At a Glance
- The formal meeting often ratifies a decision that was already made informally. Professionals who only prepare for the formal meeting are working a version of the process that does not control outcomes.
- Access to the meeting after the meeting is not about seniority. It is about who is trusted to be in the room when the guard is down.
- The skill is not political maneuvering. It is recognizing where decisions actually happen and earning a place there honestly.
- Survey data shows most senior professionals say their most consequential decisions are made outside the formal meeting where they are nominally reviewed.
The Meeting That Decided Nothing
