Streamlining CEO Business: Why I Won't "Meet you for Coffee"...
Theresa Longo
CEO, Content Creator, TV Host, Ambassador, Producer, Writer, Musician, Fitness Pro
During any given day I get A LOT done. I know I am not alone here. Answering emails, delegating business, managing clients, creating original content and promotion is only the tip of the iceberg. Aside from a successful staffing and production operation I run, I also write movies (even starring in them), write and play songs, podcasts, interviews and blogs - among a myriad of other work.
Sometimes when dealing with a brand new contact (maybe an old colleague or even friends) they will suggest to me an offer that I almost always refuse:
'Let's chat over coffee'.
I am going to come out and say it: Most times in the realm of business, physical FACE TO FACE meetings are a total waste of time. How can I say that? Over 15 years of industry experience.
This article is NOT to say meetings in general are not effective. They are. Meetings are required for strategic planning and development as well as essential to collaboration.
With existing clients or SERIOUS potential opportunities, of COURSE I will take a face to face meeting. This week for example, I am going to travel 1.5 hours to a meeting over a potential lucrative contract. I realize when meetings are essential. This article is about being highly selective about meetings so as to weed out time wasters.
Meetings are highly fundamental. For general inquiries, I am totally willing to meet anyone: via Skype or FaceTime or anything that works well for you. This is 2017. There are many options.
YES we can still have coffee. As a potential client or colleague, I want to talk to you and hear you - in the most streamlined effective way possible.
You have a coffee, I can have one, from our own offices/homes, while over the phone (phone call) or digitally face to face. Of course we can discuss further - without having to meet physically. Obviously some potential clients rightfully 'want to see how you are looking,' so it is optimal to grant them FaceTime or Skype time. (It works perfectly!)
I am going to explain to you how you can cut these pointless meetings out of your life while being professional and courteous.
Be firm, and be honest with clients. Actually, many are impressed by my stance, and some are even thankful that I am not wasting THEIR time with pointless run-arounds either. Making these ground rules for your business also helps weed out people who "just want a meeting," or worse who want to pitch you when you're trying to pitch them.
Early on in my career I used to eagerly take every meeting, running myself thin. The final straw came when I met someone in 2016 with a serious business proposal, only to be pitched by the person I was attempting to pitch.
How dare he?
Anyone who wastes my precious time almost certainly never gets another meeting, and I always remember who wastes my time. If you seriously want to disrespect someone: Waste their time. Late 2016 I lamented to one of my best friends how a decent portion of my meetings amounted to me drinking soda water (I don't even drink coffee) and little else.
- "Drinking Soda Waters" Became our new running joke: for total time wasters.
Yes. I have wasted time "drinking soda waters". I wrote this article so that hopefully you never get your time wasted in another meeting, ever again! Remember sometimes people just want to be seen in public with you rather than conduct serious business.
WHY ARE "Coffee" MEETINGS MOSTLY POINTLESS IN 2017?
Time management is an exceptional skill. It enables one to be super productive. Equally essential is choosing what to spend your valuable time on. Eliminating pointless face to face meetings saves you (and your invitee) travel, gas, TIME (most important) and peace of mind. Simply put: We have other options now!
THE EXCEPTIONS - When I WILL Take a Meeting:
Of course I still accept meetings with existing clients. The clients who are already paying for my business. I also will go out of my way to meet with family and close friends.
My productivity and international business successes are a direct result of highly effective time management coupled with strategic planning.
Having said that: No. I will not meet you "for soda waters/coffee", or anything of the sort. We can call, we can message and we can have Facetime or Skype, but we do not have a physical meeting.
It's all about respect!
CISO Advisory | Cyber Security Strategy
7yTechnology should be an extension of our capabilities as human beings, not a replacement. Never under-estimate the power of face-to-face contact as it's very often the follow-on output from that contact that gets things done.
Data Management Specialist
7yWhen managing projects, I try to call as few in-person meetings as possible. I am a huge fan of Flipped Meetings because they promote distributed leadership, while enjoying significantly higher productivity levels than traditional "soda-water" meetings. I agree. In 2017, the natures of time and business are adapting. Respect the time. Respect the boundaries. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Senior Project Developer Renewables
7yI would not do business without having a coffee meetings. Be careful, in many cultures efficiency is not everything and things like personal interaction are (luckily) non-negotiable.
Owner at Carlos Cafetaria
7yI totally agree with you; however, I can also understand why they ask for a meeting, I guess with all the business activities everyone will be thirsty to charge some energy by taking blessing from your gorgeous face :) therefore, it will be difficult to avoid the Coffee meetings ;))