When I read Talk Your Way To The Top by Tina Santi Flaherty, I got so ticked off at what the first female vice-president at Colgate-Palmolive was saying that I threw the book more than once across the room (never say that I’m all sunshine and roses). However, each time I picked the book up and continued reading. And when I was done, I gave the book to one of my best friends to read.
The message of how to get ahead as a woman in corporate America wasn’t pleasant, it certainly wasn’t “fair”, but unfortunately it was right.
Her ideas on reading body language was alone worth the cost of the book but my favorite part is her discussion on meetings. She says “It always amazes me that people don’t realize all meetings have a hidden agenda – and that’s really to decide who’s got “it” and who doesn’t.”
Her 10 tips to being a good meeting participant are;
1) Look good (a no-brainer, this is “show time”)
2) Be on time or early (getting there early is a good networking opp)
3) Review the material and notes from the previous meeting (so you can look like a superstar)
4) Pick a seat near the action (again, it’s show time so you want to be on stage).
5) Take the meeting as seriously as you would your paycheck (no goofing around).
6) Speak at the beginning of the meeting so you get noticed (I always do this)
7) Having done #3, bring a prop or visual (like a graph, etc) that makes your point.
8) Take notes (shows interest and that you are a take action type of gal).
9) Make a comment on an area other than your own. Leaders need to straddle multiple departments.
10) When the meeting ends, don’t just leave, make a comment or two to the chairperson.
Her best hint on hosting a meeting is to always, always, always send out notes afterwards. A meeting without notes (showing decisions made, actions to be taken) is a waste of time. I often volunteer to take and distribute the notes (since I’m doing #8 anyway). That puts my name in front of a number of people.