RainToday.com Note: This is the first article in a two-part series. In Part One, Sobel explores the mindset of CEOs and professionals' excuses for not meeting with them. In Part Two, Sobel offers strategies to give you the best chance to grab a CEO's attention.
By Andrew Sobel
Do any of these laments sound familiar?
“We want to move up in the organization, but we're stuck working with a mid-level director.”
“This is a major, target client for us. We've been trying to meet the CEO, however, without success. We just cannot get the access.”
“We'd like to get broader visibility for our work, but our current client doesn't let us go above him.”
“The CEO is the economic buyer--they need his approval to buy our project--but we don't even know him.”
“There's a new CEO, but we can't get on his agenda.”
“We are viewed as functional experts rather than trusted advisors. We need better access to line executives who make the strategic decisions.”
One of the most common questions I get--phrased in different ways but all focused on essentially the same goal--is about how to build relationships at a higher level in the client organization.
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