To be successful in business, generating good ideas at the right time and expressing them in the right way is just as important as expressing them. Being able to convey your thoughts, especially in meetings with your team, not only increases your visibility but also helps you play an active role in decision-making processes. So, what skills are needed for effective communication in meetings? We’ve compiled tips to help you express yourself better in meetings.
Come to the Meeting Prepared
Regardless of the meeting’s topic, preparation always puts you ahead of the game. You can review the meeting agenda beforehand and jot down ideas you’d like to contribute. Coming to meetings unprepared can lead to digressions or unnecessary prolonging when the floor is finally addressed. This can sometimes impact your standing within the team. Therefore, with good preparation, you can make your remarks concise, clear, and effective.
Determine Your Core Message
One of the best ways to express yourself in meetings is to deliver your main message directly. Before you begin your speech, ask yourself, “What is my main message?” This will allow you to deliver a clear and focused message without straying from the topic. It’s crucial to simplify your message as much as possible, avoiding unnecessary details.
Support Your Message with Your Body Language
In the business world, as in any environment, your communication style is crucial. Therefore, how you say things in meetings is as important as what you bring up. Maintaining eye contact, standing upright, and using your hands with restraint will instill confidence in your communication style and posture. Remember that a monotonous tone of voice or a hunched posture can diminish the impact of your message, no matter how valuable your words are.
Know How to Listen
In meetings, listening isn’t just about talking; it’s also an active activity, just as important as speaking. Listening attentively to other participants without interrupting them is both a sign of respect and allows you to better grasp the points you can contribute. You should listen to understand, not to respond.
Use Your Time Effectively: Speak Short and Concisely
Meetings have limited time, and everyone needs to share their ideas within that time. Therefore, you should avoid making your conversations unnecessarily long. It’s important to try to express yourself in short but meaningful sentences.
Be Open to Feedback, Don’t Become Directly Defensive
In meetings, there will naturally be people who will challenge or criticize your ideas. You may also receive different suggestions to support or take your ideas a step further. In these situations, instead of assuming a defensive stance, you should try to understand and evaluate the criticism and listen carefully to the proposed ideas. A constructive approach like “I hadn’t thought of it that way, thank you,” demonstrates your maturity and de-escalates the discussion.
Use “We” Language Instead of “I” Language
The foundation of teamwork lies in the ability to act together, rather than individually. Therefore, using collective language instead of individualistic statements can both build rapport and encourage collaboration. Expressions like “We can suggest a solution like this” instead of “I thought so” will portray you as a more inclusive and leading figure.
Offer Suggestions, Not Criticisms
Simply voicing your problems isn’t enough for constructive communication; when discussing problems, you should always present them alongside proposed solutions. If you’re criticizing a situation in meetings, you should also offer alternative suggestions. This approach allows you to step forward as a solution-generating member of the team, rather than simply criticizing.
Don’t Overdo It with Technical Terms
Having technical knowledge in your field is valuable, but using understandable language when conveying it is even more crucial. You need to find common ground with the other party by adopting a tone everyone can understand. Otherwise, your explanations may be left hanging. Even if you think you’ve expressed yourself well, it may not have resonated with the other party.
Keep Your Conversations as Short as Possible
Finishing a speech is as much an art as starting one. After delivering your main message, be sure to wrap up your speech with a clear sentence. If you go on longer than necessary, you can distract the other person, which will distract you from finding a solution.
If you want to succeed in the business world, you should strive to express yourself effectively in meetings focused on exchanging ideas with your team. By using the tips we’ve discussed, you can improve your communication skills and adopt a more visible, clear, and effective communication style in meetings. This will not only help you convey your ideas more clearly but also strengthen your credibility and leadership potential within your team.
