Sometime in your life, you’re going to have to speak publicly. It may be for a lunch-and-learn; it may be an internal company meeting; or it may even be at a friend’s wedding. But no doubt about it, you’re going to have to be ready to speak publicly.

I notice something when people are speaking and have not worked on their abilities to do so publicly.  When I point this out, you’ll notice it as well. You’ll have trouble paying attention to what they’re saying.

It’s called the “Crutch Word.”

Many times, when people speak publicly, they’re naturally nervous. They assume they need to fill the silence with words, or they use it as a means for transitioning their thoughts. When starting out, some people use a crutch word once or twice, which becomes a bad speaking habit. The one most often used (or abused) is “You know.” We’ve all used it from time to time, but it’s one we all need to work on not using.

A few others you’ll hear are “OK,” “like,” “um,” and “I mean.”  But what really gets my attention is the person using the double crutch or rapid-fire crutch words. For example, “Like, you know,” or “You know what I mean?” or “Like, like, you know,” or “You know – you know.”

I don’t want to come across as judgmental. I only want to make a point. And the point is to make you a better presenter.  If you hear yourself using crutch words, I think it’s up to you to work on breaking that habit. Here are some tips.

• First, record yourself speaking or presenting, then listen for verbal crutches.
• If you know you must give a speech, practice … out loud! Go into a room by yourself and practice the speech. I do this all the time. I practice my voice inflections, timing, hand gestures, and physical walking and stopping points. I even practice my pauses to emphasize a point. Believe me, you’ll feel stupid, but you’ll be able to notice if one of the crutches shows up, and I promise you’ll become a much better speaker.
• Let the pause be your friend! If you feel a “You know” coming on, pause. Don’t say anything for a second. Regroup your thoughts and proceed. Practicing the pause is the fastest way to lose the “You knows.”
• One of the hardest things to do is to ask a trusted friend if you have any verbal crutches. But a word of caution: The truth often hurts. If you want to be a good speaker, you’ll take it as constructive and work to improve.

I hope this helps you with your speaking ability. Whether you have months to prepare or find yourself in an off-the-cuff speech situation, you’ll sound more persuasive and more intelligent if you work on your speaking skills.

My 2 cents