Written by Melanie Huet – Vice President, Marketing at Kraft Heinz

If you study leaders who accelerate rapidly in their careers, they often have this one thing in common. They know how to make an impact in a meeting. They are the people that have a voice at the table, make insightful comments, can influence others and most importantly help the overall effectiveness of the meeting.

If you want to improve your impact in meetings here are 4 ways to help you do it.

1) Prepare

Skillfully navigating meetings requires preparation. Before the meeting ensure you understand the purpose of the meeting, attendees and desired outcome. Was an agenda sent? If not, request one. What is your role in the meeting? Requesting an agenda helps clarify the purpose of the meeting. It also provides an opportunity to understand the goal of the meeting. You can help by ensuring the right attendees are in place to deliver the meeting objective. An agenda may also clarify if your attendance is necessary. Your time is your most precious asset. If the meeting is an inform for you ask for the notes and decline the meeting. Focus your time where it matters most.

Most people are prepared for a meeting led by themselves but are you preparing when you are not the lead? Even if you are not the lead is this meeting strategic for you and your deliverables? Think through what the conversation will look like. Anticipate what could go well and what could go wrong in the meeting. Are there some hot topics that could appear even if not related to the meeting topic? Perhaps a hot issue is attached to this collection of attendees and could surface anyway. As you think through possible situations prepare yourself in case any of these scenarios could arise. Do you need to bring an extra report along in case this side topic shows up? Is it possible you may get asked a series of questions if one of the meeting items gets reviewed deeply? Are there any other decisions impacted by this meeting? If so what are they and be prepared to surface when appropriate.

2) Show Up Like An Executive

It doesn’t matter your level in an organization. It is always important to show up polished to meetings. Management has very few glimpses of you. These snapshots build a perception. Perception becomes reality and if it isn’t a favorable perception it can be difficult or even impossible to overcome.

Are you aware of how you land on others in a meeting? Do you bring calm or chaos? Think through how you arrive to a meeting. Do you scurry in with a stack of items, laptop, phone, notebooks, water bottle, etc. Executives stride into a meeting confidently and quietly. They arrive on time. They bring a notebook, pen and cell phone. They provide their full attention to the issue at hand. Take notice of how you arrive and the energy you bring. You may need someone to observe you and provide feedback to really understand how you land on others. Reduce the clutter, take your seat and focus.

3) Think Before You Speak

Speaking a lot in a meeting does not equal success. Rather the opposite is true. The ones who speak seldom but make an impactful statement are viewed as more strategic, insightful and in control than their peers. A manager once told me that he thinks in his head 5 different ways to make his statement before verbalizing it. I asked why 5? He said that requires you to think through it and rework it enough times to ensure a few things. First that you still think the statement is worth sharing. Second that it is short, articulate and to the point. Third it prevents you from jumping in and cutting people off, which makes you appear anxious and junior.

4) Follow Up

Actions outside of the meeting matter too. Any follow up or action items that you own should be actioned as quickly as possible. Inform the group back when complete. By showing quick and thorough action it increases your credibility as an effective team member. Everyone appreciates a reliable teammate.

As you think about preparing for your next work day keep these 4 tips in mind. Remember the leaders above you and your peers in the organization only see snapshots of you. Every snapshot matters. Being thoughtful about your approach and actions will significantly increase your impact.