SOME OF THE OFFENDING SPACE FILLERS

Are you deeply embedded in any of these word ruts??

THE PROBLEM WITH SPACE FILLERS

• They distract and annoy your audience
  (Um-m-m sounds DUMB. Uh-h-h sounds like DUH-H-H.)
• They lessen the impact of your message.
• They give a negative impression about you
• No one likes to listen to nonsense syllables or words!

THE CHALLENGE

• Develop self-awareness of space fillers you use.
• Instead, quietly pause while you gather your thoughts.
  The audience will not notice the moment of silence.
  Pauses can even emphasize or enhance your message.
• Eliminate space fillers from prepared speeches.
  Challenge yourself to have zero for an entire speech.
• Weed them out of all conversation. Discard this verbal crutch forever!

EXERCISES TO ELIMINATE SPACE FILLERS

• Ask someone to count your "um-m" and "uh-h"s in a speech. Strive for zero.
• Exaggerate both the length and frequency of the "ah-hs" and "um-ms" to increase awareness. Punctuate every sentence and every word with a space filler on purpose. Now try the same sentence or speech without any.