Copyright Forbes
In-person meetings are back, and so is the challenge of getting your voice heard. After years of Zoom squares, mute buttons, and the option to turn off your camera, 61% of US companies now require in-office presence. Jamie Dimon just spent $3 billion on JPMorgan’s new headquarters—and he’s been brutally clear about why: he feel that "the only way to work is together, in person, the old-fashioned way." But here’s what makes this transition particularly challenging: you’re not just moving back to the office—you’re moving back to a completely different meeting culture. After years of virtual interactions, many professionals are simply out of practice. The skills that made you effective on Zoom—carefully timing your unmute, using the chat function strategically, raising your virtual hand—don't translate to conference rooms. Reading pauses in real-time conversations, using body language to signal you want to speak, and managing the faster pace of in-person dialogue are skills that atrophy without use. And the harsh reality is that in-person meetings favor the assertive and the outgoing So how do you break through? Here are six strategies I’ve observed in hundreds of meetings as an organizational psychologist. Strategy 1: Pre-Meeting Alignment The most powerful strategy happens before the official meeting begins. Quick coffee chats, hallway conversations, or brief one-on-ones allow you to vet ideas, get feedback, and potentially secure allies. Why does this work? People are more receptive to ideas they've had time to consider. You can refine your message based on reactions. Most importantly, when you incorporate someone's feedback beforehand, they're likely to support you in the actual meeting. Use this when proposing controversial ideas, building credibility, or when you've struggled to be heard previously. Strategy 2: Waiting to Be Called On If you’re new to a team or in highly structured meetings, waiting your turn might be appropriate. For example, a recent college grad in her first client presentation might coordinate with her manager beforehand, asking her something like: "When we get to the user research findings, can you call on me to share what we learned?" This strategy requires minimal in-meeting assertiveness but maximum behind-the-scenes work. Strategy 3: Using Verbal or Non-Verbal Cues This strategy relies on the strategic use of verbal or non-verbal cues to indicate you have something to say. A junior analyst, for example, might catch the eye of her team leader across the table while others are debating and slightly raise her hand. The leader might then make room for her to jump into the conversation and share her perspective. Strategy 4: Beating the Pause Every conversation has natural pauses—even very short ones. The goal of this strategy is to jump in quickly with a short phrase to seize the conversational floor. For example, an associate in a brainstorming session about customer demand might wait for her senior colleague to take a slight pause before jumping in with “Building on that point, what if we…” She might even enhance this strategy with non-verbal behavior such as leaning in, making eye contact, or taking a audible breath to signal that she has something to say. Strategy 5: The Strategic Interrupt If you have unique, critical information that you feel the group absolutely needs to hear, you might interrupt to get your voice heard. For example, a first-year consultant who recognizes that a particular strategic direction under discussion might actually violate client requirements could interrupt with: "Before we go further, I need to flag something critical." This strategy should be used sparingly for young professionals, unless, of course, an assertive interrupting style is the cultural or organizational norm. Strategy 6: Talking Over In very rare cases, you may need to actually talk over someone. For example, a junior developer who realizes his manager is about to promise a key client a feature that’s technically impossible might interject with something like: “Actually, I’m afraid that this isn’t going to be possible…” The risk of damaging relationships is high with this strategy, especially in hierarchical cultural settings, and should only be considered if the stakes of not saying something are exceedingly high as well. Given the potential relationship damage this strategy could cause, it would be wise to follow up afterward, saying something like: "I wanted to apologize for interrupting you in the meeting, but I thought it was critical you knew about…” Choosing Your Strategy Start on the less assertive side of the spectrum and observe before you jump in. Watch a few meetings first to read the culture and personality dynamics. In some organizations, assertive communication is rewarded even for junior professionals; in others, it’s career-limiting. Choose strategies that fit both the context and your personal style. What works must feel authentic enough that you can execute confidently. Recognize as well that strategy selection isn’t gender-neutral. Research from George Washington University found that men interrupt women 33% more often than they interrupt other men. Women face a double bind: they must be more assertive to be heard, yet the same behaviors that make men seem like leaders get women labeled as aggressive. The reality is that many people are rusty at in-person meetings after years of virtual work. Your Zoom skills don’t necessarily transfer to conference rooms—but neither do anyone else’s. Experiment with different strategies. Observe those you admire. The professionals who rebuild these skills fastest will pull ahead. Do what you can to make sure that you're one of them.
