How to prepare for the big meeting

You’ve got a big meeting coming up, and already you are dreading it. Why? Because you know your performance in meetings is a career maker or breaker, and you hate the pressure. However, according to Peter Murphy in Project Management Magazine, there are a few things you can do to ensure your meeting performance puts you in the best possible light:

• Be prepared. That means you need to be informed about the matters to be discussed before the meeting commences. Being ready to intelligently discuss matters at hand will lead to feelings of confidence, and will encourage your colleagues to view you as competent and relaxed.
• Run through a rehearsal of what you are going to say. Try to visualize yourself successfully communicating your message, and actually enjoying doing it. Rehearse for about 20 minutes the night before when you are feeling positive and relaxed.
• Speak with enthusiasm. No one likes to listen to someone who is bored with what they are talking about. If the subject does not inspire your enthusiasm, shoot for delivering your message with some energy.
• Be ready for objections. Anticipate objections your colleagues might throw on the table and prepare your responses.
• Be certain of yourself. That means you should not convey that you think you might not be able to accomplish something. This requires honesty about your topic. If you need to agonize over something, do it before the meeting and decide whether you can truly present the subject in a positive or realistic manner. You want to be direct, ask good questions and avoid affecting others negatively whenever possible.