The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

192 / IMPROVING YOUR SKILLS

Participating in meetings

Researching well

Preparation is essential to ensure that

you make the most of your opportunity.

Read any material in advance and note

down issues you need to clarify and

points you want to make. For important

and complex discussions, you may want

to sound out other people’s opinions to

help you form your own view and get an

idea of who will support your thinking.

Making your mark

When you arrive at a meeting try to sit

near people who are likely to support

your views, and ideally in the middle

rather than at the end of the group.

During the meeting, it is very important

to find opportunities to speak. If you are

nervous about making your own points,

get used to hearing your voice by making

short remarks in support of others.

A clear, firm: “I agree with that point”

will get you noticed. Also, ask questions

for clarification, which will make you

sound interested. Try drafting some

points to make in advance, and introduce

them early in the discussion, but make

sure that you do so in the context of

the discussion. Be careful, too, that

you don’t speak too much: it’s better

to be known as someone who makes

good points than as someone who

speaks all the time.

It’s easy to forget the importance of meetings. This is where

decisions are made that could affect your work and your future,

where relationships are built, and where you have an opportunity

to make an impression on others, make your views heard, and

find out what others think.

Do I speak clearly

and loudly enough

to be heard?

Do I contribute

to the meeting

early on?

Do I look at everyone as

I make my point?

Do I listen to what

is being said?

Do I support

others?

Do I interrupt

others only when

it is necessary?

Am I participating

well in meetings?

US_192-193_Participating_in_meetings_1.indd 192 30/05/16 3:03 pm