Committee Conundrum: Where brilliant minds unite to perfect the art of collective inaction—break free and be the lone wolf of progress!
Committee Conundrum: Breaking Free from Collective Inaction
There’s something fascinating about a committee. Gather a group of intelligent, well-meaning people in a room, give them a decision to make, and watch the wheels turn—slowly, painfully, sometimes not at all. (Cue the sound of crickets.)
That’s the essence of the “Committee Conundrum.” Brilliant minds unite, yet somehow, progress stalls. The intention is good, the talent is undeniable, but the outcome? Often, a masterpiece of collective inaction. (Or as I like to call it, “decision-making theater.”)
The Art of Doing Nothing (Together)
Committees thrive on structure: agendas, minutes, subcommittees to discuss the subcommittees. Decisions are analyzed, reanalyzed, and tabled for the next meeting. The cycle repeats. Weeks pass. Maybe months. And in the end, the bold new idea gets diluted, delayed, or discarded. (RIP, great idea. We hardly knew ye.)
This isn’t to say that committees don’t serve a purpose. They provide checks and balances. They bring diverse perspectives. But when efficiency is sacrificed for the sake of consensus, progress suffers. It’s like trying to bake a cake with 12 chefs and no oven.
The Lone Wolf of Progress
The second part of the quote nudges us toward another path—the “lone wolf” approach. Not in a reckless, ignore-everyone kind of way, but in a “someone has to move forward” sense. The lone wolf sees the bottleneck and finds a way around it.
History is full of lone wolves who made things happen. Think of Henry Ford, who streamlined car production, or Steve Jobs, who pushed innovation forward while others debated feasibility. These weren’t people who waited for a committee’s approval. They took action. (And probably skipped a few meetings along the way.)
Striking the Right Balance
Of course, going solo isn’t always the answer. The best progress happens when leadership knows when to collaborate and when to move forward decisively. Some of the greatest breakthroughs come from individuals who weren’t afraid to step ahead while others were still talking about it.
It’s like being the person who finally says, “Enough talking—let’s try this and see what happens.” (Spoiler alert: Things usually happen.)
So, What’s Your Move?
The next time you find yourself in a meeting where the only decision is to schedule another meeting, ask yourself: Is this a discussion or a delay? And if it’s the latter, maybe it’s time to step out of the circle and start moving forward.
Are you stuck in a cycle of meetings that never lead to action? Maybe it’s time to embrace your inner lone wolf. What’s one step you can take today without waiting for permission?
✍️Note to Self: Progress doesn’t wait for consensus. Sometimes, you just have to take the first step and let the committee catch up later.
The choice is yours—committee or progress? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear about your meetings that have gone really well or really not so well. (We’ve all been there.)
