How to Look Smart in a Business Meeting Full of Strangers
When you’re meeting a group of new people, especially in the context of a business meeting, you want to do your best. One easy way to look like you are the smartest person in the room is to just learn each one by name.
The use of people’s names in conversation is a well-known management technique. If you can do this, especially in a room full of new people, you get the impression that you are not only personally investing in the people in the meeting and appreciating their opinions, but that you are able to absorb new information. quickly, considering that you’ve just met them and can already remember their name.
However, learning a ton of new names all at once can be tricky too.
A recent story from Quartz gives a simple tip on how to do this: write them down.
When you enter the conference room, draw a small sketch of a table on a piece of paper with a dot next to each chair. When people introduce themselves, write down their names next to their place, as well as a few details about them from their introduction.
By jotting things down, you give yourself a cheat sheet that you can use during the meeting when you need to talk to someone. In truth, this cheat sheet can come in handy after the meeting is over, when you try to remember who the guy in the corner was.
And if everyone’s not sitting down, this previous post offers some helpful tips for learning names at networking events.
It’s a small thing, but it can have a huge impact on how you are perceived in a new group.