Pre-Kickoff Work: When It Helps and When It Wastes Time
Updated September 2026: in January 2020, before a service request had properly started, my manager asked me for slides and phoned a teammate at the weekend for samples, although nobody knew the request's purpose. I have rewritten it into advice on when early preparation helps and when it only creates redundant work.
My manager wanted me to shape some slides, and he also called a teammate over the weekend to send sample decks. My teammate had no context, so he sent a few general decks. I was in the middle, with nobody clear on the request's purpose, yet everyone wanting content for the upcoming call. The request had not really started, and it would clearly go through many iterations and leadership reviews.
When does early preparation help?
When it is generic and reusable: gathering relevant case studies, refreshing standard slides, reading the client's background. That work is useful whatever the request turns out to be, and it shortens the real work once it starts.
When does it waste time?
When it tries to build the solution before the requirement is known. Specific slides made on guesses are usually discarded after the first call, and people get attached to content that should be dropped.
How do you respond to a request for premature content?
- Ask what the slides will be used for on the call.
- Offer an outline and relevant past material instead of new slides.
- Suggest waiting for the kickoff to confirm scope.
Should others be pulled in at the weekend?
Rarely for work like this. Calling a teammate at the weekend for samples he cannot judge produces little and costs goodwill. If material is genuinely needed, a well-organised repository makes weekend calls unnecessary.
How do you raise it without seeming unhelpful?
Frame it as efficiency: "Once we have the client's requirements, I can build the right slides quickly. Until then, here are three decks we can draw on." That shows readiness while avoiding the wasted effort.
What does a good pre-kickoff pack contain?
A one-page summary of what is known, a list of open questions, and a folder of relevant past material. It gives the first call a useful starting point without committing to a solution.