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Non-words and Catch Phrases Tutorial
Using "um and ah" and phrases like "okay, basically, actually, last but not least, and alright" diminish the impact of your presentation. Most people use these non-words and catch phrases when they are not confident about the material they are presenting. It's easy to rid yourself of these habits if you slow down and pause.
How:
- Pause between sentences and thoughts.
- Script the words that you will use to begin main ideas.
- Practice your presentation.
Why:
- Non-words are one of the most distracting presentation behaviors.
- Non-words and catch phrases make you appear less confident and authoritative.
Practice Ideas:
- Have a friend listen to you present. Ask that helper to snap their fingers, or clap whenever you use a non-word or catch phrase.
- Tape record yourself speaking. Notice your use of non-words and catch phrases. Re-record yourself saying the same things, but pausing each time you said a non-word.
- Listen to a voice mail message after you send it. Note your use of non-words. Erase any message that you send which includes non-words and catch phrases. Keep trying until you get it right.
Watch Out For:
- Planning a presentation by using slides, without thinking about what you will say. This leads to non-words.
- Feeling too rushed to pause.