The Real Discussion Takes Place Before the Meeting

Harvard Business Review · Oct 18, 2026 · 4m

The Real Meeting Happens Before the Meeting

1 Apr 2025

---

For aspiring leaders, meetings aren’t where decisions are made—they’re where decisions get confirmed. The real influence happens earlier. Career adviser and author of "The Unspoken Rules", Gorick Ng, unpacks the “meeting before the meeting” and how experienced leaders quietly shape agendas, build alignment, and move initiatives forward. Read more in Ng's "The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right": https://www.gorick.com/unspokenrules Books, tools, and more: store.hbr.org Follow us: https://hbr.org/…