Often.

yes, that figures

You lack people skills sun. I love you but your career logic is gash. 

heh! sez u

also this fash career logic would explain my multimultitun and massive house yes yes?

Well done but you stand in my shadow. 

ofc

Someone at my place built an entire career out of furrowing his brow and then saying “sorry, can we just take a step a back” at opportune moments in meetings. Everyone thought he was extremely thoughtful and considered as a result. 

taking a step back though, perhaps he really was the clever one after all

I am resolving from this day forward never to take a step back, nor to speak of doing so

real lawyering is about staying on the front foot 

I often do, with a view to subsequently taking two steps forward which would not be possible without the initial step back

I am resolving from this day forward never to take a step back, nor to speak of doing so

real lawyering is about staying on the front foot 

There is no land beyond the Volga!

And another

And another

Oh

I'm not sure* that the "can't see the wood for the trees" adage is about whether the wood is made of trees...

*I'm being diplomatic here

Taking a step back follows the assumption, which you should always make, that there are stupid or lazy people present. It allows you to start the discussion from an expressly shared understanding so that what you go on to say - if you are any good - can't later be discounted. It's a way of serving yourself. 

You don’t take a step back at the start 

You take a step back when you find yourself walking down the slope of a rabbit hole or otherwise going in the wrong direction 

If you say that before you start it’s code for ‘I don’t understand’ please simplify what you’re telling me ‘

This phrase is a great way for boomer partners who are completely out of the detail to make it look like they have some highly insightful, strategic overview when in reality they just spout a load of bollocks, I find

I don't go down rabbit holes. Everything I say is clear. 

Today, I have only taken steps forward.

Tomorrow will be the same.

That's a cliff.