasking, and reacting to everything, develop calm and structure. Identify key priorities for the day, week, etc. and focus on priorities. Do not react to noise. This is particularly difficult in our era of information overload and constant notifications. They are true time and focus thieves.

5. Make energy management your strategy. Often, people say that our most important resource is time; I disagree. I believe energy matters more than time. Without energy, even unlimited time won’t take us far in achieving goals or leading others.

In the next edition, I focus on the speech and voice to assert a strong presence.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Executive Presence (3/4): Speech & Voice

In the third edition of my Executive Presence series, I’ll break down the features of executive language—and what undermines it. We’ll look at what to say, what to avoid, and how to speak with authority and a strong presence.

Words That Weaken Your Presence

• Softening statements with “just,” “maybe,” or “I’m not sure”.

Instead of them, use definite verbs and deadlines, for example: “let’s get this done by 2 pm”, “I need this report on my desk by 4 pm today”.

• Swear words and rude words.

Be careful and pause, select words carefully. If you cannot find an appropriate word, feel frustrated, pause.

• Filler words such as "eeh, uh, like, basically, you know", etc.

Substitute them with pauses.

Executive Language Features

• Concision. Executive language is clear and economical. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” — William Shakespeare.

Instead of: “I just wanted to quickly touch base and kind of go over a few thoughts I had regarding the project.”

Say: “Let’s review the key points of the project.”

• Specific words. Executive language avoids vague expressions and replaces them with precise, measurable terms.

Instead of: “We need to improve results.” Say: “We need to increase revenue by 10% this quarter.”

Instead of: “There are some issues.” Say: “We’re facing delays in delivery and a 5% budget overrun.”

Specific language communicates control, direction, and leadership.

How to Say It

1. Stress key messages and use optimistic and uplifting intonation. Download the app Fluent English Speech to master sentence stress and intonation.

2. Use pitch and pace strategically to enhance clarity and authority. Download the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause and have a few elocution lessons to master the 4Ps of public speaking.

3. Articulate clearly and precisely. Strong articulation reinforces credibility and presence. You can master it with the app Get Rid of your Accent.

In the final edition of this series, I will focus on the body language and nonverbal cues that complete executive presence.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Executive Presence (1/4): The Components

In our elocution lessons, we don’t focus only on speech and accent. We also help students develop a stronger presence and greater confidence overall.

This is something many of our students actively want to work on — what is often called executive presence.

With this article, I’m starting an Executive Presence series based on more than 20 years of teaching and coaching top-level professionals and diplomats.

In this edition, I’ll walk you through five core components of executive presence, explain why they matter, and show how they work together.

You can think of executive presence much like a good golf swing. It isn’t built on one single movement, but on several elements working together — posture, balance, timing, and follow-through. If one part is off, the entire swing suffers. Executive presence works the same way.

The five core components are:

1. Authenticity: the ability to act as your true self without pretence

2. Physical presence: energy level, dress code, fitness level

3. Confidence: ability to act decisively

4. Body language: eye contact, gestures, posture

5. Speech and voice: pronunciation, articulation, voice modulation and use of pauses

The key point is this: to look and feel truly confident, a person must be authentic. Confidence is communicated through actions and body language — gestures, eye contact, and tone of voice. Clear speech and good articulation further strengthen executive presence and how others perceive you. In just a few seconds, your physical presence communicates a great deal about you, including energy level and overall status. All these components send signals about who you are and determine how people treat you.

In the next editions of this series, I’ll share practical techniques you can use to build executive presence and show you how to remove the obstacles that often get in the way.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Why Some Speeches Go Viral—and Most Don’t

I’ve spent years watching some speeches go viral—and just as many disappear.

At first, I thought it was about confidence. Or charisma. Or luck.

It isn’t. Over time, patterns became impossible to ignore. The speeches that travel aren’t just “good.” They’re built to resonate in a world that moves fast. Here’s what I’ve learned.

1️⃣ One Clear Idea

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” , or Abram Lincoln's “By the people, for the people…” - these messages still travel decades later because it collapses into a single idea people can repeat. When a message can’t be summarized in one sentence, it rarely spreads.

2️⃣ Emotion Beats Information

Greta Thunberg’s “How dare you” speech went viral not because it introduced new data, but because it voiced collective anger and urgency. Emotion is what pushes people to share.

3️⃣ Authenticity Matters More Than Polish

When I watch Malala Yousafzai’s UN speech, what stands out isn’t technical perfection—it’s sincerity. The calm delivery, the real pauses, the sense that every word mattered. Audiences trust speakers who sound human, not rehearsed.

4️⃣ Stories Travel Further Than Explanations

For example, Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement address is remembered because it was built around three personal stories. Stories create images, and images move faster than arguments.

5️⃣ Timing Is Everything

Jacinda Ardern’s speeches after the Christchurch attacks resonated globally because they met the emotional moment exactly. The right words at the wrong time don’t travel.

6️⃣ Memorable Language Creates Momentum

Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” worked because it was short, rhythmic, and repeatable. Lines that can be quoted without explanation are made for sharing.

7️⃣ Delivery Is Precision, Not Performance

Viral speeches aren’t loud or theatrical—they’re controlled:

• Power - to command attention

• Pitch - to avoid monotony

• Pause - to let meaning lan

• Pace - to guide understanding

Watching talks like Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why”, it’s clear delivery amplifies the idea. That insight inspired me to build Power, Pitch, Pause, Pace app, helping speakers practise fundamentals so their delivery supports the message.

Equally important are intonation and sentence stress. Where the voice rises or falls, and which words carry emphasis, determine whether a message lands—especially in short clips. That’s why I also built Fluent English Speech app, to help speakers, especially non-native ones, sound clear, expressive, and globally understandable.

8️⃣ Designed for the Clip Era

Michelle Obama’s convention speeches work in 30 seconds because they have clear emotional peaks, intentional pauses, and precise vocal choices. Viral moments today often live in short clips—and delivery is what makes them survive.

My biggest takeaway:

Virality isn’t the goal. Resonance is.

Why Some Messages Go Viral While Others Are Ignored

In a world flooded with information, some messages catch fire while others vanish into the noise. Here’s why:

1. Emotion Drives Action. Content that makes people feel strong emotions (joy, surprise, anger, awe) gets shared. People share what moves them.

2. Keep It Simple. Clear, concise messages travel faster. If your audience has to think too hard, they won’t share.

3. Relatability Matters. Messages that reflect identity, values, or experiences earn social currency. People share what makes them look smart, funny, or “in the know.

4. Timing Is Everything. Ride trends and tap into current events. Context can make or break a message.

5. Novelty Captures Attention. Surprising or unusual content stands out in a sea of sameness.

6. Platform & Format Count. Match your message to the platform. Videos work on TikTok/Instagram; text threads thrive on LinkedIn/Twitter.

7. Easy to Share. Reduce friction—make it simple to forward, tag, or repost. Shareable content spreads faster.

💡 Bottom line: Virality isn’t random. It’s about emotion, clarity, relevance, timing, and ease. Create content that moves, resonates, and travels—and you’ll dramatically increase your chances of being seen.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.barcsglobal.com

How to Grow and Future-Proof Your Professional Skills in a World of Acceleration

In a world of rapid acceleration, professional skills don’t age slowly — they expire.
To stay relevant, there are three critical steps to upgrade and grow your skills:

Step 1: Audit What You Use — Not Just What You Know

Ask yourself:

• Which skills do I use weekly?

• Which ones are rarely applied?

• Which new tools or methods are already shaping my field?

Relevance lives in application, not titles or certificates.

Step 2: Learn in Short, Strategic Cycles

Long learning plans often fail in fast environments.

Instead:

• Focus on micro-learning

• Upgrade one skill at a time

• Apply immediately

Learning that isn’t used quickly is forgotten quickly. Small, repeated upgrades keep skills alive.

Step 3: Combine Human Skills with Technical Awareness

AI and automation are accelerating — but human skills are not disappearing.

The most resilient professionals develop:

• Critical thinking

• Communication

• Emotional intelligence

• Decision-making in uncertainty

These skills become more powerful when paired with basic technical literacy — not mastery, but understanding.

You don’t need to compete with technology.
You need to work alongside it

Step 3: Build Skills Into Systems, Not Motivation

• Block time for learning

• Review skills quarterly

• Track progress, not perfection

• Reflect on what’s working

Continuous improvement becomes sustainable when it’s built into routine.

In the next edition, I’ll explore how to create personal learning systems that make improvement automatic — even when time, energy, and focus are limited.

Stay tuned

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Continuous Improvement in the Age of Acceleration (1/1): Start With Energy Management

Life does not stand still — and neither does the world we work and live in.

Over the last few years, the pace of change has accelerated dramatically. AI, smartphones, automation, new business models, shifting customer expectations, I can continue the list. All of these forces are reshaping how we think, work, and compete. What used to take decades now happens in years — sometimes in months or even weeks.

From a human perspective, holding on to what feels familiar and resisting change is understandable. Our brains and bodies run on habits. Familiar routines feel safe. The status quo feels efficient and comfortable.

But comfort has a hidden cost.

In a fast-moving world, staying the same is not neutral. It doesn’t mean stability. It means falling behind.

That’s why continuous improvement is no longer a “nice to have” or a personal development trend. In 2026 and beyond, it is a baseline requirement. The question is no longer if we need to improve — but how deliberately we choose to do it.

This is the first edition of my series on Continuous Improvement. In this edition, I’ll focus on how we can adapt our bodies to keep up with faster change.

Why Change Feels Hard (and Why That’s Normal)

Our brain evolved for efficiency, not constant novelty. It loves patterns, routines, and predictability because they save energy.

Habits are the brain’s shortcut system:

• Same route

• Same way of thinking

• Same reactions

• Same decisions

When change accelerates, the brain often responds with:

• Resistance

• Fatigue

• Stress

• A desire to “go back to how things were”

That doesn’t mean something is wrong with us. It means we’re human.

Adapting Faster Starts with the Body

We often talk about mindset, but adaptation is physical first.

Sleep, movement, breathing, and recovery directly affect:

• Focus

• Emotional regulation

• Learning speed

• Stress tolerance

A tired nervous system resists change. A regulated nervous system absorbs it.

Energy management is not a wellness trend - it’s a strategy. You don’t need more motivation. You need a body that can support growth.

To support your body, start with small, practical steps:

• Protect your sleep as a #1 performance tool

• Walk regularly to reset attention

• Use breathing to calm the nervous system

• Strength or mobility training to build physical and mental resilience

In the second edition, I’ll explore how the body helps prepare the mindset for change and continuous development.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

Public Speaking Tips for Global Leaders

In today’s interconnected world, leaders are addressing teams, clients, and stakeholders across the globe.

The challenge? Different cultures, expectations, and communication styles. Mastering global public speaking is about more than words; it’s about influence.

Here are 3 actionable tips to engage international audiences effectively:

1️⃣ Know Your Audience

Every culture has its own preferences for directness, humour, and storytelling.

🔹 Research the cultural context before your speech or meeting.

🔹 Adapt examples and analogies to resonate with local experiences.

🔹 Avoid idioms or jokes that might not translate.

Even small tweaks can make your message memorable.

2️⃣ Focus on Clarity and Pace

When your audience includes non-native speakers, clear articulation is essential.

🔹 Speak slightly slower than usual and enunciate carefully.

🔹 Use strategic pauses to emphasise key points.

🔹 Avoid filler words—they distract from your message.

💡 Tools like Business English Speech app help executives refine pronunciation, pace, and clarity for global impact.

3️⃣ Leverage Storytelling

Stories transcend language barriers and create emotional connections.

🔹 Use short, vivid stories to illustrate points.

🔹 Tie each story to a key takeaway.

🔹 Focus on shared values or universal business challenges for maximum impact.

💼 Pro Tip: For executives wanting to communicate with clarity, confidence, and global influence, Business English Speech app is the perfect tool to refine your skills.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

How to Become a Successful Speech, Elocution, and Accent Reduction Tutor

In today’s globalised world, effective communication is more important than ever. Many people seek guidance to improve their speech clarity, elocution, and accent. If you want to become a good and well-paid speech, elocution, and accent reduction tutor, here is a comprehensive guide on how to excel in this field.

1. Develop Your Expertise

Before you can teach, you need a solid foundation. Understanding the mechanics of speech is essential. Focus on:

• Phonetics and Phonology: Learn how sounds are produced and how they differ across languages and dialects.

• Articulation and Pronunciation: Master the positioning of the tongue, lips, and jaw to produce accurate sounds.

• Intonation, Stress, and Rhythm: Train to help clients sound natural and fluent in their target accent. To obtain this knowledge efficiently, use professional apps and books that contain over 25 years of teaching experience by a top London speech coach:

British English Books and Accompanying Apps:

1. Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners. The accompanying app: Elocution Lessons

2. The accompanying app: Get Rid of your Accent UK1

3. Get Rid of your Accent Part Two, Advanced Level. The accompanying apps: Fluent English Speech and Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

4. Get Rid of your Accent for Business, Part Three. The accompanying app: Business English Speech

5. Pace, Pitch, Pause, Power: Public Speaking Skills Training Manual. The accompanying app: Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

The book Get Rid f your Accent For Beginners contains a whole chapter with tips and drils for teachers to make their lessons fun and enjoyable

American English Apps:

• American Accent App

• Fluent American Speech

• 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

The Audio and Kindle book: GET RID OF YOUR ACCENT, PART ONE AND TWO: GENERAL AMERICAN ACCENT TRAINING MANUAL, Second Edition

2. Hone Your Teaching Skills

Knowing how to speak clearly is one thing—teaching it effectively is another. To become an excellent tutor:

• Be Patient and Empathetic: Accent reduction can be a sensitive subject. Do not jump on students’ speech with corrections; use a measured pace and a calm, friendly attitude.

• Adapt Your Approach: Every learner is unique. Tailor lessons to individual needs, learning speeds, and goals.

• Praise often, do not overcorrect: Let a student feel that they are making continuous progress. Focus on actionable corrections, celebrate small wins to build confidence.

• Make your lessons enjoyable: The book Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners contains a whole chapter with tips and drills for teachers to make their lessons enjoyable and fun!

3. Gain Practical Experience

Practical experience is invaluable. Start by:

• Offering free or low-cost sessions to friends, colleagues, or community groups.

• Observing experienced tutors and noting their techniques.

• Recording your own practice sessions to analyse your teaching style and speech clarity.

The more you practice teaching, the better you’ll understand common challenges and how to address them effectively.

4. Build Trust and Professionalism

Your reputation as a tutor depends on your reliability and professionalism. Key strategies include:

• Establishing clear lesson plans and learning objectives.

• Communicating openly about progress and areas needing improvement.

• Being punctual, organised, and prepared for each session.

• Maintaining a positive, encouraging learning environment.

5. Market Yourself Effectively

Once you’ve honed your skills, it’s time to attract clients. You can:

• Build a professional website highlighting your expertise and testimonials.

• Create Quora and Reddit Profiles. Answer questions related to English Speech.

• Publish LinkedIn Newsletter

• Use social media to share tips, exercises, and success stories.

• Network with language schools, corporate training programs, and public speaking clubs.

You can find free tips and resources on www.batcsglobal.com and contact me directly to get professional advice.

Warmly

Olga Smith

What I Learned About Leadership by Examining My Need to Rush

Many high-functioning people struggle with a hidden pattern:
They rush through tasks, make mistakes, redo work — and feel constantly pressured. When they try to slow down, they freeze and do nothing. This is my pattern that spoils the quality of my life daily. I either rush or do nothing.

What I learned is that this isn’t a productivity problem. It’s a nervous system pattern.

The reason why I am afraid to slow down is that when I slow down, I do not do anything

When I rush → I feel in control and can act
When I slow down → my system drops into freeze/shutdown, so nothing happens

Why this happens

My father always rushed me. For someone who was rushed and pressured early on, the nervous system often learned only two states:

1. Urgency = move, act, survive

2. No urgency = danger, helplessness, collapse

There was never a safe middle state where: “I’m calm and active.”

So when I remove speed, my system doesn’t find calm productivity — it falls into immobility.

The key reframe

I learned that I do not need to “slow down more.” I need to learn how to: Stay active while regulated

What actually works for my nervous system

1. Using gentle motion, not stillness, because Stillness = shutdown for you (right now).

Instead:

• Light movement

• Small actions

• Continuous but low-pressure motion

Examples:

• Typing notes without deciding

• Organizing tools

• Movement keeps you out of freeze.

I need to keep a visible structure because freeze thrives in ambiguity.

Tools that help me is to write down:

• What I’m doing now

• For how long

• What happens after

Example:

“I’ll outline for 3 minutes, then reassess.”

That reassess clause is anti-helplessness.

The state I am building (this is the goal)

Not:

• Rushing

• Stopping

But:

Steady, gentle forward motion

The mistake most advice makes

“Just slow down” doesn’t work here.
Stillness can trigger shutdown.

The goal is not slowness.
The goal is steady action without panic.

What actually helps

• Move first, gently (light action instead of stopping)

• Keep choice visible (“I’m choosing this pace”)

• Use small, bounded steps (30–120 seconds)

• Soften speed, don’t remove motion

• Reclaim stop power (pause by choice, then continue)

This trains the body to feel active and safe at the same time.

The shift that changes the quality of life

When control comes from choice instead of urgency:

• Anxiety drops

• Errors decrease

• Focus improves

• Life feels less compressed

  Key takeaway:
  If slowing down makes you freeze, you’re not alone. You’re missing a trained middle state — calm, deliberate action. That state can be learned. You don’t have to live in emergency mode forever.

Warmly

Olga Smith

How to Start American Accent Training

What app to choose?

We recommend starting with the American Accent App. With this app, you master pronunciation and articulation to achieve speech clarity.

Then move on to the Fluent American Speech and an accompanying video course, Get Rid of Your Accent Part Two, to master speech fluency, sentence stress and difficult speech patterns such as word endings and consonant clusters.

These two apps and two video courses are essential for accent reduction.

For those who want to master their presentation skills, we recommend 4Ps Power. Pitch, Pace, Pause app.

How to Start Training

1. Explore common pronunciation challenges for your nationality in the American Accent App

2. Begin with the video course to see how sounds are formed in the mouth. Use the mirror to check that your speech organs match those of the teacher in the video.

3. Follow up with practice using the apps

4. Focus on one lesson at a time and practice for 20–45 minutes per day

5. Continue for three consecutive days

6. Move on to the next lesson after three days

Which App to Choose?

Which App to Choose?

We recommend starting with Elocution Lessons and Get Rid of your Accent apps, and an accompanying video course, Get Rid of your Accent Part One. With these apps, you master pronunciation and articulation to achieve speech clarity.

Then move on to the Fluent English Speech app and an accompanying video course, Get Rid of your Accent Part Two, to master speech fluency, sentence stress and difficult speech patterns such as word endings and consonant clusters.

These three apps and two video courses are essential for accent reduction.

For those who want to master their Business English and presentation skills, we recommend Business English Speech and 4Ps Power. Pitch, Pace, Pause apps.

How to Start British Accent Training

1. Explore common pronunciation challenges for your nationality in the Elocution Lessons or Get Rid of your Accent apps

2. Begin with the video course to see how sounds are formed in the mouth. Use the mirror to check that your speech organs match those of the teacher in the video.

3. Follow up with practice using the apps

4. Focus on one lesson at a time and practice for 20–45 minutes per day

5. Continue for three consecutive days

6. Move on to the next lesson after three days

The 4 Ps of Confidence (2/4): Presence – The Silent Introduction

In the first letter of this series, I explored Place—the environment that either reveals or suppresses confidence. This edition focuses on Presence.

Because even in the right place, confidence can still go unnoticed if it isn’t communicated. Presence is how confidence becomes visible. It’s the silent signal that tells a room who is grounded, credible, and worth listening to before a single word is spoken.

People with a strong presence don’t rush to prove themselves. They don’t fill the silence unnecessarily. They don’t overexplain. They arrive grounded, aware, and intentional. Their confidence isn’t loud—but it’s unmistakable.

What Presence Is Really Made Of

Strong presence is not accidental. It’s built from alignment across five visible and invisible elements:

1. Spirit reflects your internal state and emotional grounding: calm and centred or insecure and reactive.

2. Speech: clear, intentional, and measured, or rushed, vague, and unfocused. You can master it with the apps British English Get Rid of your Accent, Fluent English Speech, 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

3. Energy can feel high, steady and contained or scattered, nervous, and tense.

4. Appearance signals respect and readiness or carelessness and distraction.

5. Body language conveys openness, stillness and purpose or restlessness, avoidance, and withdrawal.

A Question Worth Asking: “What am I communicating before I speak?”

In the next edition, I’ll explore Power—the inner strength that allows confidence to remain steady under pressure.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

4 Ps of Confidence(1/4): Place, Presence, Power, Personality

Over the years, I’ve watched the same story unfold in boardrooms, meetings, classrooms, and everyday conversations. Two people can walk into the same room with the same skills and experience, yet one commands attention while the other fades into the background.

It’s never about talent alone.

It’s always about confidence.

Confidence, I’ve learned, follows a clear pattern. I call it The 4 Ps of Confidence: Place, Power, Personality, and Presence.

In this newsletter, I want to focus on Place.

Here’s a fact we often overlook:

Put a capable person in the wrong place long enough, and they will be made to feel incapable.

There’s a reason the proverb says, “Don’t cast your pearls before swine.” Not because the pearls lack value, but because the environment can’t recognise them.

I know this firsthand. For years, I was underappreciated because of my dyslexia. Some people went as far as telling me I had Down syndrome, not because it was true, but because they didn’t understand how my mind worked, and they couldn’t see the strengths I brought.

That wasn’t a confidence problem. That was a place problem.

I am not good at manual work or roles that rely heavily on traditional academic processing. But I am pretty good at structure, systems, organisation, and seeing the bigger picture. When I stopped trying to fit into environments that dismissed me and started working where my strengths mattered, I became a publisher and built success by doing what I do best. The environment doesn’t create talent. It either reveals it or crushes it.

Know your strengths. Know your limits. And stop offering pearls to places that can’t see their worth.

Here’s another example.

Over the past three months, I have been visiting several Toastmasters clubs, looking for the right one to join. At one club, something unexpected happened.

The culture felt off to me. People regularly used risqué jokes, occasional swear words, and presented themselves in a way that felt scruffy and careless. When it was my turn to introduce myself at the end of the meeting, I said something I would normally never say—I told a vulgar joke. Almost immediately, I felt ashamed.

When I got home, I reflected on why I had done it and why it felt so wrong. The answer was simple and uncomfortable: I was trying to fit into the environment.

That moment made something quite clear to me. If an environment pushes you to act against your values, your standards, or your true personality, it doesn’t elevate you; it pulls you down.

So I made a decision not to return. Not because the people were “wrong,” but because the environment was wrong for me.

Confidence isn’t just about speaking up. It’s also about knowing when to walk away. And choosing environments that bring out your best.

4Ps of Confidence (4/): Power

This is the fourth edition in the 4Ps of Confidence series, and it focuses on Power.

The definition of power boils down to two main abilities: to act and to influence.

Power manifests differently across various areas of life. Here are three domains and the ways power is demonstrated in each.

Intellectual Power

1. Ability to analyse and prioritise as opposed to consume information. I know many people who read a lot, but they cannot do much with that knowledge

2. Desire and ability to learn

3. Structured thinking and discernment

4. Flexibility of mind and the ability to change

Physical Power

1. Good posture and grounded movement

2. High energy levels and stamina

3. Strength and flexibility of the body, overall good health

4. Beauty and attractiveness

Speech and Voice

1. Well-projected voice and control of pitch, pace, and pause. You can practise it with the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

2. Concise speech and careful choice of words

3. Use of stress that can be practised with the app Fluent English Speech or Fluent American Speech

4. Good articulation, which you can practise with the apps

British English

• Elocution Lessons

• Get Rid of your Accent

• Business English Speech

American English

• American Accent App

Where in your life do you need to build power, not image, not performance, but real strength? Look forward to your comments!

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

262. iOS Apps to Master English Speech

This article will help you choose the best apps to master Received Pronunciation, clear articulation, expressive voice modulation, and the strategic use of pauses. These core speaking skills are essential for public speakers and professionals who use English as a second language and want to sound confident, polished, and persuasive.

All the apps featured share powerful, user-friendly functionality. You can listen to expertly recorded audio by professional actors, record your own voice, and instantly compare your pronunciation with the model, making progress measurable and motivating.

British English:

Elocution Lessons. This app is ideal for children and people who have just started learning English. This app has 48 lessons. It contains short, commonly used phrases, sentences and verses that are easy to repeat, and it also has useful tips for teachers of English. It is actually useful for everyone as it contains essential, everyday English.

Get Rid of your Accent. This app is ideal if you want to get rid of a regional or foreign accent and to speak with Standard English or RP (Received Pronunciation). It has 42 lessons; it contains effective practical exercises to perfect all English sounds and perfect your articulation.

Fluent English Speech. This app is a follow-up to the Get Rid of your Accent app.  It is ideal if you want to develop fluency in English and sound more like a native English speaker. It contains exercises for difficult and connected speech patterns, natural flow of speech, intonation, sentence stress and onomatopoeia.

Business English Speech. This app was designed for top-level professionals, diplomats and lawyers. It is the only app on the market that has both English pronunciation and business vocabulary training. It contains 43 lessons with material gathered from interviews with CEOs, CFOs and MDs of global companies and helps to develop proficiency in English.

4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause. This app is ideal if you want to get rid of monotonous speech and become a successful presenter and public speaker. It contains practical exercises for voice modulation and the use of pauses.

Get rid of Chinese Accent. This app is the same as the app Get Rid of your Accent, with an additional bonus - Chinese translations.

Get Rid of Russian Accent. This app is the same as the app Get Rid of your Accent, with an additional bonus - Russian translations.

General American English:

American Accent App. This app is ideal if you want to get rid of a foreign or regional accent and master the Standard American accent. It has 42 lessons. It contains effective, practical exercises to perfect all American English sounds.

Fluent American Speech. This app is a follow-up to the American Accent App. It is ideal to develop fluency in your American English speech. It contains exercises for difficult and connected speech patterns, natural flow of speech, intonation and sentence stress

More on www.batcsglobal.com

261. Contained Energy: The Missing Skill in Communication

For a long time, I thought my rushed speech was just part of my personality. I’m enthusiastic. I get excited about ideas. I like forward motion. So when I spoke quickly or acted fast, I assumed that was a feature, not a bug. 

Even a speech tutor who has known me for 20 years once told me I needed to “remove the attack” from my voice. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant. Now I do. That comment makes perfect sense in the context of how my pace and intensity can unintentionally create pressure for others. 

But over time, I started noticing a pattern that was harder to ignore: when I felt excited—or when I wanted something—people tensed up.

• Not because the idea was bad.

• Not because the request was unreasonable.

• But because my pace carried urgency.

 And urgency, even when well-intentioned, often feels like pressure. The real issue wasn’t speed — it was velocity. What finally clicked for me is this: 

Trying to “talk slower” doesn’t work if your nervous system is still in move-this-forward-now mode. 

When we’re excited or motivated: 

•  Our speech compresses

•  Our breathing shortens

•  Our bodies lean forward

•  Our ideas stack on top of each other

 To us, it feels like clarity and momentum. To others, it often feels like being pushed. So the work isn’t reducing energy. It’s learning how to separate excitement from urgency.

 A simple reframe that changed everything: 

 I don’t need momentum. I need permission. Permission comes from safety, space, and choice — not speed. When I slow down enough to give people room, conversations become easier, not harder.

I learned that small changes make an immediate difference:

1. I slow the start, not the whole conversation.

The first 10 seconds set the emotional tone.

Starting slower than feels natural creates safety.

I can always speed up later.

 2. I pause after the headline. Instead of explaining everything at once, I separate it: 

•  One clear headline

•  A pause

•  Then the details

 That pause signals confidence and respect.

 3. I add an explicit release valve when I’m asking for something.

Simple phrases like:

• “No rush - just wanted to float it.”

•  “If this isn’t a fit, totally fine.”

•  “Think about it and let me know.”

 Choice lowers tension instantly.

 4. I ground my body before speaking

• Feet flat on the floor.

• One full exhale.

• Jaw and shoulders relaxed.

 Stillness in the body creates stillness in timing.

 5. I delay the ask by 20–30 seconds. Connection first. Ask second. People are far more open when they don’t feel hunted.

In leadership, collaboration, sales, and communication in general, intensity without space creates resistance. Calm doesn’t mean low energy. It means contained energy. 

And contained energy is: 

•  Easier to trust

•  Easier to follow

•  Easier to say yes to

 Urgency narrows people. Calm expands them.

I’m still practising this — especially when I care a lot. But every time I slow the pace, I notice: 

•  Better conversations

•  Less resistance

•  More genuine engagement

 The skill is learning how to let that motivation land gently.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

260. Own Your Space - Use Your Arms with Confidence

We have been running elocution lessons since 2007 and have helped hundreds of people become confident and effective public speakers.

What we have noticed is that most students are unsure how to use their arms and hands while speaking in public. This uncertainty often results in gestures that reduce the impact of a presentation and make the speaker appear tense or awkward.

Some of the most common distracting hand and arm habits include:

• Putting hands behind the back

• Creating a “chicken-wing” effect by holding the upper arms too close to the body

• Crossing the hands over the stomach

• Keeping hands in pockets

• Tight, clumsy-looking fingers

These gestures often signal a lack of confidence and suggest that the speaker is tense.

I experienced something similar when I started belly dancing. Being in control of my arms was one of my biggest challenges:

1. I tended to keep my upper arms too close to my body, making my hands look stiff and awkward (the chicken wing effect). My teacher told me that I needed to own my space and allow my arms to move freely and move them away from my body.

2. My fingers were spread awkwardly.

   In dance, fingers frame the movement; when used correctly, they elevate the dancer to something magnificent.

That advice applies just as powerfully to public speaking. Confident speakers are not afraid to use open, expansive arm gestures and to fully own the space they are in.

As a member of a public speaking club, I have noticed that even the most experienced public speakers can sometimes overdo their arm movements. The fact is that:

• too much movement,

• overly exaggerated gestures,

• constantly repeated gestures, or

• gestures that don’t match the words - can distract the audience rather than enhance the message.

Here are some strategies to get it right:

1. Be mindful, not mechanical

Plan your gestures to align with key points in your speech, but don’t force them on every sentence. Natural, purposeful movements have more impact than constant motion.

2. Own your space

Stand with a stable posture and allow your arms to move within your personal space. Avoid collapsing them close to your body, putting them in pockets, or hiding them behind your back. Confident speakers use open gestures to “claim” the stage.

3. Match gestures to words

Gestures should complement what you’re saying. For example, when enumerating points, show them on your fingers; when speaking about growth, use upward hand motions. This reinforces your message visually.

4. Practice restraint and rhythm

Less is often more. Overuse of gestures can feel chaotic. Practice your speech and notice where gestures feel natural. Pausing occasionally with hands at rest can make the gestures you do use stand out.

5. Record and review

Video yourself during practice sessions. Seeing how your arm movements look from an audience perspective helps identify distracting habits and improve flow.

6. Draw inspiration from other disciplines

Activities like dance, acting, or even martial arts teach spatial awareness and fluid arm movements. These skills can help you move with purpose rather than randomly.

When used with intention, gestures become quiet poetry, infusing your presence with elegance and grace and making beauty felt in both movement and sound.

In our elocution lessons, we record students’ speeches in both audio and video formats to help them develop strong verbal and nonverbal communication skills. To book a lesson, email: oriana_r@hotmail.com.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com