Confident Business English
Anna Connelly
Confident Business English host and accredited Neurolanguage Coach® Anna Connelly brings senior managers, who already need to communicate in English, more advanced business English tips to boost confidence. Listeners say they love the podcast because it's to-the-point, useful and interesting.
- 15 minutes 48 seconds306. If You Feel Too Direct When You Speak English, Listen to This
As a senior manager, at times you will need to be direct and at times, diplomatic. However, you feel your vocabulary is limited and you tend to speak too directly. In this episode, I show you how to say the same message in different ways, so you can choose the right tone for meetings, feedback, and difficult conversations. Enjoy! Anna
01:40 — Direct vs diplomatic: the core communication problem
03:20 — Scenario 1: Managing time in meetings
06:40 — Scenario 2: Giving negative feedback
11:20 — Scenario 3: Rejecting an idea
14:40 — Key takeaways + how to practice
15:30 — Final action stepWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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21 January 2026, 8:18 am - 14 minutes 17 seconds305. How to Build Confidence and Connection in English at Work
Making conversation in English can feel harder than meetings, presentations, or technical discussions, especially when you are a senior manager. In this episode, I give you ways to help reduce feeling awkward and uncertain to feeling more confident, in control, and connected when you speak with colleagues in English. I'll share with you simple, repeatable strategies to:
- reduce anxiety before conversations
- guide discussions instead of reacting to them
- handle moments of misunderstanding calmly
- finish conversations confidently and naturally
I hope you can take something away from the episode today. Enjoy. Anna
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14 January 2026, 2:00 am - 18 minutes 40 seconds304. I Don’t Sound Like a Senior Manager in English: 11 Executive Upgrades to Get On Autopilot
You are already able to communicate in English but you don't feel confident that you sound like a senior manager. In this episode, I've picked my top 11 quick upgrades you can make to sound more executive. But let me be clear, you don’t need these to do your job. You already are a senior manager. But if you want to feel more confident when you walk into the room, this episode will help. Enjoy! Anna
Timestamps
- 02:10 The “outfit” analogy
- 03:10 — Upgrade 1: Further (vs. more)
- 04:10 — Upgrade 2: I think alternatives
- 05:35 — Upgrade 3: preference without over-commitment
- 07:40 — Upgrade 4: diplomatic disagreement
- 09:10 — Upgrade 5: manage objections neutrally
- 10:50 — Upgrade 6: sound inclusive in openings
- 11:50 — Upgrade 7:directive but collaborative control
- 13:25 — Upgrade 8: Ipolite interruption / keep meeting on track
- 14:55 — Upgrade 9: Replace common adjectives
- 16:30 — Upgrade 10: raise issue with the right person
- 17:50 — Upgrade 11: conviction without aggression
- 17:50 — Practice Out loud: conviction without aggression
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17 December 2025, 2:00 am - 13 minutes 40 seconds303. What Did They Just Say? Real Meeting English for Senior Managers
As a senior manager, not understanding can feel very uncomfortable. You know people are looking to you to lead the conversation. If you miss something, you might say something wrong and worry you will look like silly. It's an understandable concern so let me help you build your confidence by learning common phrases from real meetings so next time you know exactly what you're colleagues are saying. Enjoy! Anna
- 00:00 – Why missing meaning in meetings crushes confidence
- 03:00 – Phrase 1
- 05:30 – Phrase 2
- 07:00 – Phrase 3
- 08:00 – Phrase 4
- 09:30 – Phrase 5
- 10:30 – Phrase 6
- 12:00 – Quick recap of all phrases
- 13:00 – How to lock these into your memory
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10 December 2025, 2:00 am - 13 minutes 37 seconds302. Executive Presence in English: Habits to Improve Your Delivery
You can already speak English but do you sound like the senior manager you are? In this episode, I walk you through the small communication habits that quietly affect how you come across at work. Enjoy! Anna
01:30 – The uncomfortable lesson I learned from my own communication coach
05:10 – Habit 1
07:00 – Habit 2
10:40 – Habit 3
13:20 – Practical ways to get feedback and improve
15:20 – Final challenge for the weekWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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3 December 2025, 2:00 am - 11 minutes 38 seconds301. 12 Minutes to Speak Like a Leader in Your Next Interview
If you’ve got an interview in English for a senior role, you need answers that reflect your true experience, clearly, confidently, and with the right vocabulary. In just 12 minutes, I’ll walk you through the leadership verbs and phrases that instantly make your answers stronger and more accurate. All inspired by my clients who have gone through this process too. They are all straightforward upgrades you can try to incorporate in your next interview. I really hope you find it useful. Anna
TImestamps
01:15 – The problem: underselling your experience in English
03:05 – How to talk like a leader: essential verbs and phrases
03:20 – Verb 1
04:00 – Verb 2
04:40 – Verb 3
05:25 – Verb 4
06:00 – Verb 5
06:30 – Verb 6
07:10 – Verb 7
07:45 – Verb 8
09:20 – Practical tas
10:00 – Final reminders + where to get extra tipsWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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26 November 2025, 2:00 am - 12 minutes 20 seconds300. Senior Manager Quick Wins: One Small Word to Sound More Diplomatic
Learn one small but powerful word you can use in difficult conversations to sound more diplomatic and confident without hiding your message. Senior managers use this word to soften feedback, communicate concerns clearly, and handle sensitive moments better. Enjoy! Anna
Timestamps
00:00 Why this tiny word matters
01:05 What the word really means
02:40 When to use it (and when not to)
04:15 How to use it to to soften feedback
06:10 Using the word to express risks
08:00 Practice: Rephrase your sentences
09:45 Your action step for this weekWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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19 November 2025, 2:00 am - 14 minutes 47 seconds299. Decode Business Phrases: No More “What Does That Mean?”
The last Decode episode was really popular so I wanted to expand to a new mini series throughout this season. If you’ve ever been in a meeting and thought, “Wait… what does that phrase actually mean?” this episode is for you. Let me take you through a list of common business expressions you’ll hear across companies and industries. You’ll learn what they mean, how they’re used, and the origin of the phrase. That will mean that next time, you can follow the conversation and won't have to wonder what it means! Enjoy. Anna
- 01:30 Phrase 1
- 03:05 Phrase 2
- 04:40 Phrase 3
- 06:05 Phrase 4
- 07:40 Phrase 5
- 09:05 Phrase 6
- 10:45 Phrase 7
- 12:10 Phrase 8
- 13:20 Phrase 9
- 14:30 Wrap-up + what to do this week
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12 November 2025, 2:00 am - 14 minutes 31 seconds298. Don’t Break Your Flow! Clarify the Business Words That Make You Hesitate
CLICK HERE TO MY NEXT FREE LIVESTREAM 12TH NOVEMBER 2025 19.30 (Madrid time)
Do you break the flow when you speak because you’re unsure if you’re using the right word? In this 15-minute episode, I’ll help you finally clarify the most common “what’s the difference” questions my clients ask. You’ll stop second-guessing yourself in meetings and just go for it. Keep the flow going! Enjoy. Anna
00:00 – Why we hesitate when we speak
02:00 – My “SUMO” trick to deal with hesitation
04:00 – Double vs. Duplicate
05:30 – Each vs. Every
07:00 – In the End vs. At the End
08:30 – Happy vs. Glad
10:00 – Ad Hoc vs. One-Off
11:30 – Argue vs. Discuss
13:30 – How to use this in real conversations
14:30 – Wrap-up and live stream invitationWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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5 November 2025, 2:00 am - 11 minutes 58 seconds297. Ask Your First Question at a Conference
Do you have a a great question but there's a big audience and it's intimidating? this short, practical session I give you a clear 5-step framework, real examples, and delivery tips so you can speak up, ask a question confidently and feel like you are contributing to the conversation. Enjoy! Anna
00:35 – Why speaking up matters for senior managers (visibility & impact)
02:10 – The 5-step question framework
04:20 – Example 1:
05:20 – Example 2:
06:05 – Example 3:
06:55 – Delivery tips:
08:10 – Sound more advanced
08:55 – Action task
09:35 – Start small
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29 October 2025, 2:00 am - 15 minutes 48 seconds296. 15 Minutes to See Your English Differently
If you already speak English every day but still doubt yourself, this one’s for you. In 15 minutes, I want to help you shift your perspective so you can focus on more on what actually matters. This is a coaching episode which is part of the content on Confident Business English. It's not just about the technical stuff, you also need to put in the work to move forward in the way you think. I hope you find it useful. Anna.
Timings
00:00 – Why your English confidence might be the real problem, not your skills
02:00 – The mismatch between how you think you sound and how others hear you
05:00 – Why “bad English” isn’t an accurate description for most professionals
08:00 – Universal experiences: nerves, difficult people, and speaking on the spot
11:00 – What “fluency” really means (and why you’re probably fine)
13:00 – How to get useful feedback and build long-term confidence
14:30 – Final takeaway: Stop fixing what isn’t brokenWANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee
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22 October 2025, 1:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App