[Poem] Things I Keep in Mind When Speaking or Explaining in Meetings

Why I Wrote This

Since a junior colleague asked me about this, I am documenting what I shared and my thoughts on the matter so that if I'm asked the same thing again, they can just read this article (DRY principle).

Conclusion

The success of a meeting is 99% preparation.
If you reach a state where you can say you've fully prepared, you'll likely be able to speak without feeling nervous.

What I Actually Keep in Mind

As mentioned in the conclusion, it comes down to preparation. To be more specific:

• Set the meeting goal
• Prepare materials
• Gather information on participants
• Anticipate potential questions or criticisms
• Rehearse

Setting the Meeting Goal

Without a goal, you won't be able to determine what to talk about, whom to invite to achieve that goal, or what to prepare in order to reach it.
Once the goal is clear, you will be able to prepare thoroughly, knowing what you need to say and what needs to be ready in advance.

Preparing Materials

For instance, in a technical research report, you should summarize the investigated services or libraries in a table format so that pros, cons, and costs can be compared.
On top of that, ensure you can speak while incorporating your own proposal.
While there are situations where you might let the other party choose, you should be able to speak based on logical grounds rather than just personal feelings to achieve the goal.
Furthermore, being able to speak with numerical data as much as possible helps convey ideas more concretely to the listener. From the perspective of someone receiving a report, abstract expressions often fail to resonate clearly.

Gathering Information on Participants

Whether it's a meeting with users who don't understand technical details or a discussion between engineers, being able to tailor your speech to the participants makes it easier to convey what they are looking for and for your message to be understood.
Using heavy technical jargon with users who aren't familiar with the specifics won't work. Aim to use analogies or paraphrasing so they can visualize what you're saying.
On the other hand, among engineers, using technical terms might be faster depending on their level of expertise.

Anticipating Potential Questions or Criticisms

I believe that people whose minds go blank when asked a question simply haven't prepared enough for questions or criticisms.
It is good to prepare in advance by thinking, "If they ask this, I'll respond like that."
However, if you overdo this, there is a possibility you'll freeze when a question you didn't anticipate comes up, so try not to be too rigid.
In some cases, there are techniques such as "leading" the audience to ask a specific question on purpose, but please use such methods judiciously.
By keeping the primary focus on achieving the goal, you will eventually develop the ability to adapt to various situations.

Rehearsing

If you're still anxious after doing the above, it's a good idea to conduct a rehearsal.
For a presentation, you could record yourself or have someone else listen and provide feedback.

Closing Thoughts

I believe that even managers and leaders who always speak fluently were rarely that way from the start; they likely walked the same path.
Also, even if you are not in a position to speak or explain, simply observing how others talk or how they respond to questions and criticisms can be a valuable experience for yourself.