How to Sound Smarter in Your Next Work Meeting

Most of us can admit to wanting to sound smart in work meetings. I’d wager that very few people aspire to go into a work meeting and come across as completely clueless and incapable. 

But the process of learning how to sound smarter in a work meeting is easier said than done, especially when you take into account the likelihood of nerves, peer pressure and feelings of unpreparedness when your manager or a client calls you into a meeting at the very last minute.

So what’s the trick to always sounding competent when you’re under pressure? Having the following five strategies up your sleeve will help you feel prepared for every meeting, whatever curve ball gets thrown your way.

1. Get to the point

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re trying to sound smarter in work meetings is talking too much. Call it nerves or the need to explain themselves, but the result is the same—too much waffle that makes it seem like you’re not actually sure what point you’re trying to make.

The truth is, wasting time on lengthy explanations, as well as using too many big words or industry jargon, is going to lose your audience. And fast. If you want people to hear what you’re saying, you need to get straight to the point as simply and quickly as possible. 

Focus on being clear and concise in your communication. Help people understand and absorb what you’re telling them by being direct. As much as possible, avoid filling the time you have to speak with unnecessary content that doesn’t add to what you’re trying to say.

2. Prepare with data

If you have a little time to prepare before the meeting, spend it where it will have the most impact: understanding and collecting data to back up each of your claims. Being well-researched can instantly boost your credibility. However, there’s a fine line between being informative and sounding like a walking spreadsheet. 

Here are a few best practices to make sure you don’t lose your listeners:

• Straightforward explanations: Keep your explanation of the data simple and straightforward and avoid throwing too many big numbers at your audience. Use charts, graphs and other visual aids to help convey your data in a more digestible format.

• Story-driven examples: Tell a story around your data to give it context and encourage buy-in from your listeners. Why should they care about these numbers? What impact does the data have on their work or the company as a whole?
• Engage your audience: Ask questions, involve others in the discussion, and get people thinking about how they can use the data presented to improve their own work. This will not only make you sound smarter, but it will also demonstrate your ability to think critically and collaboratively.

3. Connect with your audience

Your audience needs to have a reason to listen to you, whether they’re your colleagues, clients or C-suite. A key aspect of communicating effectively at work is knowing how to connect with your audience and establish a bond between you and the people you’re presenting to. 

Here are a few tips to help you connect with your audience: 

• Make it relevant: Why should your audience care about what you’re saying? To connect with your audience, give them a reason to be invested in what you have to say by making it relevant to them. Link everything you’re saying back to their needs, challenges and desires, and the specific benefits they can expect to gain.
• Adapt to your audience: Don’t assume your audience already knows what you’re talking about. To build a better connection with your listeners, adapt your style to your audience’s level of expertise and knowledge of the subject, including explaining key concepts, terms and ideas in a way they can understand.
• Be more human: People connect with people. Rather than worrying about sounding as smart as possible, think more about how to win over your audience by connecting with the person behind the job title. No matter how high up someone is in their company, they’re still human like you and me. Use anecdotes, examples and even humor to bring more warmth and personality to your speech and help your audience connect with what you’re saying.

Pro tip: Connecting with your audience can start even before the meeting begins. Try breaking the ice by opening up a casual conversation with someone as soon as you enter the room. This simple trick can help to calm your nerves, set the tone for the meeting and build an instant connection with at least one person in the room.

4. Ask questions

People often fall into the trap of not asking questions at work for fear of sounding inexperienced or incapable. But asking questions can actually be a tactic to help you sound smarter in work meetings. Why? Because it shows that you’re interested and invested in what is being discussed and you’re ready to learn more. 

Rather than simply accepting everything that’s being said, asking questions allows you to actively participate in every work meeting. You have a chance to speak up, make your voice heard, and help others to understand the topic better, too. 

And then there’s the obvious benefit of actually learning more. Every time you ask a question and gain more knowledge of a topic, you actually become smarter (or at least more informed) and more prepared for your next meeting on that topic.

5. Know your meeting style

Your personality type can heavily influence how you behave in work meetings, shaping your conversation style, presentation skills, sales technique, and more. If you know your personality type ahead of time, you can learn how to sound smarter and communicate better in your next work meeting. 

For example, if you know you’re an introvert who struggles with speaking up and making yourself heard, you can factor this into your meeting preparation. Think about exactly what you want to say and when in the meeting you’ll say it. You could request a slot on the meeting agenda to make sure you have time to present. Another strategy is to enlist the help of a more outspoken, extraverted or senior colleague to open up space for you in a meeting, such as asking you a direct question or calling on you to share your thoughts. 

Learn more about your personality type to better understand what aspects of work meetings you struggle with and why, and to find strategies to help you feel more confident in every meeting.

Use these tips to sound smarter in your next work meeting

No matter how intelligent you are, sounding smarter at work can be challenging, especially when you’re under pressure or thrown into the spotlight unexpectedly. These tips can help you prepare for your next work meeting, so you can feel more confident and in control when you step in the room. They’re just people after all—and probably just as nervous as you are.