I remember the first time I attended a business meeting with a corporate client.
It was nearly 20 years ago. I was working in finance — my first job out of college. The meeting was local, I’d asked if I could attend, and the boss said yes.
Before we left, another senior colleague pulled me aside and said:
“Mayo, let me give you three words of advice for this meeting:
Do. Not. Speak.”
He was being funny, but he wasn’t joking.
Anytime you start showing up in higher-stakes rooms— board meetings, client negotiations, senior leadership reviews— you’ll probably face clues that you’re on dangerous ground.
The clues come from colleagues, friends, and the stories you tell yourself.
Sometimes the message is explicit (see above). Sometimes it’s more subtle.
It can leave you telling yourself:
- Be careful.
- Don’t mess this up.
- Don’t say the wrong thing.
- You’d better sound brilliant.
- You’re lucky to even be in the room.
And that pressure? It shuts a lot of people down.
But showing up well in the big room isn’t about being flashy or loud.
It’s about being clear, calm, and strategic.
It’s about knowing when to speak—and how to make it count.
This Friday, I’m hosting a 30-minute workshop:
Getting Comfortable in the Big Room
Speak Up and Lead in High-Stakes Meetings
Friday June 13 at 9am ET
It’s $30 and you can register here.
You’ll learn:
- The 3 core obstacles that keep smart people silent
- My RISE framework for making strategic contributions
- Specific phrases and tactics for speaking with more confidence
- How to recover if things don’t go as planned
This isn’t about becoming the loudest or most impressive voice in the room.
It’s about becoming the one whose contributions carry weight.
See you on Friday.
