Do you recall the last time you spoke in front of an audience? Were you aware of how many times you said “you know” during the course of the presentation or public speaking event? Perhaps you used it 5 times, 10 times, or 100. I am just as guilty of saying this phrase as the next person. Just last month, I was recording a podcast with my co-host. In one 90 second segment, I probably said “you know” about 20 times. Needless to say, we had to re-record. It’s funny in a way, but it’s also not. The sad reality is that filler words do nothing to advance our message and enhance our narratives. Think of your presentation script as a vehicle for your main points. Where are filler phrases like “you know” showing signs of a breakdown?
Meaningless Mechanics
The more you say “you know,” the less valuable content you are relaying to listeners. For example, in a January 2016 interview with Piers Morgan, Harvey Weinstein said “you know” over 80 times in a fairly short time span. That’s a significant amount of wasted seconds, and potentially minutes, which could have been allocated towards much more compelling arguments or explanations.
Confused controls
If you are being perceived as an expert by an audience, then saying “you know” does nothing more than to lessen their confidence in you as king or queen of content. Take control of your perception and position yourself as the authority figure in your field or industry. When you say “you know” several times, you project a sense of confusion and a lack of confidence.
Personality parts
A recent Inc. article mentioned that “you know” is the pretender’s phrase. Upon checking under your hood, anyone would find that when you are prefacing opinions with “you know,” you are actually intending to get the support of others by feigning openness to alternatives. Avoid the phrase especially if you know you are using it intentionally; for a distinct and not necessarily ethical purpose.
Even those whose public speaking skills are regarded highly among many become hindered by the verbal technical difficulty, “you know.” According to an article from the International Business Times, President Barack Obama has been known to drop a filler phrase or 29… To avoid the almost certain outcomes described above of using “you know” during a public speaking event, presenters can try some of these strategies:
- Rehearse your presentation material at least 7 times (but we suggest more)
- Exercise your breathing to calm you down prior to taking the stage
- Practice self-talk; tell yourself that you are excited about public speaking – and about your message
For more insight to enhance your public speaking education, check out the following resources!
9 Phrases That Make You Sound Less Experienced Than You Are
The New “Bad Words” of Business Jargon
The Case of the Machiavellian Presenter
