Stopping Bad Presentation Habits

There are so many bad habits that show up in presentations, such as saying “um,” using filter words, or mumbling. 

Do you say “ums” too much, or using filler words such as “like,” “you know,” or “so”? Why do you do this?  I believe we do it because we do not like dead air or silence, and we want to fill the void with words, or my clients tell me they do it because “it gives me time to think”.  Does one “um” really give you time to think? Not really, we are fooling ourselves. Silence or pausing makes you sound good and you can overcome this ingrained habit.

The first step is to become aware of when you are saying filler sounds or words; don't try to change it yet, just notice every time you do it.  The next step is each time you feel yourself about to say “um”, take a breath, pause, then carry on. You will not get rid of the habit right away but with practice, using this technique, you will stop doing it.

Another bad habit is mumbling. Mumbling is talking very softly, sometimes very quickly, and leaving out certain sounds or squishing the words together with your voice.  You may not realize that you are doing it. If this is a habit of yours, project your voice, slow down, and focus on saying each sound in the word clearly.

To overcome bad habits in your speaking, reach out to me for a free 30-minute consultation and learn how you can do just that.