So, like, how can I, um, clean up my speech?

Lisa Evans

2. PRACTICE WITH EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS
Once you’re aware you use filler words, make a conscious effort to reduce your use of them. You can practice this in your everyday conversation with a friend over lunch, or while you’re on the phone with your mother. Simply remind yourself that you’re going to try to get through the conversation without using filler words.

3. PREPARE AND PRACTICE OUT LOUD
Going into a presentation or a meeting unprepared is more likely to lead you to use filler words. Get comfortable with your material and familiar with the points that you want to make. Writing them down can help to remind you. If you are clear on the points you want to make, you can stop yourself once you’ve made them, rather than rambling on and using a ton of filler words while you collect your thoughts.

When rehearsing your speech or presentation, it’s important to practice saying it out loud. You’ll become aware of where you naturally want to inject filler words and can then work on eliminating them when it comes time for your speech.

4. JOIN A TOASTMASTERS’ CLUB
A tried-and-true program for overcoming your fears of public speaking and improving your speech skills, Toastmasters can also help you eliminate your ums , aahs, and likes. Toastmasters assigns a grammarian to each meeting whose job is to record all the filler words used by speakers. Knowing that someone is listening for these words can help you to recognize them in your speech and take steps toward eliminating them.

Surrounding yourself with good speakers is also a great way to improve your speech. “We’re affected by our environment,” says Temple. “If your friends, family, or colleagues are using a lot of filler words, it’s easy to jump on the train.”

5. SILENCE IS GOLDEN
We often use filler words because we are afraid of silence in our speech. We fear that if we stop talking, even for a microsecond, someone will think we are unsure about what we’re saying or will jump in and take over the conversation. Learning the art of the pause can not only make you sound more professional, but provides you a moment to gather your thoughts and helps the listener to catch up and let what you just said sink in. A well-timed pause can help you to capture the audience’s attention by creating a little suspense. When you feel a filler word coming on, substitute it with a split second of dead air. Don’t be afraid of the silence.

6.EMPHASIZE A KEY WORD
We often use filler words because our minds aren’t able to catch up with our words. While the pause is a great technique to let your mind catch up, you don’t want to overuse it.
Presentation skills coach Michael Souveroff  says you can supplement the pause by stressing key words in the middle of a sentence. For example, if we stress the word “tax” in this sentence: “Our clients want to talk about the tax implications of these new policies,” the stress on the word gives our mind a chance to think about the words coming up next, and helps the audience to remember the key message.

7. GET NERVES UNDER CONTROL
It’s common to fill our speech with ums and aahs when we feel nervous. There are physiological and psychological factors at play when we’re put in an uncomfortable situation. To get nerves under control, take slow, deeper breaths before speaking, and avoid changing your normal physical behavior. “People often lock down their hands and will stop gesturing when they’re nervous,” says Souveroff. This will just create tension in your body and make you even more uncomfortable, which will only make the ums more frequent.

Whether you’re in a job interview, pitching your business, or simply having a conversation with a friend, reducing the “ ums ” in your speech will help improve your credibility and make for a more successful meeting.
 

https://www.fastcompany.com/40582576/so-like-how-can-i-um-clean-up-my-speech