• Home
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • All-Access
  • Contact Us

Join In!

  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • twitter

Progressive Women's Leadership

Empowering. Supportive. Bold

EMPOWERING. SUPPORTIVE. BOLD.
  • Live & On-Demand Training
    • Live Training
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Custom Training
  • Leadership E-Guides
  • Blog
    • Leadership
    • Communication
    • Community
    • Life Balance
    • Gender Partnerships
    • Women in the World
  • Free Resources
    • Free Leadership E-Guides
    • Podcasts
  • PWL All-Access
You are here: Home / Leadership Skills / 4 Things You Need To Do At Your Next Meeting

4 Things You Need To Do At Your Next Meeting

August 21, 2017 By Lynn Varacalli Cavanaugh

Whether you finally scored a face-to-face with that big client or you’re in charge of your company’s town hall meeting, there’s no denying it: It’s nerve-wracking. Even if you’re a seasoned pro, it’s a lot of pressure to get up in front of people and speak. 

Follow these four steps from FastCompany and you’re sure to set a strong tone for the rest of the meeting.

1. Consider possible questions – not answers

The night before the meeting, sit down and brainstorm questions you might be asked. The key here: Don’t write the answers.

Writing your answers means you won’t be fully focused when you’re addressing the actual question. Rather, you’ll be focused on trying to remember what you wrote, and your responses won’t be as natural.

Instead, give the possible questions some gentle thought. No need to write anything. Be present in the moment and trust you have the knowledge to give great responses.

2. Get into the politician’s mindset

Something a lot of politicians have in common: the ability to answer a possibly unrelated question while staying on point.

It’s a true talent you’ll see in most debates. A politician is asked a question, and even though he or she answers the question, he or she manages to turn the answer right back to the main talking points.

One way to do just that: Acknowledge someone’s idea and steer the conversation back down the right path with something like, This sounds like an interesting idea. Can you tell me more about it after this meeting? Or Could you email that to me, so I can spend more time digesting it?

But sometimes, you’re just going to have to address it head-on: You seem distracted. Is there a problem?

Go into your meeting prepared to direct every question, concern and problem back to the topic of the meeting. Start off with this pattern and it’ll continue through the entire session.

3. Look at everyone

Whether you know every single person in the room or they’re all new faces, look at them all.

It’s a mistake a lot of people make – they think to only look at the decision-makers in the room.

Be fair and give everyone a second or two of eye contact. If there are too many people in the room to do this, divide the room up into sections and pick one person from each slice. That will give the appearance you’re giving everyone equal “eye time.”

4. Focus on your breathing

Imagine you’re playing in the World Series and you’re next up to bat. You’re tense, you’re subconsciously holding your breath, you’re fidgeting – and suddenly, your confidence goes right out the window.

You get a similar feeling right before you walk into a big meeting.

Try Dr. Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing exercise for instant relaxation: Exhale completely through your mouth, making a gentle whooshing sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose, slowly counting to four. Then hold your breath for a count of seven. Finally, exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, and slowly count to eight.

Recommended For You

  • 3 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Employees3 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Employees
  • How the Best Leaders Sell Their Ideas to Their TeamsHow the Best Leaders Sell Their Ideas to Their Teams
  • The Most Effective Ways to Say ‘I Don’t Know’The Most Effective Ways to Say ‘I Don’t Know’
  • Why It Pays to Praise: 40 Ways to Say ‘Good Job’
  • Worked for Her: ‘Seat Shuffle’ helped our employees connect as a teamWorked for Her: ‘Seat Shuffle’ helped our employees connect as a team
  • Take Note! Inside the Most Productive Meetings …Take Note! Inside the Most Productive Meetings …
  • 5 great phrases leaders use on a daily basis – Do you?5 great phrases leaders use on a daily basis – Do you?
  • Someone Quit: Now What? Here’s a Step-by-Step GuideSomeone Quit: Now What? Here’s a Step-by-Step Guide

Filed Under: Leadership Skills Tagged With: Communication, leadership, meetings

Lynn Varacalli Cavanaugh

About Lynn Varacalli Cavanaugh

“An important attribute of success is to be yourself. Never hide what makes you, you." -- Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo

As editor-in-chief of Woman’s Own and American Woman magazines, I have championed the personal and professional development of women for years. I started my career unsure of my own path and abilities, but I always had a natural curiosity and an interest in words and writing. When selected to launch American Woman as editor-in-chief, after a string of editorial jobs, I was thrilled—and terrified at being responsible for a brand new venture. All I could do was my best, based on my instincts and years of experience. American Woman was a success, offering me things I hadn’t achieved before—the confidence to do public speaking and a journalism award (Exceptional Merit Media award from the National Women’s Political Caucus & Radcliffe College). I hope my insights, now as an editor for Progressive Women’s Leadership, will help you on your own journey to career success.

Looking to Make a Difference?

Join thousands of other leading women who have made the commitment to change.

GET MORE INFORMATION

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST

Updates, discounts and content from Progressive Women’s Leadership straight to your inbox. Your information will never be sold or distributed.

Negotiating Skills: How to Ask for – and Get – What You Want | Course | Starts November 2nd

Popular Posts

  • Why It Pays to Praise: 40 Ways to Say ‘Good Job’
  • Inside the C-Suite: Meet Indra Nooyi, CEO, PepsiCo
  • Do You Look Like A Leader? 7 skills that convey executive presence
  • Best interview questions asked in 2018
  • How To Deal With Those Time-Wasting Employees
Progressive Women's Leadership

Training

  • Live Training
  • On-Demand Webinars
  • Custom Training

Blog Topics

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Community
  • Life Balance
  • Gender Partnerships
  • Women in the World

Leadership E-Guides


Free Resources

  • Free Leadership E-Guides
  • Podcasts

Copyright © 2021 · Progressive Women's Leadership · Privacy Policy