Bring a focused question
Write down the main challenge and why it matters now. Bring relevant operating information, customer feedback and a summary of previous attempts. Imperfect information can still help when its limitations are made clear.
Discuss practical constraints
Be explicit about time, team capacity and existing commitments. Advice should fit the business's ability to execute. Ask which assumptions need checking and what could be tested on a small scale before making a wider commitment.
Leave with owned actions
Agree the next few actions, who will complete them and when progress will be reviewed. Capture open questions separately so they do not obscure immediate priorities. Assess what was learned as well as what was completed.