People fight to be at the table – any table where they think decisions are being made. Having fifteen people in the room is usually a bad idea, but cutting people out causes distress.
If we feel the need to keep an ear to the ground all the time, it’s a sign we don’t know what the strategy is. The fight to be present is a dysfunctional defensive posture. We aren’t there to contribute; we are just advance scouts, eyes and ears alert for new ideas and projects that will make fresh demands.
For all of us to arrive at the same destination, we need only to agree on the time and the place, and go our own ways with maps in hand. We do not need to travel in packs.