Shanghai Yu-Life Toastmasters Club Project - Ah-Counter

1. In every meeting, the Ah-Counter is tasked with identifying and delivering a report on "over-used words or filler sounds used as a crutch by anyone who speaks during the meeting." These include words such as "and", "well", "but", "so" and "you know", but also mere sounds like "ah", "um" and "er". Sometimes they include words such as "literally", "actually" and "basically".
2. Whatever form they take, crutch words typically has two attributes: overuse and meaninglessness.
3. Crutch words are never necessary and may even get in the way of you making you point.

1. Ah-Counter will listen for overused words, including "and", "well", "but", "so" and "you know", but also mere sounds like "ah", "um" and "er". Ah-Counter will also note when a speaker repeats a word or phrase, such as "I, I" or "This means, this means".
2. To give the immediate feedback, the Ah-Counter will raise up this tag to wake up your consciousness to control the filler words when you are speaking. It may be challenging, but we hope it can be helpful, especially for some senior speakers.

To make sure the Ah-Counter's report has meaning for members and creates more support than shame, we institute three new Ah-Counter responsibilities.

3. The Ah-Counter says "five plus" to indicate any speaker who uses a crutch word more than five times. This spares speakers the embarrassment of having their 6 "ums" and 7 "you knows" broadcast to the world.
4. The Ah-Counter focuses on identifying each speaker's crutch words. Knowing which filler words you rely on is much more valuable than knowing you have said it 13 times. It also makes the Ah-Counter's presentation more instructive and engaging, and less like he is announcing the contest results.
5. The Ah-Counter always encourages speakers to substitute pauses for crutch words, and praises speakers who use pauses effectively for control.

Remember that the Ah-Counter is not just a counter, but a coach. Use these strategies to both support and elevate the speakers whose "ahs" you count, because they are also counting on you.

1. At the end of the meeting, the Ah-Counter will report the number of times that each speaker used these expressions.

We use them to give us time to think, to emphasize our meaning (even when we do so mistakenly), or because these are the words that have somehow jump into our brains and come out on our tongues.

Filler words come in handy when a speaker is nervous, distracted or at a loss for what comes next. These may give us a moment to collect our thoughts before we press on.

Words such as "um" and "ah" emerge when our brain anticipates a void or an uncertain moment in our presentation and basically freaks out, quickly plugging the hole with a pointless sound.

It takes a lot of confidence to start a speech with a strong first word, so speakers sometimes start with "so" or "OK" as a way of easing into a talk, which may seem less freaking out.

Any part of your speech that doesn't support your point will take away from it, even if in little pieces. And you always want to make sense, never nonsense.

Simply knowing and counting your crutches may not be enough. For many, using filler words is so routine that asking them to stop saying "ah" or "um" by counting them is liking asking someone to control his sneezing by having him counting his sneeze. The trick to controlling this habit is substituting another behavior in its place, or at least adopting strategies that reduce the frequency. The following four strategies can help.

1. Embrace the Pause

Most public-speaking experts agree that the best replacement for a crutch word is a deliberate pause. Speakers should deliberately pause when they feel a crutch word coming on. It may feel awkward at first, but with practice, you will soon be pausing instead of using crutch words.

2. Slow Down

Speakers often use filler words because their mouths are outpacing their minds. Words are coming out quickly and nonsensically before the brain has a chance to organize them into points. But when the speakers slow down, they have much more time to plan out the precise phrases they want to use, and will not need nonsensical fillers to connect random thoughts.

3. Know Your Point

When speakers don't have clear points, they're inclined to ramble. Crutch words are then generated to connect these rambling sentences and ideas. But if speakers prepare their points in advance and know them well, they're able to start them efficiently, making the useless less necessary. After all, if you start talking before you know what you are going to say, you are going to say something pointless.

4. Practice

When you are nervous and anxious, saying anything - even a crutch word - may feel comfortable than saying nothing. Practicing mitigates that anxiety by making the speaker more familiar with the material. A comfortable and confident speaker has more control, enabling her to embrace pause and avoid the "ems" and "ahs". Practice may not always make perfect, but it can give you the confidence to make good public speaking decisions.

Crutch words are not an indication of your experience or ability. Some experts use crutches words all the time, while some interns never do. But if you know what your problem words are and learn to control them, you'll be a clearer and more efficient point-maker, and that's always a goal worth aiming for.

5. Take the Ah-Counter role

When you take the role, you will push yourself to reduce the usage of these meaningless words. When you speak on the stage, you are actually practicing to control it consciously. After two- or three-times practice, you will realize the change happens when you are speaking for any other roles.

Thanks GE. I am back again. Let’s see how is our performance.

90% of us are doing quite well. I didn’t have much chance to record the filler words, or raise up the label. However, there are 3 persons, who should pay some attention on it.

A, your favorite word is “ah”. B, your favorite word is “you know”. and C, you like to use “actually”.

Let’s digger deep of the reason together. Why the filler word is needed when we speak? we use them to give us time to think. Our brain hasn’t found appropriate words to speak, our brain go blank for some seconds. At that moment, the filler words come out before our brain know it. we say it, without knowing it. So, we can’t realize it until ah-counter point it out. That is also why it is very hard to overcome. It is not an immediate feedback.

As an experienced ah-counter, we never want to make you feel awkward. we want to help you make improvement, to reduce the filler words deliberately. According to my observation, most of the time, it is useless to ask you to stop saying “ah” or “um” by counting the numbers. It is hard to control them. The trick to control this habit is substituting another behavior in its place. Most public-speaking experts agree that deliberately pause is the best replacement. Practice to use it in your own way. It may feel awkward at first, but with practice, you will soon be pausing instead of using ah words. Practice here on this stage next time, we are looking forward to your improvements, and we know you can do it.

I am back again. I don’t know whether all of you expect my report. Although I don’t want to make someone feel awkward, but I think he or she definitely have the potential to perform better.

A, as a winner of ah contest, which word do you think you use the most? it is “ah” B, as the the winner of second place of this contest, the same question, which word do you think you use the most? it is “yeah”

You have delivered a wonderful speech, I can feel the huge energy and power from your words. If you can use pause to replace “ah” and “yeah” in your speech next time, I bet it will be a more than wonderful speech. Ladies and gentlemen, do you agree?

For the rest of you, how did you perform so well? It is very hard to overcome this kind of habit, but you did so well. You deliver your speech with point in your mind, with little filler words from your mouth, with meaningful message from your heart. I am so proud of you.

It is a relaxing job today, thanks to you. I have a lot of spare time to enjoy the speech.

For the two winners, remember to replace your special filler words with pause, I will keep watching on it next time. For others, keep going, since we all know the hard working on Sunday morning will pay off someday. back to GE.

I still remember that er summer, er, I went to shanghai with er my best friend. (with filler words)

I still remember that summer, I went to shanghai with my best friend. (slower)

I still remember that summer, I went to shanghai with my best friend. (faster)

Which one makes you feel the most comfortable? the first one with er, the second one, or the third one?

Someone like the second one, someone choose the third one. no one pick the first one. But we have all gone through the first one. Everyone has been there, do you agree?

At this moment, we feel nervous, there are no words in our brain, we can’t control the ah/er sound from our mouth. I still remember once there was a voice said “oh, help me”. The one who can help you is not only you, but also us as a team.

Today, you have me as ah-counter to help you by giving the report about the use of ah-words.

“A” you like to use the word “ah”, B you like to use the word “yeah”. I know your feeling and I know it is not easy to overcome it. It is a habit, let’s try to reduce the frequency first, and control to eliminate in the second step.

For C and D, you speak slowly with little filler words. You use pause to give yourself time to think, also give the audience time to understand your point and emotion.

For EF, you speak fast without filler words. You have clear point, good language expression, and fast brain. you can organize your words in a short time. I really envy you have such ability. You are our role mode.

Different people are in the different stages, just like we have different habits. with each other’s help, we can all move forward together.

Thanks GE, next is my ah-counter report. Is there anyone see this paper, when you speaking? No! What does that mean? that means you all perform well. Congratulations.

As an ah-counter, people often say you should replace “ah” to pause. we all know it is always easy to say. but according to my observation, I see someone who use it very well. pause can have different fuctions. I will share with you the three different functions.

The first one is to give the speaker time to think. Don’t say anything when we stuck for the following words. Use pause for 2 or 3 seconds, our brain run fast enough to find the appropriate words. A use this very well. He said “ with the engineer ___ background”.

The second is for experts of humorous. The pause here is very powerful. B said ”3600 ___yuan”, C said “the beginning is a little bit ___rush”, D said “However, you replace ah to ___and”. even 20 minutes passed, when I mention it, there are still laughter from the audience. It works well. The pause grabs the audience’s attention and improves the expectation to a higher level. That is one way of humorous happens.

The third one is for handling the sad emotion. This is very hard to master, but E did it out of expectation. When she introduced the tragedy life of someone, she use pause and slow pace to show the emotion. How brilliant, I still remember the feeling now.

Ladies and gentlemen, they are master of pause, if you learn how to use it, you will reach a big success.

For G,H, F, you have made huge progress on this point. How you did that? It seems you can make improvement in one night. You must share with us about it.

And M and N, I suggest you take this role next time, and learn to control the ah-words. The position itself will give you the pressure to reduce the usage.

To sum up, your performance is out of my expectation, I am proud of you, especially the 3 person who make so much progress. I am glad my remind-paper have no chance to fulfill its value. For anyone who want to take this role, just do it. It is a small role, but can function big.