First and foremost, to your point, such meetings are an exercise in knowing one's audience. However, the caveat I find many Business Systems Analysts fall victim to is not delving deep enough into such an understanding. For example, in my experience, I've interacted with numerous line of business representatives who have an uncanny knack for technical details. Conversely, I've also run across many Application Developers with a unique penchant for understanding the line of business they assist. Identifying such "cross-functional" individuals prior to the meeting taking place allows me to understand in advance where strengths lie and where I may need to mitigate gaps in understanding/communication. A successful meeting will be a carefully orchestrated balance between a wide range of talents with me as the conductor. In keeping with that analogy, if we're going to craft a wonderful symphony as a team, it's going to require the careful touch and persistent attention to detail that I've become known for in my professional life.