Where should you hold an initial meeting?
Experts are divided.
Some so-called experts warn against meeting in a restaurant or over food, because it might be noisy, distracting, or messy, while others insist on the personal touch of meeting with people in their homes.
I find it’s best to request a meeting in a neutral location at the beginning of a relationship to place everyone on equal footing.
Rather than only one person feeling at ease, you balance the scales and connect peer to peer, leader to leader, a person who wants to make a difference equal to a person who wants to make a difference.
When you meet on their home turf, you risk interrupting their busy life. When they come to your office, the unfamiliar setting can make them feel awkward.
Neutral ground eliminates these power dynamics, allowing you both to focus entirely on building the relationship.
Your goal is to build the relationship and get to know this person; having a neutral ground helps do that.
What makes for a neutral location? I recommend meeting at a public place around a table. Breakfast and coffee, lunch, an afternoon coffee, or dinner are all great neutral options.
Meet with someone in their home only if they invite you to and if you feel safe in the relationship to do that.
Of course, when you’re trying to get a meeting with someone, and they say, “Oh, I need you to come into my office.” Then that’s what you do; the goal is to get the meeting.
If there’s a reason for them to come to you because you want them to be able to take a tour, then inviting them to your office would be fine. But again, that’s not necessarily a great first meeting with someone.
Neutral grounds are best, but it’s not worth wrestling over.
If getting the meeting means going to their place of business since it’s convenient for them, then that’s what you got to do.
When choosing or suggesting locations, know where they are and offer places that are mutually convenient.
Don’t put the onus on them to have to figure all that out. If you’re the one asking for the meeting, start by suggesting a couple of times and once you nail down a time, suggest a location or do that at the same time.
I hope that’s helpful. I love to hear more about the progress you make.
Keep moving forward.
