5 Tactics to Strengthen Your Voice

Content

How would you describe your participation in team meetings? Do you find it difficult to get a word in edgewise? Your voice is valuable, and your co-workers want to hear what you have to say. Here's guidance on increasing your participation and visibility.

How would you describe your participation in team meetings? Do you find it difficult to get a word in edgewise? Your voice is valuable, and your co-workers want to hear what you have to say. Here's guidance on increasing your participation and visibility.

Content

1. Take a pass.

1. Take a pass.

Content

Take time to formulate your thoughts. If you ask colleagues to come back to you later, they typically won't have qualms about it. We're not all gifted with off-the-cuff responses.

Take time to formulate your thoughts. If you ask colleagues to come back to you later, they typically won't have qualms about it. We're not all gifted with off-the-cuff responses.

Content

2. Use hand gestures.

2. Use hand gestures.

Content

Body language lets people know you are engaged. If you don't want to interrupt while someone is speaking, give a hand gesture to signal your desire to participate.

Body language lets people know you are engaged. If you don't want to interrupt while someone is speaking, give a hand gesture to signal your desire to participate.

Content

3. Add to the conversation.

3. Add to the conversation.

Content

Speak before your team moves to a new topic; let the group know that you want to provide insight and feedback.

Speak before your team moves to a new topic; let the group know that you want to provide insight and feedback.

Content

4. Offer a piece of the puzzle.

4. Offer a piece of the puzzle.

Content

If you haven't done your due diligence, opt out of giving an opinion. Or give a partial response, which is better than no opinion at all.

If you haven't done your due diligence, opt out of giving an opinion. Or give a partial response, which is better than no opinion at all.

Content

5. Agree, whether in part or in whole.

5. Agree, whether in part or in whole.

Content

One of the ways to show you are a team player is to express agreement with the direction a project is going. Although you may not be onboard 100 percent with the direction, you should find areas where you agree.

One of the ways to show you are a team player is to express agreement with the direction a project is going. Although you may not be onboard 100 percent with the direction, you should find areas where you agree.