We conflate category with purpose

When we gather, we often make the mistake of conflating 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 lulled 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. And we do this just as much for gatherings that are as low stakes as a networking night as for gatherings that are as high stakes as a court trial.