My grandfather told me once as he was preparing for a trial that the secret to winning in the courtroom was to be so prepared that the outcome was inevitable. Which has been an ideal that I have always sought. Be so prepared that you know the outcome BEFORE you attend a meeting. Never come to a meeting where the outcome is in question. Conflict in the meeting is ok, differences of opinion is ok, but you should always know ahead of time where the lines have been drawn and what the outcome will likely be. It is in the preparation that you win and not the actual event. Preparation is the key.
This is true in meetings but even more true in life. Your success is never discovered on race day, it is always discovered in the months and years in preparation.
Guy Reams