Does Your Business Meeting Need a Shark?

I once worked in a group that was almost too nice. We were collaborative to a fault, letting potential issues go unchallenged. Sure, meetings felt "nice," (if not a little dull) but they weren't effective. Everyone except the presenter sat back in quiet but cheerful complacency. Sound familiar?

The meetings started to feel pointless and so we decided it was time to resuscitate them: and the MEETING SHARK was born.

You don't need a costume for a "meeting shark" except maybe on Halloween...

Polite Isn't Always Helpful

In health and not-for-profit organizations, polite agreement can almost be an art form. People nod thoughtfully, say "great point" settling for vague commitments that help no one and being nice gets confused with being effective.

The problem with terminal politeness? It kills good ideas and lets bad ones survive. When lives and communities depend on your decisions, you can't afford solutions developed through groupthink or complacency.

Like their real-life aquatic counterparts, meeting sharks:

• Stay focused. The shark role transforms passive meetings into active engagement. Instead of one person presenting while others mentally check out, everyone stays alert. They know someone will challenge weak thinking, so they bring their A-game. It becomes challenging in a fun way—like a friendly debate that sharpens everyone's thinking.

  
  

• Aren't afraid to "circle in" and suss out (in this case) ideas. The best meeting sharks combine tough questions with emotional intelligence. They know when to push and when to pause. They challenge ideas, not people. They inject urgency into discussions that have gotten too comfortable.

  
  

• Don't make it personal.  They're the person asking uncomfortable questions everyone's thinking but won't voice. They challenge assumptions, spot logical holes, and refuse to let important decisions get buried under diplomatic language. In sectors where stakes are high and resources are tight, this clarity isn't optional—it's essential.When you assign the shark role, it stops being personal. People know someone has to play devil's advocate, so they're not offended when it happens. The designated shark can push back without worry, and the group gets better outcomes.

Creating this culture requires intentional change. The meeting shark, in a fun and non-threatening way, celebrates those who help the group think more clearly, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Your next meeting doesn't need a showdown, but it might need someone willing to swim against automatic agreement. The people we serve deserve solutions tested by rigorous challenge, not rubber-stamped by polite consensus.

Tips for Incorporating a Meeting Shark:

• Rotate the shark role among team members for each major decision to ensure fresh perspectives.

• Build in structured challenge by asking "What could go wrong with this approach?" before finalizing plans.

• Set clear ground rules that distinguish between challenging ideas and attacking people.

• Reward productive pushback by thanking those who raise difficult but necessary questions and taking a "yes and" versus a "no but" approach to idea-building.

• Make it official by literally assigning the shark role so it feels less personal and more professional.

• Create a templated agenda that includes: review of last meetings' action items and status, assigned shark, discussion topic, agreed actions, people assigned to actions, deadlines.

• Schedule follow-up sessions to revisit decisions after initial emotions have settled if need be.

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do for our communities is ensure every assumption gets tested, every voice gets heard, and every decision gets strengthened through respectful but tough questioning.

The meeting shark isn't about being mean. It's about being effective. And in sectors dedicated to making a difference, effectiveness is the highest form of kindness.