Ever try to get time on a busy leader’s schedule and they just can’t seem to fit you in?  That can be a frustrating chicken and egg situation.  How the hell are you supposed to meet the expectations of leadership if they won’t meet with you and talk about their expectations? 

The problem is not their schedule.  It is incredibly rare for someone to literally have zero flexibility in their schedule in the next 1-2 weeks.  The problem is that they value the small amount of free time they have and you haven’t convinced them you deserve any of it.

Get more time by asking for less

Busy people use scheduling software to stay organized and scheduling tricks to stay sane.  Elaborate color coding, fake meetings, and well-trained assistants ensure busy people get to eat, pee, and breath at least once a day. 

A strategy to squeeze your way into an airtight schedule is to ask for a chunk of time that’s too small to put on the calendar.  Most people view and book their schedule in blocks of 30 minutes.  Ask for 15, be brief, and phrase your topic to illustrate that meeting with you equals less pain for them. 

Need Karen to explain where her department’s sales report is a disaster?  Your request might say: “Hi Karen, Can you squeeze me in for 15 minutes for a quick look at the sales report?  I’ll be brief (and spare you the monster email).  Just need a few bullet points so I can get everyone comfortable with the anomalies before the next finance meeting.”

Why it works

1. You’ve acknowledged how busy they are and promised to be brief.  Even your request for the meeting was brief.
2. You’ve asked for less time than most people do.  Busy people feel like everyone is trying to take (waste) their time.  Asking for 15 minutes when everyone else wants 30 – 60 makes you seem considerate.
3. You’ve grabbed their attention by describing the topic in a way that implies they’ll avoid future pain by meeting with you.  It is not fun to have to defend yourself in a finance meeting.
4. You’ve left them with the power to kick you out after 15 minutes if you don’t deliver.  Demanding schedules can make a leader feel powerless.  Giving back power is a pro move.

Something magical happens when you deliver on your promise to be brief, provide value, and prevent pain.  The leader gets thoroughly involved in your topic and you’ll likely get a lot more than 15 minutes.  They might even tell you to schedule additional time!  Much different from the blow-off most people get.

‘Getting more by asking for less’ is a classic strategy.  Shrink your initial request to make it easier to agree to.  Deliver value and you’ll get all the time you need.  Have a great technique for squeezing into the schedules of the ultra-busy?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.