In-House Counsel

Capturing The C-Suite’s Attention: 4 Ways To Be Heard At The C-Suite Table

Nurturing these tips could take some time, but at the end, it will be worthwhile when your ideas begin to gain traction with the C-Suite.

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Most of us remember our high school days and wanting an invite to — or at least attention from — the “cool table.” In the professional world, the “cool table” takes a different form: the lofty C-Suite. The C-Suite is a jargon term that is used to refer to any job title with a “C” in front of the job title. These include Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Legal Officer (CLO), amongst others. The term also commonly includes top-level executives such as General Counsel (GCs), even though their titles aren’t in the traditional CXO format. Essentially, this term is used to describe directors and corporate officers.

In the corporate world, most professionals have probably been in a situation where their ideas at the C-Suite table have been passed over… only to finally get traction when someone else restates it. Below are four tips that would make sure that your idea is getting attention at the C-Suite table — and you get credit for it.

  1. Be resilient and persistent

To be taken seriously at the C-Suite table, you must have persistence and resilience. If your idea gets shut down the first time, it is imperative to try again in different words and not give up on the first try. This is because repetition is particularly important when trying to influence and exert power in a C-Suite meeting. Although it may be annoying to keep pushing the same idea, always play to win, especially if you believe in your idea. Apart from repeating your ideas, always back up your ideas with well-researched evidence and thoughtful analysis. Make sure to keep track of and emphasize any new or developing support for your idea.

  1. Be an active participant with strategy

Always sit in a strategic position at the C-Suite table, as this will enable you to actively participate and contribute in the meeting. When contributing to an idea or projecting a new idea, speak with confidence. Be precise and clear with neutral emotions. Being negative or hostile, especially if people do not see eye to eye with your idea, will only sabotage your image. Refuse the urge to play into office politics. Above all, build professional relationships, as this is very critical especially when it comes to influencing people.

  1. Exude confidence and power

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Being at the C-Suite table can be intimidating to many people. However, the key to succeeding in such a situation is to feel confident and powerful in yourself. When you feel powerful and confident, people will automatically be more likely to believe and trust in you. This way, your ideas and contributions will be heard by every member at the table and taken into consideration instead of being brushed aside. Take the time to examine your ideas and truly become invested in them. This will help you have more confidence when it comes time to push your ideas.

  1. Have a positive attitude

The key to being heard at the C-Suite table is to radiate a positive attitude. This will earn you the respect and attention that will eventually make it easier for your ideas to be heard. Always check yourself before the meeting to ensure that you are in the right mind frame, with a positive attitude. While it is important to make sure that you retain credit for your ideas, be open-minded to integrating useful suggestions from others. Recognize that your ultimate goal is to do what’s best for your organization. This will help you to “roll with the punches” and be a good team player that others want to listen to.

Nurturing these tips could take some time, but at the end, it will be worthwhile when your ideas begin to gain traction with the C-Suite. With more practice, these will become a part of you naturally, and eventually, others will start to see you differently, as someone who is impactful, strong and confident. This will further boost your reputation with the C-Suite and help you to make a bigger impact.

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Olga V. Mack is a blockchain strategist, public speaker, and adjunct professor at Berkeley Law. She is Vice President of Strategy at Quantstamp, the first decentralized security auditing blockchain platform. Most recently, she served as General Counsel at ClearSlide and she has held legal and operational roles at Visa, Zoosk, Pacific Art League, Wilson Sonsini, and Yahoo. Olga founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to serve on the corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. You can email Olga at olga@olgamack.com or follow her on Twitter @olgavmack.

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