There are 4 components to languages: Vocabulary; Grammar structure: Pronunciation/accent & Pragmatics (language etiquette).
Most folks think that they only need to learn Vocabulary and Grammar, then fail at learning the other 2 components. And…wonder why they are not understood…

For your friends who say that they do not need to “reduce” their accents nor add the Standard American accent.:

There are 2 ways to look at this:
As professionals, it is our job to say things in such a way that our listeners will quickly grasp our ideas…… To be 100% accountable for our own messages to be understood. This is for Americans as well as ESL folks.
(Americans can have accents as well, that are not readily understood by others)

Using the concepts we have learned in Toastmasters, we understand that it is our own responsibility to make ourselves and our message understood.

If the listener does not understand us, it is our own fault for not doing what it takes to get our message across.

These classmates/co-workers have bothered to make the Huge effort to learn some English, so that others would listen to their ideas,….. Correct?
So, if others still do not understand them, then they have not completed the job of acquiring the skills to get their message across.
They have only acquired 2 components of the 4-component language system.

One does not get to the top of their field by learning only half of what they need to communicate their ideas.

Look at Fred Festa. He has not only finely honed his listening skills, and leadership skills. He is a master at communicating so that the listener will grasp the message. If he came from upstate NY, he has had to change his accent as well, along with learning excellent communication & leadership skills.
You can bet that he was not a CEO when he came out of college. He has devoted a lot of time to learning these skills.

Secondly:
I have been a proponent of learning multiple types of “accents”. They can be useful.
Example: I have a Russian software architect client who had a very pronounced Russian pronunciation overlay to his spoken English. It confused his Chicago customers.

He learned to increase his use of the Standard American Accent system, yet….

I counseled him to be able to “slide” into a “Russian” accent in non-crucial social settings. He uses this when he wants to be remembered at a huge conference, or when he tells a joke with a small group at a networking event.
People remember the friendly “Russian” guy.

My first accent is “Southern” . I use phrases with a slight Southern accent from time to time in social situations. Yet I make certain that I make it short.

Using your native accent in another language is like adding a strong spice to a food dish. Too much and the dish is ruined. A very small amount… and the dish is savored.

Summary: It is our 100% responsibility to make ourselves understood when we are speaking to someone else in their language.

The listener is our customer. Our co-workers, professors, and employers are our customers. If we do not do what it takes so that they understand, then they will Not buy our product/idea or even “Buy” us as a potential employee.

Once we have established that we can be understood by our listener, we can add a a tiny bit of spice of our native accent. So that they savor and warmly remember us.

You are right. Consistency is s-o-o-o-o- very hard. And I have learned to do it in tiny increments.

With linking. I have a suggestion. Choose only one phrase or sentence that you say often. Or choose a phrase that you want to say more often to increase your professionalism.

Next, call me and I can help you with it. Or ask your ESL coach to write it out as one long word versus in separated segments.

Example: A phrase to defer folks who constantly interrupt you may be:
“I would be happy to help you with that at another time. What time would be good for you”

Now as a linking exercise: Please note that I am writing phonetically…. (how it is “Really” said….The /l/ in “would” is not pronounced: A /t/ between vowels becomes a /d/sound..they are voice cognates)

“Iwoodbe-HAPpy-toHELPyou-adaNOtherTIME. Whatime-woodbeGOODfer-YOU?”

And practice it 10-20 times a day for 30 days…

You will find that not only is this one phrase getting more fluid via linking, yet other phrases will seem to be more fluid as well.

The next month, Choose another phrase…. Just one…..
Practice this as well as your previous phrase daily. 10+ times a day.

Where to practice:
!st: In the bathroom in the morning and evening; 5 x each time.
Next : Record it on your phone and listen to it.
Listen: To the segments that are better. Repeat those to strengthen the muscle movements. Then move to another segment.

Sometimes, I would repeat only the segment that I really wanted to finesse:
E.G. Iwoodbe-HAPpy….

Summary: I practiced the above phrase repeatedly fr at least a month, so that it would readily flow out of my mouth when others were interrupting me.
I have used other memorized poems, etc to change my southern accented vowels, etc.
When the mouth and brain are accustomed to making movements, we become the better communicators..i.e. “An Outlier”

I also have similar conversations with my MBA classmates from China and India. A lot of them are actually proud of their accent and they don’t it is necessary to reduce their accent.

So do we need to reduce our accent? Maybe the answer is: one does not need to reduce the accent of their first language, but add the Standard North American accent.

Is my understanding correct?

I agreed that an “Outlier” is one who is willing to do the consistent and persistent struggle of practice. I’m not an “outlier”, because I enjoyed the practice once a while but I could never make it a consistent practice. Every Friday, I have 30 min appointment with my ESL instructor. I know it’s far not enough. How to be consistent…it’s something that always bother me.

I look forward to reading your future posts!