How to Stop Umming and Erring When Presenting

You know that moment. You’re standing in front of an audience, your mind races ahead, and suddenly every second word seems to be “um” or “er”.

It’s normal. But when it happens too often, it can distract your audience and quietly chip away at your confidence.

In our recent skills booster, How to Stop Umming and Erring When Presenting, Presenting Expert and Productivity Ninja Dom Kracmar explored why it happens, what it reveals about how our minds work, and how to use silence as one of the most powerful tools in communication.

Why we do it

Those little “umms” and “errs” aren’t mistakes. They’re a sign that your brain is working hard to find the right words. The challenge isn’t getting rid of them, it’s learning to manage them.

When we feel under pressure, silence feels risky. But in reality, silence builds authority. The pause tells your audience, I’m thinking. I’m in control.

How to pause with purpose

Rather than trying to sound flawless, focus on creating space.

A clear pause between thoughts helps you slow down, breathe, and give your listeners time to process what you’ve said.

Try this in your next meeting or presentation:

• Start speaking after a short pause instead of rushing in.
• When you finish a key point, pause again before moving on.
• If you lose your train of thought, take a breath rather than filling the gap.

It feels uncomfortable at first, but soon those pauses become your superpower.

The balance that sounds natural

A few fillers are fine; they make you sound human.

The goal is balance: enough warmth to sound natural, but enough calm to sound confident.

Dom summed it up perfectly during the session: “Clarity doesn’t come from speaking faster. It comes from giving your words room to land.”

Want to take it further?

If this idea resonated with you, you’ll love our full-day workshop Love Your Inner Presenter.

It’s designed to help you find your authentic voice, manage nerves, and bring more calm and confidence to every presentation.

The post How to Stop Umming and Erring When Presenting appeared first on Think Productive UK.

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