How To Stand Out In A Meeting

How To Stand Out In A Meeting

Getting noticed by the right people within your organization can help advance your career. One way to get noticed is to stand out in a meeting. This doesn't mean you have to be the one presenting to stand out. However, you will need to actively participate.

According to a recent study, most people spend 3-5 hours in meetings each week.

Maximizing this time can help you achieve career success.

As a VIP Communications Pass holder, this article is packed with extra tips and tools to show you how to be a more confident communicator, including videos, downloadable tips, step-by-step instructions, and more! 

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/764992541

VIP Communications Pass Video: Speaking Up In Meetings

 

1. Preparation

If you want others to notice you, you must ensure you are prepared for every meeting. Even if you aren't the focus of the meeting, or your department isn't on the agenda, you never know when someone might call on you to give an opinion. Preparation is critical if you want to stand out.

Consider the following:

• Get An Agenda - One of the easiest ways to prepare is to ask for an agenda. Asking for an agenda shows you are interested in the meeting and taking the initiative to prepare. For example, when you get a meeting request, look to see if an agenda is attached. If not, email the meeting coordinator and ask if there is an agenda they can send you. If there is, go through the agenda and do some prep work. If there isn't an agenda, ask if there are any specifics you can obtain. Most of the time, there is a reason for the meeting. Even if it is a general department meeting, ensure you are prepared.
• Decide When You Will Speak Up - Speaking up during a meeting is critical if you want to be seen by the right people within your organization. As you prepare for your meeting, decide when you will speak up. For example, if you see a bullet point regarding your project on the agenda, pencil in any notes or thoughts you have about your project. Decide this is when you will speak up. Taking notes ahead of time will help you know what to say when the time comes. This way, if you are called on, you have value to add to the meeting.
• Action Items - Part of being prepared is putting together any action items you may need to do before the meeting. For example, let's say there is a bullet point on the agenda about your upcoming project. The bullet point says marketing analysis. This means you would need to have the marketing analysis done and put together in a way people could see. Your action item would be to create the marketing analysis visuals for the meeting. Yes, you could talk about the marketing analysis during the meeting. However, putting together visuals and taking the extra step to ensure people can understand your data will help you stand out.

If you want to stand out in a meeting, you need to prepare. The more prepared you are, the more you can build your authority and showcase yourself to the right people within your organization.

 

2. Anchoring

You know you have good ideas to share. However, if you never speak up during a meeting, no one will ever hear your good ideas. This is why you must speak up during a meeting. Once you've decided when to speak up, it is important to learn how to speak up.

Consider the following:

• Use Anchor Words - Anchor words are words you can use to help you speak up. For example, if the person speaking says, "Our Q4 planning needs to be focused on end-of-year sales as well as launching our newest product line." You can use anchor words to chime in. You could say, "Launching our newest product line in Q4 may not give us enough time to market it, which might hinder our end-of-year sales." The words newest product line, Q4, and end-of-year sales are all anchor words. You can use words the person spoke before you to anchor what you are about to say.
• Express What You've Heard - Another way to use anchoring is to express what you've just heard. You can use this even if you disagree with what has been said. For example, you can say, "You made a really good point about our focus being on end-of-year sales. However, how will we accomplish this if all of our efforts are going into launching a new project line?" This helps tie in what you want to say with what was just said.
• Avoid Being Abrupt - When you use anchoring, you avoid being abrupt. You don't want to speak up in a manner that puts people off. For example, instead of using anchoring techniques, you say, "That won't work." Or you say, "I don't like your idea." These are very abrupt responses. When you are abrupt, you also stop the flow of the meeting, making some people feel uneasy. It is best to try and use anchoring.

Anchoring not only shows you are listening to what others are saying and can also help you speak up in a thoughtful, valuable way.

 

3. Actively Participate

Actively participating in a meeting is another excellent way to showcase yourself. Even if you don't have anything on the agenda, you can still find ways to stand out. 

Consider the following:

• Take Notes - Taking notes shows the presenter you are paying close attention to what they are saying. You may even be called on to help the presenter remember what they've said. For example, let's say you are in a meeting and taking notes about the speaker's important points. Then, several questions come in, and the speaker forgets where they left off. The speaker calls on you because they know you've been paying attention. Right away, you have shown your value to the presenter and everyone else in the meeting. 
• Ask Questions - When you ask questions, you show interest in what is being discussed during the meeting. This is another way to participate actively. For example, let's say you are in a planning meeting for an upcoming event. Depending on your department's role in the event, you can ask many questions. You can ask about the attendance last year compared to what you expect this year. You can ask about marketing materials. You could ask about the logistics. Asking questions can help clarify things for you and the other people in the meeting.
• Positive Body Langauge - Another way to stand out in a meeting is to practice positive body language. You want to show you care about the meeting and what is being said. For example, make sure you are sitting up straight. Always have your camera on if it is a virtual meeting. Make eye contact with the presenter. Use non-verbal cues to show you are listening, such as nodding your head. Practicing positive body language is a way to actively participate in a meeting without saying a word.

It is essential for you to actively participate in a meeting if you want to stand out. 

Standing out in a meeting doesn't just happen. You need to take time to prepare and plan what you will say when you speak up. You also need to ensure you showcase you are taking the meeting seriously by practicing positive body language at all times. Doing this will boost your authority and stand out to the right people within your organization.

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