Other times, however, the backstage conversation contains exactly what the meeting was missing: a risk no one named, an unrealistic workload, or an assumption no one questioned. Still, I began to wonder whether some of what appears backstage could be expressed more responsibly before the meeting ends. Later, a different question occurred to me: “What would need to be true for me to say the truer thing before the meeting ended?” What I have seen in my work is how leaders play an important role in narrowing the gap between the meeting and the meeting after the meeting. Much of what she said belonged in a private conversation, though a small part of it probably needed to be said sooner and with care during the meeting.