I used to prepare for meetings by preparing to talk, relying on slides and rehearsed answers. The result was getting to an agreement took months and was draining emotionally. After a "yes" I would celebrate with ice cream, after a "no" I would lie down on the couch. It was a lot.

A year ago, my approach shifted radically.

The result is I'm more effective. I discover opportunities for investors, partners, and buyers seemingly everywhere. And after a meeting I just move onto the next thing.

Here's how it works. In preparing, I focus on hearing the other person's perspective. I write out questions like "What's valuable about ... to you?", "How open are you to ... ?", "How do you think about ...?". I also write down my assumptions about their needs and wants. Then in the meeting I ask those questions. While I still have slides and answers to questions, they're secondary.

I learned this structure from Adina, our Accelerator Director. It's a cornerstone what teams learn in our AirMiners Launchpad accelerator.

Surprise, I stopped preparing this way a few weeks ago. Even knowing what to do, the difference is made by actually doing it. I started again this week, it's such a clear difference I wanted to share it with you.

How might you prepare to listen for your next meeting?

Tito

P.S. here’s a related note I wrote about a year ago, When to say "no" to potential investors.