Why not stop over-preparing?
Last week, we highlighted how?embracing imperfection?can help you find a better balance in your professional life. Today, we’re looking at a common perfectionist trait: over-preparing.
The saying ‘if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail’ is definitely true, but there’s a fine line between doing your homework and meticulously outlining every single sentence of your presentation.
“Over-preparation is the foe of inspiration.”?– Napoleon Bonaparte
There are some straightforward solutions to?avoid over-preparation:
Limit your preparation for pitches, meetings, or presentations, so you don’t waste time on unnecessary details. Focus on the key points you want to get across and how you’ll react to potential objections.
Andy Bounds?recommends preparing questions as well as answers before a presentation or meeting. For example:
Are you still most interested in hearing about our one-to-one coaching?
Is digital transformation still the biggest priority for your firm?
Which of the topics on our agenda would you like to start with?
Once you’ve asked the questions, you need to react to the answers! Don’t get attached to specific details or slides – be ready to skip ahead or change the focus depending on what the client will find useful.
Before your next client meeting, remember that responsiveness is just as important as preparation.
Originally posted here: https://thebdconsultancy.com/useful-resources/why-not-stop-over-preparing/