Which action is the recommended way to establish trusted-advisor credibility with a senior business executive?

Question

Options

• AAsk open-ended questions about the organization's priorities and goals.
• BAsk questions about the IT organization's track record for problem resolution.
• CProvide an overview of your sales team's reporting structure and metrics.
• DAsk detailed questions about the process to acquire cloud computing solutions.

• A
  82% (28)
• B
  9% (3)
• C
  6% (2)
• D
  3% (1)

Explanation

Asking open-ended questions about an organization's priorities and goals (A) demonstrates genuine interest in the executive's world, positions you as a strategic partner rather than a vendor, and builds rapport by showing you listen before prescribing solutions - the hallmark of a trusted advisor.

Why the distractors fail:

• B shifts focus to IT's internal track record, which is tactical and irrelevant to an executive's strategic concerns.
• C describing your own sales structure is self-serving and signals you're there to sell, not advise.
• D drilling into procurement process details is too operational and low-level for a senior executive conversation.

Memory tip: Think "trusted advisor = curious, not promotional." If the answer sounds like it benefits you (C) or dives into IT/process weeds (B, D), eliminate it. Executives trust people who ask about their goals first.

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