When we gather, we often make the mistake of merging category with purpose. We outsource our decisions and our assumptions about our gatherings to people, formats, and contexts that are not our own.

We get caught into the false belief that knowing the category of the gathering—the board meeting, workshop, birthday party, town hall—will be instructive to designing it. But we often choose the template—and the activities and structure that go along with it—before we’re clear on our purpose.