Ok, right off the bat, why are these Hollywood stars appearing on this blog?!
I simply wanted to show two samples of the “End-result”: Fluency in French. This is what you want, right ?
I opted for two interviews :
- The first one with Bradley Cooper for “A Star is Born”
- The Second One with Jodie Foster for « Money Monster ».
-> How would you like to be as fluent and confident as Jodie and Bradley?
-> How would you like to « deliver » just like that during you next meeting or call?
Let’s Focus on Key Takeaways to Get You There
#1. It Does Not Have to Be 100% Perfect
Oui, you will notice some minor mistakes which are definitely not showstoppers. These mistakes even make these Hollywood filmmakers more relatable and “vulnerable”…Let me be more specific :
- You’re not expected to speak as an Académicien (member of l’Académie Française, a very Famous Institution in charge of normalizing and perfecting French Language)
- It is ok (ça passe !) to make some mistakes as long as you can get the message across without giving the impression that you’re looking for your words, stumbling on them and panicking when answering a question. Have a listen to Bradley:
Je veux communiquer [..] Je sais que ma grammaire est débile
Did he get dismissed from the show ? Au contraire ! He got even more interest from the audience…
- Last, bear in mind that a lot of French people actually would be very happy to master English as you already master French…So no worries ! Tu vas y arriver..in particular if you combine this honest approach with…
#2. Humility..and a Smile
This will help you neutralize a situation which can be perceived as stressful or intimidating. Your French Interlocutor should “normally*” feel honored that you’re doing your very best while keeping engaged and connected in the conversation.
You’re indeed making their life much easier by speaking their language while providing them with the opportunity to help you in the process…This is a very powerful tactic as you’re actually meeting them farther than halfway while showcasing your skills..
So..next time you enter the room, step-in with your best neutralizing smile…But remember, don’t overdo it because you need to remain yourself (nobody can be you), you need to..
#3. Remain Authentic
Here, we’re talking about another level of the commuication : the Non-Verbal Discussion. The way you look , your eyes and hand movements, your posture and physical attitude are not “translatable”.
More, it is very difficult to fake authenticity…This means that body language is the purest and most significant part of a dialogue. Estimates might differ from studies to studies but 70 to 80% of a face to face communication is non-verbal. You do not want try to mess with this…
Just watch Jodie Foster’s non-verbal communication…What do you see?
I see efficiency, tenacity, structure and still…this « humility and a smile ».Do you ? Jodie’s interview also remind us that…
#3. You’re on Business
Let me now transition to Jodie’s interview…Clearly…another caliber with more elaborated and articulated answers on a more conceptual topic.
Don’t get it twisted. The sharpness of her analysis is an indication of a high-level of preparation. More, the wide range of vocabulary translates a deep knowledge of the nuances and subtilties.
You do that, you’re immediately in Control and get full attention. Why ? Because an interview format is quite short, and you need to be spot on from second one to deliver maximum impact.
Au fait, just another tip on this:
Grasp as much as vocabulary as you can in your specific industry…This is a clear separator and confidence-building mechanism.
As you can now understand, this is not about being technically able to speak French fluently. This is about getting maximum impact while speaking French.. « Une autre paire de manches » and this is exactly where I want you to be in the coming months..
Next time you’re having an interview, a presentation or a customer meeting, think about Jodie and Brad and « fais-nous un tabac ! »
A très vite!
– Olivier
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