Most accents are charming, interesting, and distinctive.
Some accents, unfortunately, are distracting, irritating and penalizing. Problems arise when listeners pay more attention to the speaker's accent than to what he or she is saying. On the job, accents can hamper performance, can adversely influence advancement and promotion, and may be a source of concern and embarrassment. While adept at reading and writing English, many foreign-born physicians, engineers, business people, and other professionals express concern about their accents and indicate a desire to reduce their accents.