FILLER WORDS HOW TO

The ones who are at the top of their game rarely use filler words. Start by studying the verbal delivery of sports commentators. Eliminating them is also one of the simplest habits to fix. These are words like um, ah, like, and the dreaded, you know? Excessive filler words can be irritating to listeners, and make speakers sound unsure of themselves. Avoid words that serve no purpose except to fill the space between sentences.

FILLER WORDS HOW TO

How to Sound ConfidentĮliminate filler words. Your gestures will reflect your feeling toward the topic you’re discussing and invite the audience to engage with you on a deeper, emotional level. One analysis of popular TED speakers, like Brené Brown and Tony Robbins, found that they tend to bring their hands to their heart when sharing personal stories. If you’re talking about something that’s wide or expansive, stretch your arms and hands apart. If you’re listing a number of items, use your fingers to count them off. One study found that entrepreneurs pitching investors were more persuasive when they used a combination of figurative language (stories, metaphors) and gestures to emphasize their message.įind areas of your presentation where gestures will come across as natural, and use them to highlight key points or emphasize a concept. Confident speakers use gestures to reinforce their key points. If you feel confident, you’ll look confident. An open posture takes up more space and makes you feel more confident. If you keep your hands in your pockets, take them out. A laptop between you and your listener is a barrier. There are others to eliminate.Ī lectern is a barrier. Confident speakers, by contrast, keep their arms uncrossed with their palms turned up.īut your hands and arms are just one barrier. An uncomfortable speaker might unconsciously cross their arms, forming a defensive pose without being aware that they’re doing it. Open posture means that there’s no barrier between you and the audience. Rehearse until you have the presentation down cold. Every time you do, try to spend less time talking to the slides and more time making eye contact with your listeners. Watch the recording, noting all of the times you look at your slides instead of at your audience. There’s a simple way to get better at this, but it takes a little work: Record yourself practicing your presentation in front of a small audience. “When humans observe others’ faces, eyes are typically the first features that are scanned for information.” “Eyes play a key role in human social encounters,” according to one research report. Making eye contact is the first step to building trust with your listeners. The good news is that there is plenty of hard evidence that explains how you can give the appearance of confidence and competence - even if you’re nervous or timid on the inside. What you say and how you say it are equally important. This means, within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes. Research shows that people form impressions about a leader’s competence in as little as half a minute.

How you look and sound are going to make a big impression - and your audience will form opinions quickly. You’ve crafted the message and created the slides for your next presentation.

Filler words