Fluent English, but people still don’t understand me at work. Why?
A short Joe Rogan clip: excellent English, and still hard to understand.
Over 8,000 lessons taught · Updated Nov 1, 2026
The short answer
Good English and being easy to understand are not the same thing. When your grammar is good but listeners are working to decode every sentence, they stop following your ideas, and that gap is fixable.
What Josh points out
Excellent English, still hard to follow
In the clip, Joe Rogan tells an Italian scientist his English is excellent, but asks him to repeat his job title.
Listeners decode instead of listening
When people work to decode your accent, they are not listening to your ideas.
High-stakes rooms
Interviews, investor calls and conference stages need speech that is easy to process on the first try.
What to fix
The size and shape of the sounds, so American listeners follow you without effort.
What American ears listen for
Learners listen for the letters. Native speakers listen for the parts in between the letters: the size and shape of the sounds.
FAQ
Why don’t people understand me at work if my English is fluent?
Fluency and being easy to understand are different. If listeners have to decode each sentence, your ideas get lost even when the grammar is right.
Is this fixable?
Yes. Josh’s point in the video is that the gap between good English and easy-to-understand English is fixable.
Where does this matter most?
In interviews, investor calls, conference stages and meetings, where your speech has to land the first time.
What should I listen for?
Learners listen for the letters. Native speakers listen for the parts in between the letters: the size and shape of the sounds.
About Josh
Josh Lewis is an American accent coach with over 8,000 lessons taught. He helps fluent professionals get understood the first time in meetings, standups and client calls.
Want this marked on your own speech?
In an Accent Check, Josh listens to you live and finds what matters most for your accent.