Do you ever feel uncomfortable in meetings because you don’t feel like you can actively participate? For some people, meetings may simply be so participative that they don’t feel they can get a word in. Others might not be able to contribute to a meeting because they don’t have ideas that others would be interested in. In reality, introverts often feel that contributing during a meeting is a bit of a difficult process. With this in mind, here are five ways you can contribute to a meeting as an introvert.
Ask Questions That Facilitate Discussion
One of the greatest strengths of introverts is that they are often able to see things that others miss. This is partly because introverts are great listeners and observers. Many introverts can see the big picture because of this and identify things that haven’t yet been considered or addressed. Thus, a great way to contribute during a meeting is to ask questions that help drive these conversations or expose these issues.
Asking questions is also a great way to get clarification on information and still have a voice in the meeting. In fact, many people don’t ask questions in meetings despite having them, so asking a question could ultimately help a colleague out as well.
Support Someone Else’s Point of View
Meetings are often a way to discuss ideas to build consensus or at least arrive at a decision. In these situations, an excellent way to contribute during a meeting as an introvert is to support someone else’s point of view. This can be a huge benefit for your colleague who is trying to get their voice heard as well.
Supporting an existing point of view is also a relatively low-pressure way to speak up. You are simply acknowledging a valid point made by someone else. If you are someone that particularly feels uncomfortable voicing your own thoughts, this is a great way to begin building the confidence necessary to be more participative in meetings.
Answer Questions Being Asked
Just as asking questions is a great way to participate in meetings, so is answering questions. It is another vital way that introverts can get their voice heard. This is an excellent strategy if the question being asked relates heavily to your role or your area of expertise.
Answering the questions of others can also help to improve your credibility and establish yourself as a go-to person for a specific topic. When answering questions, it helps to read the room to determine how much detail is desired in a particular setting. Some situations call for more detailed responses, while others call for brevity.
Summarize the Meeting Outcomes and Action Items
If you want to have your voice heard in meetings but don’t necessarily want to share original ideas, try to summarize the meeting outcomes and action items. This is also quite important because it voices the decisions that have been made more clearly and directly.
For many attendees, this can reinforce that a decision has been made. It also helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and has an understanding of the next steps. This can also help spur others to come up with questions about implementing the decisions. Thus, this is a way to contribute with little risk.
Share Your Thoughts Early
If you have new information or ideas to contribute, it often helps if introverts share their thoughts early on. In many meetings, people are hesitant to be the first person to jump in with an opinion or information. Once people start talking, meetings tend to be more active. This can make it difficult to get a word in, specifically if many people in the room are extroverted.
Thus, introverts can take advantage of those quieter times early on in meetings to communicate their thoughts. This can also help your thoughts be considered more fully. After all, as a meeting goes on in length, people become more restless. They often hope the meeting will end soon, making them less likely to effectively consider new ideas.
Final Thoughts
It can often be normal for introverts to spend a lot of time in meetings wondering if they should say something and how to say it. Ultimately, when it comes to participating during meetings, the best approach is to just go ahead and speak. Preparing ahead of time can be an effective way to get your thoughts together, allowing you to get your points across during the actual meetings.
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