We all use filler words. It's normal to pause in between thoughts and use uhms, ers, and other filler words.

It's when you use too many of them it interferes with your effectiveness in delivering your message.

It also makes your listeners work harder to get to the heart of what you have to say.

When filler words fill your delivery, they undermine your credibility and authority, make you sound less confident and distract from your message.

Used to the extreme, filler words become verbal white noise the brain has to filter out to get to the meat of your message.

When you are delivering a message about an important project at work, or your service that will change lives, that's a distraction you can do without.

Learn:

• Why we use filler words
• How they affect your credibility
• What you can do to stop saying uhm

It's a quick listen so you can put these tips to work right away.

Research: University of Missouri