I recently heard someone arguing for “a seat at the table” for the members of her organization.
“A seat at the table” has always struck me as the marginal end of what you should be striving for if you’re hoping to affect change.
Nothing wrong with it, but oftentimes not exactly a game changer, either.
A seat at the table doesn’t guarantee much more than the opportunity to listen to everyone who already had a seat, and when you finally have a chance to speak, no guarantee that anyone will listen.
Perhaps instead of fighting for a seat at the table, you should attempt to upend the table instead.
Then again, “a seat at the table” may just sound too much like an endless string of meetings to strike me as very useful.
I never want a seat at the table if it means another meeting.
