Are your Umm’s and Err’s reducing your impact?

What’s the difference between a Pause and an Umm or Err?

They both provide a gap in the conversation, allowing you to think about what you are going to say or assimilate the information you’ve just received.

They both indicate you are thinking.

When in mid conversation, they are both a signal that there is something still to be said.
The difference is the authority that you are perceived to have.

Umm and Err your way through the presentation and other’s may think you aren’t sure of yourself. Your thinking process may be seen as an inability to remember or compute the information successfully.

So, a pause is more impactful … if you pause you are alerting the audience (be there one or many) that you are about to say something they should listen to. Or that you are about to say something of value.

Over use your Umm’s and Err’s and you will diminish your authority as you would if you had an overused fidget or fiddle. Pause more and other’s will imagine you know what you are talking about … whether you are giving directions or presenting to the great and the good of your industry!