2 words every public speaker should avoid

2 words every public speaker should avoid2 words every public speaker should avoidDuring the 2016 race for president, Republican rising star Marco Rubio came crashing down at a GOP debate in New Hampshire.Thats because Rubio used a single description of President Obama too many times, and his competition (namely New Jersey Governor Chris Christie) pounced all over it.When we fall back on the same words during a speech, the audience senses it right away. People start to think, Hes really doing that a lot. Kind of annoying.Whats that? A distracting tic or habit. For exampleToo much hand gesturingOn the flip side, standing motionless like a stoneGoing on too long with no idea the audience is boredToday, I will focus on a more widespread public speaking hiccup the use of the words uh and um.Yes, were all guilty of the two verbal crutches, but some speakers lean on them way too much. After a few minutes, the audience starts to wait for the next uh or um and may not process what you actual ly have to say.If weve gone years sprinkling uh and um into daily conversations, then the habit is magnified when were nervous in front of a crowd.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.So what to do? How do we break away from uh and um? For me, the answer is did you catch it?Thats right. Silence. If I dont have the right word or am searching for the next sentence, I dont say anything. I pause, stay quiet and plan my next move.Im not quiet for an extended length of time like 10 seconds. That would be awkward. Its more like 1-2 seconds, those little bits throughout a speech where I could drop an uhhhh and fill the gap. Instead, silence.The approach has another, more subtle advantage too - it helps to draw the audience in. If I create brief moments of quiet, it makes people lean in and think, Whats he going to say next?On the flipside, if I talk in a never-ending stream of sentences linked by uhs and ums, theres no time for the audience to absorb the thought. Its like a moving train they cant seem to board. Frustrating.With little pockets of silence, everyone (speaker too) has time to think about the most recent line and gear up for the next one.Next time you talk to a group (even from your seat at a staff meeting), try to pause rather than cling to uh and um.And if youre running for office like Rubio, ditch the robotic one-liners.Sure, the words will keep you afloat, but your message may be lost at sea.More public speaking tipsHow to tell if your speeches take too longHow to leave a proper voicemailWhy you need to hear the sound of your own voice (even though you dont like to)This article first appeared on Dannyhrubin.com.