A question about required authority - for consideration before you approach an executive about records
Executive engagement isn't simple - nothing that involved people is. I'm currently building out an executive engagement program that I'm launching with some colleagues through the RIMPA Ambassador program - so you're likely to see a lot of thought bubbles about executive engagement as I get the course material together.
Today’s question is "Is this a conversation that you could only have with the executive?"
Why is it important to consider this?
99 times out of 100, the direct reports of an executive know the kinds of problems that they're dealing with, and tell you what they've already tried to solve them, or where they're stuck.
Executives don't have a lot of time.
If you're going to book time with them to ask questions that their subordinates could have answered, they're probably going to treat your requests for time like they're something that should go to their subordinates.
Imagine for a moment that you're the director of records management in an organisation with around 10,000 staff, and you manage a team of 50 to 70 people + contractors.
Consider how you'd respond if someone booked a half hour in your calendar to ask if they could have a file retrieved.
You're probably already thinking "that's stupid" - or words to that effect.
And it is.
That question can be asked of someone four levels below you - and there's probably a process to do it.
How likely would you be to just accept a meeting with that person next time?
Probably pretty unlikely.
So if the question you're asking is one that someone lower down the food chain can answer just as well - why are you asking the executive?
Agree 100% - this is so true!
An executive is typically very time poor and just does not have the time to engage at the level of detail that you will need to get the answers that you are seeking.
At the same time, their support to engage with those in their division can make or break the cooperation that you get from the staff that you need to speak with. Because of this, it can be really helpful to have some kind of meeting with them ahead of your engagement process, so that the exec can communicate to their staff their support of the work that you are doing.
This can save you from being made to justify you seeking out their time every time you set a meeting or send an email.