Episode #11: Killing The Ums and Ahs

Why are “um” and “ah” so dangerous for your career?

Filler words like “um” and “ah” make smart professionals sound unsure, unprepared, and even untrustworthy. They slow down your message, distract your audience, and weaken your personal brand. In high-stakes meetings in 東京 (Tokyo), this can quietly damage your reputation.

For 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies), leaders are expected to speak with clarity, confidence, and respect for the audience’s time. Rambling, mumbling, and constant filler words send the opposite signal: “I am not ready” or “I am not confident”.

Mini-summary: Frequent filler words reduce your impact, hurt your credibility, and limit your career growth.

We use filler words because we are thinking while speaking and feel pressure to “fill the silence”. When we are not fully prepared, or when we are nervous, our brain searches for the next idea and our mouth fills the gap with “um”, “ah”, “you know”, and similar sounds.

This is especially common when:

• We speak off the cuff in meetings

• We answer tough questions from senior leaders

• We present in a second language

The problem is that audiences do not hear “thinking time”; they hear “lack of confidence”.

Mini-summary: Filler words are a habit we use to buy thinking time, but to the audience they signal hesitation and weak confidence.

Many presenters in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) prepare only their slides and almost never rehearse their delivery. They become “slaves to PowerPoint”.

Common problems:

• The focus is on data, not on the message

• The presenter talks to the screen, not to the audience

• When slides and delivery do not match, audiences remember almost nothing

Research shows that when content and delivery are not aligned, people only absorb a small part of the message. PowerPoint, videos, and notes are tools, not the main act. In プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), we focus first on the speaker’s face, voice, gestures, pauses, and posture — then on the slides.

Mini-summary: PowerPoint is support, not a substitute for clear, confident communication.

Reading a script feels safe for the speaker but is painful for the audience. Even if you are well dressed and professional, reading every word:

• Removes eye contact

• Flattens your voice

• Instantly reduces your credibility

Using notes is fine. Reading notes is not. Good presenters in Tokyo’s business scene — especially those in 営業研修 (sales training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) — use simple prompts or slide orders to trigger key messages, not full sentences.

Mini-summary: Use notes as prompts, not as a script. Your audience needs connection, not perfect reading.

Here is a clear method you can start using today:

1. Decide the first word of your next sentence.

2. Hit that first word strongly. No sound should come out before that word.

3. Speak the sentence.

4. At the end of the sentence: stop.

5. Close your lips for a short, silent pause.

6. Repeat the cycle: strong first word → sentence → silence.

Silence is your new best friend. The short pause gives your brain time to think, without “um” or “ah”. With practice, this becomes a positive habit and filler words almost disappear.

Mini-summary: Strong first word + full sentence + silent pause is a simple formula to eliminate filler words.

Executives and managers in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) can change their communication by:

• Preparing key messages, not full scripts

• Rehearsing out loud, not only editing slides

• Recording themselves to check for filler words, speed, and clarity

• Practising high-impact delivery in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training)

Dale Carnegie has over 100 years of global experience and more than 60 years in Tokyo helping business leaders speak with confidence, connect with audiences, and strengthen their “I Am the Brand” presence.

Mini-summary: Focus practice on delivery and presence, not just slides, and use expert training to build strong habits.

• Filler words (“um”, “ah”) quietly destroy credibility and weaken your personal brand.

• PowerPoint, videos, and notes are tools, not a replacement for strong face-to-face communication.

• A simple habit — strong first word, full sentence, silent pause — can almost eliminate filler words.

• 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo) can boost leadership impact through プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training) with Dale Carnegie Tokyo.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.