It happens to the best of us, even in our Universal Events office. We get on a roll during a presentation and suddenly we’re at a loss for words. This is when our automatic response is to interject filler words like um and uh as our brain attempts to find the right language to complete our thoughts. To reduce this tendency, there are some things we can try:
” Speak Slower: During our Universal Events training, our coaches work with new team members to help them develop a cadence to their presentation speech. This often includes encouraging them to slow down. Not only can a more moderate speed improve listener retention, but this also helps us avoid fillers.
” Drink Water: Deliberate pauses are acceptable when presenting before an audience. However, it takes discipline to reach that level in which we’re comfortable not saying anything for a few seconds. To compensate for this lack of activity, some presenters will take sips of water while they gather themselves to move on to the next point in a presentation.
” Break Presentations Into Smaller Pieces: We’re fans of thinking of messages in chunks within our Universal Events model. When it comes to presenting, this practice can help us avoid fillers because we’re only focused on one aspect of the speech at a time.
Fillers can be replaced with real thoughts or even breaks. Like us on Facebook for more public speaking tips.
