It's not always easy to be yourself in meetings. There's something a little bit artificial about them, and it can make an otherwise assertive person feel less confident about speaking up.
These 4 signs might indicate that you're not being assertive enough during work meetings.
1 – You feel you can't disagree with others during the meeting, and that it would be better to have a quiet word outside of the meeting.
Try to remember that you're at the meeting because your input is important. People want you to express your views and make contributions or they wouldn't have invited you to the meeting.It is possible to disagree politely and constructively. Show you understand and respect what they've said. For example you might say “I'm just checking that I understand, you're proposing to ….” And then you could say something like “While I understand your idea and reasons, I feel a different approach could be more productive.”
2- You sometimes agree to take on an action point even though you don't really want to because you feel awkward saying no in front of the whole meeting.
Assertiveness is a skill that is learned with practice. Saying no is tricky for a lot of people because many of us really value being seen as helpful and cooperative. It can feel really “wrong” to say no, especially in a relatively public forum of a meeting. If no feels too uncomfortable, try the qualified yes.“Yes, I can take on that action point, but because of my current workload, I'm not going to be able to deliver that for two weeks. Is there anyone else who could get it done sooner?” Our Trainer Shona Ward has some great advice about how to say no without coming across as rude or unhelpful.
3 – You keep your opinions to yourself especially if you think others are going to disagree with you.
Your expertise and opinions are really valuable. Get them out there! If you're worried that other people are going to shoot you down in flames, take some time before the meeting to anticipate any objections and gather evidence and arguments that will support your point of view.
4 – You find it hard to get a word in.
If you've been a bit shy and retiring at meetings in the past, people may not be expecting to hear from you. Your body language can help people notice you. Sit upright and lean slightly forward with your hands visible on the table. Keep eye contact with people who are speaking. If you feel like you're not likely to get the floor it might be worth speaking to the person chairing the meeting in advance and tell him/her you've got some points you want to make about a particular agenda item.