Learn To Speak All Proper, like.

Have you ever stayed up to watch those infomercials that come on at about 2am, that try their best to sell you some overpriced exercise machine? Well I have, and I think they're hilarious. Apparently, the only people who use them are super-toned super heroes, with muscles bulging in places that don't quite look right, and naturally we believe they look like this through exclusive use of this machine, and with no help from those funny pills that a guy called "Bazza" has supplied them. Hmm...

Anyway, I'm not here to sell you a "SuperPowerBoostAwesomeGo 3000". I remember seeing one recently where the presenter said "without this machine, it would of taken me, like, loads of months, like, to get all, umm, you know, toned and stuff". Really? You want me to start taking you seriously?



It's not just questionable late-night TV either. I have been to numerous networking meetings where I am so sick of hearing the word "umm" that I start counting them, I suspect others do as well, and if we're counting how many times you "umm", then we're not listening to your speech. It also suggests you are not confident in what you're saying, and are just making it up as you go along.

Even Actress Emma Thompson is getting annoyed at it, saying comments such as "innit" drive her insane. I can't say I'd go to that extreme, but in some settings, it's so bad it's hilarious.

Just practice your speech before-hand. Make sure you know what you are saying and when, and avoid constantly saying "umm" or "ahh". People will listen and start taking you seriously.

Otherwise, you'll go on my leader board of presenters who do this frequently, and I shall remember you for this, not your talk.

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