Show Off Your Speaking Skills in a Meeting

The vast majority of business professionals spend a significant percentage of their workdays in meetings. Despite their bad reputation, meetings are still one of the most effective ways for employees to share and exchange information, get feedback, plan, discuss, collaborate and make important decisions regarding their organization. Because meetings are where we spend a considerable chunk of our work day, careers can be enhanced or potentially damaged here. Just like public speaking, developing effective business meeting skills can be learned.

Here are some tips on speaking during a meeting:

Have the right attitude: What attitude are your bringing to the meeting? It's a choice - you can choose a positive inner dialogue of motivation, leadership and enthusiasm or you can choose one of resentment and dread. Take a closer look at what you are saying to yourself. Meetings are much more rewarding when you approach them with a positive attitude.

Come prepared: Imagine how impressive you will be if you can handle every question thrown your way? Be polished, poised and prepared. Practice makes perfect when speaking in meetings. Answer questions promptly, energetically and directly.

Participate: Giving your input and well thought out suggestions will make you stand out. Don't criticize others suggestions without giving valid reasons and a better suggestion. And be sure to speak with confidence.

Face: Let your face convey the same message that your words are conveying. Disappointment, compassion, connectedness, humor. Don't limit yourself to your words - show you agree by nodding your head, raise your eyebrows if you are surprised. Allow your face to light up, allow it to reflect what you're thinking and feeling. Deadpan is deadly. 

Eye contact: When responding to a question, address the entire group, not just the person who asked the question. Move your eyes around and talk to everyone in the room. Don't talk to the air or around a person's face - make eye contact and you will find that it results in more personal respect and more effective relationships.

Be aware of your body language: If your hands are comfortable, your audience is comfortable. Pulling on your fingers, playing with your pen, your hair, your rings or a paper clip are all distractions to others. Not everything you convey to others comes from your mouth.

Don't be a time hog: You want to be thorough and deliver your message succinctly and effectively. Don't hog the conversation, don't speak over others, and don't interrupt. Most of the time when a meeting participant speaks too long it's because he or she hasn't planned or rehearsed enough. Plan, prepare, practice, present. This is not an opportunity to hear yourself talk, it is an opportunity to influence others. Participate, but don't take over the agenda of the meeting. Allow others to speak and create a good rapport.

Listen to others: Listen for ideas, not just words. One of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information that reveal the ideas of others. Listen with your ears as well as your eyes - watch and pick up on additional information given by non-verbal cues. 

No multitasking: Our brains aren't equipped for multitasking tasks that require brainpower. Not to mention it's rude. The information that is shared during meetings will be lost on you. So put the phones and the laptops away - having them open in meetings lowers productivity instead of raising it.

Stepping up your game in meetings is not a hard thing to do and when you do it - it can have a positive effect on your career. We'd be glad to help.