Ground Rules You Can Build a Career On
Being invited to attend a meeting where your employer is in business-to-business negotiations is a sign that you have earned their trust and reached a significant level of competence. It also implies that you know and can follow the “ground rules” in a meeting that could have deep implications for the company’s prosperity.
In many small to medium sized businesses with long-time employees, these ground rules were learned through years of experience as opposed to academic pedigrees from business schools. But no matter what company you work for or their trade, there are some ground rules that are bedrock. Knowing these fundamentals will help you prepare for this important step in your career, or give you an idea on what you still need to work on if the invite hasn’t happened.
Know Your Craft
Your company has built a reputation on their expertise in a specific trade/product or service through decades, and often generations, of dedication. Through your hard work, you have reached a level of efficiency and competence, but the truth is that it’s taken longer than you first expected to get there. The trajectory to success is a less than straight path, filled with humbling experiences and trial and error. It’s important to remain curious and have a “learner’s mindset”. Keep your ego in check, and avoid the roadblocks of complacency and assumptions. This mindset will help you move further faster by being open to new ideas and ways of doing things. Knowing your craft, yet maintaining a “learner’s mindset” will earn you a sense of inner certainty and increased confidence to take on more responsibilities.
With All Due Respect, Keep Meetings On-Course
When your company engages in discussions with a vendor, there is an inter-dependency at play; a positive outcome is desired by both parties. It’s therefore important for all concerned that respect is maintained to keep the meeting on-course.
This is where your confidence in your craft is essential to avoid any second guessing on your part. You can be ready to stand up to pressure tactics if you are sure of your facts, even in the face of the bully who is looking for any weaknesses.
But if you feel disrespected, then you have been. In this instance, state politely but firmly that you disagree. If discussions are getting heated, take a step back and breath. A short pause gives you a chance to gather your thoughts.
Remember that what’s at stake is a relationship that depends on open dialogue and respect. This vendor relationship may be mature or it may be newly forming, but at any stage, it needs to be nurtured like a team, so it's well worth maintaining a level of decorum.
Information For Decision Making
Knowing enough information is essential, and without it, meetings waste time for both sides of the table. You need to ask yourself if you have what you need going into a meeting to prove a point, or to make a key decision at its conclusion.
If there is dissent due to lack of clarity, be prepared to leave items unresolved for further discussion and consultation. Here again is where the fundamentals of knowing your craft come into play, and if there is any room for doubt in your mind, no amount of brow-beating will persuade you otherwise.
When someone on your own team is working off of incorrect information in a meeting, it presents an issue that requires tact. If the error is not addressed, it means a meeting full of people who will walk away with wrong information. Keep in mind that managers expect people on their team to keep an eye on the details. If you spot an error, regardless if it’s from your team or the vendor and a correction adds value, bring it up with respect and tact. Setting a standard procedure for this situation ahead of time will benefit everyone, particularly for those on your team who come from a “high-respect” culture and may therefore be hesitant to speak up.