Present effectively Dress nicely, smell nice, and brush your teeth. These are certainly fundamentals, but I have met people in business who have overlooked them and avoid them. You can't be avoided and succeed.

Preparation, preparation, preparation Prepare to meet with a stakeholder, especially for the first time. Understand who they are in the context of the business and the project. Request that any pertinent information be sent to you in advance for review. Make the most of your time with them in order to appear (or be) effective and efficient, and they will gladly give you more.

Be punctual Arriving on time to the office and meetings will give you more poise than arriving late. It is the fruitage of an organized and self-correcting individual.