Never start from zero


Run the Room

Why “What do people think?” kills momentum

Most meetings start the same way:
someone asks, “So what do people think?” — and the room stalls.

That question sounds open, but it’s actually paralyzing.

At Community Health Impact Coalition, we never start from zero.
Every debate begins with something to build on — a draft, three options, even a half-baked proposal.

Blank space invites silence. Give people something to react to.

It lowers the cognitive load and makes participation effortless.

Try this:
Before your next meeting, draft something — even if it’s wrong — and send it in advance.

Open with, “Here’s a strawman to react to.”
Watch how much faster the ideas get better.

🌿 People don’t co-create in a vacuum. They build on what exists.

Spaces are limited

Spots in the next edition of "Make it Land" are going quick—use code REFER for 25% off until October 30.


Weekly insights on building influence without authority—so you can run the room, shape outcomes, and move systems.

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Run the Room

Get in the room. Run it. Change what happens when you leave. That's the work I do with senior leaders moving standards from concept to institutional adoption. My work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, The Lancet, and Foreign Policy. Each Saturday, one short note on making it easy to move decisions that matter—three minutes to read, used in next week's meeting.

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