You opened the doc on the way to the call. Ten ways to admit it without admitting it.
10 hand-picked excuses
01
I'd love to do this justice with prep; can we push 24 hours?
02
Happy to take an action to come back with a recommendation.
03
Let's walk through the doc together; I'll comment in real time.
04
I want to gather a couple of inputs before forming a view.
05
I'd rather respond async with a thoughtful version.
06
Saving us all time: I haven't read the doc yet, let's walk through.
07
Reframing as a working session rather than a decision meeting.
08
Let me listen first; I'll come back tomorrow with a written take.
09
Sharing my screen with the doc open; reading along with you.
10
I want to bring [colleague]'s input before committing; following up.
Or generate one
Click below for a fresh excuse.
FAQ
What's the most credible excuse for a meeting you didn't prepare for?
I'd love to do this justice with prep; can we push 24 hours? It works because it's specific, honest about the trade-off, and short enough that nobody has follow-up questions.
Can I use the same excuse twice?
Sparingly. Pattern-match is the enemy of plausibility. Rotate from the list of 30 on this page.
Should I post a written update instead?
Almost always yes. A two-sentence async update earns more trust than showing up silent on camera.