Executive Business English Coaching | Speak with Authenticity, Impact & Credibility in Professional & Leadership Settings

Mehr über John erfahren

• Wie kommt es, dass Du diese Sprache fließend sprichst? Hängt dies mit Deiner Herkunft zusammen oder hat einst ein/e Lehrer/in die Leidenschaft dafür in Dir geweckt?

  I was born in the UK. My family has Irish, Welsh and English roots, so I guess I'm truly 'British' :-) In addition, my mother was a teacher, so the correct use of language was always very important at home. At school, I had to learn Shakespeare - Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest. It was during a performance of The Tempest at The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon that I realised the power of (the English) language. I was captivated!

• Nenne uns eine Persönlichkeit, egal ob lebend, historisch oder fiktiv, die für Dich diese Kultur am besten repräsentiert!

  Too many to mention! But look at Maggie Smith or Judy Dench. Look at Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit.

• Gibt es in der Sprache, die Du unterrichtest, ein Wort, einen Ausdruck, eine Tradition oder eine typische Verhaltensweise, die Dich ganz besonders beeindruckt oder amüsiert?

  British English in particular is a very 'coded' language. Having lived outside the UK for many years, and having worked in multinational, multicultural settings for so long, I'm always mildly amused by the way we Brits understate things. I once witnessed a pretty scary car accident. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but the car was a write-off. The driver got out of the vehicle unscathed and casually said "well that was a little unexpected!".

• Warum ist es Deiner Meinung nach so wichtig, diese Sprache zu beherrschen (sei es in Bezug auf Schule / Studium, Beruf oder aus persönlichen Gründen)?

  Whether we like it or not, English is the language that is most commonly used in international business and educational settings. I speak other languages myself, so I don't take being able to speak my mother tongue in many situations for granted. But the fact is, if you wish to make an impact in any kind of international setting, you need to be able to master the English language.

• Worin liegt die besondere Schwierigkeit, wenn es darum geht, diese Sprache zu lernen bzw. warum lohnt es sich ganz besonders?

  I think it's pretty easy to learn a basic level of English without too much heartache. But English is a very rich language and contains many nuances and variations. The more articulate a person is, the more eloquent they come across linguistically, the greater the likelihood that they will be noticed and remembered by others. I like to support people achieve this status of linguistic 'impact'.

• Gibt es im Zusammenhang mit dieser Sprache eine Anekdote aus Deinem Berufsleben oder Deiner Schulzeit, von der Du uns erzählen möchtest?

  When I was much younger (a LONG time ago, with no opportunity to use Google!!), I travelled to London on my own. Remember, my name is "John". In those days, it was still common for Cockneys (local Londoners), especially men, to call other men "John" when they were addressing them. "John" just means "mate" or "buddy" in US English. But I didn't know that! So when I got into a taxi and the taxi driver said "So where can I take you to, John?". I was thinking "how does HE know MY name?". After this happened 2-3 times in quick succession, I asked somebody and realised what was happening!. Then I understood why everybody was being so 'friendly' LOL.

• Hilf uns, Dich ein wenig besser kennenzulernen, und erzähle uns ein wenig mehr über Deine bisherigen Reisen und/oder Auslandsaufenthalte (in Bezug auf die unterrichtete Sprache oder generell).

  I have worked in business and communication roles for over three decades. I studied in the UK and France, and have lived in Germany for many years. I have presented to thousands of people, met celebrities and business elites and also worked with kids in my charity project in Africa. I have run thousands of meetings, communication and presentation workshops etc. I love being able to bring the best out of people and see their enthusiasm when they are truly able to get their message across. Speaking great English is one of many important communication tools we need these days. I love helping people master this capability in the English language.

• Kurz und knapp: Was macht aus Dir einen Superprof? (zusätzlich zum erfolgreichen Beherrschen mehrerer Sprachen)

  In addition to my 'real world' business experience, I am a mindset coach and RTT hypnotherapist, so I can easily help if people have 'nerves' before a job interview or important presentation, for example. I love using my wealth of experience and knowledge to help others thrive and shine. It's that simple.