A quiet wheel before the meeting

The room was filling up, the low hum of laptops and quiet conversations setting the stage. I had the agenda up on the screen, but everyone’s eyes were on the empty chair at the head of the table. We needed to pick a lead for the next phase, and the usual suspects were already shifting in their seats.

The moment before the ask

I could feel the slight tension, that familiar pause where people start mentally volunteering or avoiding eye contact. Someone cleared their throat. It wasn't about capability; it was about the perception of fairness, about making sure no one felt singled out or voluntold.That's when I pulled up the wheel on the shared screen. It wasn't a magic trick, just a simple, visual reset. The colorful segments spun idly, a silent placeholder for the decision we hadn't made yet.

Letting the wheel hold the space

Putting the names on it felt like transferring the weight of the choice. My job wasn't to decide, but to facilitate a process everyone could see was impartial. The click to spin was almost audible in the quiet room.When it landed, there was a collective, soft exhale. Not disappointment or triumph, just resolution. The ‘how’ was settled, so we could all finally focus on the ‘what’ next. The chosen person gave a small nod, and we moved into the project details without any lingering awkwardness.It created a clean slate. The discussion that followed felt more open, because the starting point hadn't been loaded with any unspoken politics or favoritism.