The B.E. Fluent Show

[MasterClass] Friend or Foe? 10 Faux-Amis Killing Your Credibility in the Global Workplace

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 [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/14-day-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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo] •       Website [https://www.leodynamics.com] •       Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/]

[Snack] I'm Back. And Here's the Real Reason Why

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 [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/14-day-drill-lead-magnet]— 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/ [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 [http://leodynamics.com] ---------------------------------------- CONNECT Website: leodynamics.com [http://leodynamics.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/ [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

[MasterClass] Don't Get an "A" in English, Get Four of Them

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 [https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/the-b-e-fluent-show/id1835423263?i=1000745879698] • How to ask for clarity without sounding lost [https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/the-b-e-fluent-show/id1835423263?i=1000723576393] • Everything you need to know about The Booster — the 5-week intensive starting March 3rd [https://boardroomenglish-booster.youcanbook.me/] 🔗 Connect with Leonilda: [Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo]] [Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/]] [WEBSITE [https://www.leodynamics.com/en/]] 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 [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up] 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

[Client Story] Natacha Nowak - Beyond Grammar: The One Thing That Separates Hesitant from Heard

DESCRIPTION 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 [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up] KEYWORDS 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 BOOSTER PROGRAM 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 lrenaldo@leodynamics.com [lrenaldo@leodynamics.com] Pour plus d'information sur le Booster, c'est par ici --> en français https://www.leodynamics.com/english-booster-with-leonilda [https://www.leodynamics.com/english-booster-with-leonilda] Connect with Leonilda Renaldo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo [http://linkedin.com/in/lrenaldo] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/ [https://www.instagram.com/leonildarenaldo/] Email: lrenaldo@leodynamics.com Website: https://www.leodynamics.com [https://www.leodynamics.com] Book an appointment and get a speaking audit FREE: https://leonildarenaldo-be-app.youcanbook.me/ [https://leonildarenaldo-be-app.youcanbook.me/]

[MasterClass] The Gift of Presence: What to Do When You're NOT Speaking English This Holiday

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 [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/free-cheat-sheet-download-masterclass-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. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 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! ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ OTHER RESOURCES: 📧 Join our bi-weekly newsletter for updates on events and courses [https://leodynamics.newzenler.com/f/newsletter-sign-up] 📞 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 [https://leonildarenaldo-befluentaudit.youcanbook.me] 🌐 LeoDynamics Website www.leodynamics.com/en [http://www.leodynamics.com/en] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 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 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ © 2025 LeoDynamics | All Rights Reserved