Say three things

We’ve all been in that meeting, with a dozen people sat on Zoom, not quite sure why they’re there. The more jaded of the group might have their camera off, trying to do some work while they listen in. Others might keep their camera on, trying to stay focused on what’s being said.

No matter if your camera is on or off, if you’re not participating in the meeting why are you there at all? This meeting could have been an email

Except, it couldn’t. People are interacting on the call. There’s a lot of nuance in the discussion that would be missed in a summary. You need to be there to hear it. So how do you make the most of your time?

Remind people that you exist. Say at least three things in the meeting. It doesn’t matter if you’re meeting with your CEO or your newest, most junior hire. Speaking up reminds people that you’re there.

If you stay silent, they’re likely to forget you were even there. Or worse, assume that you don’t understand what’s going on around you. By speaking up, you can paint a picture of how you want to be perceived.

What Three Things Should I Say?

“But I don’t have anything to add!” I hear you say. Wonderful! Neither do a lot of people that can’t stop talking in meetings (myself included). Here are a couple of my favourite ways to inject myself into the conversation.

1. Clarify

“Can I try to summarise to make sure that I’m following? I heard…”

This is a great way to illustrate that you understand what’s going on. There’s always someone on the call that was distracted by a Slack message, a knock at the door, or a butterfly and they're very appreciative that you just summarised the last 5 minutes of conversation.

2. Capture

“So the next steps are for Alice and Bob to submit a proposal for how to proceed. I’ve captured that in the meeting notes. Is there a specific date we need that by?”

Being the note taker is a thankless task, but it also gives you the opportunity to speak. It also helps build a reputation as someone that helps drive progress.

3. Connect

“Has anyone spoken to Charlie about this? I can see some parallels with Project Flubjam”

This one takes some organisational context, but being the person to connect the dots between orgs is a huge differentiator

4. Chat

And if all else fails, join the meeting early. The few unscripted minutes before a call are often the most human ones. Ask about someone’s weekend or joke about the weather - people remember small talk more than polished summaries.

Why It Matters

Saying three things in every meeting isn’t about filling airtime or proving your worth. It’s about showing up with intention.

Your aim isn’t to be the person that speaks for 25 minutes of a 30 minute meeting. Prioritise clarity and brevity - 15-30 seconds of talking per point is enough.

You’re signalling that you’re engaged, thoughtful, and invested in the outcome. Whether you’re clarifying, summarising, or connecting dots, those small contributions compound over time into credibility and visibility.

Silence might feel safe, but it also makes you invisible. Speaking up, even briefly, ensures that when decisions are made or opportunities arise, people remember that you were part of the conversation rather than being just another name on the invite list.