6/20/2025-My Mgr junked up my meeting, argh!

You’re cruising along in a big pitch meeting when your manager hijacks the meeting and starts rambling down No Value Highway.

Yikes. What do you do?

Try this: Seize an opening and say, "Thanks for that…you bring up some good points; do we want to stay on that track or get back to #2 on our agenda?" (Thank goodness you use agendas in pitch meetings!)

Managers add tremendous value, but sometimes they, too, get overexcited in meetings. That’s ok, they’re human.

There’s not much you can do about what happened in the past, but you can control the future.

Running and controlling pitch meetings requires meticulous preparation, which includes creating tight agendas.

Today, schedule a practice session for your next big pitch meeting…and invite your manager. In your practice session, assign roles to everyone for the meeting and also lead a discussion on how derailers can be neutralized.

If your manager is unable to join the practice – but will be there in the client pitch meeting – make sure you review the agenda with them.

True or false: It’s up to you to train your manager.

Well…yes and no.

Be specific and direct to your manager about what you respond to (i.e., what best motivates you), but also, appreciate your manager knows a thing or two about the business and management.

Manager/seller relations are rarely perfect and if there isn’t a little tension here and there, then perhaps someone is holding out and not sharing the truth about needs and expectations.

Both sides need communication courage to reach a high level of trust. Here are a few tips that might help your communication efforts with your manager:
1. Be direct, honest, specific, and clear. Yeah, you know this…so do it. Don’t let problems fester.

2. Focus on strategic issues, not just the tactical stuff. Show your manager you know how to think critically about your business. In turn, you’ll force her/him to think critically for you.

3. Limit email conversations between you and your manager – too much context is lost when email is the dominant communication mode.

Don’t forget, a regular rotation of offsite meetings between the two of you will get you deeper on everything: business issues, interpersonal situations, and problem-solving, to name a few. Offsite 1:1s don’t have to be formal…just get outa the office every two or three months.

Finally, never talk smack about your manager to others. Even though your peers might be spewing at you while sipping a cold one at the bar, don’t fall for it. Not only is it a bad look, but it’s unfair to your manager and inappropriate.

Your manager is doing the best job possible to help you. If it’s not what you need or want, it’s ALSO on you to fix it.

You want to get to the point where everyone in your circle knows when you have a big pitch meeting coming up because they’ll see you in the conference room practicing with your mates (or you’ll be sucking in a lot of folks to your zoom practice sessions.)

Meeting practice needs to be a ritual.

Master basketball shooter Steph Curry knows about rituals, which he details in this video that chronicles everything he does before a game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOd7HTemROA