As the world turns more and more to digital, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that our digital presence is our most important self. We hop on video calls, give presentations and speeches, and attend meetings all from the comfort of our own homes. But have we forgotten how to properly show up in the physical world? Are we putting our best selves forward in face-to-face meetings these days?

 

Over the next few sections, I’ll explain how a bit of preparation and mindset work can help you to really show up for an in-person meeting or event and how important it is to step out of your comfort zone; out from behind the safety of the screen to be the best you can be in that moment.

 

First off, let me set a particular scene. A few years ago, I remember being one week into a new job and being thrown into the deep end with introductions. I was meeting my new team for the first time and I knew this was an opportunity to make an impact. But I was nervous as hell!

 

We were all seated around an oval table. There were two people sitting across from me that I didn’t know yet – and there were five other people in the room: two managers and three engineers. We started by introducing ourselves; everyone gave their names and roles within the group (it was still early days so no titles had been assigned). And as we made our introductions, I realized that this would be my first chance to speak: “Hi! My name is Jane.” Everyone looked at me expectantly; there was a slightly-too-long pause and then one of them asked “What do you do?”. This ice-breaking moment taught me a valuable lesson.

 

This colleague was showing up in this meeting – being present, asking questions and taking the initiative kept the energy high and made me feel comfortable enough to want to contribute more.

 

So, here’s the deal. The next time you’re in a meeting and hear someone say something like “We should definitely do this,” or “We need to talk about X,” or even just “How was your weekend?” one of the best things you can do for yourself is take initiative and show up in that moment. Sit up, take notice and acknowledge the other person.

 

You’ll find that people will respect you more when they see that you’re willing to get out of your comfort zone – or at least break routine – to be present in their world. It doesn’t have to be hard; it just takes an extra step on your part to show up with enthusiasm and energy and meet them where they are.

 

If you’re an introvert like me who prefers to email rather than call people on the phone, sitting in an active meeting like this can be hard work.  But it was an opportunity to engage with people who were excited about their work and wanting to share stories with each other. I needed to be more present and this really helped.

 

So here are my tips – When people are talking about their work, ask questions so that you can understand them better. Assume that everyone else has something valuable to add and trust that your co-workers are working hard to contribute positively toward achieving the team’s goals; if someone says something that isn’t helpful or relevant, let them know by respectfully pointing out why their contribution isn’t adding value and then move on.

 

I hope these tips will help you perform better in your next face to face meeting. Remember, communication is key. If you’re the boss and your meetings are lacking energy and presence form your team members, take a minute to reflect on how you can bring energy into the room and give everyone the confidence to speak up. If you’re struggling to be seen, be brave and instigate the conversation.

 

If you need help with how to be more present in your meetings, or how to bring the best out of your team I’d love to share more of my insight with you. Please leave a comment and I will be in contact, or email me jane@janedevos.com