How to Cure the Verbal
Virus - A Five-Step Treatment Plan
By Susan Berkley
Warning! You may be infected with a virus that could be lethal
to your sales, your public relations and even your social life.
I call it a "Verbal Virus".
Verbal viruses are meaningless fillers that speckle our speech,
distract from our message, drain our impact and annoy listeners.
I call them verbal viruses because they seem to be contagious
and we pick them up without being aware of it.
The most common verbal viruses are: "uh" "um" "like" "you know"
"well" "okay" and "sort of". They also include annoying mouth
sounds and lip smacks.
Verbal viruses are jarring to the ear and inconsistent with a
professional image. They can make you sound unsure, unprepared
and poorly educated. The good news about verbal viruses is that
they are easily cured. Here's my 5-step plan for prevention, treatment
and cure.
- DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM: Since verbal viruses are unconscious,
the only way you'll hear them is on tape. Record a few of
your phone calls on a typical business day to quickly determine
if you are suffering from a verbal virus infection.
- PAUSE: Whenever you catch yourself saying a non-word, just
stop talking. Say nothing. This gap of silence will feel scary
at first, but if the pause is no longer than 5 seconds, the
listener will scarcely notice. A pause will help you gather
your thoughts while giving the listener time to reflect on
what you have just said.
- RECORD THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGES YOU LEAVE FOR OTHERS: Listen
to them at the end of the day and note whether or not unwanted
fillers have crept into your messages.
- ENLIST THE HELP OF A FRIEND OR SPOUSE: Explain what you
are trying to do and invent a code word he or she can use
every time you use a filler word. The constant reminder will
help you break the habit fast.
- HOLD YOUR BREATH. When you feel you are about to use a
non-word, take a breath, hold it for a moment and then begin
to speak. The focus on your breathing will occupy your mind,
keep you calm and centered and make the silence between the
words seem much less scary.
From "The Voice Coach" ezine by Susan Berkley. Copyright 2002, reprinted
with permission. For a free subscription visit http://www.greatvoice.com.
Susan Berkley is a professional speaker and international communications
expert. She is a top voiceover artist and author of "Speak to Influence:
How to Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Voice, " available at bookstores
or from The Great Voice Company at 800-333-8108.
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