How to Communicate with Confidence in High-Stake Meetings

“I feel intimidated when I talk to the company CEO. How can I communicate with confidence?”

“How do I project leadership presence in a high-level meeting with senior leaders in the room?”

“I get nervous in job interviews. How do I stay calm and composed?”

An expert in communication skills and women's leadership, I get asked these questions often.

And understandably so.

If you are a new manager, senior executive, or founder, whether you like it or not, your presence, impact and influence get assessed by your peers, superiors, your team, key stakeholders, clients and investors?each time you communicate.

Similarly, if you have been in the same role for years, and are ready to step up this year, you want to have a hard, honest look at how you communicate: what impression do you leave? Do you pull people closer or push them away when you communicate? Do you know how to get the buy-in for your ideas?

Because...

Every meeting, every 1:1 with your boss, every presentation is an opportunity for you to build your credibility, showcase the value you add, and let the organisation see you in a different light.

That’s why, whatever your goal for 2022 is, it is quintessential that you exude confidence, clarity, and calm (all elements of the leadership presence) when you communicate at all levels.?

Remote video meetings have brought a new level of challenge. Yet it is possible to communicate on Teams or Zoom with confidence, and in a way that helps you build allies, create lasting connections and grow your visibility.

After many years in the field, I have concluded that there is science behind effective, confident communication.

Effective communication is about mastering your inner psychology (70%) as well as the right communication strategies (30%.)

Here are some steps (deducted from the strategies we teach inside my signature leadership development programme for women,?Elevate) you can take to communicate with more confidence in your next high-stake meeting:

Are you pressed for time? Here is the shortlist of 10 steps.

1. Define your intention and goals for the meeting.
2. Understand and manage your emotions.
3. Feel like an equal in the room.
4. Put yourself in their shoes.
5. Embody confident, empathetic body language.
6. Slow down for more impact.
7. Tap into the power of active listening.
8. Keep it concise.
9. To build rapport, be genuine.
10. End on a warm note.

Are you still reading? Great! Grab a cup of tea or coffee, get comfortable, and let's dive deeper!

Step 1)?Define Your Intention and Goals.

In preparation to that important meeting or job interview, get clear on:

o???What do you want to get out of this meeting??

o???How would you like to be perceived??

o???What is an opportunity here?

Step 2)?Understand and Manage Your Emotions.?

Check in with yourself: “How do I feel about this meeting?” If you feel nervous, anxious, or intimidated, see what your fears are. Once you understand your fears, normalise them and feel them fully in your body – as the first step to clarity and confidence.

Step 3)?Take them off the pedestal.

We sound relaxed and confident with people whom we trust and see as our equals. Who do you sound relaxed and confident with? Your close friends, your husband, your kids, your team? When you feel relaxed, you naturally exude confidence and authenticity. To reduce your anxiety and nervousness, bring the person you are about to have a meeting with down from the imaginary pedestal you have put them on. Put them down at your level, using this influencing technique. If needed, remind yourself of the value you add, of your unique value proposition.

To sound confident, you need to feel equal with the people in the room.

Step 4)?Put yourself in their shoes.

Think of the meeting from the other person’s perspective. What is in it for them? How can you add value and be of service? Jot down a couple of ideas, and, if it’s relevant, have key words prepared about your most recent accomplishments to demonstrate your point.?

No matter what the outcome, this meeting is your opportunity to make a new ally, to strengthen a relationship, and to stay on the radar of this person for future opportunities.?

Step 5)?Embody confident, empathetic body language.

People make up their impressions of us within the first 7 seconds. Make sure that your intro is warm, and you have prepared an ice-breaker question. Your body language needs to be tuned in, showing full presence, warmth, and empathy. It's important to dress the part, too, even in this remote meetings' era. Call them by their first name, when/if appropriate. Project your voice, instead of speaking as you normally speak, if the meeting is held on a video platform.?

Step 6)?Slow Down for More Impact.

To sound clear, confident and grounded and to stay fully present during the meeting, slow way down. Manage your emotions by breathing into your solar system and feeling all your feelings. Avoid speaking fast, rushing and piling on the words – those mistakes are the give-away signs of your nervousness and anxiety, and show poor communication skills.

Step 7)?Tap into the Power of Listening.

Ask good questions and then listen actively. You have much more power when you listen well, and show that you listen, vs when you speak. I teach the method 70/30 to the Elevate participants: listen 70 percent of the time and actively, and talk 30 percent of the time. This is a powerful way to build rapport and create connections.

Step 8)?Keep your message concise.

Do not over-explain and do your best to get to the point faster. Not only senior executives are stretched for time, over-explaining shows poor communication skills. Spare the person in front of you of hearing all the details of how you got to that outcome. If they want more detail, they will ask you for it.?

Step 9)?To build rapport, be genuine.

The fastest way to build rapport with someone is to communicate with authenticity, not pretending to be someone else. Of course, you need to adapt your communication style and choose to show the right level of vulnerability -- depending on who is front of you. So if you want to build trust and rapport, don’t try to please, and don't pretend to be someone you are not. Be brave and genuine, not perfect.

Step 10) End on a warm, positive note.

Round up the conversation with a warm goodbye and express your appreciation for their time and any insights you have gained. Inform them what follow-ups you are committing to.

Pre- and Post-Meeting ??Adapt a positive, self-compassionate mindset.?

Avoid judging yourself harshly after the meeting. Instead of the negative self-talk, give yourself a pat on the shoulder and focus on what you did well.?Appraisals, meetings, job interviews, performance reviews are all an opportunity to practice your communication skills, to learn something new and develop your skills further. Those meetings do not define you.?That’s your job.

The opinion you hold of yourself is more important than the opinion of anyone else. Make sure your self-talk is positive and you are courageously meeting your goals and development areas with compassion. It's ok to not excel at something. It’s ok to keep learning. It's?not ok?not to believe in yourself.

Effective communication is the most important skill in life.

It is the only vehicle that can build better relationships and results. Getting trained at it changes everything.

?? If you would like to learn to lead and communicate with confidence, clarity and executive presence, my signature leadership development programme for women, Elevate, is currently enrolling, and we have a few places left. Inside Elevate, I help women design a clear career vision, build a powerful personal brand, learn to communicate with leadership presence and to influence anyone. ? ? Send me a private message to learn more.

Read the story of Erin, who went from being a scientist to the CEO of a pharmaceutical company pioneering women’s health products, with my help in improving her leadership communication skills inside-out, designing a clear career roadmap and a powerful personal brand.

?? If you are a female founder or/and emerging leader interested in customised training in effective communication for your team or yourself, send me a message.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please let me know in the comments below and share with friends and colleagues.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nadira Artyk is an expert in communication skills, and women's leadership issues. A US-trained certified executive coach with a unique blend of corporate, academic and top-tier journalism experiences, Nadira is proud to have helped hundreds of female leaders, high-potential and mid-career women to get to next level in their careers, and to position themselves as industry leaders, renown experts and thought leaders. In 2019, she founded Global Women's Leadership Circles, a hub for women leaders to learn, network, and grow together. A citizen of the world based in Paris, France, Nadira trains and coaches teams and individuals globally in English, French & Russian.

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