BY JEFF CORBETT

At a hotel the night before I was to give a speech, I hung my shirt in the bathroom and turned the shower as hot as it would go to steam out the wrinkles. After pulling the bathroom door shut, I realized that I had accidentally locked myself out while the water poured.

Desperate, I called the front desk and asked the clerk to send someone up to unlock the bathroom door.

“I’ll try my best,” the clerk responded.

After 20 minutes passed, no one had addived to help.

When I called the clerk back, she said, “We’re still trying.”

Tentative Language Hurts Your Credibility

Her words — “I’ll try” — lacked commitment. Would she send help or not? Would I flood the whole fourth floor?

Using weak or indecisive words makes you a verbal wimp. Instead, use words that give your speaking confidence, power, and authority.

In his book titled “Um,” Michael Erard claims that 8 percent of the average person’s words are empty placeholders like Uh, Um, or Er.

“Kinda/Sorta”

Has any woman ever been “kind of pregnant”? Of course not. Using “kind of” and “sort of” dilute any meaning your words might possess.

Yes, along with the word “somewhat,” they can give color to casual conversations, but if you need to speak with authority, cut ‘em out.

“Maybe”

A new parent asked her mother to baby-sit one Friday night.

The reply? “Maybe.”

This is the equivalent of a conversational flat tire. You’re taking wishy-washy to a whole new level.

A cousin of “maybe” is “I might.” 

For example, a co-worker asks, “Are you coming to the office party Saturday?”

Responding with “I might” conveys very little information.

If you’re still undecided, it’s a fine answer; just know you aren’t really saying anything at all. “Maybe” and “I might,” compared to a solid yes or no, are like unflavored tofu compared to potato chips.

“Supposed To”

On my third call to the front desk, I learned the maintenance man was “supposed to” be coming to my rescue.

Is he or isn’t he? Good intentions don’t get me back into my locked bathroom.

“And Stuff Like That”

This phrase is a live grenade when used in any sentence, destroying any authority or eloquence that might have preceded it. It’s lazy language, and says nothing. Be specific, be persuasive, and use solid examples.

Filler Words

When the brain and the mouth aren’t working together, you often hear “um” or “uh.” These fluff phrases are used to keep control of the conversational airtime while you search for what to say next.

When you catch yourself about to say “uh” or “um,” don’t say anything. Instead, use silence.

Have you ever heard a minister use a long pause?

A silent pause packs phenomenal punch, both for your message and for keeping your audience’s full attention. Breaking the rhythm with a pause will pull them back in if their mind is wandering.

The 21-Day Solution

Do you walk into the gym on your first visit and emerge a specimen of physical fitness? No, it’s a process. Likewise, ridding your speech of verbal trash and clutter takes time.

Ask a trusted friend, your spouse, or co-worker to interrupt you any time you use weak phrases. Do it for 21 days, and soon you will become self-aware every time you say uh, er, or use weak phrases, even before you speak.

Winston Churchill’s confident speaking and powerful language uplifted England in its darkest days of World War II and kept the hope of a nation alive. Edward R. Murrow said that “Churchill mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”

Hone your speaking to be colorful, rich, and meaningful. Your conversational partners will enjoy talking with you even more.

Start today, and make every word count!

Jeff Corbett is an experienced public speaker, meeting facilitator and sales/marketing professional. He lives in Statesville.