Guess who?

"If you've been playing poker for a half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy" - Warren Buffet

We've all spent time in large, recurring, intentionally important meetings.  The type of meeting where you get together with other busy people to cross-functionally address some high priority project, issue, and/or other operational matters that the team deems critical to the business.

These meetings are typical in all organizations.  And they always start out with the best intentions.  The discussions usually are spirited and the focus is often intense - at least in the beginning.  Then, repetition sets in.  Agendas, attendees, issue, priorities, outcomes - each fall into a rut.  And yet we keep going - week in, week out.

And then it hits you.  You're sitting in the meeting and you can't figure out what the hell we're all here to accomplish anymore. What problem are we solving?  What big learning are people sharing? So you check email, slack, your phone, whatever.  You pass the time, you go through the motions, nod at the issues, remain polite, maybe chime in with your own "status update".

If you're in a meeting for 15 minutes and you haven't figured out what the problem is, you're the problem.  Yep, you're the problem.  The fact you figured it out shifts the responsibility - to you.