Saying "ums", "uhs", and "you know....
When listening to presentations, I always note how certain people tend to use ums, uhs, and you know during their presentation. It gets really distracting for me; however, I know I do it myself! What are some tips that I can use and maybe help others?
Tu,
the first step is to be aware & consciously try to reduce them. Also, having your thoughts really organized & ready to go is a great way to avoid these fillers.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Agreed! Having my plan rock solid always reduces those filler "words". I suppose we'll all slip and do it from time to time especially during the short notice presentations but again, preperation is key here...
Matt,
yes, the preparation also builds confidence which helps us to reduce those filler words.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
You should have your presentation prepared. Also, so and so on it a flaw too.
Patrick,
yes, preparation is a great way to avoid the vocal clutter.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Video or audio recordings of your practice presentation allows you to identify the areas you are most likely to insert your fillers. I had a speach class in college and all it took was to hear me saying 24 fillers in a 7 minute speach to realize this was a problem that needed to be addressed. I can honestly say I have my fillers under control but I constantly keep it in the back of mind so I do not slip back into bad habits. Preparation is absolutely the best way to minimize the use of these fillers.
I have found that if I talk louder the ums and uhs seem to go away. When you say um and uh it's usually done in a softer voice. Plus, I get more confidence when I speak louder and that helps too.
Practice in front of family and friends. Have confidence and know your topic throughly.
Desharn,
practice really is a key to building that confidence. Often family or a good friend are our best critics, ask them to be honest in their feedback & be willing to take it.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
You are so right. I didn't realize how frequently I used the "ums" and "uhs" until I was asked recently to speak on the spare of the moment. I found myself using them while I gathered my thoughts during the presentation. Because it was a training session, they were counted at the end of my presentaton and I was amazed at the number.
Tu,
I have often let that bother me with other presenters as well, until I was told that I tended to do it as well! I began recording myself during lectures to gauge the points at which I was stopping and using the "filler phrase" as I like to call it, and then determined a way to avoid that the next opportunity I had to present. Many times the use of these words for me came from having a varied learner base, and many times I would be interrupted. Structuring and adhering to how you handle q&a certainly helped for me!
I believe it is a confidence issue. I have a co-worker that would "um" repeatedly in his presentations. He was visibly uncomfortable when he was in front of a class. We did the same presentation approximately 60 times in a 4 month period and his confidence was much better towards the end. He was more comfortable with the material and being in front of a crowd and it showed in his presentation.
Jeremy,
it is that lack of confidence in self & in knowledge of the material. The better we know the material, the better the thoughts will flow.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Being conscious about it is the first step,but if posible, if the speaker has time to practice the presentation he will become more familiar with the material. This would help a lot with this issue.
Cesar R.
I have a tendency to say "um" and "uh" during a presentation. I have noticed that I say it more when thinking of the next thought. I try to remember that as long as you are prepared and know the subject matter, it's ok to pause - just leave out the "ums".
I find slowing down and pausing helps me with this problem as well. Plus, I often find myself talking too quickly, so when I start to stumble on the "filler" words, I know I need to adjust my pace and refocus on my message.
Katherine,
this is a great strategy & can really help us gather our thoughts & be able to focus.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I feel a real solid knowledge of the material builds confidence which reduces the hesitations and crutch words we sometimes use.
I have found that if you are very fimiliar with the presentation material it helps because you are better prepared to speak on the topic. Also practice your speach to help with this.
