This is the second article in a series about how to be a better public speaker. Check out the first article here.
As a speaker trainer, one of the most frequent challenges I flag for my clients is to lose the ‘ums,” those filler words that happen when your brain and your voice are traveling at different speeds.
The occasional “um,” “ah” and “you know” are natural part of talking, but in excess will take away from your credibility and diminish your message. Here are some guidelines to tighten up your delivery to present your ideas with clarity and confidence whether in a meeting or at a podium.
Practice the pause
The easiest way to address ums is to simply pause. This will help sync up your brain and voice so they’re traveling together rather than having one race ahead.
Sometimes an um is a place holder to avoid having people interrupt you in meetings. If you pause and someone jumps in, have a go-to phrase like “please hold that thought – I’d like to finish my point.”
In addition, a well-placed pause can help emphasize your key points. As you practice becoming an inspirational speaker, look for ways to build pauses into your delivery.
Slow down your delivery
In our time-strapped world where attention spans are shorter than ever and we listen to podcasts on double speed, our tendency is to talk faster. In fact, during my Say It Shorter workshops I need to remind people that “say it shorter” is not “say it faster” because you want your audience to follow your thread, which won’t happen if you’re rushed. And remember that people in power are rarely rushed, so begin by centering yourself and being focused on the goal of your presentation.
Identify your pausing opportunities
One way to uplevel your delivery quickly is to identify when you are most likely to use filler words. One client used fillers in between her key points. In her case, she needed to identify effective transitions to use to take her from one key message to the next.
Another client was a star presenter, but when he was asked a question during the Q&A he fell apart if he did not have the answer at his fingertips. If this is you, you can do two things. First, think about what questions might come up by practicing your message with various test audiences, and prepare thoughtful answers in advance. Even with thoughtful practice, the unanticipated question is inevitable. In this case, you can buy time with a phrase like, “I haven’t encountered that question before, and I would want to think about it. What I can tell you now is…” This phrase can buy you a little time to let your brain percolate on what you are prepared to say and can proceed with confidence.
Buddy up
Sometimes people are not always aware of the circumstances that lead to their filler words. You can get rid of this distracting habit faster with a little observation help. Either record yourself presenting, or ask a buddy to observe you and give feedback. Again, look at whether you’re rushing or distracted, or need a strategy to address a challenging question.
Once you identify when and why you use filler words, you’ll be on your path to a more effective delivery. Practicing well-honed messages that you’ve tailored to your audience will result in an inspirational presentation every time.
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