Hesitation vs Credibility

Your "um"s and "er"s may seem a harmless - perhaps even natural - part of your communication.

But they're destroying your credibility (disastrous for any leader).

Your audience may not notice the first few of these fillers, but as soon as they do register, every single one will inflict heavy damage. Yes I know, your knowledge, story and message are all strong, but the "um"s and "ers" are hesitation (an amber light, if you will), which ruins your momentum and conveys a lack of:

💀 Confidence.
💀 Knowledge.
💀 Preparation.

Your audience now has serious doubts. You might as well have not spoken at all. 

Do everyone a favour and eliminate these dreadful filler sounds by getting comfortable with the silence. Not sure what to say next? Simply take a moment (as a speaker, your perception of time will make any pauses seem longer than they are in reality, but they can be powerful and therefore work to your advantage). 

Watch any good speaker: stand-up comics, TED speakers, and famous CEOs. Look for their filler noises; I reckon you won't hear any, and there's a very good reason for that!

Good luck out there.