Sometimes we convince ourselves that we don’t need to prepare for a meeting or do much research for a project –but skipping preparation usually is a mistake.
Example: I was so confident that my sports agency would sign a local baseball player named Mark Teixeira that I did not take as much time as usual to learn Teixeira’s goals and customize my presentation. I lost him to an out-of-town agent. He is now an all-star first baseman for the Atlanta Braves.
Steps to prepare for anything…
1. Define your objective. Think through where you want your efforts to lead before you even begin. Do not assume that the most obvious endgame is the correct one.
Example: Salesmen often believe that “making the sale” is their endgame when “building a relationship with this customer” might be a better long-term goal.
2. Find precedents for your current situation. How have others handled comparable situations in the past? Were their efforts successful? Precedents are great persuaders and can be used to influence others.
Try to find people who have been in similar situations, or research similar situations on the Internet or in books.
Example: When Bill Miller, chairman of Legg Mason Capital Management, examined Wall Street history, he discovered that investors often initially overreact to cataclysmic world events, but that the stock market usually rebounds quickly. While others fled to the safety of bonds after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Miller recalled these precedents and increased his investment in stocks. The market recouped its losses within two months.
3. Think through alternate scenarios. If you prepare only for your intended outcome, you will have no well-thought-out fallback position if this primary goal proves unachievable. Is there a backup option that would be better than nothing… or should you walk away if your first option isn’t successful?
4. Consider the other party’s interests. Try to understand the interests of the person with whom you are dealing. You can learn these by speaking with this person in advance or with those who have dealt with him/her in the past. Shape your proposals accordingly.
Example: A businessperson should not assume that a potential client’s only priority is a low price. Some clients are more concerned about the speed of delivery or the reliability of the product.
5. Construct a time line. Time lines force us to break down large tasks into component steps. They create deadlines for each stage, which keeps things moving along and prevents small portions of projects from expanding to fill more time than they should.
6. Structure your team. Will you tackle this project on your own… or are there others who can assist you?
Example: Tell a trusted friend about your plan, then ask him to try to poke holes in it. This can help you prepare for the objections others might raise.
7. Script your message. When you have to “sell” a plan or project to others, first outline everything you wish to convey and practice presenting the information.
This is particularly important for difficult “asks.” It is hard to request special treatment, such as asking for a big raise from a boss or a bargain price from a salesman.
Practice asking for exactly what you want until the words feel comfortable coming out of your mouth.
