Welcome to Work Tip Wednesday, where every Wednesday I get ready and share one lesson I've learned about career, leadership, and success from working at some of the world's biggest brands.
You stumbled through an answer in front of senior leadership. Now it's 9 p.m., and you're still replaying it.
You prepared. You knew your material. Then someone challenged your recommendation, you got flustered, and you didn't explain yourself clearly. Hours later, the perfect answer has finally arrived. And you're convinced everyone in that room has already decided you weren't ready.
If that sounds familiar, you're in good company. I've spent years inside some of the world's biggest brands and I can tell you that every leader you admire has had a meeting like this. What separates them isn't that they never stumble. It's what they do next.
The meeting is one moment. The follow-through is where you get to show who you are. Here are three things you can do.
1. Follow up in writing
If your point didn't land clearly in the room, you haven't lost the chance to make it. Send a concise follow-up to the people who need to hear it.
Try opening with: "After reflecting on our conversation, I wanted to clarify…"
Then keep it tight. State your recommendation, give the one or two reasons that matter most, and address the challenge that tripped you up. Skip the apology and the long backstory.
Writing gives you something the meeting didn't: time to think and the ability to choose every word. Use it. You still have an opportunity to communicate your thinking.
2. Address what you missed
Maybe you couldn't answer a question on the spot. Maybe you overlooked a concern that someone raised. That's fixable.
Go get the information, then close the loop. A short note like "You asked about X in yesterday's meeting. Here's what I found" does a lot of work. It shows you listened, you took the question seriously, and you deliver.
Following through builds trust. Senior leaders remember who comes back with answers, often more than they remember who had every answer in the moment.
3. Take the lesson into your next meeting
Once the sting fades a little, get curious about what happened. Ask yourself what would have helped:
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More preparation. Did you anticipate the pushback, or did it catch you off guard?
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A clearer recommendation. Could you state your position in one sentence before the discussion started?
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A better understanding of the room. Did you know what each person cared about going in?
Then pick one thing to do differently next time. Not five. One. Small, specific changes are the ones that actually stick.
And sometimes, you need a minute
Not every recovery is strategic. Sometimes you need to feel disappointed first.
Call your best friend. Go for a walk. Let yourself be frustrated for an evening. You cared about that meeting, and it didn't go the way you hoped. That's what it looks like to take your work seriously.
But please hear this: one meeting doesn't define your career. Your reputation is built over hundreds of moments, and how you show up after a tough one counts for more than you think.
Tomorrow is a new day. Onwards.
Every Wednesday, I share a piece of career and leadership advice I've learned working for some of the world's biggest brands. Follow along on Instagram for Work Tip Wednesday.
