3 tips to ‘kind of’ ditch Filler words

By Andrea Cardillo, Co-founder and Head of Content, That Tracks Content

Andrea rehearsing for The Pitch is Dead: How to Think Like a Newsroom

Kind of.

I kind of think...
I kind of wanted to say...

Who talks like that?
Turns out—me.

It’s my go-to filler phrase. I toss it into presentations, meetings, basically anytime I’m trying to sound smart and articulate.

Which is ironic, because saying "kind of" in front of anything makes me sound like I don’t know what I’m talking about.

The wild part? I had no idea I was even saying it. Zero awareness.

Ingrid Bakewell pointed it out while we were prepping for our latest The Pitch is Dead course for Walmart Canada. At the same time, I was nagging her for ending every sentence with “you know?”

After years of helping anchors and reporters drop their filler words, there we
were—kind of doing the same thing. You know what I mean?

Our top tips have always been:
🟡 Slow down.
🟡 Pause between thoughts.
🟡 Let your brain catch up to your mouth.

Speaking with confidence, clarity, and—maybe most importantly—in a conversational way is what turns a good presenter into a great one.

It’s not always easy to recognize your own filler words or how you’re coming across. That’s where coaching comes in. Someone to gently point out what’s not working—and help you build up what is.

We offer one-on-one performance coaching for clients. Whether you’re prepping for media interviews, delivering a keynote speech, or leading your own course, we’ll be your personal Executive Producers, giving purposeful, real-time feedback.

Filler words are nothing to be embarrassed about because we all kind of have them.

But if you want to ditch them for good, reach out.