How to speak so that people want to listen

Hedges are words like maybe, might, probably, I think that express uncertainty.

Speaking in absolutes (e.g., “It will rain tomorrow” instead of “It might rain tomorrow”) makes you sound more confident and authoritative.

People are naturally drawn to certainty in speech, even if life is uncertain.

Avoid filler words such as um, uh, like which signal uncertainty and lower your perceived status.

Replace these fillers with pauses. Pausing not only gives you time to think but also makes your speech sound more deliberate and confident.

Studies show that speakers who hesitate less are perceived as higher status, regardless of their actual position.