The best meetings I’ve led have been the ones when I’ve lied to myself.
Let me be honest: I am always, always, always prepping for a meeting right before it happens. That time earlier to prep? I was in another meeting, or doing other work on a deadline, or prioritizing time with my family.
So when I lie to myself and tell myself that the meeting starts a half-hour before it actually does, that gives me a solid amount of time to prepare myself mentally and physically for a meeting.
Of course there is work to be done further ahead than that. Can’t lie about that. But the quiet in the meeting room before we get started? That can be a priceless gift to myself, at the price of one white lie – only to myself.