Put on the spot during a meeting? Here are 5 tips to help you out.
Posted on December 12, 2012 by Edward Rice, One of Thousands of Performance Coaches on Noomii.
Your boss will remember a 2-minute response to a question more than your 15-minute-bullet-point-filled presentation. Austin TX www.silverpodium.com
I remember zoning out during a meeting, and the presenter called on me. I gave a quick response but then thought nothing of it. Two weeks later, my boss came up to me and said, “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I was really impressed by your answer in that meeting.”
Your boss will remember a 2-minute response to a question more than your 15-minute-bullet-point-filled presentation.
1. Know your enemy: Each manager has one issue or a small amount that he or she cares about more than others. Know this ahead of time and think of questions he or she likes to ask.
2. Prepare: Jot down 2-3 things that you know will be the focus of the meeting. You might not use the notes during the meeting, but the technique “warms up” your brain so you can be prepared for the meeting’s topics. Have more time? Find information, from previous emails and memos, and reference it during the meeting. Who else will remember the relevant email chain discussion from two weeks ago?
3. Structure your response: For any answer, use a clear structure. Too many times, answers are rambles and unintelligible. The trick is to use “1-2-3.” For example, “My first point is…my second…etc.” A structure turns a ramble into a well-organized response.
4. Take notes on what others said: Expand on what others said during the meeting and add your own thoughts.
5. Buy more time with asking for clarification on the question. A general response to the question, such as, “Can you be more specific?” will come off as stalling. To fix this, make your clarification question more specific, such as, “Do you mean the sales forecast for one-month from now or six?”
Speeches require preparation ahead of time, and on the spot answers require the same. If you are prepared, then you will be more confident when asked any question during a meeting.
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© Edward Rice, Silver Podium LLC
