Filler words quickly become crutch words that we habitually use. They “ah” diminish our credibility and “um” distract from “you know” our message. Animal health pros routinely interact with animal owners and other animal health pros. Noah Zandan shares how to replace the crutch words with pauses.
Source: Ascend, September 2018. Link.
Used sparingly and effectively, filler words can make you more relatable to your audience, give you time to catch your breath, and emphasize key points. . . But when they become crutch words, used out of nervousness or lack of preparation, they hurt your credibility.
INSIGHTS: Zandon talks about practicing. For most interactions animal health pros have daily, we won’t have rehearsal time. Still, taking a long pause to formulate an answer or confidence statement helps increase credibility and professionalism.