Do you um and ah?

I’ve always told new trainers that they shouldn’t get too concerned about uming and ahing during a presentation unless it is excessive to the point of being distracting. I also don’t mind Ok etc, again as long as it doesn’t get distracting. I have never had any real proof that this isn’t a problem it was just an opinion based on what you observe in everyday speech and for me a trainers presentation or explanation should be nothing more complicated than a planned, structured conversation.

Well the proof is out there that ums and ahs are good. It appears that they actually help the listener remember what was said. The abstract of that research is located here. So good news for all of us who don’t speak perfectly, we are probably more effective because we don’t!