How often do you use filler words?
The Challenge
Pay attention over the next week to how many times you hear yourself saying "um" (or another filler word) when you speak. Is it more than you expected? Pay attention, too, to how often other people use them. Do you perceive people who use filler words more often differently than those who use them less often?
Why do this?
Overusing filler words--"um," "like," "so"--makes you come across as nervous and unprepared. While saying them a few times during a presentation is no big deal, your credibility is severely impacted when they start to clutter your sentences. (By the way, if you noticed that this challenge is similar to another one you've done, you're right. It is! We developed a whole series on avoiding filler words, and this challenge is part of that series.)
Learning to speak more precisely and avoid verbalizing your pauses will greatly elevate your oral communication skills.
What’s next?
Record yourself speaking during a meeting at the beginning of the week, and again at the end of the week, after you've implemented this challenge. Do you notice a difference in the number of filler words you use?
