Impact Competencies - Who Gets Listened to and Why?

Ever been in a meeting where you raised what you thought was a really powerful objection to something and everyone else in the room roundly dismissed it as off-point?

Ever been in a meeting where someone else raised what you thought was a totally irrelevant objection to something and everyone else in the room roundly hailed it as amazingly spot-on and insightful?

What's that all about, actually?!

Here's your assignment: Look for this dynamic - when comments are validated or not - and see what you can glean from what you see. Find the patterns.

• Compare and contrast who gets listened to ... and who really doesn't
• Compare and contrast how they say things ... their tone, their rate of speech, their affect, etc.
• Compare and contrast any key words they use that seem to engender, or dilute, the support of others
• Compare and contrast what's said immediately before they comment
• Compare and contrast what preparatory work they have/have not done on the topic

From this exercise, develop a list of Impact Competencies - that which helps people get listened to.

Discuss.