English at work is people trying to solve a problem together

A participant in a workshop once told me she felt like there was a red pen following her sentences, circling anything imperfect before she’d even finished the thought.

That tight, watched feeling sits right in your chest the moment you start speaking. (It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it, being graded in a room where nobody’s actually grading you.) It comes from treating English at work like a test you might fail.

Here’s the shift. English at work is people trying to solve a problem together. Nobody’s holding a red pen. Colleagues listen for your answer, your idea, your read on the situation.

That’s what actually matters in the room. A useful sentence beats a polished one every time.

Quick win: Next time you catch yourself editing a sentence before you say it, ask what the room actually needs. Usually it’s your idea, not better grammar.