From Overwhelmed to Empowered: Lessons from My First Steps in IT

When Everything Feels Too Much

I still remember the first weeks of my IT career abroad.
New city. New culture. New job.
And everything — meetings, documentation, even coffee-break jokes — happened in English.

It was thrilling and terrifying at once. I could read technical manuals easily, but in real conversations my mind froze. Every sentence felt like a mountain to climb.

I often went home thinking, How do these people speak so effortlessly?

That feeling of being competent yet invisible is something many non-native professionals know well. You have the skills, but the language barrier keeps you quiet.

Then one morning, my manager called me in. He wanted me to take on two new responsibilities:
1️⃣ Provide support exclusively to British clients.
2️⃣ Train new employees joining the service desk.

My first instinct? Panic.
My second? Acceptance.

That single “yes” became the most important decision of my professional life.

Growth Starts on the Edge of Fear

When you say yes to a challenge you’re not fully ready for, something powerful happens: you activate learning through necessity.

Working directly with British clients forced me to listen differently — not word by word, but for meaning, tone, and intent.
Training new hires pushed me to explain complex ideas simply, in English, until I could do it naturally.

Example 1

During a troubleshooting call, a client once said, “I’m afraid this system’s gone pear-shaped.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I calmly replied, “Let’s take a closer look together.”
Only later did I learn it was British slang for “it’s gone wrong.”

That small exchange taught me that confidence doesn’t require understanding everything — just the courage to stay present.

Example 2

While mentoring a new colleague from Poland, I realised teaching in English helped me learn faster. Explaining concepts aloud made my language more automatic and my thinking clearer.

Each day, English stopped being a subject and became a tool for connection.

Real Work Beats Endless Study

Textbooks teach grammar; experience teaches fluency.
Every interaction — even mistakes — became a language lesson I couldn’t have found in a classroom.

I started noticing patterns:

• When I focused on communication, people listened.

• When I focused on grammar, I froze.

So I flipped my approach. Instead of trying to speak perfectly, I aimed to solve problems clearly.

Soon, clients stopped commenting on my accent and started thanking me for quick resolutions. My English hadn’t become perfect — it had become useful.

What I Learned About Confidence

Confidence doesn’t arrive after fluency; it creates fluency.
Every time I took a risk — a presentation, a client call, a mentoring session — I built a new layer of self-trust.

Here are the three biggest lessons from that period:

1️⃣ Courage Is a Better Teacher Than Perfection

Fear never goes away completely, but courage grows stronger every time you act despite it.
If you wait until you’re “ready,” you’ll wait forever.

2️⃣ Fluency Grows From Function

Use English to achieve goals, not to “practise language.” Write real emails. Lead real meetings. Fluency is a side-effect of doing meaningful work.

3️⃣ Feedback Is a Mirror, Not a Verdict

When colleagues corrected my pronunciation or phrasing, I learned to treat it as data, not judgment. Feedback shows where to grow next — nothing more.

Q & A: Turning Fear Into Progress

Q: How do I stop overthinking every sentence?
A: Shift focus from form to purpose. Ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve with this message?” Once you know the goal, words follow naturally.

Q: What if I make mistakes in front of native speakers?
A: You will — and that’s okay. Most native colleagues care more about clarity than perfection. They admire effort, not flawless grammar.

Q: How can I recreate this kind of learning environment?
A: Volunteer for small English-based tasks: summarise a meeting, write internal updates, mentor a junior colleague in English. Start where risk feels manageable.

The Turning Point: From Technician to Trainer

Six months later, I noticed something remarkable. I no longer dreaded English calls; I looked forward to them. I could improvise, joke lightly, and manage difficult conversations without panic.

That transformation didn’t happen because I studied more. It happened because I used English to create impact.

My manager soon asked me to design internal workshops for new team members — entirely in English.
Standing in front of that group, I realised: the language I once feared had become my professional advantage.

It wasn’t just about English anymore. It was about leadership.

Lessons for Today’s Professionals

If you’re an IT engineer, project manager, or consultant working in a multilingual environment, these reflections apply directly to you.

1. Redefine Practice.
Every ticket you write, every Slack update, every client email — it’s language practice. Approach it with awareness.

2. Replace Anxiety With Curiosity.
When you don’t understand a phrase, ask. Curiosity turns potential embarrassment into connection.

3. Use English to Add Value.
Don’t wait for perfection before speaking. Offer ideas, clarify risks, propose improvements — even in imperfect English. Initiative speaks louder than vocabulary.

Real-Life Example: The Meeting That Changed My Mind

In one weekly review, our British client questioned our delivery metrics.
My instinct was to stay silent; instead, I took a deep breath and said, “Let me explain how we measured those results.”

The room went quiet, but I continued, carefully but confidently. Ten minutes later, the discussion ended with, “Thank you for clarifying that, Daniele.”

That day, I didn’t just speak English — I used it to lead.

Reflective Practice You Can Try

1. After each interaction, jot down one thing you expressed well and one thing you’d like to say better next time.

2. Record your reflections once a week. You’ll hear your progress more clearly than you see it.

3. Celebrate micro-wins. Answering one tough question or asking for clarification is progress.

These reflections build a positive learning loop — the same one that turned my fear into fluency years ago.

Final Thought

Saying “yes” to that terrifying challenge didn’t just improve my English.
It transformed my mindset from avoiding mistakes to creating opportunities.

You don’t have to move abroad to experience that shift.
Every project, presentation, or conversation in English is an invitation to grow.

Confidence isn’t the absence of fear — it’s the choice to keep speaking through it.

So the next time someone offers you a role, a meeting, or a presentation that feels slightly beyond your comfort zone, remember: that’s the doorway to your next level. Walk through it.