Finding my confidence in a second language
In the Spring 2026 edition of The Speaker magazine, Barbara Lazcano describes her experience as a non native English speaker as a member of Wetherby Speakers Club. You can find the article on pages 16 and 17 of The Speaker, Spring 2026: The Speaker – The Association of Speakers Clubs
This is the image of the article, and below the image you will find the full text.
Joining a Speakers Club has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made since moving to the UK. As a non-native English speaker, communication has always been both a challenge and a constant learning process. Don’t get me wrong, I can function perfectly well in English, but as a business owner, I
knew that if I wanted to grow my business exponentially, speaking at events where potential clients are present was something I had to seriously consider.
Double the effort
I am a networker by nature. I’ve attended dozens of networking events and listened to hundreds of speakers. From watching them, I realised that the visibility and exposure that a stage offers can attract clients in a way that one-to-one conversations simply can’t. But as a non-native speaker, I knew I would have to put in double the effort. In addition to most people’s normal fear of public speaking,
there were other challenges. It wasn’t just about speaking properly in English, but about paying attention to pronunciation, expanding my vocabulary, choosing the right words, and making sure I was understood. Or simply not losing words mid-sentence, and when that happens, being able to recover smoothly!
Joining a Speakers Club was a no-brainer. If I wanted to show up confidently on stage, I needed support and practice. About a year ago, I found exactly what I needed. An incredible group of people, meeting
fortnightly, just 15 minutes from my home.
Some of them had been members of Wetherby Speakers Club for over 20 years! I can’t thank Neil Wilson, Chris Clissitt, John Holian, Jan Seymour, Peter Wilson and Niki Boersma enough for their encouragement and constructive, positive feedback. From the very first session, they encouraged me to give a speech, participate in the Topics sessions, and practise impromptu speaking.
Preparing a speech in English takes me longer. I rehearse more. I think carefully about vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation. Every single time I speak, I learn new words and improve my
pronunciation. That extra effort has been worth every single minute.
Growing in confidence
Speakers Club has given me a safe and supportive environment where making mistakes is not something to be embarrassed about; just part of the process. Every speech, every Topics session, and every piece of
feedback has helped me grow, not only as a speaker but as a communicator. One of the biggest benefits for me has been confidence. Confidence to stand up and speak, even when my accent shows. Confidence to trust that my message matters more than perfect grammar.
Ahh, Topics … that’s still the hardest part for me. If impromptu speaking is difficult in your mother tongue, imagine doing it in a second language! In my first sessions, I would barely make it to two 2 minutes. Now I can at least structure my impromptu talks a little. I’m not perfect, but I’m progressing. The club hasn’t
helped me speak better; it has helped me think better in English. Structuring ideas, refining the tone, and adapting my message to an audience are skills that go far beyond public speaking. They’ve
improved how I communicate with clients and at networking events.
Ironically, my biggest area for improvement now is gestures, which I’m actually very proud of! It means that my voice, projection, and tone are strong enough, even with my Spanish accent! I’ve got so used to speaking in front of my trusted Speakers Club friends that I no longer feel butterflies seconds before stepping onto the stage.
What’s next?
Now… the next level will be speaking at my networking events. That will be a completely different audience. Different pressure. Probably a topic for another article…. If there’s one thing I know, it’s this: without Speakers Club, I wouldn’t even be considering it. And for that, I’m deeply grateful.
