HOW TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING

Translate percentages into fractions: If someone says, “25% of people clicked on this button,” quickly chime in with, “So about one in four,” and make a note. Everyone will nod in agreement, secretly impressed.

Ask the presenter to go back a slide: Do this at any point in the presentation and you’ll look like you’re paying closer attention

than anyone else.

Nod continuously while pretending to take notes: Always bring THE DEVIL YOU KNOW When the coffeemaker went on the fritz, I joked that maybe it was the fault of the cockroaches. Our office manager was not amused.

“We don’t have cockroaches,” she said, putting me straight.

“What about all the roach traps?” I asked, pointing to one.

“A lot you know – those aren’t roach traps,” she sniffed. “They’re mousetraps.” a notepad with you. Take notes by writing down one word from every sentence you hear. Nod continuously while doing do.

Encourage everyone to “take a step back”: There comes a point in most meetings when everyone is chiming in, except you. This is a great point to say, “Guys, guys, can we take a step back here?” Followed by a quick, “What problem are we trying to solve?” You’ve just bought yourself another hour of looking clever. HOW DO I LOOK? My mother moved towns and went for her first visit to her new doctor’s surgery. The doctor looked through her extensive medical paperwork containing her health history and then looked at my mother. “I’m pleased to say,” he told her, “with utmost certainty, that you look a whole lot better in person than you do on paper.”