How to Eliminate Filler Words and Stop Sabotaging Your Own Presentation

At a recent Annual General Meeting in Tokyo, the organization’s President delivered a short, well-constructed, appropriate speech. The content was good. The length was good. The voice strength was good.

Yet his talk was destroyed by one fatal flaw:
He inserted “um” into every single sentence.

The message was fine—but the constant filler words made the delivery irritating, distracting, and unprofessional. In effect, he was opposing himself. His message fought a losing battle with his verbal habits.

This is common in Japan and globally. Many mature professionals have unconsciously built a lifetime habit of filler words—“um,” “ah,” “you know,” “like”—and never realized how destructive these are to their executive presence.

Mini-Summary: Filler words sabotage credibility, weaken presence, and distract listeners away from your message.

Filler words are simply verbal cushioning.
They give your brain time to assemble the next idea.

But here’s the problem:
Your brain’s processing time becomes the audience’s annoyance.

Even highly intelligent and accomplished professionals fall into this trap. The issue isn’t intellect—it’s habit.
Once ingrained, filler words become automatic, invisible, and chronic.

Mini-Summary: Filler words aren’t a thinking problem—they’re a habit problem.

There is a simple, reliable, Dale Carnegie–style physiological technique that works:

Step 1: Hit the First Word Hard

Start each sentence with slightly more vocal strength.
This eliminates the gap where “um” tries to slip in.

Step 2: Maintain a Smooth Flow

Speak continuously and intentionally.
No breaks = no entry points for filler words.

Step 3: End the Sentence—Then Purse Your Lips

Close your lips firmly at the end of each sentence.
This prevents any involuntary noise from escaping.

Step 4: Start the Next Sentence With Power

Hit the next first word strongly—again blocking filler intrusion.

Step 5: Apply the Same Rule to Pauses

A pause is essentially a sentence restart.
Purse your lips, hold the silence, then begin the next idea cleanly.

This isn’t instant magic, but the improvement is dramatic and fast.

Mini-Summary: A strategic combination of stronger first words, lip control, and rhythm eliminates filler words.

Yes—because it’s based on physiology, not willpower.

I used to “um” and “ah” like everyone else.
When I deliberately applied this system over weeks and months, the filler words almost disappeared. Today, with hundreds of trainings and presentations, my recorded videos show almost zero filler intrusion.

If it works for someone speaking in real time, without notes, for hours each week—it will work for you.

Mini-Summary: This is a proven, repeatable method used successfully by high-frequency presenters.

Filler words evolve. Some are generational (“like”), others conversational (“you know”).
They act like habitual punctuation that adds nothing and subtracts a lot.

Examples:

• A master cobbler in a documentary… “you know” every sentence

• A high-powered lawyer in Tokyo… promising polished delivery, then using “you know” endlessly on stage

These crutches dilute impact and reveal unconscious habits—behaviors most professionals don’t even know they have.

Mini-Summary: Verbal tics reveal unconscious habits and weaken authority—even in top professionals.

We are the worst observers of ourselves.
That’s why video is non-negotiable.

Watching yourself:

• Reveals hidden habits

• Exposes unconscious patterns

• Provides irrefutable evidence

• Accelerates improvement

For example, I discovered my own overuse of “so” as a transitional bridge. I never noticed it until I saw myself on video. Now I am retraining myself to replace it with variations like:

• “Next…”

• “Let’s move on…”

• “Here’s another key point…”

Without video, I would never have known.

Mini-Summary: Video provides the truth your ears cannot hear—use it for continuous self-audit.

Filler words:

• Distract listeners

• Undermine professionalism

• Give the impression of uncertainty

• Create irritation

• Reduce message retention

• Damage personal brand

Even when everything else in the presentation is strong, filler words can single-handedly ruin the delivery.

You can’t afford that—not in the age of micro-attention, short-form video, and hyper-distracted audiences.

Mini-Summary: Eliminating filler words is one of the fastest ways to elevate your executive presence.

• Filler words destroy otherwise strong presentations.

• They are habits—not thinking failures—and can be retrained.

• Use the first-word-hard + lip-purse technique to eliminate them.

• Apply the rule to pauses as well as sentences.

• Watch yourself on video to uncover hidden verbal habits.

• Replace repetitive transition tics with more varied phrases.

• Continuous refinement builds credibility, clarity, and authority.

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.