Strategic Meetings

We know it's important not to go overboard when it comes to meetings. People have meetings to plan other meetings, they hold meetings to complain about how many meetings they have,...too often it gets to be too much.

But sometimes -- sometimes -- they can be very important and very useful. And THESE meetings, you should take very seriously.

Let's call these "strategic meetings." Why strategic? Because these are the meetings where something important can happen, something that leads to a new way of doing business or somehow puts you onto a new path for success. Very often you're trying to get someone to latch onto your vision and accept it as their own. Maybe you're new to the firm and want to make your first impression, or maybe you're trying to transform the company to deal with changes in the environment, but whatever's going on is important and you need to use the strategic meeting as a tool rather than seeing it as an obstacle. This isn't about just passing along information. It's about convincing someone.

So when you've got this chance, how do you use it?

Know what your goal is How do you expect things to be different after your meeting? You need to understand what you're trying to accomplish and then figure out how to do it. How much time do you need? How much will you get? What points do you need to make? What perspective do others already have coming into the meeting?

Prepare the person with whom you're meeting Provide them a "read ahead" package. This could be a list of talking points you'll cover, copies of PowerPoint slides, maybe a background paper. You don't need to let them know all your goals for the meeting but you DO need them to have an idea of what you're going to talk about. Whatever you provide them should help move you toward your goals, so make the information meaningful.

Be prepared yourself This is important, right? So, be ready for it! Make sure you review your notes. If you're using slides or handouts, check them for typos and make sure nothing will detract from your presentation. Consider what questions you're likely to be asked and think about how to answer them.

Know when it's time to quit Don't go on too long. Make your points, answer the questions, and move on. You don't want to bore whoever you're meeting with, and you want to finish strong rather than just fading out.

Realize this may be your only shot They say you only get one chance to make a first impression, and it's true enough. Though this might not be the only time you meet with these people, a strategic meeting lays the foundation for what comes next. If you screw this up, then you'll have to spend time and effort overcoming it as you move forward with whatever you're hoping to do. So take it seriously, be ready for it, and use it.

Always remember that not every meeting is bad. If you do it right, you can use strategic meetings to your advantage to set the stage for the important things you want to do.