QUESTION: "Preparing for Politically Charged Meetings" 

Dear Merry,

I am a VP of Human Resources in a major manufacturing company responsible for an $800 million division. I was recently promoted from Organizational Development.

I have been a member of the Executive Team for just under a year now. I sit on the Executive Team with 7 other direct reports to the CEO. Our quarterly meeting is coming up this week and I am responsible for presenting a new budget for human capital development that could affect some of the other players at the table. How would you recommend I prepare for this politically charged meeting?  

RESPONSE: "Socialize Your Ideas"

Dear VP of HR,

Congratulations on your appointment to the Executive Team! I have a few ideas for you as you prepare for this important and politically charged meeting. First, be sure to "Socialize Your Ideas" in advance. This involves discussing your budget with key players - ideally all members of the Executive Team, before the meeting. 

Here s what I recommend for preparation:

1.      Anticipate others point of view. Of course you will be prepared with your own point of view, but can you anticipate what others think and feel about your topic (in this case your budget) in advance of the meeting?

2.      "Socialize" your ideas through direct conversations with individuals where possible. Understand exactly how everyone would vote on your plan for increased budget prior to going into the meeting. 

3.      Circulate your presentation in full - or in part - and request feedback and suggestions. Letting others have their fingerprint on your plan - even in a small way - will give you better buy-in for your ideas. 

4.      Expect some disagreement. It s fine if you can t (or choose not to) make adjustments to your plan to address every concern. Just know who will not support your ideas and their specific apprehensions in advance.

During the meeting:

1.      Align yourself with the power of the organization. If there is very strong support for your budget from a key person, refer to them directly and restate their support: "I understand that Adam feels that the investment in succession planning will also support his ability to grow research and development next year".

2.      Address objections: If a person in a key position of power has hesitations or someone is very adverse, bring up their objections yourself: "Sam tells me that he is not supportive of this plan because of the stress it would put on.... I think we may be able to overcome this challenge by...." Stating these reservations yourself, takes some of the impact away from them and lets you put all of the issues on the table - including your rebuttal.

3.      Remember you are selling your ideas, not yourself. There s no need to feel emotionally attached.

Using these powerful strategies reduces the stress of surprises in the meeting and will establish you as a collaborative leader, who has incorporated all of the best thinking into their request for funding.

Dare to Deliver!

Merry

Merry Marcus, President

www.break-throughconsulting.com