Building Confidence in High-Stakes Meetings • BEP 157

The Business English Podcast

The Business English Podcast
Building Confidence in High-Stakes Meetings • BEP 157
Feb 26, 2026 Season 2 Episode 157
Energetic English

Rob recounts a tense boardroom pitch where Josh, a non-native English speaker, nearly loses the room after a small phrasing mistake, then recovers and earns executive trust by using rehearsed responses and a calmer delivery. 

The episode then offers a practical framework for building a meeting-ready toolkit: prepare and practice in advance, avoid apologising for English mistakes, buy time when needed, prioritise clarity over jargon or direct translation, and avoid pleading for understanding.

00:00 Boardroom Pressure Cooker
02:39 The Slip Up Moment
03:23 Bootcamp Rehearsal
04:59 Back in the Hot Seat
05:26 Winning the Q and A
07:46 Three Power Phrases
09:45 Principles to Sound Confident
11:14 What Not to Say
11:55 Final Confidence Challenge

Episode Artwork Building Confidence in High-Stakes Meetings • BEP 157 13:40 Episode Artwork Avoiding Corporate Speak to Sound Authentic • BEP 156 14:31 Episode Artwork Small Talk Starters for Networking Wins • BEP 155 12:28 Episode Artwork Power Phrases for Strategy and Market Talks • BEP 154 13:55 Episode Artwork Phrases to Defend Ideas in Heated Debates • BEP 153 15:11 Episode Artwork Handling Client Objections Like a Pro • BEP 152 12:13 Episode Artwork Essential Synonyms for Everyday Business Verbs • BEP 151 11:34 Episode Artwork Elevating Your Pitch with Advanced Synonyms • BEP 150 16:07 Episode Artwork Boosting Fluency for Consulting Success • BEP 149 14:27 Episode Artwork Ditching Jargon to Build Trust in Business Talks • BEP 148 14:06 Episode Artwork Navigating Boardroom Banter with Confidence • BEP 147 13:41 Episode Artwork Fluency Hacks for Technical Interviews • BEP 146 17:26 Episode Artwork Idioms That Close Sales and Win Negotiations • BEP 145 14:20 Episode Artwork Mastering Business Phrasal Verbs for Daily Deals • BEP 144 14:41 Episode Artwork Polite Ways To Say NO Without Burning Bridges • BEP 143 16:17 Episode Artwork Alternatives to "I Think" for Confident Communication • BEP 142 15:09 Episode Artwork Expressing Opinions Like a Native in Meetings • BEP 141 11:44 Episode Artwork 3 Vital Insights into British Business English [with Charlie from The British English Podcast] • BEP 140 21:02 Episode Artwork The Art of Saying No Professionally [with Michael from The Level Up English Podcast] • BEP 139 14:03 Episode Artwork Pronunciation Tips for Professionals: Special Insights from Emma [From Pronunciation With Emma] • BEP 138 20:37 Episode Artwork All Things AI • BEP x SEND7 • Part 2 - BEP 137 17:06 Episode Artwork Delivering Persuasive Sales Presentations: From Opening to Close • BEP 136 18:40 Episode Artwork Facilitating Decision-Making Meetings: Communication Techniques for Consensus • BEP 135 21:20 Episode Artwork Delivering a Vision: High‐Level Leadership Communication • BEP 134 15:56 Episode Artwork Structured Brainstorming & Innovation Sessions • BEP 133 15:24