August 4, 2025: The Ramble Room

Why are we even meeting?

That’s the question I ask far too often, usually around minute 47 of a discussion which should’ve been an email.

It’s not that I dislike people, and I’m not against all gatherings. Some serve a real purpose.

But too many feel like using dial-up internet to download The Lord of the Rings. It’s a long slog in a foggy field with no end in sight. Just a slow drift toward the next Outlook calendar invite.

Then I found a smart framework from Rahim Charania, a real estate investor who uses a “What Why What” rubric.

Before scheduling any get-together, three questions must be answered:

• What are the issues?

• Why do we need to meet?

• What is the best possible outcome?

The time allotted is 15 minutes and rarely goes over. As Charania says, “It forces everyone to do the majority of their thinking before the meeting.”

Most 60 or 90-minute conferences could be trimmed down to fifteen if people show up prepared. When they’re not, things unravel like a lazy spool of yarn.

The fix is simple: What Why What.

So, unless your meeting involves snacks, just send me an email.