How to stop using filler words

Picture this: you just delivered a presentation and answered a full round of impromptu questions on-the-fly! 

You’re feeling relieved that it’s over, but then your manager mentions that you seemed a little nervous. “Were you?” she asks. “I noticed you were using a lot of “ums”.

Suddenly, you start replaying the whole meeting in your mind:

Did I undermine myself? I couldn’t have been more prepared. How did I start again? “So there are uh, five key drivers that will, umm, help us bring this project to the finish line…”

Sh*t.

It’s by no means the end of the world (you got up there and got your points across!), but now you might be wondering how to stop using filler words so they don’t get in your way next time. 

Check out this clip to learn my top tips for eliminating filler words, so that you can speak more fluidly and articulately when it matters most:

The bottom line?

1. Practice pausing by coming to “full stops” at the end of each idea.

This is the antidote to that filler impulse. Coming to full stops gives you time to calmly decide what you want to say next, AND it gives your listener a moment to put away the information you just shared.

By taking a silent beat without barreling through your next thought with a quick “uh,” you gift yourself—and your audience— a conversational breather.

2. Maintain eye contact and keep your body language engaged.

This keeps others from interrupting you! Because when your eyes and posture signal that you aren’t finished speaking yet, people are much less likely to take advantage of the pause as an invitation to talk over you.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to avoid every single “um” or “uh” – that would be inauthentic. But rather, to embrace the power of the pause while using eye contact and body language to stay present and connected to the people you’re speaking to.

Ready for more actionable tips like these to help you embody your authentic leadership presence and communicate with ease under pressure?

>>> Hop on the waitlist for Presence Under Pressure right here, and be the first to know when you can schedule your intro call to explore this game-changing 8-week coaching opportunity.

This is a small, first-come, first-serve program for those who are truly ready to elevate their leadership presence and communicate more clearly and confidently under pressure. Participants are selected from a wide pool of applicants, and there’s only a limited number of spots available.

While many women enter Presence Under Pressure hoping to convey their expertise when they speak, and advance in their careers (which they do!)…

The biggest value of Presence Under Pressure is learning how to show up as your true self with a level of confidence that you’ll not only feel, but others will notice.

It’s a safe space outside of your typical environments to learn tools that will quickly expand your confidence, and to practice them in a community that:

• validates your struggles and your strengths
• sees your full potential and nudge you in the direction of your own goals
• motivates you to shed the limiting beliefs you’ve been clinging to and step into the mindset of an empowered leader

Because with the right community—one that holds space for you to gain self-awareness, experiment, and expand—it becomes easier to let go of the endless cycle of hustling for approval and embrace your gifts as a leader and as a communicator.

I’m not going to lie to you— Presence Under Pressure won’t take away every ounce of anxiety, stress, or nervousness that you experience in life. And I wouldn’t want it to, because that’s what makes you human.

But I CAN promise that it’ll get you crystal clear on what’s serving you and what’s not, and how to turn the skills you acquire throughout this program into habits you can rely on waaaay beyond our 8 weekly coaching calls.

Thanks so much for reading. I’m excited to connect with you!  ✨

Love,

Brenne