Is this tiny habit shrinking your credibility by 30%?

Let’s talk about a quiet credibility killer: filler words.

According to the Harvard Business Review , the average person uses 5 filler words per minute —

think:

👉 "um,"

👉 "uh,"

👉 "like,"

👉 "you know..."

Most speakers don’t realize they’re doing it… but it’s quietly costing them their impact.

These tiny habits chip away at your confidence — and can reduce your perceived credibility by up to 30%. That’s one-third of your influence, lost to verbal clutter.

But here’s the good news: This is one of the easiest habits to fix with intention and awareness. Here are two of our SPEAC techniques to help you start cutting out those pesky filler words: 

1. Staying Aware

Whether it’s a pitch or a casual story, record yourself and listen for filler patterns. You’ll be surprised what you catch when you play it back.

2. Practice the Power PauseGet comfortable with the silence.

Most people use fillers as verbal “buffering.” Train yourself to pause instead. A well-timed silence is more powerful than “uh…”

✅ Pro Tip 1:  Put your tongue at the roof of your mouth. You can’t speak when your “tongue is tied”.

✅ Pro Tip 2: Try replacing your commas and periods in your speech roadmap or outline with red slashes, each slash representing one second:

/ = 1 second pause (comma)

// = 2 second pause (period)

Example:

“I’d like to start off with a story from my childhood // When I was entering my freshman year of high school / I had no idea what was coming for me that year // “

3. Slow Down

We often use fillers when our mouth gets ahead of our mind. Slowing your pace just a little gives your brain time to catch up.

4. Use Bullet Points, Not Scripts

Relying on memorized scripts increases anxiety (and fillers). Instead, outline your message in key points and speak conversationally.

5. Try the “3-Minute Mirror Challenge”

Talk for 3 minutes in front of a mirror. Every time you catch a filler word, start again .It’s harder than it sounds. But the results? Game-changing.

You’ve got a message worth sharing. Don’t let “um” get in the way.

🎤 Keep showing up,