How you stand out in a meeting depends entirely on your role in the room.

Every time you go into a meeting, you’re likely filling one of five roles: the supporter, the listener, the expert, the leader or the decision maker.

But which role you’re playing will vary from meeting to meeting. And as your role changes so will the best tactics for leaving a lasting impression.

Here are some tips to help you outshine and impress in your next meeting!

THE SUPPORTER

The supporter is the logistics master. Without this person, the meeting probably wouldn’t be on the calendar to begin with. The supporter can be the person who schedules the meeting, prepares the materials, or keeps track of the team’s progress or important next steps.

How You Know

So how do you know if you are the supporter? Well, you’re likely the supporter if the actions you are responsible for are operational. For example, if you are a project manager and, during the meeting, you are responsible for tracking the sales team’s new clients, but not for generating new clients yourself, you would be the supporter.

How You Shine

As the supporter, you will shine brightest by keeping all of the trains running on time and in the same direction. Reach out to participants before the meeting to gather materials; join the meeting early to ensure the technology is working correctly; take clear notes, complete with next steps, and distribute them to others after the meeting.

THE LISTENER

The listener is there primarily to take in information. They could be directly or indirectly involved in the meeting topic. The listener may have been invited to the meeting by someone else but is primarily there for their own benefit.

How You Know

You’ll know you are the listener if there is something you need to gain from the meeting, but no input for you to provide. You’ll often have some kind of action item that is dependent on the results of the conversation from this meeting. For example, you may attend another team’s meeting about implementing a new technology because you are thinking about implementing the same tool next month.

How You Shine

As the listener, you may not be doing a lot of speaking during the meeting, but you can still be visibly engaged. Be sure to pay close attention to what is discussed and be ready to refer back to what you heard at a later time. Most importantly, don’t miss the information you’re there to hear, and ask pointed clarifying questions when needed.

THE EXPERT

The expert is in the room to provide information, opinions and guidance. They are usually asked to be there as a result of the expansive knowledge they have in a certain area. While the expert may not be making the final decision, the perspective they provide will certainly shape the tone and direction of the conversation.

How You Know

If you know more about the topic than most of the people in the room, you may be the expert. Another way to know if you are the expert is to find out why you were included in the meeting. If the answer sounds something like, “I wanted to get your perspective on this,” or, “I wanted to pick your brain,” you are there as the expert.

How You Shine

When you’re trying to shine as the expert in the room, it’s important not to monopolize the conversation too much. Yes, your role in the room is to provide your perspective, but the last thing you want is to be seen as a know-it-all. Speak your mind, be clear and concise, but be sure to include others in the conversation as well. Interact with the ideas that are discussed and be truthful to your experience and knowledge.

THE LEADER

The leader is the driver of the conversation. Often, the leaders calls the meeting because they have a question they need answered or a decision that needs to be made. The leader generally sets the agenda and the tone for the conversation.

How You Know

If you called the meeting, you’re very likely the leader. However, even if you didn’t call the meeting, if everyone in the room is looking to you to start the conversation, you are the leader.

How You Shine

Nobody likes sitting through a disorganized or pointless meeting. Shining as the meeting leader has a lot to do with what happens before the meeting begins. Be sure to craft a clear and concise agenda to help guide the conversation. Then, confirm that the right people have been included in the discussion. If someone is missing, add  them. If someone doesn’t need to be there, do them a favor and let them know. No one is ever upset about getting time back on their calendar!

Once you’re in the meeting, set an open and conversational tone. You’ve set-up the meeting because you are looking to spark discussion, otherwise you would have just sent an email! Don’t be afraid to engage with people and ask open questions to other meeting participants. Instead of asking, “does that make sense?” (a yes or no question), try, “what are your reactions to this option?” Open questions will encourage people to engage and save you from a room full of nodding heads.

THE DECISION MAKER

The decision maker always has the final say. They are in the meeting to provide direction or closure. While decision makers are often the most highly ranked people in the room, that is not always the case. Depending on organizational culture, decision makers could sit at any level.

How You Know

In some cases, it will be very easy to tell when you are the decision maker. If people are coming to you explicitly asking for your approval, you know you are there to make the final decision.

However, when you’re in a room of peers or colleagues across different teams, it can be difficult to know who is responsible for making the final decision, or if the intent is for the decision to be made by consensus. If you are at all unclear, simply ask, “so what final outcome are we hoping to achieve from  this meeting?” This will help you to clarify the intent and perspectives of the others in the room.

How You Shine

Shining as the decision maker is all about ensuring the people in the room are heard and understood. It is important that you keep your personal opinions to yourself until everyone in the room has had an opportunity to share their perspective. This is easier said than done, but if you can do it, you’ll know that you’ve heard their true perspectives and not just what they think you want to hear. It will also give you a chance to formulate and solidify your final decision.

YOUR NEXT MEETING

Now, before you go into your next meeting, give some thought to why you’re there, and what your role is in this particular conversation. Not only will it help you get the outcome you’re looking for, but it will give you clarity of purpose and a clear direction in the conversation. Get ready to outshine and impress in your next meeting!