10 Truths From 10 Years in Speech and Communication Sciences
- Diandra Baniabbasi
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
After spending 10 years in speech & communication sciences,
here's a roundup of 10 things I’ve learned to be true, in no particular order:
Being a better listener makes you a better communicator.
Your lack of confidence has more impact on how you show up than your accent or filler words.
Rushing when speaking leads to mumbling, swallowing sounds, losing train of thought, and losing your audience.
Your accent tells people you speak more than one language, not that you are incompetent.
There is no progress without building awareness first. If you don’t know what you’re working with, you won’t be able to change it.
Reading more will improve your vocabulary, your storytelling skills, and your world view, making you a more interesting and well rounded communicator.
Trying too hard to be taken seriously at work can lead to alienating your audience by being too technical, too serious, too blunt, and lacking connection & vulnerability.
Native language speakers also make mistakes, often.
You do not need to be a professional TED talker to be a good public speaker and communicator.
Progress is not linear.
My hope for you in 2026 is that you take time to reflect on what is really at the root of your challenges around communication. Sometimes, it's not about you. It's about your environment, societal pressures, unrealistic expectations, false hopes and projections of what you think you need. Once you understand what's really getting in the way, and you accept who you are and what you're capable of, then the real work may begin. It won't change overnight, and it won't be easy. But it's worth it if you're willing to put in the time to develop your speech and communication, just as mastery of any skill would require.
Wishing you all the best at the start of this new year, and looking forward to what's ahead!
Until next time,
Diandra
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