Nemawashi and the Meta of Meetings

Here's a pattern I see destroying technical decisions: we've turned meetings into gladiatorial contests of quick wit instead of deliberate problem-solving. Nemawashi, "turning the roots", is a side-step to that.

Pre-socialize decisions through 1-on-1s. Let people think privately, examine data, and reach consensus before the formal meeting. People think better in private, not when they’re performing in front of others.

Since then, I’ve stopped seeing meetings as places for quick wit and started valuing the prep work. The coffee chats, the shared data, the quiet thinking. It’s slower, but it leads to better decisions and fewer grudges.