Be THE voice in the room! 4 Tools to Master the Meetings with Power and Politics.
Have you ever faced a work challenge that keeps you up at night?
Recently, a member of Be Executive found himself in this situation.
Paolo (a fictional name for privacy reasons) was promoted to executive manager in a large multinational company. A prestigious position, but one that comes with new responsibilities and pressure.
His challenge?
Being heard in meetings dominated by senior executives, amidst power plays and political strategies, where everyone is trying to assert their leadership.
Despite being well-prepared, he struggled to make his Leadership Voice heard, to project calm, confidence, and credibility.
He was just one of many voices in the room, but not THE voice.
He couldn't fully demonstrate that he deserved his seat at the table.
This is one of the challenges I faced as a Business Development Projects Director and one I frequently encounter with top talents I work with.
That’s why I want to share some strategies that helped me, Paolo, and others turn these difficulties into growth opportunities.
Paolo’s Goals
First, we identified his goals together. Here they are:
• Manage political and power dynamics with confidence and credibility.
• Influence others effectively and earn the respect of peers and superiors.
• Be seen as a leader, ready to take on roles with greater responsibility.
At the start of coaching, Paolo thought that improving his communication skills was the key to solving his problem and was ready to invest in expensive courses and books. However, I explained to him that it's pointless to perfect public speaking without first:
Aligning value, mindset, skills, and “executive presence.”
Practicing this alignment before every meeting, even the simpler ones with less challenging stakeholders. These are the training ground for handling high-pressure situations.
Here are a few of the insights I shared with Paolo, and I hope they’re useful for you too. If you'd like to explore further, let me know (1).
Know Your Value
To convey credibility, you must first believe it yourself. Ask yourself:
• Why are you there?
• What unique perspective do you bring?
• What value do you add to the meeting?
Make sure you understand and showcase what you bring to the table. That seat is yours, earned through sacrifice and hard work. But remember: you need to prove you deserve it every time.
Prepare Your Mind
Before the meeting, take a few minutes to decide what you want to project: passivity or presence? Timidity or confidence? Paolo started visualizing himself as a confident leader, setting three clear intentions for each meeting.
Prepare Your Skills
Paolo confessed that he would ask questions just to participate 🤦🏻♀️ (I admit I did the same at the start of my executive role! 🫣). Instead, prepare with clear statements backed by concrete facts and data. Now Paolo feels much more confident because his contributions are well-prepared, impactful, and respected.
Project Your “Executive Presence”
Do you want to be respected as an executive? Then be present in every context:
Turn on the camera: hiding doesn't make you a leader.
Don’t multitask while others are speaking: if you don’t listen, why should they?
Leave your laptop outside meetings: checking emails is disrespectful.
Remember, your team and superiors are watching, even when you think they’re not.
Beyond physical presence, focus on how you communicate: tone of voice, pauses, body language. Ensure that your message and presence convey coherence and confidence.
Thanks to these strategies, Paolo now handles even the most complex and politically charged meetings with confidence.
Try implementing these strategies yourself: you might find you have more control and power than you think 😉.
Until next time,
Silvia
BEFORE YOU GO!
(1) Be THE voice in the room
If you feel your Leadership Voice isn’t defined or isn’t emerging as you’d like, book a free 30-minute call. We’ll identify the challenges you’re facing and the best next steps to help you achieve your goals faster.