5 minutes with the boss, how to make the most of it

(Courtesy)

You joined the company a few months ago. Next week, there’s a team building where everyone is going to be in attendance, including the most senior executives. You’ve read all articles about effective networking including how to make an impact and start gaining visibility. But now that the actual event is nigh, you’re thinking it may be better to just stick to speaking with the people you’re used to interacting with - your team members and age-mates.

There is a lot more flexibility in the modern workplace — this means you may not have to schedule an appointment to have a heart-to-heart with a senior executive, or to discuss some innovative ideas that you think would improve the company’s bottom line or processes. So how do you approach an executive in a way that will make the person you are speaking with willing to have a further conversation?