CEOs Need to Stop Saying “Um” and “Ah” [Video]

[Full Transcript]

Let me ask you… do you think people trust you when you speak English?

Here’s why I asked.

Let me give you an example.

Let’s say you’re the leader of your company, and you have a large presentation to make… a very important presentation.

You’re presenting to your investors, to different stakeholders..this means a lot. You prepared for this. You really prepared for this presentation.

You know the material so well. And your presentation begins and you stand up.

And…

Hello ummm

I am ahhh so ahhh excited to ahhh be ahhhh here today.

It is ummm with great pleasure ummm to explain to you ummm all of the ahhh exciting fantastic things that our great ummm company has been ahhh doing over the last ahhh six months.

Ummm Let me begin.

WOW!

Would you trust that person?

Would you trust me when you hear me speak like that?

When you speak English and maybe you’re a little nervous…

Do you sound like that?

Have you ever heard yourself speak?

How many ummm’s…

How many ahhh’s…. do you use?

These are known as filler words – umm – ahh – like – you know – so – well – all of those words are very distracting.

When you are using those words, people will not trust you.

It’s really difficult to build trust and relationships by using those.

One of the most important skills in being able to communicate confidently, as an executive, is to get rid of those ummm’s

And those ahhh’s. Typically they are habits that we use these. by losing the ummm’s and the ahhh’s, the level of trust increases significantly between you and your audience.

Try it.

Let me see what happens with you.

First, see if you have these ummm’s and ahhh’s. Record yourself speaking.

Do you ummm and do you ahhh?

What if there’s a little bit more pressure? Do you ummm more and do you ahhh more?

Probably.

Try it.

Try to get rid of the ummm’s and the ahhh’s and see if people trust you at a higher level, I’d love to hear from you.

[End of Transcript]