How to never gget talked over in meetings
Have you ever been in a meeting where you wanted to get your voice heard, just to get talked over by a colleague? Or you shared a brilliant idea, but you weren’t heard, except by that one guy that picked it up and presented it as his own? Frustrating, right?
The good news is: It doesn’t have to stay that way! Make a few simple changes and you will never be talked over in meetings again, or at least, when you are, you’ll be able to easily deflect this disrespectful behavior and bring the meeting participants’ attention back to you.
Before the meeting:
SHOW UP POWERFULLY
Showing up powerfully is about many things: your appearance, your presence, your confidence, etc. So, first things first: Pick an outfit that fits the occasion and that makes you feel confident and radiant. In an online meeting, where it’s even harder to grab people’s attention and make your voice heard, it may make sense to wear a color that stands out from your background and thus makes you more visible.
I advise my clients to also prepare in less conventional ways, like techniques that help them get grounded and present, or energy-focused tools that help them enhance their perceived presence and raise their confidence level at the same time.
Watch out for a future article about ways to prepare for meetings that you may not have tried or even heard of. Coming soon…
PREPARE THE CONTENT
It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the meeting agenda in advance, even when you’re not presenting or don’t foresee being called on. As you move through the agenda, identify the topics you want to contribute to, and then proceed to jotting down some notes. A few bullet points will do. This serves as self-motivation when it comes to participating more actively in the meeting, and active meeting participation makes you more visible and memorable.
WARM UP YOUR VOICE
You wouldn’t go out and run a marathon without warming up your body, would you? Why then would you not warm up your voice before an important meeting, given that your voice is one of your key communication tools? After all, it’s through your voice that you express your ideas. The quality of your voice matters, and it improves with a quick warm-up. Professional speakers do it, so why not you? A few simple exercises will do. There are lots of voice warm-up videos on the internet. An awake voice sounds more convincing.
CHOOSE THE BEST SEAT (OR BACKGROUND)
Where you sit makes a difference. In an in-person setting, let’s say around a conference table, showing up on time will allow you to make sure you get a seat at the table and won’t be pushed into the second row.
The challenge comes in virtual settings, where there is no actual meeting table. But in any challenge, there’s an opportunity. First of all, whenever that’s an option, turn your video on. Avoid messy backgrounds. You can have a spectacular background; however, it should not distract us from seeing you. When using a virtual background, also use a green screen or your body edges will move with you. As a general rule, I’d say, a clean background often works better to achieve your visibility goal.
Leave a comment about your biggest challenge preparing for meetings.
During the meeting:
SPEAK UNAPOLOGETICALLY
Always use unapologetic language. Delete phrases like “Excuse me, can I maybe just say something?” or “Sorry but I just wanted to…” from your vocabulary. These words just take up precious airtime, and even worse, they have you come across as insecure or meek. Why not say what you want to say right away, in a clear, concise manner? For example: “I have a suggestion…” or “My view on this is…” or “The way we could address this is…” or: “One approach that has proven successful is…”
There is simply no reason to apologize for contributing value in a meeting.
CLAIM YOUR VOICE BACK
Now, all the previous tips should help you get your voice heard. But what if someone talks over you anyway? Again, preparation is key. Here’s what I suggest: Write down several phrases to use when someone interrupts you for no good reason. Examples are: “Excuse me, I was not finished.” or “[Name], please allow me to complete my thought.” Also, say it with a firm voice so your remark is not lost.
TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR IDEAS
Have you ever introduced an extraordinary idea, just for one of your colleagues to make it his own? Like when you made an outstanding suggestion for how to address a particular challenge, and your colleague repeats it as if it were hers? This behavior can be infuriating. But rather than being annoyed, keep your cool and use conversational intelligence. Here’s what you could say (in a firm but calm way): “I’m glad you liked my suggestion, [name]. Thanks for pointing it out again.” A client of mine applied this phrase very successfully with one of her colleagues, who had developed a habit of sneakily picking up her ideas and repeating them as his own. He quickly learned his lesson.
Never ever let your brilliant ideas be stolen from you again! You deserve to be acknowledged for them.
Have a meeting today? – Start experimenting with these seven strategies. They are simple and quick, so there’s no excuse. Don’t neglect any of them, and you will see the results.