Shanli Liu shares three ways to sound more assertive in meetings: keep statements to 2-3 sentences, fill silences by pushing for next steps, and ask specific people by name instead of throwing open questions at the room.
How to be more assertive in your next meeting. Number 1, say less. The more words you have to use to explain something, the more it sounds like you don't know about it. So get comfortable with periods. 2 to 3 short sentences will always sound more assertive than a whole paragraph. Number 2, whenever there's awkward silence in a meeting, be the first to step into it. Now, I'm not saying be a know-it-all. I'm not saying be pushy. I'm saying assert the need of your time. It can be as easy as, so what's next? Or what decision needs to be made. When you respect your time, you respect everybody else's. Number 3, stop asking questions that are free-for-alls, like, "Does anybody have any thoughts?" Instead, assert the direction of the meeting. You're going to pick one person, call them by name, and it's not, "Bill, do you have any thoughts?" It's, "Bill, I'd love to hear your thoughts." That way, they will create the conversation for you. So try that and follow me.
