The Ah counter could be one of the first roles that you take as a brand new member of Toastmasters. After all, it was my very first role at a Toastmasters meeting—the counter. This role helps improve observational and listening skills, which can be great for a small business owner; you'll need those.
The purpose of the Ah counter is to note any overused words or filler sounds, such as crutches or pause fillers, by anyone who speaks during the meeting. These may include inappropriate interjections like "and," "well," "like," "but," and "you know." As the counter, your duties are to explain your role during the club meeting. When called upon by the evaluator or the general evaluator, the Toastmaster of the day, you’ll say, "My job is to keep track of time during all parts of the meeting and report on those things at the end."
The use of excessive fillers can irritate listeners and distract them to the point that they may not hear anything you say, causing your message to be entirely lost. Fortunately, filler words can be trimmed from speeches. Here’s how you can learn to cut down on these verbal antics: at the doctor’s office is the only place it’s okay to say "pause." Most beginning speakers are afraid of pauses, believing their audience will think they are inarticulate if they pause to think of what to say next. They use fillers to avoid silence. However, a pause is actually more impressive than a filler word; listeners know this speaker is thinking and trying to find the right word, and they respect that. Sometimes, a pause can even improve a speech. Just like an actor using a dramatic pause, the speaker shouldn’t be afraid to pause occasionally during their speech, as it shows self-confidence.
Being prepared is another key to building confidence. If you know your topic thoroughly and have rehearsed your speech to the point where it feels like second nature, delivering it in front of an audience will go more smoothly. Practice makes perfect. Many times at business meetings or public forums, unexpected questions arise that weren’t anticipated or practiced for in advance. This is when filler words are particularly prone to crop up. Table topics are great training for these types of situations, as you learn the skill of thinking on your feet, gathering facts from the corners of your mind, and putting them together coherently. Just like learning a new sport, it takes practice to become adept at impromptu speaking.
You cannot correct a problem unless you know you have one. Filler words are insidious because they are invisible to the speaker but not to the listener. To help members become aware of their verbal clutter, Toastmasters clubs designate an ah-counter who tracks filler words used by speakers during the meeting and discloses the results at the end. In addition to the ah-counter report, the ah-counter rings a bell when they hear a filler word, providing instant feedback reminders. However, these should be used with care, as some speakers feel uncomfortable hearing the bell ring when they use filler words, which can lead to even more filler words. Different speakers have different personalities, and the club needs to be aware of this, tailoring reminders to each speaker. The bell should not ring more than three times maximum during a speech and not during prepared speeches. Filler words are still recorded during prepared speeches and reported at the end of the meeting. Remember to be gentle with new members during their first impromptu talks.
