By Anshul Verma
19/2/2010
Imagine that you are in the Board room for a meeting. You have the right ideas which could potentially be of immense value to your department and the organization as a whole. But instead of successfully communicating these messages across, your ideas are misunderstood and your comments are interrupted. Your colleagues are not impressed and you feel undervalued and sidelined.

In today’s fast-paced world, simply having the right ideas just doesn’t cut it unless you can present your message effectively.
How can you present in ways that can make people sit up, take notice and act on your recommendations? To be an effective participant at meetings, draw on your strengths and develop what already works for you. In addition, here are several tips that can help make a positive difference at your next meeting!

BE PREPARED
If you are not comfortable thinking on your feet at meetings, prepare ahead of time. Study the agenda if there is one. Think what issues are likely to come up and the points you want to make. If you have questions or concerns, write them down so that you won’t forget what you need to ask.

GET THERE EARLY
Try to be at the meeting at least 5 minutes before time.Strike up conversations with people in the room or simply greet the new arrivals with a smile. Small gestures such as this not only play a part in establishing you as a part of the group, it also helps you feel more relaxed.

BE INVOLVED AND ENTHUSIASTIC
Maintain your involvement and enthusiasm throughout the meeting. Don’t be afraid to express valid opinions and encourage others to do the same. This will help keep energy levels up, and is more likely to bring about a positive, productive meeting.

MINDING YOUR VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL GESTURES
If you have something to say, ensure it can be heard. The last thing you want is to make some comment and have it ignored completely. Speak more loudly than you feel comfortable – that's usually about right – and more slowly than you feel comfortable with. People tend to start speaking quickly when they feel nervous. Avoid fiddling with your hair, laser pointer or other accessories. It can be very distracting. Refrain from the 'um's, 'er's, 'you know's and 'I mean's as these may also devalue your message and make you seem less confident. Finally, when making a point, stick to it and don’t digress.

DEAL WITH INTERRUPTIONS
If you are interrupted as you present your point, address it with simple phrases but don’t ignore the fact that someone has raised a question. You can, for instance, say “Thank you for your question. I’ll come back to this as soon as I finish with this point.” Do this in a calm, polite but assertive manner.

TAKE ACTION
Consider getting involved with any action plans and follow ups. Participation keeps you up to speed and you can be sure that you will get to practice these meeting skills again at the next session when you present your report. However, be realistic about the time you have to commit to the work. Don’t bite off more than you can chew so that you can sustain your productivity and energy levels.

SET YOUR GOALS
Always begin with the end in mind. Know what it is that you would like to get out a meeting so that you don’t come out of it feeling that your time was wasted. Meetings can be good platforms for personal development and give you the opportunity to hone assertiveness and communication skills. Not everyone will agree with your views, so be prepared to encounter difficult questions and arguments. Don’t be overlyintimidated though. Where possible, support your stand with valid information, and bear in mind that being challenged can lead to interesting outcomes.
If you have difficulties with public speaking or can’t seem to participate effectively in meetings, contact your work life coach
to work through your challenges.

The author is Regional Manager, Human Dynamic Asia Pacific Ltd.