How not to become a discussion club

As human beings, talking is what we do.
Talking is a potent way to share ideas, influence, convince and rally people.

Discussion is often an important part of achieving collective progress, because it gives a chance to the parties involved to express their needs and fears. By doing so, they become stakeholders in the project or topic discussed.

But discussion fuels discussion. As we listen to other people's opinions and ideas, our brains build new connections and ideas that we can barely wait to share.

It is a beautiful thing, but it can also self-propel the discussion far, really far, from the destination the group had set. The discussion goes on until someone pulls the emergency brake, stopping this train in a place where nothing beneficial was really achieved, and leaving people disoriented and with the bitter taste of wasted time.

How does a group avoid becoming a discussion club?

Talking is merely a tool that the group has decided to use to solve a specific issue.

The group must be aware at all times that the discussion is not the goal, but a method or a way to reach it. Too often, people set a clear topic for the meeting, use it as the title of the calendar invite, but totally neglect to state a clear desired outcome.

It is also a good idea to decide on a frame.
Think of it as the operating manual for this tool.

First, establish a time frame to make sure the conversation won't continue ad nauseam. Because discussions are also subject to the law of diminishing returns, as people get discouraged by the lack of concrete achievement from all the talking.

Second, trace a clear path to guide the conversation. Take the topic to discuss and break it into the sub-questions that need answers. Don't let the group get stuck on a certain point for too long.

Lastly, agree on a way to assess the results of the conversation. How will the group know that the efforts were not in vain?

Treat the discussion as a tool to achieve a measurable result, subject it to a rigid enough frame, and you won't ever label your group pejoratively as a discussion group.