Meetings at work, taking part in a meeting

Objective: To make yourself seen and heard, put your ideas and qualities forward. Don't just sit there listening and trying to look intelligent: show you've got a contribution to make and show you're capable of speaking in front of others.

How to go about it
Talk about appropriate issues, and give perspective rather than your personal opinion. "Bring content and depth to the discussion", suggests Armand. The best way to do this is to prepare. The night before, prepare a brief, relevant speech related to the agenda, for example discussing a law that's just been introduced or any issue that is likelt to come up. 

What not to do: Monopolise the discussion for 10 minutes, or asking pointless questions just for the sake of saying something. And don't just offer your opinion at random, especially if you haven't been asked for it. If you haven't got anything constructive to say, keep schtum.