Early Bird Gets the Worm (and so much more)

We were joking in a meeting the other day about being alone in a Zoom room. You know, when you’re a few minutes early, there’s a quiet peace—a few moments to think.

Yes, there’s a little tension when you know other people are about to join you in this virtual space. Typically, one or two people join, you exchange pleasantries, and then the meeting starts.

But the old saying “the early bird gets the worm” is true, even in the post-COVID era of remote work.

In this particular meeting, I was getting ready to meet with the broader team on a project we were working on, and I joined a few minutes early. So, I’ve had a longtime collaborator I’ve known since long before the pandemic. We’ve been through all kinds of ups and downs and all arounds, including many moments of genuine connection. The spontaneous chatter about our day held within it the answer to our issue.

We’re all juggling a lot. Our schedules are packed most days with client and internal meetings, so it takes a conscious effort not to rush. But by building an “early bird gets the worm” culture, we leave room for that magic that happens in the quiet before the chaos.

Why is this truism so true? When I was younger, I wasn’t very punctual, but that changed quickly once I got to college and entered the business world. At some point, I became a person who is early to in-person meetings, movies, and date night reservations. I love hitting a deadline early and moving the task to the clients faster than expected. I cherish those Zoom room moments with my fellow early birds, who relish the worms we find together.

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