{"id":695,"date":"2025-05-15T13:24:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T18:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/philadelphia-pa-1200\/?p=695"},"modified":"2025-05-15T13:31:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T18:31:31","slug":"always-prepare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/philadelphia-pa-1200\/blog\/always-prepare\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Learned from Middle Schoolers: Always Prepare"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, I was invited to speak at a middle school career day. It was going to be a 15-minute talk, one of many in a rotation of speakers. The audience? Seventh and eighth graders. The setting? A school gym \u2013 you know, folding chairs, lots of noise. I didn’t prepare much, expecting short attention spans and a lot more interest in jobs like fighter pilot or fashion designer.<\/span><\/p>\n

I agreed to speak, but to be honest, in my head I saw this as a favor to the school administration. I didn\u2019t stop to give much consideration to the audience because, hey, they\u2019re just kids and I like talking about what I do, so how hard could it be?<\/span><\/p>\n

Spoiler alert: harder than I thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t prepare like I usually do<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

When I talk to adults \u2014 clients, business owners, peer groups \u2014 I prepare. I don\u2019t write a script, but I think through what I want to say, make notes, anticipate questions, build a few metaphors to help explain the technical stuff, and generally show up with a plan. And maybe a slide deck.<\/span><\/p>\n

But for this? I figured I could wing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

After all (I rationalized), I wasn\u2019t going to be the flashiest speaker there. The lineup was sure to include more exciting speakers. I was pretty sure we\u2019d see a firefighter, a doctor, a news anchor, and maybe someone from a sports team. Compared to that, \u201cI run a company that helps other companies with their technology\u201d didn\u2019t seem like it would hold their attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

I walked in expecting yawns and eye rolls. I got a grilling.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

By the time it was my turn, the kids had heard from many others. I expected glazed-over eyes and polite nods.<\/span><\/p>\n

But instead, they sat up. Leaned in. Asked real questions. Good ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u201cCan you tell if someone\u2019s spying on your phone?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n
  • \u201cWhat\u2019s the worst thing a hacker\u2019s ever done that you\u2019ve seen?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n
  • \u201cIs AI going to be used more by the good guys or the bad guys?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These weren\u2019t throwaway questions. They were thoughtful and serious. I answered them, but I was a little embarrassed that I hadn\u2019t anticipated them.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ditch the high-level talk and make it real<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    In that moment, I realized I had to drop the acronyms, the client references, the tech jargon… and my assumptions.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Instead, I told them about stopping a ransomware in progress. I explained how firewalls are like security guards. And I revealed how we can trace a hacker\u2019s digital footprints. They wanted more.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Preparation isn\u2019t about polish. It\u2019s about respect.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    If you\u2019ve ever caught yourself saying, \u201cIt\u2019s just a quick meeting\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ll figure it out when I get there,\u201d I know exactly how that feels. I do it too.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Look, we all improvise. But sometimes, that mindset backfires.<\/span><\/p>\n

    When I walked into that gym, I hadn\u2019t shown the same respect to the kids that I usually do with adults, and I also underestimated the importance of what I was there to talk about. I thought my job wouldn\u2019t interest them, so I treated this encounter like a chore rather than an opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n

    That\u2019s the kind of miscalculation I usually don\u2019t make, and it made me uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Clients are smart. So is your kid\u2019s homeroom. So prepare.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    I understand the temptation to take shortcuts with time. As a small business owner, I realize we do this all the time because we\u2019re stretched thin. We need to accomplish as much as we can every day, so we wing it in ways that feel harmless. \u201cI just want to cross this off my to-do list,\u201d we tell ourselves to justify it.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, we take client calls without reviewing the notes first. We send proposals with generic language instead of customizing the approach for a specific prospect. We pitch without practicing. We walk into meetings thinking, \u201cI\u2019ll just read the room and figure it out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Or in my case, I assumed whatever I said in the moment would be good enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

    But I walked out thinking, \u201cThat could have gone better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    When that happens, the problem usually isn\u2019t the audience. It\u2019s the prep.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Prep is what prevents you from underestimating the audience.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    We talk a lot in business about \u201cknowing your audience.\u201d But what we don\u2019t always admit is how easy it is to underestimate<\/em> your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Without thoughtful preparation, including making time to learn more about my audience in advance, it was easy to assume students wouldn\u2019t care about my job. Turns out, I was wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sometimes we think our clients won\u2019t care about the details of what we do. Or our employees won\u2019t care about our strategy. But they do, especially when we give advance thought to what they really<\/em> care about and how we’ll explain it.<\/span><\/p>\n

    One more thing: if you can explain it to a seventh grader\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    I\u2019ll leave you with one last takeaway, because it stuck with me.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The skill of translating something complex into something real isn\u2019t just useful for kids. It\u2019s essential for business. Whether you\u2019re pitching a service, training a new hire, or trying to sell your investors on a new direction, the clearer your story, the more likely it lands.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you want to test your communication skills, forget the conference room. Try a middle school.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The next time I do, I\u2019ll be bringing my A-game.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Pictured: Me with some of the other Career Day speakers at a local middle school.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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