Preface -- Introduction: How to communicate effectively to live a better life -- Part One: Everything you need to know. This applies to everyone -- Shouldn't this be easy? Or...Let's unlearn what you've learned -- Three things you didn't know you knew -- The virtuous cycle and why your body is the best place to start -- Part Two: Everything you need to do. Introduction to your how-to -- Conciseness: How to talk less and say more (and learn to pause) -- Articulateness: How to choose your words (and avoid 'um') -- Enunciations: How to speak clearly (and avoid mumbling) -- Vocal variety: How to speak expressively (and avoid monotone) -- Vocal critiques and sexism: How to deconstruct problematic feedback (and use more of yourself) -- Breathing: How to put air into action (and prevent vocal quiver) -- Eye contact: How to focus on your audience (and not your eye contact) -- Physical presence part one: Posture: How to be as tall as you are -- Physical presence part two: Stance and movement: How to stand still (or not) -- Physical presence part three: Gestures: How to stop obsessing about your hands -- Part Three: Everything you need to get ready, recover, and retain. Warming up: How to get ready (and stop obsessing about your script) -- Navigating nerves: How to learn to love anxiety (and stop worrying) -- Recovering from mistakes: How to embrace transparency (and avoid hiding) -- Part Four: Everything else. AI and the future of delivery -- Last chapter -- Acknowledgments

"Whether you like it or not, talking out loud is a critical aspect of our humanity, but an estimated 77% of people have some level of anxiety around public speaking-with most under the age of 45. In the age of technology, we're getting worse at communicating by the day, but the good news is, everyone can improve their speaking. Michael Chad Hoeppner is the foremost expert on effective speaking. He's coached presidential candidates, famous CEOs, UN dignitaries, law firms, and Ivy League deans on their communication skills. If you're a highly influential person who wants help speaking, you go to MCH; he's the guy. Now, he shares his wide-ranging knowledge in "Don't Say Um." Hoeppner has created an entirely new approach to communication, giving people the physical tools to quickly improve their speaking, instead of just the same old speaking coach BS. With exercises like finger-walking to stop using filler words or deeply breathing to fix quivering, Hoeppner teaches readers how to focus on delivery, because how you say something matters more than what you say. Through these exercises, you will be able to talk to a group with complete confidence or just to effectively tell a joke. "Don't Say Um" works for all situations, and it works forever. "Don't Say Um" challenges our preconceived notions of good speaking techniques and offers powerful tools to become master communicators. Hoeppner offers up his method to change how we communicate, and in doing so, radically improve our quality of life"--