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How to get your message across in meetings

19 March 2015 Candidate Blogs / Career Advice
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"Getting your message across is all important for your career" -
8 tips on how to do this when everyone else is talking


Meetings come in many forms and guises; there are those which are formal, incredibly well organised, everyone knows their place and is given floor-time equally or proportionately and then there are the more informal, disorganised meetings which appear to be more like free-for-alls.

Whichever of these you attend you know that in order for your career to progress you need to participate. After all it's a dog-eat-dog world and if you sit on the side lines like a wall flower you're not going to notch-up any brownie points. In fact non-participation is often viewed as a failing, a weakness, a chink in your armour.

So how do you make your voice heard when everyone else is talking? Here are 8 tips to help you get your message across.

 

Grab air space when you can

Air space, or floor-time, is the crux of the matter. When everyone is talking over each other this chaos may seem impenetrable; as soon as there's a lapse in the conversation, no matter how small, grab the air space. Stand up if necessary so that everyone knows you've got the floor.

 

Use body language

Use positive body language to show that you have something to say. Shy away or stare out of the window and you'll be ignored. Look at the speaker, raise your eyebrows if you don't agree or are surprised at what they're saying, they might then ask for your thoughts giving you the opportunity to have your say.

 

Make a statement

Sometimes being tactful isn't the way to go. Making a bold statement such as “I've got a very different opinion on that” in a very loud voice may just silence your colleagues for that split second you need to grab the air space.

 

Pump up the volume

In disorganised, rowdy meetings it's acceptable for you to pump up the volume as much as the next person, within reason, just as long as conversations don't end up as shouting matches. Raise your voice in a polite, but authoritative manner; showing your assertiveness may gain you recognition as having good leadership skills.

 

Be succinct

Once you've got your air space and the floor-time be succinct; get your point or message across as quickly as you can, because someone else could interrupt and start talking across you within a very short space of time.

 

Start a side conversation

Often disorganised meetings have a tendency to break into sub groups. Take the lead and begin a side conversation with others who look as if they're being left out of the main discussion. Again this will show good leadership skills, it will also show that you have good awareness and social skills. However, make sure that the conversation you start is in-keeping with the topic of the meeting.

 

Use good social skills and assist others

You can also use your good social skills to assist others who appear to be struggling with the chaos. Say in a loud voice “what are your thoughts on that?” to encourage them to join in. You do need to be tactful when assisting others as you may be seen as interfering or playing mother-hen to those who would rather do things their own way and in their own time.

 

Repetition, repetition, repetition

You could try the age old trick of repetition. By repeating your opening statement over and over again until you're heard or taken notice of may seem a little out-dated but sometimes the oldest tricks actually work.

The next time you're in a meeting and it feels like you're trying to cross a busy motorway at commuter time just to get your voice heard, don't stand startled by the headlights like a rabbit, judge when the time is right, put your best foot forward and go for it.

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