Awkward Work Meeting Tips

Managing Awkward Situations During Work Meetings

The first mistake most clients make in dealing with young business owners is not recognizing their place in the company to begin with. Founders of companies are traditionally older men with years or decades of experience under their belt by the time their company flourishes, so seeing a young, female, or minority owner can be a surreal experience for older clients. Make sure you know where you stand with your client; let them know, if they don’t already, that you’re the founder and responsible for their comfort and satisfaction with the company. Specifically, if they ask when higher management is available, playfully check your watch and announce that you’re currently free, or exit and enter the room quickly, greeting the client again. This may seem odd, but your response will lighten the mood while refocusing the conversation and letting the client know that you’re in charge of the company, no one else.

Founder Confusion

The first mistake most clients make in dealing with young business owners is not recognizing their place in the company to begin with. Founders of companies are traditionally older men with years or decades of experience under their belt by the time their company flourishes, so seeing a young, female, or minority owner can be a surreal experience for older clients. Make sure you know where you stand with your client; let them know, if they don’t already, that you’re the founder and responsible for their comfort and satisfaction with the company. Specifically, if they ask when higher management is available, playfully check your watch and announce that you’re currently free, or exit and enter the room quickly, greeting the client again. This may seem odd, but your response will lighten the mood while refocusing the conversation and letting the client know that you’re in charge of the company, no one else.

Did Your Father Hire You?

Again, the confusion here stems from seeing such young, fresh faces in the workplace. Most clients mean no offense by their confusion and you shouldn’t take their puzzlement as an insult. The question here is your experience or perceived lack thereof. If the client insinuates that you were hired simply because of a family member’s presence at the company, emphasize your prior experience and commitment to quality. Let them know that, no, you were not hired based on nepotism, but on merit. Offer the chance to prove that merit by working closely with the client to meet their needs and making certain that you can strike a deal that benefits both of you. Associating yourself with deals done in the past influences the client to think of you first when working toward a solution to another problem or recommending you to another business or third party. Exploration of prior deals also allows them to ask you what other companies and businesses you’ve worked with, further cementing your reputation for quality in their mind.

ID Check

Sometimes it’s not the client who mistakes your age and experience. For example, it’s not uncommon for young business professionals to be ID’d when taking their clients out to lunch or another business gathering. If you’re asked for identification, embrace your age in a humorous way and let the client know that age is not a detriment to you or your success. Don’t posture or act older than you are, or put on a show of age, there’s nothing wrong with being a young professional. Clients can observe those who are comfortable in the business environment and those who are faking their way through the day, lying to themselves about their age and experience. Trust in yourself spreads easily to trust with the client and the meeting can continue without the burden of “proving yourself” to anyone.

Family Ties

Finally, some of the most awkward encounters occur when a stranger refers to you as the client’s son or daughter. This is one of the easiest situations to remedy, however, as the client is now a part of the situation. Now is the best chance to throw the client a compliment, a playful lament about how you wish you were related to them but sadly, you only share business projects and stress, not their great genes. Although tongue-in-cheek, everyone appreciates a compliment and the situation will be defused in a light, breezy way. Be sure not to go overboard with the compliments though, as leaning into the joke too strongly can be taken as a sign of sarcasm and insincerity; seize the moment and then let it pass, always be ready and willing to refocus the meeting to your liking. Also be sure to keep the compliment appropriate for a business setting, such as complimenting shoes, a haircut, or a suit, don’t get to personal, and don’t cut too deep with your remarks.

The key to awkward business meeting situations is to be proud and true to who you are. Don’t feel like you have to measure up to others just because they’re older or more experienced – they were once in your position. As long as you’re confident and ready, any situation can be turned into a positive force for work and recognition.