Before the Meeting

There’s a two-minute window that most leaders waste completely.

It’s the time before you walk into a high-stakes conversation.

Most people use it to review their notes, check their phone, or worry about how the meeting’s going to go.

The leaders with the strongest presence use it differently.

They use it to regulate — before they need to.

I call this the 30-second prep. Before you enter the room, ask yourself three things.

What’s my intention for this conversation?

What’s the tone I want to set?

How do I want to show up when I walk through that door?

That’s it. Thirty seconds.

Because how you arrive sets the tone before you say a word. Your team reads your energy before you open your mouth.

The preparation isn’t for your slides. It’s for your presence.

What do you do in the two minutes before a high-stakes meeting?