Introduction: In the current landscape of remote work, effective communication is more critical than ever. As someone whose first language isn’t English, I’m always on the lookout for tools that can help me refine my speaking skills and maintain professionalism during virtual meetings. This quest led me to explore Microsoft Teams’ Speech Coach, a tool designed to provide real-time feedback during presentations. After several weeks of using it, I’ve developed a nuanced view of its strengths and limitations. Here, I share my personal experience, weighing the pros and cons of integrating this AI-driven coach into my daily routine.
Pros of Using Speech Coach:
Immediate Feedback: One of the most beneficial aspects of Speech Coach is its ability to offer instant feedback during presentations. This feature has been particularly useful when I find myself speaking too quickly. Often, my fast pace is driven by excitement about the topic or the desire to convey a lot of information in a short time. The coach’s subtle prompts to slow down or eliminate filler words have made me more conscious of my speech patterns, ultimately boosting my confidence during meetings.
Increased Awareness of Filler Words: Filler words like “um” and “like” can undermine the clarity and professionalism of speech. Speech Coach tracks the use of these words in real-time and gently highlights their frequency. Over time, I’ve become far more aware of my reliance on fillers and have worked to reduce their presence in my speech. This heightened awareness has been a significant step towards improving my overall communication skills.
Improving Intonation and Inclusivity: A piece of feedback I often receive is that my intonation isn’t varied enough, which can sometimes make my speech sound flat or unengaging. While I appreciate and find these reminders helpful, I’ve yet to fully grasp how to vary my intonation effectively without sounding awkward. Despite this challenge, Speech Coach has made me more mindful of this aspect of my communication, and I continue to experiment with different approaches.
Additionally, one of the things I’ve grown to appreciate about Speech Coach is how it helps me be more mindful of others on the call. By encouraging me to adjust my pace and tone, the coach is helping me foster a more inclusive and thoughtful discussion, which is especially important when communicating in a second language. This focus on inclusivity has made my meetings more collaborative and engaging for all participants.
Cons of Using Speech Coach:
Potential Distractions: While real-time feedback is undoubtedly useful, it can also be somewhat distracting. There were moments when I found myself paying more attention to the coach’s alerts than to the content of my presentation. This occasional distraction can disrupt the flow of speech and make the user more self-conscious. Striking the right balance between heeding the feedback and staying focused is essential.
Lack of Context Awareness: A limitation I’ve noticed is that Speech Coach sometimes lacks context awareness. For instance, it occasionally flags industry-specific terminology as unclear, despite it being well-understood by the intended audience. This can be frustrating, particularly during technical presentations where precise language is crucial. In these cases, it’s important to selectively apply the coach’s feedback.
Limited Customisation: Another area where Speech Coach could improve is in its customisation options. While the general feedback is helpful, the tool could be even more effective if it allowed users to tailor feedback to specific goals, such as enhancing persuasive speaking or adapting to diverse audiences. Currently, the one-size-fits-all approach means the coach is helpful but not fully optimised for individual needs.
Conclusion: Overall, Microsoft Teams’ Speech Coach is a valuable tool for those looking to refine their communication skills, especially in a professional setting. Although it has its drawbacks, such as the potential for distraction and limited context awareness, the benefits of real-time feedback, greater awareness of filler words, and improved intonation and inclusivity make it a useful addition to any professional’s toolkit. For me, the experience has been enlightening. While I may not use it for every presentation, it remains a tool I would recommend to others aiming to enhance their speaking abilities, especially those who, like me, are speaking in a second language.
For more insights on balancing empathy and professionalism in the post-pandemic workplace, please check out my latest post here.
