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> Is there evidence that saying 'umm' and 'ahh' reduces your ability to communicate effectively? Why are they bad? Hmm I can't find any good research though at
by BinaryIdiot 10y ago
> Is there evidence that saying 'umm' and 'ahh' reduces your ability to communicate effectively? Why are they bad?
Hmm I can't find any good research though at least anecdotally it makes it a lot hard for me to pay attention. Take Paul Graham for instance. Smart guy, great speaker but his frequent "umms" ended up taking me out of his talk and then I couldn't concentrate on anything but his "umms". I love reading his essays but I find it hard to concentrate on his speaking.
Granted I don't know if that says something negative about my ability to concentrate, about Paul's speaking ability, or both and it's anecdotal so no idea if my experience is common.
- greyskull 10y agoElon Musk is another popular example. His presentation skills are awful. I appreciate that they do away with corporate ultra-PR presentations, he certainly seems more human, but I have a hard time enjoying watching his reveals; they're too far in the unrefined direction.
- alexroan 10y agoCompletely agree. He's not helped by the fact that his audience cheer every 20 seconds. Luckily his products do most of the talking for him.