Choosing who presents

We were stuck in that familiar loop. The quarterly review deck was ready, but no one wanted to volunteer to present it to the wider department. The silence was starting to get awkward, and I could feel the energy draining from the room.

The quiet standoff

It wasn't that the work was bad. Everyone had contributed solid sections, and the data looked good. But the thought of being the one in the spotlight, fielding questions from leadership, made even the most confident among us hesitate.We went around with half-hearted suggestions, each met with a polite deflection. It was clear we were just going in circles, and the meeting was running long.

Letting the wheel decide

I remembered a simple spinner tool we'd used once for something trivial. I pulled it up and quickly added everyone's name. There was a shared, almost relieved chuckle when I suggested we just let it pick.The cursor spun, and for a second, we all just watched it. When it landed, there was a collective exhale. The person it chose gave a small shrug and a smile. No one argued or tried to renegotiate.

A shared acceptance

That was the surprising part. The debate just evaporated. It felt fair, because the choice came from outside the group.

Moving forward together

With the presenter decided, the dynamic shifted completely. We spent the rest of the time collaboratively prepping our teammate, running through potential questions and offering support on their weaker sections.The meeting ended on time, with a clear next step and none of the usual post-meeting grumbling. It was a small thing, but it got us unstuck without any friction.