The Pre-Decision Playbook for Senior ICs & Directors
Julie Young
Ex-SVP Leadership/Executive Coach 30yrs
Move decisions faster with a pre-decision influence playbook.
If you have ever walked into an executive meeting and felt that "oh shit" moment, realizing mid-meeting that you missed a conversation you should have had, or that nobody flagged that this person had a stake in your initiative, you already know the cost of skipping the pre-work.
You did not know what was already in motion. You did not know the questions, concerns, or non-negotiables waiting for you.
Here is what is changing right now. AI is making execution cheaper and faster, but decisions still run through people. The ones who move initiatives forward are the ones who know how to work the human side of influence.
The differentiators are credibility, real relationship strength, and a clear "not about me" stance, so stakeholders trust your intent, not just your analysis.
The real influence work happens before the meeting, in the side conversations, the Slack threads, and the 1:1s. In 25 senior leader research conversations, the same theme emerged: no one teaches you how to do this, and there is no playbook for it. This workshop is the playbook. Bring one initiative you need to move and leave with an influence plan, so your next executive meeting is aligned, not an interrogation.
What you’ll learn
Learn to read the stakeholder system and pre-sell decisions, so your work gets funded, supported, and acted on faster.
How to identify the real decision path (not just the calendar invite)
How to map stakeholders by influence, decision power, and “work-on” priority
How to spot what’s underneath the pushback: what they’re worried about, what they want, and what they can’t support
How to figure out why a stakeholder doesn’t trust you or your recommendation yet, and what to do about it
How to tell whether the gap is credibility, reliability, or relationship strength
How to design one “one rung up” move that changes the dynamic fast
How to run targeted interviews that surface decision criteria and non-negotiables
How to ask questions that reveal concerns people will not say in the meeting
How to capture what you learn and translate it into a practical plan
How to select the right lever for the situation (Clarity, Connection, Credibility, Collaboration, Courage)
How to avoid the default traps (over-explaining, escalating too early, waiting for the meeting)
How to match your message, evidence, and ask to what the stakeholder needs to say yes
How to sequence the right conversations so you know who’s in, who will push back, and why
How to surface concerns early without sounding salesy or triggering defensiveness
How to build alignment before the meeting so it is a decision, not an interrogation
A stakeholder-by-stakeholder plan (who, why, and what to do next)
Your next-conversation strategy (opening frame, questions, and ask)
A one-page summary you can reuse for similar situations going forward
Workshop agenda
Set the stakes + lock your “win”
We’ll quickly lock the decision you’re here to move and define a “win” you can actually execute, so you leave with a plan.
Build your Decision Path Map
Build your Decision Path Map in triads (influence & decision power) and use a quick AI prompt to turn messy context into a clean stakeholder list—so you know who influences whom and who can veto.
The Trust Stack: Diagnose what’s getting in your way
Diagnose what’s blocking buy-in with your hardest stakeholder—then leave with the exact questions to ask next. You’ll build it in triads so you’re ready to act.
Run the System Sensemaking Interview
You’ll learn the questions to ask that surface decision criteria, non‑negotiables, and concerns people won’t say in "the" meeting, so you can address resistance before it turns into an ambush.
Choose your next influence move (the 5 C’s)
Use the 5 C’s (Clarity, Connection, Credibility, Collaboration, Courage) to choose the right next influence move. Draft your opening frame, 3 questions, and your ask—so you stop over-explaining.
Leave with your specific Influence Plan + Hot seat Q&A
Pull it together into a one-page Influence Plan (next steps by stakeholder + your next conversation script + your first 48-hour move). We'll wrap with additional Q&A, so you leave unstuck.
Learn directly from Julie
Julie Young
Julie Young is an executive coach focused on the expert-to-executive transition.
Who this workshop is for
Senior ICs and Directors (Director/Sr Director + “director-equivalent” Senior ICs) in matrixed orgs or cross functional projects
(Product, Ops, Program/PMO, Clinical Ops, IT/R&D) who own cross-functional outcomes and need stakeholder traction.
Prerequisites
Cross-functional project or initiative experience
This workshop isn’t designed for early-career professionals (0–3 years). Participants should have experience working beyond their function.
A current or very recent initiative or project
In this workshop, we will work with your specific initiative rather than a fictional case study, so you get hands-on practice.
At least 3 years in a Senior Manager, Director or Senior IC role.
Participants need sufficient organizational context to map stakeholders meaningfully.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Julie Young in a real-time, interactive format.
Influence Playbook
AI prompt, worksheets, and frameworks to reuse for other projects and initiatives.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
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Frequently asked questions
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