@askvinh: Public speaking coaches won't tell you this: the pause is more powerful than any word you'll ever say. When you master the comfortable pause, something remarkable happens. Your ums and ahs vanish completely. These filler words destroy your authority faster than any mistake you could make. Think of it like this: you're playing a beautiful piano piece, then suddenly hit a jarring wrong note. That's exactly what "um" does to your message. It breaks the flow, shatters credibility, and makes your audience question your expertise. The solution isn't speaking faster or preparing more. It's getting comfortable with silence. When you feel that urge to fill space with "um" or "ah," pause instead. Let the silence do the work. Your audience needs those pauses to process what you're saying. You need them to gather your thoughts. Everyone wins when you embrace the pause. What's one filler word you catch yourself using?

Vinh Giang

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Region: AU

Thursday 21 May 2026 18:34:52 GMT