Can I pick your brain is one the worst questions ever. Why? It’s vague. It doesn’t tell the other person what you want. They can’t prepare. They don’t know if it’s worth their time to do it.
So chances are the person won’t reply or will decline to meet.
Have an agenda, questions and goals. State clearly what you want, time commitment, location, etc. To significantly increase your chances, I’d ask for 10-15 minutes. If the conversation is going well, no one will stop it. But you give the other person a clear, quick and easy out. And respect their time too and honor the 10-15 minutes. You’d be amazed what you can do in a short period of time.
