Um, this email is all about, ah, how you, um, communicate with, er, others. When you’re speaking with your co-workers, manager, and customers, it’s vitally important that you can clearly communicate with them. There are two traps that we can fall into that prevent us from doing so. First, little verbal ticks, like um, uh, like, ok, er, and ah, are verbal roadblocks that get in the way of what you are attempting to say. Second, if you aren’t exactly certain what you want to say, you might start to ramble in a run-on sentence that becomes difficult for the listener to keep track of. It can be challenging to rid yourself of these verbal habits, but with a little practice you can smooth it out. Record yourself making a phone call or speaking with someone. Or, ask someone you trust to call you on it (privately) whenever they hear you ramble or use a word like “Um”. Once you can hear yourself, you can begin to change. When you need to communicate something important, slow down. By studying your communications, you can strengthen your impact and increase your positive presence.