The Light Agenda Travels Further in the First Week

The Story
In Muscat, an executive prepared six items for her first meeting of the season, then cut the list to two. The conversation moved slowly at first, warmed, and by the end had covered four of the six, along with something she had not thought to put on any list. A colleague meeting the same client that week with a full agenda got through everything and learned nothing.

Cultural Principle
In Gulf professional culture, the first meeting after a long break needs room to find its own pace. An agenda that leaves space tends to cover more ground than one that fills every minute in advance.

Takeaway
Bring less than you plan to discuss to your first meetings of the season. The room will show you what it is ready for. What emerges in the space you leave is often the most useful part of the hour.

Until next week,
Taqua