Look Who Is Talking Now: Master the Art of Being Noticed in Meetings

Being the one in the room who speaks often is a great way to get noticed! We all know this, but what happens when you get noticed? Most of us have been in the room when the “question guy” has to ask something. Many times, it is a one-off personal question or one that should have been a separate email, and occasionally… it was already answered in the same meeting!

There are ways to control your noticeability without opening your mouth on a topic. If you guessed asking great questions, you would be right. So, what makes a great question? Truth is, there are a million blogs on open-ended questions and specific verbiage to use for the upper psychological hand. I can assure you there is some good reading out there, or you can do this simple thing.

Be Prepared to Shine

Think about a time you were in a meeting, and the baton was intentionally passed to you to get your thoughts. This can be jarring if you are not ready, but in the event, you are eloquently prepared to speak on the topic, it is an absolute grand slam. Generally, you feel amazing after standing on business all the while leveling the room up in their understanding.

I can think of a time that I crashed and burned here, and it was potentially the greatest lesson I ever learned: Always be ready, and you never have to get ready. This changed my approach and made me a much better leader. Now, I do not recommend the approach my leader took with me, but the concept still stands.

Making Room for Others to Shine

As a leader in the room, how do you make room for others to shine? My leader intentionally surprised me, and it wasn’t for the room's benefit, but for my own. Fast forward years later, I have used this tactic a few times with my own team with one major exception: I prep them to speak on certain topics ahead of time.

Crafting Your Moment in the Meeting

Rewinding back into the meeting I want to get noticed in, when there is a break in the conversation, I do this simple task: I make a statement and pivot to a question for someone in the room. The statement needs to be something of a summary. It should sound something like this:

“So, we have a general consensus that we do not have enough data to make a decision… Mike, you have dealt with these for years, what does your gut tell you?”

Simply, I am bringing the room together, validating this subject matter expert, and simultaneously moving away from traditional data as the validation point. We are now using anecdotal experience from a now confirmed subject matter expert. This will speak to people's part of the brain that manages trust. Once we have trust, we have consensus.

The Impact of Strategic Speaking

Leaders will notice how the room was pulled together, focused, and how we were able to make a decision. This is huge because, of course, time is money, and it is also difficult to pull these meetings together. By managing to speak two sentences, I am able to bring the room forward in the conversation. In the economy of time, this is desirable.

In conclusion, being noticed in a meeting doesn't always mean being the one who talks the most. It’s about being prepared, making strategic statements, and asking the right questions to drive the conversation forward. This approach not only highlights your leadership qualities but also fosters a collaborative and trusting environment, ultimately leading to more effective and efficient meetings.