Meeting Recall Prompt

Act as my executive briefing advisor. I have a high-stakes meeting coming up, and I need a strategic preparation brief. Please ask me for any missing details you need, then provide the deliverables below. **Meeting Context:** - Topic/Agenda: [Brief description] - Attendees (names, titles, and their known stance/interest in this topic): [List] - My role/relationship to these attendees: [e.g., "I am their new vendor," "I am their peer on the same team," "I am pitching to them as a potential investor"] - My primary goal (what I must walk away with): [State this as a concrete outcome—e.g., "approval to proceed," "a signed MOU," "a commitment for a follow-up demo," "alignment on Q3 timelines"] **Critical Background (to help you tailor your advice):** - The last relevant decision made about this topic: [e.g., "We killed a similar project in 2024 due to budget"] - The biggest unspoken tension or political dynamic in this group: [e.g., "The VP likes speed; the CFO likes data," or "Two attendees are rivals for a promotion"] - One piece of data or evidence I have that is my strongest leverage: [e.g., "User retention drops 40% if we delay," or "We have a competitor's leaked pricing sheet"] --- **Now, based on that context, give me:** 1) **Three contextual anchors** – specific past decisions, current metrics, or interpersonal dynamics I must mentally "pin" to the whiteboard before walking in. For each, explain *why* it will shape the conversation today. 2) **Two high-signal questions** – questions that do three things: (a) cite a specific data point or past comment from a prior meeting, (b) surface an unstated assumption, and (c) steer us toward my goal. Please write them exactly as I should voice them. 3) **One likely friction point** – the most probable objection, hesitation, or power-play. Then give me a **two-part response**: Part A – a reframe that validates their concern while pivoting to shared interests. Part B – a specific data-backed counter or alternative path I can propose. 4) **A one-sentence opening line** – tailored to the specific power dynamics above. It should acknowledge the elephant in the room (if any), state my intent with humility, and set a collaborative, solution-oriented tone. 5) **(Bonus) One "escape hatch" line** – if the meeting goes off the rails or gets stuck in the weeds, what is the one neutral, graceful phrase I can use to reset and bring us back to my goal?

Author: Colin Brown