Most people don't like to hear their own voice, but nothing will squash those verbal ticks quite like listening to yourself speak. Record yourself in a natural conversation, such as a conference call, then replay and listen to yourself speak.

Your posture impacts the way people perceive your ideas.

Articulate speakers learn from other speakers.

Once you know your weaknesses, create a plan for overcoming them.

Words such as "um," "like," and "ahh," can make you sound unsure and inarticulate.

Know what you want to say.

If you are not sure if you’re speaking too fast or too slow, copy and paste a 160-word passage into a word processor. Read the excerpt aloud at your normal speed while recording yourself. It should take about a minute.