Are you uncomfortable with silence? Have you ever tried to fill in that gap with words such as “um” or “like”? This can minimize your confidence in talking about past experiences.
Let’s dive into a couple scenarios….
I. The “Thinking vs. Speaking” Gap
The Problem:
We tend to use filler words such as um, ah or like when our brain scrambles to find something to say immediately after a question is asked . When you’re sitting across from an interviewer, the natural response to say “um” occurs when you are trying to organize your thoughts and choose the right words. Yet, too many “ums” can make you seem nervous, making you seem uncertain or not confident in your skills.
Actionable Advice:
“The Pause Technique” — A mindfulness-based practice used to prevent reactive behaviors. Remember, silence is confident; noise is nervous. Replace your filler words with a breath. It shows that you are putting in careful and intentional thought into your responses.
II. The “Body Language” of Trust
The Problem:
You have the perfect script, but if your eye contact is poor or your posture is slumped, you lose the room.
Actionable Advice:
In remote meetings, look at the camera, not the screen. This stimulates eye contact.
III. Surviving the Q&A
The Problem:
Most leaders prepare their speech but fail to prepare for the “skeptical board member’s” questions. This can sound like:
- “How do you handle situations when you don’t know the answer?“
- “How do you respond to feedback you don’t agree with?”
- “What would someone who disagrees with you say is your biggest weakness?”
They stray away from the regular interview questions such as the typical “tell me about yourself”, and challenge you with these thought-provoking questions. It allows them to see if you are adaptable and flexible with feedback.
Actionable Advice:
Anticipate the three hardest questions they could ask.
Some example questions:
- Tell me something not on your resume that we should know.
- If you had to criticize our company based on what you know, what would you say?
- What’s one habit you’re trying to improve right now?
IV. The “TrackPoint” Solution (The Closer):
Problem: You cannot count your own “ums” while you are speaking.
Solution:
TrackPoint analyzes 7+ communication signals (including pace, filler words and eye contact) to give you an objective “Clarity Score”.
Feature:
Upload your actual Board Deck or Strategy Memo. The Context-Aware AI will generate the specific Q&A questions your audience is likely to ask.
