Have you ever walked into a meeting (design review, planning session, phase gate) only to realize the decision was already made? That the discussion was just theater, not dialogue? You weren’t there to shape the outcome. You were there to witness it.  If that’s happened to you, you’re not alone.In this episode, Dianna explores why this happens, why it feels so frustrating, and most importantly how to fix it. In this episode:• Design reviews are often theater because of the system: decisions are made before the meeting, not during• Real influence happens upstream, not in the formal meeting• Three practical steps to shape decisions before they’re locked in Stop waiting for your moment to shine. Start shaping the moment before it happens. Share this with someone who’s been a witness too many times.Visit the blog post for additional notes and transcript: https://deeneyenterprises.com/qdd/podcast/stop-being-a-witnessIf your team is still catching problems too late — let's talk.→ Schedule a free discovery call: Dianna's calendarWant insights like this?→ Subscribe to my newsletter: qualityduringdesign.substack.comGet the full framework.→ Pierce the Design Fog ABOUT DIANNADianna Deeney is a quality advocate for product development with over 25 years of experience in manufacturing. She is president of Deeney Enterprises, LLC, which helps organizations and people improve engineering design.