Episode summary

She had the highest technical score in the promotion panel. She prepared for weeks. Her English was grammatically flawless. And she still did not get the role.

The feedback from the decision-makers? She did not read the room. Something felt off.

What they were describing was an EQ gap. And nobody in her L&D program had taught her that emotional intelligence has a sound.

In this masterclass, Leonilda introduces the 3 Voices of EQ: the three places where emotional intelligence either shows up or disappears when a francophone leader speaks English under pressure. This is the conversation most leadership programs are not having and the one that changes everything.

•       Why technically perfect English is not enough in high-stakes leadership moments

•       The 3 Voices of EQ: word choice, register, and silence and how they sound in practice

•       The most common EQ mistakes francophone leaders make in English-speaking boardrooms

•       A micro-drill to start building your high EQ language this week

Timestamps

0:00–1:00

The promotion panel scenario and why perfect English was not enough

1:00–2:00

The provocation: EQ has a sound. Most L&D programs are not teaching it.

2:00–3:30

Voice 1: Word Choice — what you say under pressure

3:30–5:30

Voice 2: Register — direct vs. diplomatic, and how to read the room

5:30–7:00

Voice 3: Silence — why the pause is your most powerful leadership tool

7:00–8:30

Client story: Claire, two passed-over promotions, and one global town hall

8:30–10:00

Your next step — and how to book your Speaking Audit

Explore the crucial role of emotional intelligence in leadership and effective communication, especially in high-stakes situations. Learn practical tips to enhance your EQ voice and read the room better.

Keywords

Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Communication, English for Leaders, EQ Voice, Reading the Room, High-Stakes Conversations, Influence, Inspire, Professional Development

Practical tips to improve EQ communication skills

Reading the room and influencing effectively

"High EQ buys you time and builds trust."

"Fill the space to sound smart, or connect?"

"Your EQ can be made audible."

Further Reading:

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves - https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-2-0-Travis-Bradberry/dp/0974320625

Reading the Room: How to Understand What People Are Really Thinking - https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Room-Understand-What-People/dp/XYZ

Join the newsletter to be informed on the latest: https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up

Website - https://www.leonildarenaldo.com

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/leonildarenaldo

You have prepared. You know your subject. You walk into the room with conviction.

Then you use one word — one familiar, comfortable, perfectly French word — and the room shifts. Not visibly. Not dramatically. But something slips.

That slip has a name: faux-ami. False friend. And in this episode, we are going to find it, name it, and take away its power.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

•       Why faux-amis exist — and why the answer goes back 1,000 years

•       The real cost of faux-amis in leadership settings: credibility, trust, and pipeline

•       10 high-stakes false friends that francophone professionals use every day

•       Specific examples from the boardroom, the HR office, and the client call

•       A three-part strategy to replace the wrong reflex with the right one — permanently

The History Behind the Trap

In 1066, the Normans conquered England — and French became the language of power for nearly 300 years. The law, the court, commerce, governance: all conducted in French.

Over time, English absorbed thousands of French words. But the meanings drifted. The spellings stayed. The traps were set.

Linguist Bernard Cerquiglini — one of France's foremost language authorities — argued that English is, in many ways, French that has been living abroad long enough to forget where it came from. His work gives us the intellectual framework for understanding why faux-amis are not vocabulary errors. They are history living inside language.

Even the word budget comes from bougette — a small French leather pouch carried by the treasury. Every board presentation built around a budget is, unknowingly, built around a French purse.

This episode covers some "faux amis":

•       Actually

•       Eventually

•       Sensible

•       Demand

•       Assist

•       Pretend

•       Agenda (meeting items) or hidden objective

And more

Your Free Resource — The 14-Day Leadership Drill

The 14-Day Leadership Drill gives you one precision language habit per day, built specifically for francophone professionals operating in English at leadership level. Five minutes a day. Fourteen days. Free.

→ Download your free 14-Day Leadership Drill

About Your Host

Leonilda is a Leadership Development Coach for non-native English speakers — helping HR professionals, L&D managers, and executives communicate with precision, presence, and authority in global environments.

TEDx speaker. Featured in Marie Claire. Seen on BSmart and Yahoo Finance. Creator of Boardroom English® — tailored for professionals ready to lead in English.

Connect With Leonilda

•       LinkedIn

•       Website

•       Instagram

After two months of silence, Leonilda Renaldo returns with the real reason she went quiet — not the polished version, the honest one.

Eight years ago she had a dream: to speak at a TEDx event about the most powerful leadership tool she knows. Not artificial intelligence. Authentic intelligence — the ability to show up fully, without performing, without shrinking, in any room, in any language.

This month, that dream became real.

In this episode Leonilda shares what those eight years taught her, what the TEDx stage confirmed, and why every French-speaking professional trying to close the gap between who they are in French and who they show up as in English is doing their own version of the same journey.

This is not a language problem. It is a leadership competence. And it can be built.

YOUR ONE ACTION FROM THIS EPISODE

Think of one moment this week where you held back in English — where you said the shorter, safer version of what you really meant. Say the full version out loud today. That gap is your work. This season, we close it together.

FREE RESOURCE

Download the 14-Day English Leadership Drill — free, 5 minutes a day, built around the leadership scenarios where that gap costs you the most.

WORK WITH LEONILDA

Ready to go further? Book your free 15-minute discovery call: https://leonildarenaldo-befluentaudit.youcanbook.me/

ABOUT LEONILDA RENALDO

Communication coach · TEDx Speaker · Founder of Leo Dynamics · Host of The BE Fluent Podcast · Featured in Marie Claire, BSmart and Yahoo Finance · leodynamics.com

CONNECT

Website: leodynamics.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/

Keywords: English leadership communication, speak English with confidence, French-speaking professionals, authentic communication at work, English for non-native leaders, executive presence in English, business English coaching, English coaching Switzerland, English coaching France, TEDx speaker, BE Fluent podcast, Leonilda Renaldo, Leo Dynamics

#BeFluent #EnglishLeadership #CommunicationCoaching #FrenchSpeakingProfessionals #LeadInEnglish #AuthenticCommunication #ExecutivePresence #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalBrand #TEDxSpeaker

Don't just get an A in English. Get four.

If you've ever held back in a meeting, stumbled over your words on a call, or felt like your ideas weren't landing the way they should — this episode is for you.

It's not about being perfect. It's about being purposeful.

Leonilda Renaldo is breaking down the exact framework she uses with aspiring leaders to transform the way they show up in English. No more memorising random vocabulary. No more hoping you'll "get better." This is strategic. This is intentional. And it works.

🔑 The Four A's in LeoDynamic's Boardroom English® Method:

ASSESS — Stop guessing. Get clear on who you need to communicate with, what you need to say, and why. Are you trying to inspire? Inform? Influence? That answer changes everything.

ANCHOR — Small actions become habits. Habits become behaviours. Behaviours become your personality. We're talking micro-actions that stack up and make impactful English communication automatic.

ADJUST — Communication isn't a monologue. It's a dance. "It takes two to tango," and in this episode Leonilda breaks down exactly how to flex, adapt, and flow with whoever is in front of you.

ACQUIRE — This is where it all clicks. You stop imitating. You stop hiding. You embrace your imperfections and step into the kind of autonomy that makes you unstoppable.

💬 The line you need to hear:
"You're not aiming to hide your imperfections. You're embracing them and heading towards excellence."

📌 Also in this episode:
• Why English should be a tool, not an objective: Tune into this client story episode
• How to ask for clarity without sounding lost
• Everything you need to know about The Booster — the 5-week intensive starting March 3rd

🔗 Connect with Leonilda:
[Linkedin] [Instagram]
[WEBSITE]

Your homework:

1. Rate and review this episode or show
2. Subscribe to the show so you don't miss any of our episodes
3. Sign up to our newsletter for events
   

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who's been holding back. They need to hear this.

#LeadershipCommunication #EnglishForLeaders #AuthenticLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #EnglishBooster #ExecutivePresence #PersonalBranding

Breaking Barriers: How One Environmental Expert Transformed Fear into Professional Flow

When Natacha Nowak needed to advocate for sustainability in the pharmaceutical sector, perfect grammar wasn't her problem—being heard was. In this episode, discover how she shifted from hesitant speaker to confident communicator by focusing on the one element most language learners miss: strategic communication skills that build personal brand authority.

Whether you're in sustainability, tech, finance, or any field where English opens doors, Natacha's journey reveals why fluency isn't about perfection—it's about presence, clarity, and the confidence to share your expertise with the world.

What you'll learn:

• The mindset shift from "correct English" to "compelling English"
• How to position your expertise even when English isn't your first language
• Why personal branding accelerates both language skills and career growth

Are you ready to be more strategic in your communication in the global workplace? Sign up to our bi-weekly newsletter for updates on events, courses, podcast episodes: https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up

Keywords: English for professionals, career acceleration, personal branding, professional communication, executive presence, language confidence, thought leadership, professional development, strategic communication

#ProfessionalEnglish #CareerGrowth #PersonalBranding #ExecutivePresence #ProfessionalDevelopment #LanguageConfidence #ThoughtLeadership

Join the March 2026 Booster Program – A transformative 4-Week journey for professionals ready to use English as their competitive advantage. Build the communication skills and personal brand that position you as a leader in your field.

Information here or send us an email [email protected]

Pour plus d'information sur le Booster, c'est par ici --> en français https://www.leodynamics.com/english-booster-with-leonilda

Connect with Leonilda Renaldo on

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.leodynamics.com

Book an appointment and get a speaking audit FREE: https://leonildarenaldo-be-app.youcanbook.me/

You're about to spend the holidays speaking your native language with family—and you might be worried your English will get rusty. What if I told you this break is exactly what your business English needs?

In this episode, you'll discover why the time you spend NOT speaking English could be the most valuable work you do for your communication skills all year. I'm sharing practical exercises you can do while fully immersed in your native language that will transform how you show up in English when you return to work in January.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

- Why observation is your secret communication weapon (and what to watch for at family gatherings)

- The storytelling structure you already know in your native language—and how to translate it to English presentations

- How to build emotional range by mapping feelings in both languages

- Why rest isn't regression—it's the strategy that creates January breakthroughs

- The specific exercises you can do over the holidays to strengthen your English (without speaking a word of it)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: The worry about getting "rusty"

01:15 - The Power of Observation: Learning from family communicators

02:45 - The Storytelling Reset: Structure over words

04:20 - The Emotional Vocabulary Breakthrough: Building your range

06:15 - Why Rest Is Strategy

07:30 - Your Holiday Challenge + Free Resource

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🎁 FREE Download THE BILINGUAL EMOTION MAP

This map helps you bridge those feelings to English—so when you return to work, you don't just speak English, you FEEL in English.

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YOUR TURN:

After listening share your insight:

- Tag me on LinkedIn: @Leonilda Renaldo

- Instagram: @leonildarenaldo

- Use hashtag: #BilingualEmotionMap

I'll feature the best insights in our January episode!

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OTHER RESOURCES:

📧 Join our bi-weekly newsletter for updates on events and courses

📞 Ready to close the gap between who you are in your native language and who you are in English? Book your strategy call with Leonilda

🌐 LeoDynamics Website

www.leodynamics.com/en

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ABOUT THE BE FLUENT SHOW:

Your ultimate resource for mastering business English, boosting your career, and gaining recognition in the global marketplace. Hosted by Leonilda Renaldo, expert in business communication.

⭐ ENJOYING THE SHOW?

If this episode helped you, here's how you can support:

Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts

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© 2025 LeoDynamics | All Rights Reserved

You prepare what you'll say. You know your material. But when the moment comes to speak up in that leadership meeting... silence.

Most people think it's a confidence problem or a communication skills gap. It's neither.

In this episode, leadership communication expert Leonilda Renaldo reveals the hidden emotional patterns that keep high-performers silent in meetings—and why your brain treats speaking up as a survival threat.

Discover the real reason behind your hesitation, how past emotional experiences shape your present-day communication, and the proven strategies to create internal safety so your voice is clear when stakes are high.

Perfect for: Leaders who overthink before speaking, professionals whose perfectionism intensifies under pressure, anyone who has brilliant ideas after meetings end.

• Why emotions are "energy in motion" and how they drive your brain's response to perceived danger in meetings
• Why language proficiency isn't blocking your voice—emotional patterns are
• Practical tracking methods to map your patterns and measure progress

00:00 - Why capable leaders stay silent 
01:40 - Building your internal safe space for assertive communication 03:35 - The pattern-tracking strategy that creates breakthroughs 05:03 - Measuring communication wins

emotional patterns in leadership speaking up in meetings leadership communication emotional intelligence at work assertive communication  executive presence overcoming self-doubt emotional awareness high-stakes communication perfectionism at work leadership mindset

Leonilda helps leaders close the credibility gap. Her clients lead C-suite meetings, earn significantly more, and step into international roles by transforming the emotional patterns that kept them silent.

LeoDynamics Website

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Instagram

Track your patterns: Next meeting, notice what emotions show up right before you want to speak. Don't judge them—just observe. That awareness is the first step to transformation.

Share your insight: What emotional pattern have you noticed in your own communication? Tag us on socials with your biggest takeaway using #voiceunderpressure

Book your strategy call to go deeper

• Join our newsletter for updates on events and courses
• Link to brain freeze episode as a complementary resource

🎧 Never miss an episode: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts/Spotify/YouTube and turn on notifications

⭐ Enjoying the show? Leave a 5-star review and help other leaders discover these strategies. Your review helps us reach more professionals who need to hear this message.

Doubt as Data: How to Turn Doubt Into Your Superpower
You’re Not Lacking Confidence — You’re Missing Information

Website: https://www.leodynamics.com/en/
Get your free Cheat Sheet: https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/free-cheat-sheet-download-turning-data-into-your-superpower

Description:
What if your doubt isn’t a problem to fix, but a message to decode? In this short masterclass episode of The Be Fluent Show, host Leonilda Renaldo introduces a powerful new way to approach fear, hesitation, and self-doubt—especially when speaking English in global meetings, presentations, or high-stakes conversations.

Through a real client story and a practical pen-and-paper method, Leonilda reveals why your body speaks six seconds before your mouth does—and how understanding this unlocks clarity, calm, and confidence in any language.

🌍 What you’ll learn in this episode:
· Why doubt and confidence are cousins—and how to use both
· The “Joy vs. Stress” 2-column exercise that transforms fear into clarity
· The mistake most professionals make when trying to sound confident
· How writing your emotions down creates space for creativity, adaptability, and presence
· A post-event reflection method that builds data-driven confidence over time

Whether you’re leading meetings, presenting to international clients, or navigating complex global relationships, this episode helps you stop suppressing doubt—and start turning it into your greatest communication advantage.

👉 Listen now, download the cheat sheet, and learn how to turn doubt into data—and data into confidence.

Keywords: business English confidence, global communication skills, leadership presence, English for professionals, presentation confidence, mindset for speaking English, international workplace communication

Let’s keep the conversation going: send us your questions on [email protected] and sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on events and courses.
📩 https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up

To find out how we can help you influence your next conversation go here: https://www.leodynamics.com/en/landing-en

If you’re ready to go deeper, book your strategy call with Leonilda today: https://leonildarenaldo-strategycall.youcanbook.me

Follow Leonilda on LinkedIn and Instagram: Leonilda Renaldo

Website: https://www.leodynamics.com/en/

Connect with Leonilda Renaldo, Founder of LeoDynamics

• by email: [email protected]
• on Linkedin
• on Instagram @leonildarenaldo
• visit our website
  

Episode Description

How do you make complex ideas land in a global workplace?
In this conversation, market-research consultant Marinette Dalbard shares how she turns data into human stories that drive better decisions — and how learning to express those insights in English transformed her professional confidence.

Marinette’s story is special: she’s not only a leader in consumer-insight design, she’s also a former LeoDynamics client who learned to bridge the credibility gap many non-native English professionals feel. Together we explore how the skills that make great research — clarity, curiosity, and structure — are the same ones that make powerful communication.

You’ll learn:

• How to use constraints as creative fuel
• Why “quick & dirty” kills credibility — and what to do instead
• A simple “So what?” framework to make your message stick
• How to sound credible (not perfect) in high-stakes English conversations
  

If you’re an HR or L&D leader, an executive in transition, or a global professional ready to speak up with impact, this episode will help you connect the dots between insight design and confident communication.

Connect with Marinette Dalbard on LinkedIn

Are you a woman in Market Research? Join Marinette and I at Geneva's WIRe kick off event on November 13, 2025.

Register before November 10th, 2025

🎁 Free resource: Download The BE Fluent Cheat Sheet — 28 Smart Phrases to Speak with Credibility

Sign-up to our bi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on events and courses

Keywords: credibility gap · executive communication · non-native English · market research · insight storytelling · hybrid research · leadership presence · clarity over complexity

Two Tongues, Two Voices: The Case of Jodie Foster

You’re Not the Same Person in English – And That’s Powerful

Description:
Have you ever felt like a different person when you speak English? You’re not alone—and that’s not a flaw. In this short masterclass episode of The Be Fluent Show, host Leonilda Renaldo reveals how Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster waited 20 years to perform in French again—and what that story teaches us about credibility, identity, and confidence in global communication.

🌍 What you’ll learn in this episode:

· Why fluency and confidence are not twins—and how to strengthen both

· How language shapes your identity and leadership presence

· A 3-step reflection exercise to discover your authentic “English self”

· How to stop waiting to sound perfect and start leading with impact in English

Whether you’re a professional, manager, or executive navigating global work relationships, this episode helps you release the pressure to be the same person in every language—and embrace your power to communicate, lead, and connect across cultures.

👉 Listen now, do the reflection exercise, and step into your most confident English-speaking self.

Keywords: English for leaders, business English confidence, global communication skills, bilingual leadership, professional English speaking, executive presence in English, leadership communication

Get your free Vocabulary Resource: https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/free-vocabulary-resource-download-ep3

Let’s keep the conversation going: send us your questions on [email protected] and sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on events and courses.
📩 https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up

To find out how we can help you influence your next conversation go here: https://www.leodynamics.com/en/landing-en

If you’re ready to go deeper, book your strategy call with Leonilda today: https://leonildarenaldo-strategycall.youcanbook.me

Follow Leonilda on LinkedIn and Instagram: Leonilda Renaldo

Website: https://www.leodynamics.com/en/