How to Get Rid of Filler Words

[@alexanderlyon]

Free download of the Top 5 Essential Communication Skills for Professionals: www.alexanderlyon.com/free-resources

[@bridgiesue7]

When I was in my teens and early 20s I used fillers CONSTANTLY. So much even I got annoyed with it. Then I moved to Italy, and since I was mostly speaking English with people who had English as a second language, I really had to pay attention to my word choice and slow down my speaking so that they could understand me. The filler words just disappeared with that.

[@alexanderlyon]

Wow. Very interesting approach that worked for you. Nicely done. I think careful attention like that is at the heart of breaking the filler habit.

[@allbusinessbasics]

Wow, I had almost the exact same experience. Moved to southern Italy for two years at 19 and REALLY had to slow down and be very deliberate with my speech. It was the first time I consciously THOUGHT about HOW I was speaking...as opposed to just spewing out whatever.

[@RachelSmets]

Hey Alex, wow, your video is doing great, so many views, you nailed this one👏 Filler words were unknown to me until I did my first TEDx talk, my coach told me about me EUHHHHHS and WOW, since then, NEVER again! Silence is POWER full stop! Now when I work with speakers, that is the one thing we get OUT of the way, no more ums, ahs, and all variations from that. I've noticed different cultures use different ways of ''filling the gap''😅 These are great topics to help speakers and I love making videos about it too, because just like you, we want to help make speakers GREAT speakers and feel great too 😀👍

[@alexanderlyon]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Rachel. I appreciate it.

[@allbusinessbasics]

Yes!! I've noticed a BIG difference between cultures on how we gravitate towards filling those gaps...especially when "crossing" cultures and speaking in second languages. I wish every English-as-a-second-language course would include this video to help them feel comfortable with a little bit of silence instead of defaulting to filler words.

[@RachelSmets]

Totally happy you know what I mean and you've experienced it too@@allbusinessbasics . For me English is my 3d language, even if all my work and videos are English, but the PAUZING is something most people are afraid of and once I learned that Pauze = POWER and it actually looks great instead of thinking I look stupid when silent! That was a gamechanger for me!!! What's your first language?

[@L3roy]

The video that everyone needs, and ah nobody, um knows they need… 😅. In all seriousness, amazing tips!! Number one thing that helped me with this is watching/listening to myself speaking. Would have never guessed how many fillers I used.

[@alexanderlyon]

Glad it was helpful, brother.

[@allbusinessbasics]

Ha! I was JUST thinking about whether I use fillter words in my emails/chats/texts...and I do! Something to keep an eye on for sure. =-)

[@peterdaoust404]

That was excellent. I’ve been a minister for two years and this preaching biz is all new to me. I’ve been using some of these fillers for effect, but listening to this I realise it’s more like affectation. Strange thing is, I don’t use fillers in normal speech.

[@susanlewis1875]

Normal speech is 'normal!' You're probably not as likely to hope people will go home and talk about what you said over dinner! Another excellent tool for clergy is to record your messages and watch them later. You'll be stunned by the number of fillers you use!

[@allbusinessbasics]

I can't think of a more fitting setting to present in a genuine, natural, and authentic way than as a minister! I'd take a loose, natural presentation over a practiced, canned, robotic presentation ANY day but especially at church! =-)

[@susanlewis1875]

@@allbusinessbasics Loose and natural can be practiced so you don't even recognize the effort. The point is to sound prepared and knowledgeable, not impromptu.

[@allbusinessbasics]

@@susanlewis1875 Interesting. I've come across a small handful of presenters over 20 years and thousands of presentations who can pull that off. Almost ALL presenters and public speakers I watch seem so mechanical in their speech, movements, pauses, everything...like they've practiced over and over in front of a mirror to simply regurgitate the content to their audience. I am digesting this to see how it fits into my perspectives and experiences. 😃 I'd love to hear more if you're willing!

[@susanlewis1875]

@@allbusinessbasics I'm very sorry to hear of your experience. Mine has been quite the opposite. Unfortunately the predominance of my experience was in health insurance and employee benefits, but the speakers were authentic, informed and engaging. Go figure. I still carry with me training skills I learned there thirty years ago. The most contrived and artificial were those who fancied themselves poets and/or writers. Heaven spare me from poets.

[@Superiorsocialskills]

I do this without noticing sometimes unless I record a video of me speaking. I started using these techniques and I definitely see some improvement. Excellent video!

[@alexanderlyon]

Thanks for sharing!

[@shyama5612]

Silence and inhaling is a very useful tip. I've noticed that lack of planned structure and clarity of content creates the anxiety which results in the fillers. In my company presentations, when my turn comes, usually we are behind time and I used to squeeze in a lot of content in the limited time. Also, some executive is always interrupting! This took some practice to have a 3 min version and the top 3 points to land and one point if there is no time. This made me ready for any last minute adjustments and still not rush through or ramble.

[@alexanderlyon]

That's a great strategy. If people can get good at compressing their messages like that, they'll be in good shape. Thanks for the example.

[@allbusinessbasics]

Ironically it's often HARDER to reduce and focus your content than it is to ADD content! But it definitely helps the message come across better to your presentation audience, though. =-) Keep it up!

[@shyama5612]

@@allbusinessbasics True. Takes energy and understanding to compress and be brief without losing substance. Most x-fn presentations, I've noticed that 3 point layout is effective: 1. what's the issue and why they should care 2. what's done so far or needs to done and its potential impact 3. what's asked of them

[@allbusinessbasics]

@@shyama5612 So true! Love this layout. We OFTEN forget about what, specifically, is being asked of those in attendance. Sometimes it's nothing, but the presenter should state that!

[@bjfifi]

Thank you! I have to work on my articulation in order to get promoted! That is my weakness! Ah, and You know what I mean are my fillers

[@allbusinessbasics]

Recognizing what YOUR fillers are is the first (and hardest!) step! You've got this! =-)

[@Anjalisharma-pv9rl]

Thank you, Sir... I have to deliver a presentation very soon and your videos are really helping me a lot. You are teaching very well, and I am improving day by day.

[@alexanderlyon]

You are most welcome.

[@allbusinessbasics]

Good luck with your presentation! Don't forget to stay yourself and present in YOUR style. Don't try to fit "the expected mold." =-)

[@madrinewangui4204]

i mostly use fillers to try thinking of what to say next

[@allbusinessbasics]

And that's where those slight pauses can come into play! Use these tips to help stop yourself from using a filler and pausing for a brief moment instead. =-)

[@mohamedshuaibsiddiqui5177]

Thanks a lot for all your hardwork!

[@dameanvil]

00:00 🗣 Filler words can distract listeners and make you sound long-winded. 01:18 🤔 Understand why you use fillers; it could be to avoid silence or out of habit. 02:15 🤫 Embrace silence; pauses have benefits, such as making you sound more concise. 03:10 🕵 Identify your specific filler words or phrases for targeted improvement. 06:17 🚫 Replace fillers with a silent pause using the "period method" or by taking a breath. 09:01 🔄 Progress through three phases: saying "period" aloud, then in your head, and finally, just taking a silent breath. 11:46 🎙 Overall process: Embrace pauses, identify fillers, and replace them with silent techniques for composed and confident communication.

[@xyzoub]

I love your videos. May I make a suggestion that could possibly be used in your workshops? There is an English classroom buzzer game adapted from the BBC radio and TV show _Just a Minute!_ which helps identify and reduce the use of filler words in a fun way. Students pick up topic cards (which can themselves be quirky themes!) and must speak about the subject in one minute without using filler words, repetitions, hesitations, or drifting off the topic, to win points. Other students have buzzers and win points when pressing the buzzer identifying the filler words of the student speaking. Many come to the realization they cannot communicate without fillers, and modify the game conditions to include a maximum number of fillers allowed before losing a point.

[@alexanderlyon]

That sounds like a fun game. There's a version of that I may start using where the speaker tries to make it to 30 seconds without using a filler.

[@xyzoub]

Way to go Alexander, and good luck for those 30 seconds! The scoring system works well with younger students, who often lack a motivational basis for being in the classroom: the point system offers them the possibility to 'win' against their friends.

[@1PumpkinLady]

This is an excellent video! Thank you for your help!

[@alexanderlyon]

I'm glad it was helpful. Thank you for your feedback.

[@sunvaj6754]

Great lesson! Thank you Alex!

[@MikePhillips]

Wow. I almost always close with.... "You know what I mean?" It actually drives my wife nuts. I feel that I do better on video. In personal conversation I realize how often I "fill time." Thanks for sharing sir!

[@alexanderlyon]

Thanks for sharing your example, Mike. I'm sure you're not alone in that. Tag questions are pretty common.

[@susanlewis1875]

I watch too many videos. My chief bugaboos are #1 when people start explanations or demonstrations with, "So yeah,". "So yeah, this is the fabric we decided to go with..." AAARRGH! Number 2 is when police officers end instructions with "okay?" "You're going to get in my car now, okay?" NNOOOOO! It sounds like you're asking permission! What if they say no, huh? "You're going to get in my car now" reminds them who's in charge. Words have power!!

[@alexanderlyon]

I hear you. I'd say 50% or more of presentations start with "Alright, so . . ."

[@susanlewis1875]

@@alexanderlyon Yes! That was the other one I couldn't remember!

[@edwardhughes352]

Very usefull advice. Thanks.

[@19E37-e3i]

So, like, apparently, I technically use all of these words and actually I guess sort of find them basically addictive, you know what I mean?

[@TheOraclesPearls]

😂😂😂😂

[@alexanderlyon]

Well said! 😂

[@craigtravasso]

Great tips. Thanks Alex

[@alexanderlyon]

Glad it was helpful, Craig.

[@MaxHarden]

Any chance of changing my excited utterance of "oh god" to Conan the Barbarian's "Crom!"

[@alexanderlyon]

I believe in you!

[@abdulhafizbozdag2988]

Thank you sir..

[@nancys.1184]

Apparently I use them all! 😂 Thank you for helping me realize I’m talking like a 90s teen 😂 This has been helpful!

[@alexanderlyon]

That made me laugh. I'm glad it was helpful

[@theschoolofbodylanguage]

Congratulations Professor

[@alexanderlyon]

Thank you, Roxi. You, in particular, are going to LOVE next week's video. Any guesses as to what it might be????

[@theschoolofbodylanguage]

@alexanderlyon My name is long-winded lady Is this the case???☆☆☆☆ But after Professor's Alex Lyon Sessions Not any more. Thanks to you Professor 😊 🙏 Now my name is Ms. CONCISE God bless you Warm greetings to you and your lovely family Take care.

[@chacha9674]

My husband always… you know… you know… you know…. Each time he says, I respond… I don’t know… I don’t … I don’t know.

[@rickwyant]

Who cares? Communication is the goal, stop complicating things.

[@alexanderlyon]

Judging by how frequently I get asked for help from clients on this issue, I'd say lots of people care. And *_effective_* communication is the goal. Many listeners in professional settings find fillers distracting and will judge public speakers who use them. It's almost impossible to fight that perception. As a result, many clients want to reduce their fillers so they don't hurt their credibility.

[@sarahtracy1746]

Thanks Alex. I'm going to focus on these tips. Hopefully they will help me learn some new speech habits.

[@alexanderlyon]

Always great to hear from you, Sarah. 🙂

[@safaasonbol4539]

❤

[@Philipp-Humm]

This is really interesting!

[@DianaBaumann]

Great work Alex - thanks for producing all these videos!

[@alexanderlyon]

Thank you. I appreciate the positive feedback.

[@dineshsce]

I use basically, so all the time 😂😂😂

[@allbusinessbasics]

I'm listening to a presentation RIGHT NOW and have heard "Uh" and "Um" 13...14...15 times AS I'm typing this. Now up to 20. 😄 It's VERY distracting. Thank you for the practical, real-world teaching and advice!

[@alexanderlyon]

Oof. That sounds rough. Hang in there.

[@NJards-zt4fp]

Great info. We say 'fullstop' rather than 'period' in Australia :)

[@alexanderlyon]

Yes, I've heard that and it sounds great. Some people say it in the US as well but only a small percentage.

[@etsbenjamindriver]

Apparently, I love the apparently kid!

[@alexanderlyon]

Ha!

[@CarlKwan]

Awesome tips!!

[@alexanderlyon]

Thank you, Carl. I appreciate that brother.

[@thejuanderful]

Very well constructed video! Shame is often used to try and correct people using filler words and you managed to use clear language that avoided using shame. I could visualize myself going through the process as you explained it. I have a feeling my next tiktok is already going to better, and if needed I'll add some practice to the visualizing. I've already been working on the "ums" and this is going to help, thank you! Now to watch it again!

[@alexanderlyon]

I'm glad it was helpful!