How Not to Ruin a Good First Impression

I was quoted in an article on Inc.com about 18 things to avoid saying to make a good first impression.

Here is an excerpt:

“Um” or “Uh”

Those are filler words that we often utter either in the beginning of a sentence or in-between ideas. It’s a, “hold” word. And while these words are commonly found in everyday conversations, Steven D. Cohen, an award-winning speaker who leads career and academic workshops on public speaking at Harvard Extension School, argues that “they often detract from the listener’s ability to understand a particular message.”

Before answering a question immediately, pause, think, and then answer.