1) Ready yourself, become familiar with him or her
2) Be an expert. They cannot be an expert in everything.
3) Appreciate his or her perspective, this does not mean you must agree.
4) Determine what you are trying to achieve as a result of the meeting.
5) Prepare a short summary outlining the main points that you can give him or her.
6) Treat his or her assistant with respect.
7) Great him or her with a smile and a firm hand-shake, and let them set the tone as to whether or not there will be small talk.
8) Be quick. Present the background and the reasons, and expect to be interrupted.
If you don’t know the answer when asked, don’t bluff; say you will find out. If challenged, don’t automatically back down and agree. Remember you are the expert. If you back down too readily, you will lose credibility. However do not be stubborn.
IF YOU HAVE ACHIEVED YOUR GOAL, LET THE MEETING END.
Posted by: Paul Robbins
