Accent Bias: How You Speak Determines Your Competence

Have you ever gone quiet in a meeting when you knew you had the right answer? Or softened your tone to avoid being "too much"? You were muted — and it wasn't your fault.This week we're joined by Heather Hansen, global communication specialist, TEDx speaker, author of Unmuted, and PhD candidate in Linguistics. Her viral TEDx talk "2 Billion Voices: How to Speak Bad English Perfectly" has sparked a global conversation about how we judge, silence, and underestimate voices.We unpack:Why women learn to mute themselves from childhood — and how "being a good girl" costs us our careerThe truth about accent bias: how your voice triggers instant judgments about your competence and warmthWhy "executive presence" is often just code for performing whiteness and malenessSingapore's unique and complex relationship with EnglishThe language lottery — and why monolingual English speakers don't know they won itWhy connection beats perfection in every conversation00:00 - Who decided what confidence sounds like?03:01 - How early language management begins for women05:15 - Confidence versus socialized behavior in applying for jobs07:34 - Muting in global leadership and cross-cultural challenges15:38 - Race, accent, and bias16:35 - How language and accents influence behavior and opportunities18:23 - The emotional and social implications of accent bias21:15 - Power, status, and language in the workplace23:38 - The necessity of unmuting women’s voices in leadership28:36 - Singapore’s multilingual reality and language policy39:41 - Tips for understanding diverse accents in multicultural environments55:02 - The empowering message: Press unmute and claim your voiceResources & Links:Unmuted: How to Unmute Your Voice and Speak Up with Confidence (book)Heather Hansen - Official WebsitePowerfully Likeable by Dr. Kate MasonConnect with Heather Hansen:LinkedInThe Forties Formula Podcast — Real conversations for women thriving in their 40s and beyond. Hosted by Jasmin Dhillon & Amanda LimSupport The Forties Formula by BUYING US A COFFEE! For $5 a month we’ll record a special episode answering your questions.Follow our Instagram @TheFortiesFormula.Thanks to our sponsors, Love Indus — a modern Ayurvedic skincare brand designed to support radiant, healthy skin through every stage of life. Get 21% off with code TFF: https://loveindus.com