Meetings, whether they're regularly scheduled routines in your company or now-and-then get-togethers, can be a place for you to gain positive visibility and to showcase your capabilities. Here are three strategies that will help you stand out and shine.

Do your advance work.
In order to make intelligent comments, offer helpful suggestions or ask pertinent questions, you need to know a meeting's purpose and topic areas in advance. If you have received a vague notice or agenda, inquire about what's going to be discussed and what are the goals. You can basically say that you want to come ready to contribute.

If it's your supervisor or team leader who is calling the staff or group together and has left the focus a bit loose, you might offer to prepare an agenda by saying: "This could save time and help the staff / team come prepared and provide useful input." Be seen as someone who knows how to make meetings effective. This ability is a real career asset, especially in team-based organizations.

Polish your act.
Even if the meeting is informal, mentally run through what issues might come up and what you might say. Jot down any remarks you want to make about certain agenda items. In other words, don't just wing it. Rather, come prepared with well-thought-through suggestions and supporting information.

Here's where your observations at prior meetings are critical. Do people speak up freely or wait to be called on by the meeting leader? Are presentations made formally, perhaps by standing at a podium or do people stay seated, interjecting comments when there's an opening? Determine how the most effective members make their points, and how does the leader react to various presentation styles. Use this information as a model for your presentations.

If your meeting is more formal---perhaps, an annual sales conference---it's vital to rehearse your presentation several times. Reading a report causes people to lose interest. But that doesn't mean you must memorize the entire thing. Rather, try writing a 'grabber' sentence for your opener and another for a strong ending. Know these two sentences by heart, then condense the rest of your thoughts to an outline, using short 'trigger' phrases. Record your presentation and listen for places where you should change pace, volume or expression. Also, imagine the kinds of questions that may come from the audience and also decide on your possible answers. Preparation is the key.

Follow up and follow through.
What happens after a meeting can be just as important as what takes place during it. Ideas presented must be implemented, decisions carried out. Even as a participant, you can help to ensure that the decisions made become realities. Here's how.

Even if someone else is taking minutes, make brief notes about each agenda item. If you're the leader, prepare and distribute your own summary with a list of who will do what by when. If the leader omits this step, you can volunteer afterward to prepare the summary. Then offer a succinct wrap-up instead of verbatim minutes. Meeting follow ups can give you great opportunities for building a reputation for leadership. You might, for example, offer to present the group's concern for more flexible scheduling to your department head, then follow through in getting a response. Do this in a way that it is not seen as getting 'brownie' points but rather as dependable follow-up.

What happens if you get an idea after the meeting? What you can do is develop a post meeting proposal and have it on the leader's or your boss's desk the next day. Work up a brief outline of the discussed issue and suggestions you have. Include background information, financials, pro's and con's and other relevant information. Yes, it may mean burning the midnight oil, but if this is a vital issue, you'll be seen as a problem solver and valuable contributor.

If you take an active role before, during, and after meetings, you will demonstrate your ability to get a job done and your willingness to participate in a team effort. As you discover better ways for achieving better meeting results, you'll be displaying your leadership talent and you'll be seen as a high performing professional.

Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job ? to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks ? resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs ? fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.