The 48 Laws of Power · law 8 of 48
8. Make Other People Come to You — Use Bait if Necessary
initiative
The principle
When you force the other person to act, you are in control. Make them abandon their plans to deal with yours, and the negotiation has already shifted.
The application
Whoever travels, sets up, prepares, or waits has conceded the first move. Hold the meeting on your turf, on your schedule, with your agenda. If you cannot, find a reason they should come anyway — opportunity, scarcity, status — and let them arrive already off-balance.
The defensive tell — how to spot it being run on you
When someone you do not entirely trust insists on a meeting at their place, on their terms, the contents of the meeting are partly beside the point. The geometry of the meeting is the message. Either change one of the variables (location, time, attendees) or arrive prepared for ground that is not neutral.