Like everyone, appearing smart in meetings is a top priority. Sometimes this can be difficult if you start daydreaming about your next vacation your next nap, or a beacon. When this happens, it’s good to have some fall back tricks to fall back on.
Here are some tricks to quickly appear smart during meetings.
Draw a Venn diagram
It doesn’t matter if your Venn diagram is wildly inaccurate, in fact, the more inaccurate the better. Even before you’ve put that market down your colleagues will begin fighting about that exactly the labels should be and how big the circles should be etc. At this point, you can slink back to your chair and go back to playing Candy Crush.
Translate percentages into fractions
If someone says “About 25% of all users click on this button,” quickly chime in with, “So about 1 in 4,” and make a note of it. Everyone will nod their heads in agreements, secretly impressed and envious of your quick math skills.
Encourage everyone to “Take a step back”
There comes a point in most meetings where everyone is chiming in except you. This is a great point to go “Guys, guys, guys, can we take a step back here?” Follow it up with a quick, “What problem are we trying to solve?’ and, boom! You’ve bought yourself another hour of looking smart.
Nod continuously while pretending to take notes
Always bring a notepad with you. Your rejection of technology will be revered. Take notes by simply writing down one word from every sentence that you hear. Nod continuously while doing so.
Repeat the last thing the engineer said but very very slowly
After the engineer utters his divine words, chime in with, “Let me just repeat that,” and repeat exactly what he just said, but very, very slowly. Now, his brilliance has been transferred to you.
Pace around the room
Whenever someone gets up from the table and walks around, don’t you immediately respect them? Go to the corner and lean against the wall, take a deep contemplative sigh. Everyone will be freaking out and wondering what you’re thinking.
Ask the presenter to go back a slide
It doesn’t matter where in the presentation you shout this out, it’ll immediately make you look like you’re paying close attention than everyone else is. Don’t have anything to point out? Just say something like, “I’m not sure what these numbers mean.”
Step out for a very important phone call
When you step out of a meeting for an “important” phone call, everyone will realize just how busy and important you are. They’ll say, “Wow, this meeting is important, so if he has something even more important than this, well, we better not bother him.”
Make fun of yourself
People love self-deprecating humor. Say things like, “Maybe we can just use the lawyers from my divorce”, they’ll laugh, value your honesty, but most importantly think you’re the smartest looking person in the room.
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