How to Speak Up in a Meeting, and When to Hold Back

In many organizations, our leadership readiness is measured in part by our willingness to speak up in a meeting.Here are three strategies for speaking up effectively. First, prepare comments or questions before the meeting so you’re not speaking entirely off the cuff. Remind yourself why you care enough to speak up about the subject. Pause and breathe so you can speak with the full weight of your conviction. However, just because you know how to speak up doesn’t mean that it’s always appropriate. Here’s when you should hold back. Don’t speak up just to show off or ramble. If other people need a chance to process or speak up themselves, don’t jump in with the answer. If something is better as a one-on-one conversation, save it for later. Speaking up is one of the single-most effective ways to increase visibility and build trust with your clients and colleagues.