“Hi, it’s Michael Trigg here, The Presentation Maestro. And this Ask Michael question is “How do you stop saying Um during a presentation?
Well I’ve got one simple and very powerful answer for you, but let me preface it by saying that the odd stumble or mumble or bumble or fumble isn’t too bad in the odd talk because it shows it’s not too smooth it’s not too practiced and therefore more genuine; but here’s the real answer you’re looking for:
One of the best ways to stop saying Um is to use the tool that most of you almost sleep with and actually keep very close to you most of the time which is namely your smartphone. So I would record yourself. Make a video of yourself on your smartphone practising a talk, and then on the playback you’ll see and hear the ums on there. And when you’re watching the playback your unconscious brain watches it as well as your conscious brain, and what it does is go oo I don’t like that, that’s really irritating. [snaps fingers] and it pretty well removes it almost automatically.
It’ll vastly reduce it and probably remove it altogether. I’ve seen it happen time, and time, and time again. So use your smartphone. See you on the next one. “
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