I want to explore a space in your leadership day that might seem routine, but is actually a powerful platform for visibility, influence, and impact:

Meetings.

If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “I wish I’d said that differently,” or “Why didn’t I speak up?”– you’re not alone.

I’ve been there too.

There was a time when I was anxious, doubting myself, and could feel myself shrinking in meetings. I didn’t realise it at the time, but that shrinking meant my voice was missing in the room. I found myself doing extra work afterwards to make up for what I didn’t manage to say in the moment.

It was exhausting. And more than that, it impacted how I was seen.

That experience taught me something essential:

👉 When we’re feeling stressed, anxious, or uncertain, we have to pay attention. That’s our signal to shift. To reset. To support ourselves differently.

These are the practises I’ve learned, practises that can support you whether you’re thriving, or during times where you are feeling a little less self-assured.

Let’s explore them through our familiar lenses…

Mindset

Your voice needs to be heard

You don’t need to dominate the room to be impactful, but you do need to be visible and intentional. Speaking up early isn’t just a confidence move, it sets your tone and primes others to hear you.

Ask yourself:

➡️ Am I defaulting to listening over contributing?

➡️ What impression do I want to leave?

➡️ What would shift if I treated each meeting as a stage for influence?

Start small. Build.

Every time you show up a little more, speak a little sooner, or share a little clearer- you expand your presence.

Behaviour

Prepare like it matters, because it does

Don’t “wing it.” Meetings are not the warm-up. They’re the performance. And like any great performance, the work happens before you walk on stage.

Try these practical shifts:

• Know the purpose – Why is this meeting happening, and what role do you want to play in it?
• Work the meeting before the meeting – Align with key players in advance. Influence doesn’t just happen in the room.
• Arrive early and speak first –  Being prompt and present changes your energy. Contributing early sets your pace.

And most importantly:

• Be intentional about how you’re experienced – Are you being seen as thoughtful, decisive, strategic? Make choices that reflect that.

Compassion

Progress over perfection

You don’t need to have the perfect insight or say the smartest thing. You just need to be part of the conversation.

✅ Start with one meeting this week, decide how you’ll show up differently.

✅ Celebrate every micro-win: the early comment, the clearer contribution, the confident pause.

✅ Reflect on how your presence shifts when you show up prepared, intentional, and grounded.

These small tweaks don’t just elevate meetings, they elevate you.

So… what’s one meeting this week where you can shift how you show up?

Let me know, I’d love to hear.

Have a brilliant week,

Kirsteen

Need help making meetings your leadership stage? Book a one-off coaching session to get crystal clear on how to bring presence and power into the room. £175 for 60 minutes – book here

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