The 5 Questions to Answer Before Any Executive MeetingThese are the questions I coach every aspiring executive to answer — not because they sound impressive, but because they force you to think like a business leader. Let’s break it down with real guidance: 1. What problem are we solving? This sounds basic, but most people skip it and jump into what’s been done. You’re not there to share progress, you’re there to anchor the conversation in business value. Before you walk into the room, ask yourself: - What is the underlying issue we’re addressing?
- Is it a drop in revenue, customer engagement, team efficiency, market share?
You need to name it clearly and tie your work to it directly.  Instead of: “We redesigned the homepage.”
 Try: “We’re addressing a 40% bounce rate on our pricing page — which is one of the top drop-off points in the conversion funnel.”
Why it matters: This shows you’re not just doing tasks — you’re solving meaningful problems that impact the business. 2. Why does this matter right now? Executives are constantly prioritizing timing matters more than you think. You need to signal urgency, tradeoffs, or strategic alignment: - What’s at risk if this doesn’t happen?
- Why is this a priority now, not next quarter?
Instead of: “We’re preparing for a fall launch.” Try: “If we delay go-to-market, we’ll miss the back-to-school cycle — which accounts for 30% of annual revenue in this segment.” Why it matters: When you frame your work in terms of what’s at stake, you get taken seriously — and prioritized accordingly. 3. What does success look like? How would we measure it? Don’t just describe outputs. Describe outcomes. Show that you’ve thought about metrics, KPIs, or operational impact: - What should change if this works?
- How will you (and they) know it’s working?
Instead of: “We’re seeing positive engagement so far.” Try: “Our goal is to increase feature adoption from 12% to at least 25% by the end of Q2, based on weekly active usage.” Why it matters: Leaders want to invest in outcomes, not activities. Speak in terms of measurable results and strategic payoff. 4. What’s the biggest risk or objection? This is where most people default to vague status updates. Don’t. Call out what could derail your plan, and what support might mitigate that risk: - Is a dependency at risk?
- Are you short on budget, people, or alignment?
Instead of: “We’re still gathering requirements from the data team.” Try: “We’re dependent on the data team to finalize the schema by Friday — if it slips, we’ll need to cut two dashboards from phase one.” Why it matters: Executives don’t expect perfection. They expect foresight. Flagging risks earns trust — as long as you bring a path forward. 5. What do you need from leadership? Too many high-stakes meetings end with… nothing. If you’re asking execs to spend their time, give them something to decide. Be specific: - Do you need a decision? A budget? Cross-functional alignment?
- What will unblock your next step?
Instead of: “Would love your feedback.” Try: “We need a decision on whether to proceed with Vendor A or B this week — otherwise we won’t be able to start implementation on Monday.”
Why it matters: Direct, timely asks position you as someone who can drive momentum — not just report on it. Bonus move: Run a pre-meeting listening tourOne of the best ways to prepare for a successful exec conversation… is to make sure it’s not your first conversation on the topic. Before any major meeting: - Set up quick 1:1s with key stakeholders.
- Share a draft of your proposal.
- Ask, “What concerns do you think will come up?”
- Listen for priorities, objections, or decision-making cues.
Now you’re walking into the room with insight not assumptions. And you’ve positioned yourself as a collaborative, strategic thinker before the meeting even begins. | 
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