Time to Stop Losing Opportunities

Too many people, including Black Africans in the UK, miss valuable opportunities because they lack confidence in spoken English, or because they do not communicate effectively in particular professional settings.

Consider an interview for a functional-manager role. One panel member, an African director, heard colleagues question the candidate’s confidence and ability to converse adequately. People lose opportunities this way even when their experience has carried them as far as the interview room.

At Connect4Better’s first event in the summer of 2015, a participant explained that improving his spoken English had helped him progress in the UK. He recalled reading that former prime minister Margaret Thatcher had taken lessons to make her voice firmer and more powerful. Other participants said they were impressed by his communication and motivated to improve their own.

The point was not to practise only for a single job interview. Readers were encouraged to keep developing their communication, use free learning resources, record themselves speaking, seek coaching where useful, and share constructive feedback with humility. A small intervention might help someone prepare for an opportunity that had previously felt closed.

The wider appeal is collective: if you already know something useful, pass it to someone who would benefit. Confidence can be practised, support can be shared, and preparation should continue beyond the immediate pressure of an interview.