The long silence after asking for a volunteer

We were at the end of our sprint review, and the demo had gone well. I asked who wanted to present the findings to the wider product group next week. The silence that followed was so thick you could feel it in the air.Everyone was suddenly very interested in their notes, or their coffee. It wasn't about not wanting to contribute; it was the weight of the decision, the unspoken pressure of volunteering or being volunteered.

That moment of collective hesitation

I've seen it before, of course. Someone will eventually step up, but it often feels like a small burden they're taking on for the team. The person who volunteers is usually the same one who did it last time, or the one who feels most responsible.It creates a subtle imbalance, even if no one complains. The decision becomes about personality, not about fairness or opportunity. I wanted a way to lift that weight off everyone's shoulders, including my own.

Letting the wheel make the call

So, the next time we needed someone for a presentation, I brought up a simple spinner on the shared screen. I'd pre-loaded it with everyone's name who was eligible that sprint. The rule was simple: whoever it landed on would lead the presentation prep.The atmosphere shifted immediately. The tension just dissolved. There were a few nervous laughs, but they were light, almost relieved. It wasn't personal anymore; it was just chance.The person it landed on gave a mock sigh, then got to work. There was no resentment, no second-guessing. It was just the outcome of the spin.

A tool for fairness, not avoidance

It doesn't replace discussion for important strategic decisions. But for these recurring, rotational tasks, it's perfect. It removes the awkward social calculus of who should do what.

The quiet efficiency afterwards

Now, when a presenting slot comes up, we just spin. The conversation moves straight to planning the content, not debating the presenter. It saves time, but more importantly, it saves a little bit of the team's social energy.