For many professionals, the use of filler words such as “Um,†“Uh,†and “So†can easily be overused if they aren’t consciously aware of them. These filler words can be especially prevalent during presentations when people are feeling a little more nervous and uneasy. Using these words once or twice during a meeting is usually no big deal, but using them repetitively can cause you to quickly lose credibility. When an audience hears consistent verbal stumbling, they assume the speaker is unsure of himself. The good news is there are strategies that can steer you away from these filler words and help you learn how use more surefooted language in your presentations.
Record Yourself
Try recording your next conference call or record yourself as you practice for your next presentation and listen carefully for these words. Chances are you will cringe at how often you tend to use them in your speech but being aware is the first step toward changing this bad habit. Once you become aware you will probably start noticing other people using these same filler words in their speech. Remember this rule of thumb: you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.
Organize Your Ideas
You are most likely to fall into this unwanted speech pattern if your ideas aren’t well organized. If your ideas are all over the place you are more likely to start rambling and stumbling over your words. Instead, try chunking the information so you know exactly what you are going to say before you actually say it. Well organized ideas can prevent overuse of filler words.
Make Eye Contact
It is much more awkward to say “Um†when you are staring directly at your audience. During your presentation, focus on turning your body and fixing your gaze upon members of the audience giving them your full attention. You will notice that by doing so, your “Um’s†and “Uh’s†will lessen.
Prepare for Transitions
People most often use these filler words when transitioning from one idea to another. It acts as a sort of separation between thoughts. As an alternative, pre-plan for some other transitions such as “Let’s move on to…†or “Now we are going to talk about…â€Â Practicing these transitions will make them feel more natural and reduce your tendency to transition with filler words.
Rehearse for Your Presentation
One of the biggest reasons people use filler words is because they feel nervous or unsure. The more you prepare for your presentation the less likely you are to use filler words. Practice is the only way to get more comfortable with the information and more confident with your ability to present it.
Using filler words in a work presentation make you seem unprofessional, insecure, and unprepared.  Try these helpful strategies for reducing the use of filler words in your next meeting or presentation.