Some four letter words offend. Some four letter words are vulgar. And some, like “like” are deadly communication killers. If you have ever listened to anyone (and I am sure you have) whose every other word seems to be “like,” (or, “okay, right, you know, basically, or um”), then you know what I mean. These words are used unconsciously, usually to fill empty space while the speaker thinks of his/her next word or thought. They should be eliminated at all costs. Prove that to yourself in the exercise below. Then, use the trick at the end of this post to banish them from your life forever!
Exercise
Record yourself on your phone reading paragraph #1 out loud filling in the blanks along the way with the facts of your work. Then, do the same thing with the second paragraph. Play them both back.
- Who would you want to listen to, buy from, or work with?
- Which speaker communicates the most credibility, authority, and gravitas? The least?
- Which speaker would you rather be?
Paragraph #1:
“My name is………. I, like, specialize in, you know, …………. What I, do, you know, is……………. Like I really enjoy it, because, like, you know, I find it, like, really ……………………………….. My clients agree. They are, like, really loyal, because, after they work with me, you know, like, they are better able to………………. Like, we have competition, but, like, they can’t compete with, you know, our……………… So, like, that is why you should work with us.”
Paragraph #2:
“My name is…………………….. I specialize in…………………………. What I do is…………………….I really enjoy it because I find it really………………………My clients agree. They are really loyal, because after they work with me, they are better able to…………………….. We have competition, but they can’t compete with our………….. So, that is why you should work with us.”
I repeat:
- Who would you want to listen to, buy from, and work with?
- Which speaker communicates the most credibility, authority, and gravitas? The least?
- Which speaker would you rather be?
No more “Likes!”
Replace these non-words/phrases with silence. The first step is to become aware of when you use “like” and similar words at the moment you are using them. Have a friend, roommate, spouse, or office pal say your name every time you use these empty fillers. This will cause you to catch yourself and to self-correct. It is a bit startling at first to realize how often you use these words. However, with a little effort, after a day or two, you will catch yourself–by yourself–and instantly raise your credibility, authority, and professionalism with others when you speak.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
Make Sure Your Presentations “Kill” in a Good Way! Call today for individual coaching or team workshops and learn how to turn information that tells into a story that sells. 212-876- 1875 amiller@annemiller.com
“Anne and I recently worked together on a speech I gave at a large conference. She helped me turn a series of somewhat interesting points into an expertly crafted, compelling and actionable story. Together, we built a storyline with attention-grabbing headlines. We worked and re-worked the language, making sure every word was important. Finally, Anne coached me on the delivery. The result was so exciting – I’ve never been so well received in a speech before. Thank you, Anne!” Kate Griffin, Vice President, CFED.org
If you like these posts, please share with friends, clients, and colleagues. Thank you!