Welcome to Manager Tools. Today's topic, Politics 101, Chapter 2, Meeting Prep. Who wants what?

Here we go.

It's a sad state of affairs, but most folks don't do any preparation for meetings they go to

unless they're presenting something right and that's and it's a huge mistake particularly when you're meeting with folks who are more senior

or are folks who are outside of the team.

Right, exactly.

Yeah.

In either case, you're going to be far more effective if you know who wants what and who likes

whom in that meeting.

Now we're not even talking about who likes whom in this meeting. Yeah, now we're not even talking about who likes whom

in this cast, but who wants what is a huge thing

that every executive knows.

They prepare for every meaning

by thinking about the various factions,

the various interests, and so on.

And it's not reserved only for executives.

You can do it.

If you're a manager, if you're an individual contributor, the simple fact of the matter is that

you need to be prepared for meetings and who wants what on each

agenda item at each meeting actually knowing that in advance or thinking about in advance will

make you more effective in the meeting.

Yeah, most executives have been doing it so long.

...