How to Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Meetings
Meetings, whether they are with a local shop owner or a
government minister, provide a unique and useful
opportunity for us as advocates to present our case
effectively. Below are some tips to help you get the most out
of your meetings. There are three phases to the meeting
process:
1. Preparation for the meeting
2. The meeting
3. After the meeting
In preparation for a meeting, you may find it useful to
consider the following:
1. Logistics – When and where is the meeting? How long
is the meeting for and who is attending? Will there be a
single meeting or is this the first of a series of
meetings? What type of meeting is it (e.g. a mediation
or conciliation, an informal meeting, a consultation,
etc.)?
2. What are the three main points you want the other
person to understand about how you see the
issue/dispute?
3. What do you think you and the other person are likely to
agree and disagree on? How do you think the other
person sees things?
4. What do you want the outcome of the meeting to be?
How do you think the other person would answer this
question?
5. How much, on a scale of 1-10 do you want to resolve
this issue/dispute? What is your feeling about how
much the other person wants to resolve the
issue/dispute?
6. What happens if you can't resolve the issue/dispute?
What are your options/alternatives to an agreement?
At the meeting:
1. Be on time and dress appropriately. If necessary, visit
the site of the meeting beforehand to make sure you do
not get lost on the day.
2. Remain calm and focused. Try not to get side-tracked
or rattled by setbacks. If a strategy or line of argument
is not getting you the outcome you are looking for, try a
different approach. Try not to take things too personally.
3. Don’t be afraid to take a little time to think (e.g. about
how to respond to a question or setback you were not
expecting or to think of a new strategy or approach to
an issue). If necessary, ask for a break.
4. Explain the reasons for the outcomes you are seeking.
Do not take it for granted that the reasons for what you
want are obvious to the other person. For example,
rather than simply asking that aisles in a store be
uncluttered, explain the potential risk to blind and vision
impaired customers.
5. If possible, talk about the advantages of a particular
outcome to the other person. People are more likely to
be open to options that have a benefit for them.
6. Make sure everyone at the meeting is on the same
page about any outcomes/actions arising from the
meeting.
After the meeting:
1. Make sure you follow through on what was agreed or
discussed.
2. If the issue or dispute was not resolved at the meeting,
consider your options for pursuing the issue further
(possibly one of the options you considered before the
meeting).
This information sheet is based on a presentation delivered
by Joana d’Orey Novo and Dan Stubbs at the 2012 BCA
NSW/ACT State Convention in Coffs Harbour.