Tips To Look Smarter in a Work Meeting

Showing intelligence in a work meeting is easier than it might seem a priori. Suffice it to program for success, and play "the notes" appropriate, to get that great impression to your boss or client, also causing a widespread ovation in the rest of the office.

Monday, 8 in the morning: Executive committee with the project director and with the partners, several engineers who think they are very intelligent, as well as being really smart. And the manager, who is a bone and hardly speaks if it is not to ask, put some lace or to catch you. What to do in a situation where one has not prepared the meeting properly? How to pretend that professional seriousness that some people distill in a natural way and that seems incompatible with those intrusive thoughts about the weekend binge, or about the sex maintained the night before? Tranquility: there are a few manipulative tricks that will make up the lack of concentration, in addition to giving an intelligent look to their interventions.

Reflect on social networks only what makes you interesting

Carlos Hernández Garay, specialist in Communication and Vintage Digital Marketer, as well as a professor of Advertising, gives us the keys to achieve an intelligent appearance. The expert advises, in the first instance, to address what today is known as a personal brand, which is nothing other than intentionally working on the image of oneself. "In an environment in which our personal information has transcended our circle of direct and professional personal relationships, we can also generate an opinion in unknown people, through our fingerprint," he says.

It is a matter, then, of working voluntarily to show positive values ​​associated with our image, at the same time that we erase or ignore those data that we do not want to teach to others. Clear examples: yes we want to know that we have been CEO in the start up of a leading company, but not that they know that anthological drunk (eye: Facebook is loaded by the devil) in the wedding of our cousin. Working on that personal and digital brand is a preliminary work to achieve your goal: to become the king of the Monday meeting.

Enter the meeting with glasses and laptop

If it is a matter of punctually manipulating the opinion of others about us, there are much simpler strategies. For example, that of glasses. "Although it is the oldest trick in the world, wearing glasses will always add a couple of points," says Hernández Garay, a supporter, who also took notes during the meeting on a continuous basis on our laptop, under the premise that " Not only will it make us look smarter, but it will also give us modernity and preparation. " Even children, according to a study at the University of Ohio, consider their peers more interesting if they wear glasses.

Do not cut with anglicisms and technicalities

Although neither abuse, at the risk of appearing presumptuous. But an expertise on time (instead of experience) and other rare words will make you earn the confidence of the boss. "Or at least it is proof that the employee reads the technical literature that is published in English and is, therefore, familiar with its terms," ​​says Manuel García, CEO of an industrial engineering company in Malaga.

Ask for more information

"As you are a very intelligent person, you do not accept the conclusions of others without having all the information," Hernández Garay explains with all logic. For that reason, categorically, you should ask for more information when a partner explains something to you. Being the one is no longer claiming the study or the source of the subject that is being discussed, and taking good note (on your laptop) below.


Follow the leader

Observe, detect the leader and be well aware of what he says, to soak up his knowledge and demonstrate it in his own conclusions. "In addition to empathizing with him, we will seem involved, adding and adding value to the meeting," explains the marketing expert. This trick, according to account, is very used in coach training with techniques of NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming), or what is also known as working rapport. Winning the leader is as easy as releasing an "I understand then that ..." before repeating the conclusions to which he himself has arrived, but which, voila!, Will seem of our own harvest.

Show yourself differently (without falling into the eccentricity)

In the end, we all dream of being as interesting as Donald Draper, of Mad Men, in one of those creative advertising meetings. What will be your secret ?, they will ask. According to Hernández Garay, "what is interesting to us is that which possesses personality". We are attracted to things that go beyond the standard without reaching excess. And there goes the advice of expertise: "Study what is the standard profile that surrounds your social or work circle, such as clothing, manners, tastes, hobbies and socially approved trends, and give it a personal touch". The key to success can be in such simple details as using a pencil instead of a pen, wearing a scarf, or wearing bright yellow paste glasses that add a point of differential personality. Having original and creative hobbies also helps. How about architectural photography?

Invite everyone to action

"I invite you to reflect on point number 2." "What are we trying to achieve?" "I think we should not lose sight of our main objective." "Let's return to Fulanito's argument when referring to ...". With these phrases, you will capture the attention of the group, becoming the protagonist, with a spark that does not indicate genius, but security and vocation of leadership. This is explained by the famous Rule 7-38-55 of the professor of Psychology at the University of Calofornia Albert Mehrabian.

Do not be afraid to shut up

Since talking is always an opportunity to put oneself in evidence, as dictated by the specialist in Communication Hernández Garay, "it is better to remain silent, unless you have the total certainty that you master the topic better than the rest of the participants. In any case, every time we make a decision we must radiate security in ourselves. "Exactly the same as the Zen proverb:" Stand or sit down, but do not doubt. "

Control your facial expressions

"The bird does not sing because it is happy, it is happy because it sings". Behind this phrase hides the whole theory of the academician of Harvard University William James. When we feel fear, joy, sadness, anger or some of the basic emotions, people always use a unique form of gestural expression, which is manifested through what are known as facial microexpressions. "They last less than a second and can not be falsified, although they can interpret," José Luis Martín Ovejero, the nonverbal communication theorist, explains.

What many people do not know is that "when we force facial expressions, gestures and bodily postures linked to an emotion, we deceive our brain so that it can feel them as if he had created them automatically", in the expert's words. Choose a good model (no big egos, value joy) and rehearse your expressions in front of the mirror. Your brain will do the rest.

Draw a Venn diagram

Drawing a Venn diagram is a great way to look smart. It does not matter if your Venn diagram is inaccurate, in fact, the more inaccurate, the better. Even before you leave the marker, your classmates will begin to discuss what the labels should be and how big the circles should be. Now you can continue playing Candy Crush on your mobile.

Translate percentage measures into fractions

If someone says "About 25% of users click on this button", quickly interrupt with a "so 1 in 4", and write it down. Everyone will agree, secretly impressed and envious of your facility for mathematics.

Encourage everyone to "take a step back"

There is a point in most meetings where everyone is listening, except you. This is a great time to say "guys, guys, guys, can we take a step back here?" Everyone turns their heads towards you, surprised by their ability to silence the battle.

Seat continuously while pretending to take notes

Always carry a notebook with you, your rejection of technology will be revered. Take notes by simply writing a word of each sentence you hear. Seat continuously while doing it. If someone asks you if you are taking notes, tell them quickly that these are your own personal notes and that another person should be keeping track of the meeting. Bravo, you will not have to do that work anymore.

Repeat the last thing the engineer says, but very slowly

Recognize the meeting engineer. You know that he will remain silent for most of the time, but when his time comes, everything that will come out of his mouth will make sense even if you do not understand anything. After your turn interrupt with a "let me repeat that", and repeat exactly what you just said, but very, very slowly. Now, your brilliance has been transferred to you. People will look back on the meeting and mischaracterize the intelligent statement.

Question "Can you climb?" no matter what it is

It is important to know if things can be scaled no matter what you are discussing. Nobody really knows what that means, but it's a good cheating question that generally succeeds among engineers.

Walk around the room

When someone gets up from the table and walks around you, do not you respect him immediately? It takes a lot of guts, but once you do it you seem smart. Bend your arms, turn around, go to the corner and lean against the wall. Take a deep and contemplative sigh. Trust me, everyone will be scared wondering what you're thinking.

Ask the rapporteur if he can go back to the previous slide

"Excuse me, can you go back to the previous slide?" They are the words that nobody wants to hear. It seems you are paying more attention than everyone else. Just say something like "I'm not sure what these numbers mean", and sit down.

Go out for a phone call

You are probably afraid to leave the room because you fear that people think that the meeting is not your priority. Interestingly, however, if you leave a meeting for an "important" phone call, everyone will realize how busy and important they are. They will say: "Wow, this meeting is important, so if you have something even more important than this."

Laugh about yourself

If someone asks you what you think, and you have not really heard a single word said in the last hour, say "Sincerely I have not heard a single word said in the last hour". People love self-deprecating humor. Say things like "Maybe we could use the lawyers for my divorce," or "God, I wish I was dead." They will laugh, value your honesty and think you are the smartest person in the room.