You are visiting a neighbor’s house, and you compliment the art on their wall. They immediately take it down and insist that you take it as their gift to you.  Are they being sincere?  It can be hard to judge, and apparently, if they are speaking with an accent, it can influence what you think of their sincerity.  A recent study at USC found that listening to information in accented vs. non-accented speech can affect the listener’s subsequent interpretation of events.  If the listener comes from the culture of the accented speech, they are more likely to follow their native cultural trends in their reading of the situation, but if they are mono-cultural Americans, they are more likely to impose their American judgments and values when considering what they heard.  Whoever your listeners may be, the clearer you can be in your speech, the better the resulting communication.  Read more about the study here.

Looking for a new job?  Want to advance in your career?  Don't let your accent hold you back.  In this recent article, Monster.com advises job-seekers to practice answering questions prior to interviews, using their best English grammar and vocabulary skills.  But an accent can still interfere with your interview, if your speech is difficult to understand.  Both regional and foreign accents can be at play when it comes to your job search.  Despite being native American English speakers, some job candidates may be considered less qualified for the position based on their strong regional accent, according to researcher Dianne Markley.

Whatever your accent, learning to speak so that others understand you clearly is in your best interest when looking to advance in your career.

Venture capitalist Paul Graham took some flak recently when he stated that a CEO with a foreign accent was less likely to succeed (see original INC Magazine Article).  He clarified his message with this column on his website.  The first article's editor latched on to inflammatory language used about the choice to speak with a heavy accent.  The follow-up written by Graham points out that an accent is not a problem in business, but not being understood because of a heavy accent is clearly a problem.
It's important to note that professionals have a choice: speaking with an accent which contributes positively to their career, or impedes their progress because they are not communicating clearly.  The difference?  American Accent Training with a professional.

In an ever-increasing global society, more and more people are multi-lingual, live or work in foreign countries, or work with people from countries and cultures that differ from their own.  We can hope that increasing globalization in business will result in greater connection between individuals and increased cultural understanding.  Unfortunately, our ability to understand the speech of others appears to play a part in our perception of their trustworthiness.