Success Secrets: Talking to Executives

Interpersonal skills are one of my prime concerns at this point in my life, and there is a wonderful post dealing with parts of that skill set on PhD Confidential entitled Top 10 Ways to communicate with Executives.

The blogger, Dorianne, has a wealth of experience with large corporations, and has clearly honed her skills well. The list is equally important to small businesses, especially in their role as suppliers to larger entities.

In my own previous life in a small business, I found that we could always learn more about several of Dorianne’s points. One, “Present Alternatives” is illustrative. In a meeting with the executive, you are an “arrow in the executive’s quiver”. You may think you have “the solution” to the executive’s problem, and you are ready for a signature and a purchase order. But you may not know even a small bit of WHY you were called into the job in the first place. Maybe it is only to supply a bunch of alternatives. And there you go…you only supplied one. Think that executive will ever call you again?

At any rate, Dorianne has an entire list of insightful techniques of dealing with an executive, because she has been on the other side of the desk. Tis post, and this blog, are definite must-read.


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