Four Ways to Sound More Confident in Senior Meetings
Speaking up in meetings with senior people can feel pretty stressful.
The stakes feel higher - you worry about being judged, you may start to ramble, over-explain, or rush through your points if you feel nervous. And even when you know your subject, you may not sound as confident as you actually are.
The good news is that confident communication is a skill that you can develop.
Firstly, prepare properly. If you have a senior meeting, spend time in advance thinking about the key points you want to make, the questions you might ask, and the questions you may be asked. Make some notes that you can take into the meeting with you, and if there is something important you need to say, practise it out loud.
Secondly, structure your information. When people are nervous, they often start with too much detail. Senior audiences usually need the headline first. Think like a newspaper: what’s the attention grabbing headline? Then work out the subheading and supporting content. Lead with the point, then offer to share more context.
Thirdly, remove filler sounds. Words such as “um”, “like”, “actually” or “so” can creep in when we are thinking. Used too often, they make us sound less certain. Start noticing your own fillers and practise replacing them with a pause.
Fourthly, pay attention to your posture. Sit tall. Take up appropriate space. Do not hide at the edge of the room or shrink on screen. Look like you expect to be there. Good posture will also help you to breath deeply and feel more relaxed.
A useful bonus is to consider how you present yourself visually. In person or on video, your appearance and energy contribute significantly to the first impression you create.
None of this is about pretending to be someone you are not. It is about removing the habits that distract from your expertise.
You do not need to be the loudest person in the room to be taken seriously. But you do need to communicate in a way that helps people hear the value of what you are saying.
Written by Emilie West
