Actually is the word I would add to this discussion. When used repeatedly it diminishes an effective presentation. I would suggest substituting the phrase ‘let me clarify’ in place of saying ‘actually’.

Another word that makes our presentations less effective is the word truthfully. When one uses the word truthfully it implies that everything said up to that point wasn’t truthfull. There is no substitute for the truth – eliminate this word from presentations.

Verbal fillers, in my opinion, are the worst impediments to effective communication. Words like…”like” and “um” and “you know” are enough to drive you mad. They stop communication dead in its tracks. And instead of listening or learning, audiences fidget and become annoyed and start counting the number of times a person utters these useless words.

Of course, there is an remedy for verbal fillers. Just shut up! Stop talking, take a deep breathe, and they will slowly, almost magically, disappear!

Going back to your original word, ‘obviously,’ it reminded me of the phrase ‘no brainer,’ as in ‘What we need to do is a no brainer,’ usually accompanied by a look that suggests that no further discussion is needed. The insinuation is that it is so obvious what is needed, that there is no need even consider that there might be an alternative.

I appreciate the other comments, which I will bear in mind. Jeanette’s comment about ‘solutions,’ is interesting and I think there is a tendency to reach for positive-sounding buzz words when trying to sell.

The word I think either needs to be understood better or dropped is ‘engagement.’ It seems to mean so many different things: providing information, persuasion, attention-grabbing, loyalty, as well as two-way open dialogue – the latter being my understanding. If asked what I understand by engagement, I make sure I define it first!