Some speakers use filler words (“um” and “ah” are two examples) more than others, but even the most experienced speakers use them from time to time. Filler words are words or sounds you say that you may not even be aware of until you listen to a recording and cringe. 

I found Steve Krull’s post on LinkedIn a helpful reminder, so I thought I would share it here. Krull is the CEO of Be Found Online, and one of the most fun people you can have a drink with at a networking event. 

Below is Krull’s post. You can scroll down in the window to read the whole thing, and you will definitely want to click through the carousel at the bottom. 

When you give a presentation, or do an interview, it can feel like the pressure is on. You are amped up. You may talk faster than you normally do, which means your stressed brain has less time to remember what you were going to say, or to come up with something new to say. 

I always recommend you speak a little slower than you normally would to give yourself more time so you don’t need to reach for filler words to fill the space. 

Speaking of the word “so” – that is my filler word of choice. I have mostly trained myself out of “ums” and “ahs” at this point, but so sneaks in from time to time. 

I giggled when Krull wrote:

4) You may have the bestest, most interestingest, most smartester material on the planet but you’ll have lost much of your audience if you fill the space with “ums” and “ahs”.

This is true and it makes you very uncomfortable as a trained speaker when you watch an untrained speaker tank their credibility or lose the audience’s attention because the speaker said too many filler words. 

The way to reduce your use of filler words is to practice and to have patience. Record yourself and start noticing what your filler words are and when you use them. Be compassionate with yourself. Most of us have filler word issues and have had to do this agonizing exercise multiple times. It’s not fun, but it has a huge payoff. 

Some speakers forget to pause, or don’t understand the value of a well-placed pause. I completely agree with these two points Krull makes:

1) A second or two of silence is actually very good for the audience. It helps them process what you’re saying.

2) When you pause, we have a chance to respond or ask questions. If you don’t stop talking, it feels like we’re interrupting you.

Pauses can be powerful! They can encourage your audience to take a moment to think and consider your points. 

A pause can add dramatic impact after a big reveal, or after stating something that goes against what we normally think is true. 

Or, a pause could simply help you make a transition from one topic to another. 

I highly recommend taking the time to work on your presentation skills. Identify your filler words and watch for them. You’ll feel more confident and make a better impression. Also, please remember that pauses can be a good thing, and they can help you to stop using so many filler words. 

Photo by Julia Taubitz on Unsplash