How can you make your voice heard?

Imagine you are in a meeting where ideas are bouncing around and it feels like no one seems to stop to think? Some people love that process... and its often a style that gets noticed and positively acknowledged.

Meanwhile, you’re sitting there, sorting through the conversation, connecting the threads, and trying to form a cohesive suggestion as quickly as you can. By the time your idea is ready, the meeting is over.

What people often do:
- Stay quiet and leave frustrated.
- Share a half-formed idea at the last minute.
- Hope to catch someone later to share their thoughts.

If we're thinking about having greater impact in these settings, while leaning into your strengths, consider how these suggestions land as ways to move forward next time:

- Follow up after the meeting with a summary and/or your suggestion and offer to connect 1:1 to discuss further.
- Instead of staying silent, or sharing what you feel is a well thought through comment, ask clarifying questions to help the thinking process.

Your influence doesn’t always have to come from speaking the most, it comes from your contributions that are thoughtful, strategic and clear.

How do you make your ideas heard when the room is full of verbal ideas?