Top tips on how to look smart in meetings

Most of us find it hard to concentrate for prolonged periods during meetings.  This was less of a problem during lockdown when everything was done on Zoom.  But now we’re back in the office.  This makes it a lot easier for people to spot whether we’re really “in the room” or surreptitiously scrolling through stuff on our phone or playing buzzword bingo (if you’re not familiar with this way of passing the time when the discussion is going on for everrrrrr then check it out)   

To make matters worse it’s summer and very hot.  We’d rather be on the beach and are looking forward to our holidays.   Staying focused and looking attentive is really hard.  So, in this post we share some tips on how to look really smart, on it and engaged….when in reality our mind is miles away. 

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Before we list them, however, we’d like to make two points.  Firstly, at Clevedon Hall we host a lot of different types of business meeting for a wide variety of organisations, from team building days to strategy and planning sessions, presentations and conferences to training courses.  We take meetings very seriously.  But, hey, it’s summer, so you’ll probably appreciate a light-hearted read rather than a heavy one.

Secondly, we got all the following tips for Sarah Cooper’s brilliant book 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings.  Highly recommended for those who, in the words of the subtitle, want to “get by without even trying”. 

So, if you want to look like the smartest person in the room without breaking mental sweat, here goes.

Draw a Venn diagram

This works a treat.  It makes it look like you have perfectly understood and processed everything that has been said so far and are so smart you are able to dramatically simplify it.  Not sure what to put in those two circles?  Cooper gives the example of a blue circle with the words “what we know” partially overlapped by a larger red circle with the words “what we don’t know”.  Then draw an arrow pointing into the area of overlap and write underneath “sweet spot”.  Whoa!  You are an instant genius, about to synthesise the incoherent ramblings of your colleagues and turn them into something beautifully simple, coherent and meaningful(?).

Turn percentages into fractions

Someone says “about 25% of visitors clicked on the offer button”.  You come back with “so, one in four…awesome!”  for added kudos make a note on your pad while nodding thoughtfully.  Everyone will be impressed by your speedy mental arithmetic skills and the perceptive way you’ve re-expressed the data. 

Photo by Headway on Unsplash

The “let’s all take a step back” trick

There comes a point in every meeting where everyone starts diving in with ideas, comments and observations.  It gets confusing, you lose the plot - and realise you really don’t care!  Cover this up by holding up you hand and saying “guys, hey, GUYS, can we just take a step back here?”  All heads will turn towards you, impressed at how you’ve been able to silence everyone.  Then follow it up swiftly with “what problem are we trying to solve here?”  You have immediately established yourself as an authority figure with the ability to think strategically while everyone else is getting bogged down in detail.  You have just bought yourself another hour of daydreaming – where was I?  Oh yes, by the pool in Lanzarote, with a Pina Colada. 

Nod while taking notes

As already touched on (see trick #2) you can demonstrate that you are really paying attention (not) by taking notes whilst also nodding continuously.  This not only demonstrates you can do three things simultaneously (listen, write, nod) but also suggests you are on the same page as the speakers (and they’ll love you for it).

Pace around the room

Stand up and start walking around the room slowly, looking thoughtful.  Lean against the wall, stand in the corner, take a deep contemplative sigh.  Everyone will secretly respect you and be madly trying to guess what great thoughts you are thinking (what will I have for supper tonight?).

Ask the presenter to go back a slide

This suggests you are paying full attention and have spotted something that everyone else missed – they’ll be in awe of your perspicacity.  Once that previous slide is up just stare at it for a few seconds, nod wisely, then go “OK, let’s move on.”  This will worry the hell out of everyone – what was so important in that slide that they couldn’t see? 

Step out to take a “very important” phone call

You get a call mid-meeting?  Great!  Say “this call is very important.  I’m sorry, I’ll have to step out and take it”.  People will think “Wow, this meeting is important, but if this call is even MORE important then they are obviously having to deal with some pretty heavy stuff…better not bother them by asking them to action any of the points we agree here”.  So, you score double points – everyone looks up to you and you sidle out of being given extra workload. 

Seriously, though

OK, that’s enough joking around.  If you are planning a corporate event and would like some expert input from a team of event management professionals just give us a call – we love sharing our experience.

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