Walk Into Meetings Like You've Already Won

You're preparing for tomorrow's stakeholder meeting by skimming the agenda 10 minutes before.

Bad: "I'll just review the deck and wing the questions."

They ask about ROI and competitive positioning. You fumble through vague answers. The room goes quiet.

Good: "Based on your Q3 priorities and the 3 concerns you raised in last month's review, I've prepared responses on our 23% efficiency gain and how we compare to the 4 alternative solutions you're evaluating."

They lean forward. You answer every question with specific data. They ask you to lead the next phase.

The difference? You prepared for their perspective, not just your presentation.

Chris Voss taught that preparation determines negotiation outcomes. Meetings work the same way—research your audience, anticipate objections, prepare your key points. AI compresses hours of prep into minutes.

Most people prepare what they want to say. Top performers prepare for what others need to hear. The magic isn't in having all the answers—it's in anticipating the questions before they're asked. When you walk in knowing your audience's priorities, concerns, and decision criteria, you're not just prepared. You're strategic. This turns every meeting from a presentation into a conversation where you're three steps ahead.

Walking into a meeting overprepared feels like a superpower. You're calm because you've already played out the conversation in your head.

But here's the real advantage: when you anticipate questions, you control the narrative. You're not reactive—you're guiding the discussion toward outcomes you want.

People remember those who make them feel heard. When your prep shows you understand their world, they trust you faster. That's not manipulation. That's respect translated into action.