Jason Modemann speaks to a variety of CEOs every week. You don’t have to be perfectly prepared for every call, he says. These three things are much more important:
When Jason Modemann, founder and CEO of Mawave, sits in meetings with other CEOs, he wants to use it to its full potential. How he manages this with skillful conversational skills.
I speak to a large number of CEOs, founders and potential business partners every week. In the last week alone there were over 20 appointments. These are conversations that are about collaboration, decisions and often real opportunities.
It’s clear to me: If I’m going to sit in an appointment like this, then I want to get the most out of it. And I noticed: The difference almost always lies in how you start the conversation.
For me, three things are particularly important:
1. Don’t start from scratch
For me it is an absolute question of respect to only go into an appointment if I am prepared for it – at least a little. However, since my calendar is packed, I usually don’t have time for long preparation for individual discussions. But two to three minutes is always enough.
Shortly before the appointment, I take a quick look at Linkedin: Who is this person? What is she doing now? Where does she come from? Additionally, I check one or two recent posts to understand what’s on their minds. And if I have a minute, I’ll google interviews or press articles.
At the same time, I briefly clarify the context in which we are speaking:
- What kind of company is this?
- What exactly are they doing?
- And most importantly: why are we talking to each other right now?
- Is it about an exchange, a potential collaboration or a concrete decision?
This way I don’t start from scratch and I know straight away where to start. In addition, you don’t waste the first few minutes of the conversation with stupid questions that you could have saved yourself.
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2. Take ownership
So that the conversation goes in the right direction and we don’t get bogged down in small talk or unimportant topics, as the organizer of the appointment I try to lead it actively and set an agenda. Means:
- First of all, let’s clarify briefly why are we here?
- What will come of it today?
And then take control during the conversation if you notice that it’s getting lost.
3. Define result
The biggest mistake: You get along well, exchanged a few exciting ideas… and then nothing happens. For me it is therefore crucial: In the end it must be clear what happens next.
- Is there a follow-up?
- Who reports to whom?
- Or was it just an exchange?
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Often it is exactly these little things that make the difference. You don’t need perfect preparation. But you need a clear goal, ownership and the commitment not to waste other people’s time or your own.
Jason Modemann is the founder and managing director of the social media agency Mawave Marketing. At 27, he manages around 150 employees. Mawave’s customers include Red Bull, Nike and Lidl. He is also the author of the book “Always hungry, never greedy.”