It was one of those mornings where the team felt a bit stuck. We were all on the call, cameras on, but the energy was flat. I knew someone needed to go first to break the ice, but pointing a finger felt wrong.
Introducing the wheel
I shared my screen with a simple digital spinner. I’d added everyone’s name to it the night before. I said we could try it to see who kicks things off, just for today. There was a soft murmur of agreement, the kind you get when people are willing to try something but aren’t fully convinced.I clicked the spin button. We all watched the colored wedge blur past our names. It felt less like an assignment and more like a shared moment of suspense, which was a nice change.
The quiet reaction
When it stopped, it landed on Sam. There was that brief, palpable silence. Not a bad silence, but a thoughtful one. Sam gave a small nod on screen and just started talking about their work.It was seamless. There was no debate, no awkward ‘you go, no you go’ dance. The decision was made for us, and it was neutral. I could see a couple of people relax their shoulders almost imperceptibly.The rest of the standup flowed from there. Each person went after the last, and the order felt organic, even though it was guided by the wheel’s result. The focus stayed on the work, not on who was speaking when.
What it did for me
It took the pressure off me to manage the conversation’s flow directly. I could just listen.
A subtle shift
We’ve used it a few times since, always when the energy needs a nudge. It’s become a tool, not a gimmick.
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