Dear Aunty B,
I just did my first radio interview and was absolutely appalled to listen back because I ummed and eerred like there was no tomorrow. I sounded so unsure! And the worst thing was I thought I had done so well. Do you have any tips or does anyone know how to stop umming and eerring?
LY
Dear LY,
Um, can I say that you should take it as a compliment. As my good friend Emily Ross always tells me when she comments on my own prolific umming and eerring, brainy/smart people umm and eerr when they are thinking about what they want to say next. Boring people rarely do the um thing because nothing is in their heads!
How to fix it? It’s really simple, just breathe and think instead of saying eerr.
Be smart,
Your Aunty B
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
