Speak up!

“Talkers have always ruled.  They will continue to rule. The smart thing is to join them.” Bruce Barton Congressman and Author

Have you regretted not saying something in a meeting?  I have to attend a lot of conference calls during the day. After introducing myself, it’s easy to go on mute and not say anything until the call ends.  I have made a conscious decision not to be a silent meeting participant.  To be honest, I have been the silent phone call member on some calls.  And sometimes that’s OK too. You do need to understand the conference call dynamics (office politics).  I believe that’s called Emotional Intelligence. 

If office politics is not the issue, I speak up.  To prepare for a meeting, I always check my workplace calendar at the end of the day. This gives me some time to think about the meeting topic.  I also have stopped multitasking during calls. This has really been the best thing I could have done for myself.  Without the distractions, I can actively listen and take notes during the call.  I can’t begin to tell you how many questions or comments have been generated from reducing my distractions. 

I found three ways to speak up in a meeting on Harvard Business Review.  I thought the tips were helpful and things that I have said before reading the article!  Try these tips the next time you want to speak up in a meeting:

• Have we thought about… If you have an idea to add but aren't overly confident about it, phrase the suggestion as though you are contributing to the conversation, rather than putting a firm stake in the ground.
• To play devil's advocate… It can be hard to disagree without sounding like a jerk. Finesse your comments by explaining that you are playing a certain role.
• This may be a dumb question… You may hesitate to speak up when you don't know what's going on in a meeting. Don't stay lost — ask for clarification. You may help others who are in the same position.

Let me know if you try some of these tips. How did it go? When do you speak up in a meeting?