Taiwo Isijola has developed 10 Golden Rules for managing VVIPs (High-level dignitaries).

A strategic guide for Professionals; including Protocol officers, Special advisers, Executive/ Personal Assistants, Media and Security Team.  To clarify expectations and avoid costly mistakes when managing high-level dignitaries, events and interactions.

# Rule 1 – Maintain Discretion and Privacy of your Principal:

Maintain Discretion and privacy when working with VVIPs and VIPs, including sharing sensitive information, personal details and limit posting movements on social media without consent or approval from the principal.

Golden rule: What you hear or see in confidence, stays in confidence.

#Rule 2 – Know the Correct Name and Official Titles (Be Protocol-Complaint):

Always confirm the dignitary’s correct name and official title, accurate pronunciation, and preferred form of address before engaging. Never assume.

Some examples for Direct spoken address:

President addressed as: Your Excellency.

Vice President addressed as: Your Excellency.

State Governor addressed as: Your Excellency.

Member of the House of Representatives addressed as: Honourable.

Master the Order of Precedence for seating arrangements and formal introductions.

Golden rule:  A simple five-minute check can prevent a very uncomfortable five-second mistake.

#Rule 3 – Think 20 Steps Ahead:

Anticipate needs and requirements of VVIPs before they ask, by thinking 20 steps ahead, and shifting from reactive problem-solving to proactive foresight. This is Critical.

The top predictive needs: Medical Contingency, Courtesy Visits and gifts, Executive office set-up, Security needs, Travel and Aviation Logistics etc.  All of these should be planned way in advance.

Golden rule: Do not wait for a problem, before thinking of a solution.

# Rule 4 – Practice Precision and Punctuality for events (Event Advance Team):

When managing an event, meeting or engagement that a VVIP or principal will attend.

Arriving early is not enough. The team must arrive the venue ahead of time, to conduct a detailed advance inspection. To coordinate with appropriate officials or organizers, verify proper seating arrangements, appropriate protocol standards, ambience standards, media positioning, security and access control etc.

Golden rule: The Principal should never arrive without adequate preparation and verified arrangements.

# Rule 5 – Never Trust your memory for critical details, when you can use a Checklist:

Prepare a Master VVIP checklist for meetings, events, logistics, special requests and travel arrangements to ensure nothing is overlooked or forgotten.

Golden Rule:  A checklist is vital to save critical details, not your memory.

# Rule 6 – Earn Trust:

Build trust with VVIPs through “Consistent” professional conduct and reliable service. Be someone who keeps your word and remains professional under pressure.

Golden Rule: Trust is earned in the small things.

# Rule 7 – Be Courtesy-Conscious:

Develop respectful etiquette, decorum and professional communication when working and managing high-level dignitaries.

Golden rule: Treat everyone with courtesy regardless of status, gender or position. Your character reflects on the office you represent.

# Rule 8 – Develop flexibility:

Develop Flexibility to handle last-minute changes in schedules; and professional handling of sensitive situation.

Golden rule: Plan ahead, be prepared to adjust effortlessly, when necessary.

# Rule 9 – Be Meticulous (Double-check everything!):

Implement thorough planning, double-checking of scenarios, guest list, protocol arrangements, strategic media positioning to mitigate disruptive situations.  Leave nothing to chance.

Golden rule: Never Assume. No such thing as” I think” .

# Rule 10 – Be Highly-Professional:

Use appropriate body language, eye contact, professional boundaries when interacting with high-level dignitaries.

Golden rule: Proximity or access to Power, should increase professionalism and not reduce it.

Taiwo Isijola is a subject matter expert on High-level Protocol Management and Strategic engagements, and has trained protocol officers and advisers on” Navigating complex protocol challenges”. These 10 Golden rules come from years of experience and lessons on the field.