Picture it:
Uncle Elon is strutting down the hall and you, the last of the Twitter lay offs, are approaching. You make eye contact, you panic, then dart into Curtis's cube while he's only coding 100 lines per month.
Don't let this be you. Let's change behavior.
I'm going to approach this situationally because strategy may change depending on certain factors.
These will be
Random
Work meeting
Interview
Casual
Before we begin there, let's start with some basic things you can do before any interactions happen.
General Rules
1) Do some recon
In order to expedite creating a bond with anyone, you have to have shared interests or experiences.
Gain some knowledge as to what you and the execs have in common.
Some easy things are:
University
Past places of work
Sports teams
Residence
Family
I had an interview once with a CFO. He was a huge Notre Dame football fan. I grew up in a family of Notre Dame football degenerates. The entire interview was just bullshitting about how they were performing currently.
Needless to say I got the job.
I also had a colleague that had an interview with a COO of a company I used to work at.
Common links they connected on were:
They both had a truck
They both liked the same vodka
They both liked the smell of their own farts
Ok I made that last one up but you get the point.
Here are some ways you can recon:
1) Google them - you can get a lot of info from just doing this, as execs are pretty public figures.
2) Ask colleagues about them - do this subtly. Don't want to look like a stalker.
3) Make friends with their admin- you can get a lot of good nuggets here.
4) Use your org chart - your company portal will have this. Put faces to names and prioritize those closest to you. If your in Finance know who the CFO or CAO is and what they look like.
5) Hire a PI to investigate them (for real I know someone who did this)
2) Be attractive, don't be unattractive
It saddens me that I even have to say this but some of you need to dress and groom better. Act like you give a shit and put on some deodorant.
Any impression with an exec could stick in their mind, good or bad.
Do you want to be remembered as the person with the well tailored 3 piece or the guy who had Doritos dust in his untrimmed beard?
People remember this stuff.
3) Be positive
Everyone should smile more. Be happy and be open to interact with people.
When you meet anyone, especially the C Suite, be engaged. Don't just look at your phone. Smile, ask questions and be social.
Interactions
As I said above, I'll be presenting this from a situational standpoint. Let's start with a random encounter.
Random Encounter
This could happen any time. On an elevator, the bathroom, outside work at a strip club. Be prepared to shmooze.
Before engaging, assess the situation. Read their facial expressions, their body language and who they are with. Sometimes laying low can be the smart move. You're better off not being remembered than being remembered negatively.
As an example though, let's assume you bump into them in the elevator and they are alone. After you actually make eye contact and say hello, then pause.
If they start a conversation with you, follow their lead and go from there.
If they are silent, I usually like to pay a compliment because it's disarming. With men always go with suit, watch, or shoes. If you can name the brand or ask about the brand, even better.
With women, you can try the same and add perfume. Same brand rule applies.
Another route you could take is mentioning you like something unique about their physical appearance.
I knew a VP of Finance who had subtle, orange highlights in her hair. One day I made a remark about how I liked that color and she was glowing. Had a great working relationship from then on and she was a great ally for me.
Work Meeting
Now this situation gets interesting because there could be a lot of nuance.
Many variables could be at play here.
Your role
Audience
Content
Politics
If there is a scenario where you are leading the meeting or have a key part to play, I can't stress enough how important it is to do meeting prep. KNOW YOUR SHIT. Anticipate questions people will ask and have answers ready. Offer solutions to problems.
You do not want to look like a fool in front of an exec. You’d rather not be remembered, than be remembered negatively.
Interview
In most cases, the general rules section would apply here, however there are a few additions.
If your interviewing with an exec, in most cases you're going to be their admin or executive recruiting is screening. If the latter, remember to get as much detail about the execs from the recruiter. They may know some things you can use.
If you are traveling for the interview and staying in a hotel, pack 2 suits just in case. Coffee spills are sent from hell. This may seem like dumb advice but trust me, it's worth it.
Before the interview while you're waiting, talk to the admin. Compliment them. Get to know them. This will help, as they are the gatekeepers.
Remember to be relaxed. Most people act a bit nervous around execs. They are just regular people who also poop. Eliminate the pedestal.
Casual
General rules apply here as well, but the one thing to keep in mind is to keep your guard up.
Just because you're at a bar and drinking, doesn't mean they want to know about your classic G.I Joe collection or that you drink coffee on the crapper. Don't get too comfortable and don't over share.
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