Ep 60: Don't Be the World's Best-Kept Secret with Susan Heaton-Wright
episode
English Talk — Speaking up in English at work for introverts with Louise Jefferies
50 min
2 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 1 month ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Why do many talented professionals stay invisible despite their abilities?
Hello and welcome to English Talk, the podcast for people who feel insecure speaking English as a non-native at work. Join me and my guests as we chat about the challenges of speaking up in English when you're not only a native speaker but also a bit of an introvert.
This week, I'm joined by superstar communicator, Susan Heaton-Wright. Susan works with talented people who wish to influence and positively impact all business conversations. Susan, thank you so much for joining me today. It's an absolute pleasure to have you here with us.
Thank you so much for inviting me. It's a real honour to have a chance to talk to your community.
It's lovely. I've been so looking forward to this conversation. Now, Susan, where do we start? You have an impressive profile and quite an amazing background. You are an international professional speaker. You're a TEDx speaker, author, communication specialist, experienced leader and board member. And you're also a prize-winning opera singer and soloist. Where do we start with all that, Susan?
Do you know... I have been really, really lucky, really blessed with the opportunities that I've been given. And I've worked very, very hard to acquire them and to achieve them and to deliver. But I suppose the message really is that we're in a world where increasingly we have to have what I call a squiggly career. that we might start in one place and we might start in a place where other people want us to be, but we can end up somewhere completely differently. And I would say, looking back, there are times when I have to pinch myself and think, how on earth did that happen?
Yes, I am all for squiggly careers. And I'm wondering if that's a, is that a new thing? I mean, new in the last 50 years or 30 years? I think it is.
I think it is. And especially for women. I mean, I think, I believe that people felt that they had a job for life. Yes. if you think and that today is not something that can happen and also being able to move from one sector to another and develop new skills I remember interviewing during lockdown someone who wrote a book on how the world of work is changing and he believed that we needed to have a portfolio career and that we would bring our our sort of toolbox of experience to different teams at different times um because of the nature of technology and how things are changing um how communication means that we we can speak even though we're different countries which a generation ago would have been much more difficult yeah yeah even not even a generation ago i mean
When we think back, you mentioned COVID there. Okay, we were having global meetings before COVID, but I think that was a changing point. Definitely. That we could not only have meetings, but work worldwide.
Oh, absolutely. It has opened up opportunities, and certainly for my business, it has.
Yeah. Now, Susan, let's go back. So you are a prize-winning opera singer and soloist and I've watched your TED tour and I've heard you sing and very briefly in person heard the power of your voice.
Yeah, which rather shocked somebody, wasn't it? I wasn't even on, I was only in first gear there.
I could see you were holding yourself back and even then it was quite something to behold, being that close to an opera singer. How did that start, Susan?
Do you know, I always sang from when I was very, very young. However, my family actively encouraged me to stand back and be at the back and to enjoy and be a supporter. I do remember, I think I was three years old, singing, how far is it to Bethlehem, not very far. You remember that as a little shepherd. Yes. In a nativity play, age three, in a big Victorian church. And everybody was coming up saying, oh, Susan, she's got such a lovely little voice and everything. And all my parents said, do not show off. So I got a message from absolutely that i mustn't show off and so i never put myself forward um i'd be one of those people that was you know really good person to have in a team as a worker as a singer playing my violin as well so i i did all of those things but i never valued them and and as i say never put myself forward
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why do many talented professionals stay invisible despite their abilities?
0:06–6:31
2
How did Susan’s childhood message to ‘never show off’ shape her career path?
6:31–11:47
3
What is the ‘squiggly career’ concept and why is it relevant for today’s workforce?
11:47–18:09
4
How can introverts leverage their hidden strengths to become effective leaders?
18:09–25:16
5
What practical strategies help reduce anxiety when speaking up in meetings?
25:16–31:04
6
How does the ‘Superstar Communicator’ system combine purpose, preparation, and presence?
31:04–36:44
7
How can we create inclusive meetings for multilingual and non‑native speakers?
36:44–43:33
8
What final advice does Susan give to stop being the world’s best‑kept secret?
43:33–50:17