August 16, 2009
Q. My client is meeting with the chair of an important House committee and her staff. While my client knows the issues his organization is facing, he is reluctant to speak out. Often he will beat around the bush and avoid the core issue because it’s controversial. What can I do to get him to come to grips with this?
A: Winners are leaders who are willing to be bold.
They are not afraid to take a stand, popular or otherwise. Importantly, they are willing to invest the time and resources necessary to communicate their position effectively.
The next time you are scheduled to meet with the chairperson of a key committee follow these important steps:
- Prepare. Set aside time with your client well in advance to plan your strategy with purpose. Be firm with your client. Adopt the discipline of rehearsing and role playing with your client. If his position is not clear during rehearsal, you can bet he will back off during the meeting.
- Counsel your client to take a stand. It is important that legislators know and understand clearly your client’s concerns and position. When your client leaves a meeting, he should leave no doubt about why he came and where he stands.
- Develop key messages — no more than three — that state your client’s position clearly and concisely, being sure to state the benefits of, for example, raising the income eligibility levels for SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan, so that more children in low-income, working families have access to health care.
- Finally, no whining allowed. Avoid bringing only problems forward. Instead, bring solutions.
In these times, leaders have to be prepared and willing to be bold, to take a stand and speak out. Otherwise, they and their organizations run the risk of being left behind.
Paula Blanchard Stone and Patty McCarthy are partners in McCarthyBlanchard, an executive training firm specializing in key message development, presentation skills training, media interview training and executive presence. Copyright © 2008 McCarthy Blanchard. | Website
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