[wallflower]

> Embrace Your Ums

I strongly disagree. One of the things that you learn in Toastmasters is to control your tics (whether they be verbal - umms, ahhs, you knows, yeahs, huhs, uhhs or non-verbal - swinging arms, hands clenched in pockets, crossed arms, crossed legs, hands behind back, rocking back and forth, pacing without purpose). Each Toastmasters meeting actually has an 'Ah counter' that will tally your respective tics. After a few speeches, you learn to replace your ahhs/umms/you knows with simple pauses. Pauses are so much more effective than ahhing/umming. Silence is powerful. Umms/ahhs detract from your presentation because they cause people to focus more on your umms/ahhs than your message. PG and other important speakers can get away with them because people respect what they have to say, very highly. Toastmasters teaches you to move with purpose - which means standing fairly still - moving to emphasize a point. And to speak with purpose - not too rapid, not too slow - but with conviction and passion.

I highly recommend Toastmasters for learning public speaking. Clubs vary in variety, though - try before you join - by going as a guest several times. However, if you decide to do Toastmasters, do not join your corporate club - join a club where you have no co-workers present (having co-workers present will limit you because you will be in the standard work context - afraid to fail, afraid to mess up - and yes, afraid to umm and ahh your way through the first critical speeches you deliver)

Every year, Toastmasters has a speech competition. It starts from your local club to district to regional to national to the highest level, International. If you have a few minutes, take a look at some of the competing entries - they are, without exception, polished and powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=toastmasters+cha...

[kmfrk]

Definitely don't be the "Um" guy. To wit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=FLmguqPI1EssJ48_VdAtl9nA&#....

Just recognize the reason why you are saying "Um" all the time, since there is properly a good reason for it. "Um"s are awkward, replacing them with a few seconds of silence isn't - oftentimes, it actually helps keep the audience focused.

[huckfinnaafb]

Depending on the severity of your "ums", this is a facet "normal people" may need not perfect (or even need to work on).

This article is the minimum strategy, the 80% of a good presentation. Ums are a detractor but not as much a one as poor product knowledge or mechanical storytelling.

[Lost_BiomedE]

I understand where he is coming from. His emphasis seems to be about not controlling the speech, which works well for me. If I have something practiced or have a grading scheme that I am conscious of while speaking, the outcome is great or terrible. If I mess up a few times, I fall apart instead of picking up the pieces.

Advice like his has drastically reduced 'umms' as a by-product, as it is a byproduct of my nervousness. If one is giving enough talks that the umms are not a tick but a habit/crutch, then it is definitely something to be targeted.

tldr; I think his advice on umms is due to the 'normal people' aspect vs. public speaker.

[dredmorbius]

The occasional tic is OK.

When they're utterly distracting ... no.

I've heard professional speakers utterly hampered by "ums", nonsensical random streams of thought, etc., to the point I've had to leave, switch stations/channels, or stop listening. Rare, but memorable.

The exception might be made for someone whose material or story is so utterly compelling that you're willing to overlook such idiosyncrasies. However, most of us are not such special snowflakes.

[twelvechairs]

I don't think the Toastmasters style is for everyone and everything. Its good for subjective stories in front of large audiences. However, I've seen people come across like self important asses talking like this about something reasonably technical in a small personable room full of equals.