How to assert yourself when youre dismissed

How to assert yourself when youre dismissedHow to assert yourself when youre dismissedHave you ever sat in a meeting and felt ignored or utterly unimportant? Perhaps you offered up an idea thatsomeone else seized upon. Maybe you inserted yourself into the conversation but no one gave you their eye contact or their attention. Whether youre the youngest in the room or the one from a department no one respects (or youre just not getting your due for unknown reasons), you can lean on these four strategies to re-assert yourself.Get back in thereIf youre getting jangled by rude or demeaning dynamics, resist the urge to disengage from the conversation and be silenced. Frame a relevant idea in your mind and then build off someone elses idea starting with, Yes, and Barbara Pachtera business etiquette expert and author, even advocates for strategically interrupting when youre being talked over. Said Pachter, In some situations, if you dont interrupt, you wont get to speak. The easiest way to interrupt is when the other rolle takes a breath. You then speak up quickly, acknowledge what the person said, and add your thoughts.Lean on powerful evidenceIt was author and journalistChristopher Hitchenswho once said, That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence. Since knowledge is power, ask yourself how prepared you are for your typical meeting and how you introduce your ideas. If your idea isnt getting the attention it deserves, tell your colleagues what competitive analysis, industry news or relevant and meaningful statistics youre relying on. Then frame your ideas leading with your evidence, The industry forces show , The statistics reveal , Our company has historically Call out the dismissive behaviorAmi B. Kaplan, LCSW, a New York City psychotherapist,recommends asserting yourselffirst and foremost by identifying and articulating the demeaning behavior you observe. Kaplan recommends saying, That sounds dismissive or Youre being dismissive , or Its not OK to just dismiss my point of view. Building on Kaplans counsel, I have also seen people quiet the room and take back the platform with a firm I wasnt finished. The best thing about this technique is that raises awareness about a persons behavior and gives them a chance to correct it. Believe it or not, not all dismissive behavior is pointed or intentional.Respect your rsumWhen I interviewed the formidable Barbara Krumsiek, CEO ofCalvert Investmentsfor my bookPUSHBACK, she urged women to lean more often on their knowledge and experience. Said Krumsiek, I think its important for women to respect their resumes. I will try to weave into a conversation that I have math degrees or that I served on a national development team, for example. Relate an anecdote that demonstrates your competence. Next time youre dismissed or challenged, try asserting what experience or training backs up your point. You might say, Having worked for two of our competitors, Ive seen multiple attem pts at the same product were launching. The top lesson I learned was For most of us, its not a question of if well be dismissed or disregarded at some point, its when. Thats just life. When it happens, how will you handle it?Tell me about a time you came back strong after being overlooked orsnubbed. What would you advise others to do? What should they avoid?This article appeared on BeLeaderly.com.