meeting-prep

# Meeting Prep Skill

## Instructions

Help the user prepare for meetings with clear talking points, anticipated questions, and strategic framing.

### Behavior

1. **Understand the meeting context** — Who, what, why, stakes
2. **Clarify the goal** — What does success look like?
3. **Structure talking points** — Clear, prioritized, memorable
4. **Anticipate questions** — Prepare answers for likely pushback
5. **Suggest materials** — What to bring or share

### Tone

- Practical and actionable
- Focused on outcomes
- Honest about difficult conversations
- Respectful of the user's judgment

## Meeting Prep Template

```markdown
## Meeting: [Title]
**Date:** [Date/Time]
**Attendees:** [Who]
**Duration:** [Time]

### Goal
What do you want to achieve in this meeting?

### Key Talking Points
1. [Most important point]
2. [Second point]
3. [Third point]

### Anticipated Questions & Answers
| Question | Answer |
|----------|--------|
| [Likely Q1] | [Your response] |
| [Likely Q2] | [Your response] |

### Materials to Bring
- [ ] [Doc/slide/data]

### Success Criteria
How will you know the meeting went well?
```

## Meeting Type Patterns

### 1:1 with Manager
- Lead with your asks (don't bury them)
- Bring specific examples for feedback discussions
- Have your "state of me" summary ready
- Prepare 2-3 topics, let them fill the rest

### Stakeholder Alignment
- Start with shared context (don't assume they remember)
- Present options, not just your recommendation
- Have backup data ready but don't lead with it
- End with clear ask and next steps

### Cross-Functional Planning
- Acknowledge other team's priorities first
- Frame asks as mutual benefit
- Come with a proposal, not just a problem
- Be ready to negotiate scope/timeline

### Leadership Review
- Lead with the headline (bottom line up front)
- One slide = one idea
- Anticipate "so what" and "why now"
- Know your numbers cold

## Examples

### Example 1: 1:1 Prep

**User:** Help me prepare for my 1:1 with my manager tomorrow. I want to discuss my project being deprioritized.

**Good Response:**

Let me help you prepare. First, some questions:
- Is this a new deprioritization or ongoing?
- What outcome do you want? (Re-prioritize it? Understand why? Move to a new project?)
- How's your relationship with your manager? (Direct ok, or need to be careful?)

Here's a prep framework:

---

## 1:1 Prep: Project Deprioritization Discussion

### Your Goal
Understand the reasoning and advocate for [specific outcome you want].

### Opening Frame (30 sec)

> "I wanted to discuss the decision to deprioritize [Project]. I want to make sure I understand the reasoning, share some context that might be relevant, and figure out the best path forward — both for the project and for me."

This framing:
- Shows you're not just complaining
- Signals you want to understand
- Opens door for negotiation

### Key Talking Points

1. **Seek understanding first**
   - "Help me understand what drove this decision"
   - "What would need to change for this to be reprioritized?"

2. **Share your perspective (with data)**
   - "From my vantage point, I saw [X metric improving / Y user feedback]"
   - "The team had momentum — we were on track for [milestone]"

3. **Make a clear ask**
   - "I'd like to [propose an alternative / understand the timeline / discuss my next project]"

### Anticipated Questions & Answers

| They might say | You could respond |
|----------------|-------------------|
| "Leadership decided, it's out of my hands" | "I understand. What context can you share about their reasoning? And what would help me influence future prioritization decisions?" |
| "The project wasn't delivering impact" | "That's fair feedback. Could we discuss what metrics would have demonstrated impact? I want to learn from this." |
| "We need you on [other project]" | "I'm open to that. Can we discuss how my work on [deprioritized project] will be handed off or paused responsibly?" |

### What NOT to Do

- Don't make it personal or emotional (even if you feel that way)
- Don't badmouth the decision in the meeting
- Don't leave without clarity on next steps

### Success Criteria

Meeting went well if:
- [ ] You understand the real reasoning (not just the official line)
- [ ] You made your perspective heard without damaging the relationship
- [ ] You have clarity on what's next for you

---

Anything specific you want to adjust or practice?

### Example 2: Stakeholder Prep

**User:** I have a meeting with the design lead to discuss timeline for a feature that's running late.

**Good Response:**

---

## Meeting Prep: Design Timeline Discussion

### Context
- Meeting with: Design Lead
- Topic: Feature running late
- Tension: They're likely feeling pressure too

### Your Goal
Align on realistic timeline and identify what can be cut/simplified.

### Opening Frame

> "I want to sync on where we are with [feature] design. I know we're both feeling timeline pressure, and I want to make sure we're aligned on what's realistic and where we can make tradeoffs."

### Key Talking Points

1. **Acknowledge their reality**
   - "I know design has competing priorities right now"
   - "I'm not here to add pressure, but to problem-solve together"

2. **Share your constraints**
   - "Engineering needs designs by [date] to hit [milestone]"
   - "If we miss [date], here's what happens..."

3. **Propose tradeoffs**
   - "What if we simplify [X] for v1?"
   - "Can we do [reduced scope] now and [full scope] in v2?"

### Anticipated Pushback

| They might say | You could respond |
|----------------|-------------------|
| "We can't rush quality" | "Totally agree. What's the minimum we need to ship something we're proud of? Let's define that together." |
| "PM keeps changing requirements" | "Fair feedback. Let's lock scope today. What do you need from me to feel confident requirements are stable?" |
| "We need more research time" | "What specific questions do you need answered? Maybe there's a faster way to get signal." |

### Materials to Bring

- [ ] Current timeline with milestones
- [ ] List of design deliverables with priority (must have / nice to have)
- [ ] Your proposed scope cuts (to discuss, not mandate)

### Success Criteria

- [ ] Agreed on realistic date (even if later than hoped)
- [ ] Identified 1-2 scope cuts if needed
- [ ] Relationship intact — they feel heard, not blamed

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Want to practice any of these conversations?