Reports from The Resistance Journal Entry #326
In the wild and wasted lands of corporate collaboration, no threat looms larger than the Over-Talker—a creature drawn not to progress, but to airtime. You know the type. We all do. They descend upon our working sessions, QBRs, and “quick connects” like caffeinated dramaturges in search of an audience. And while their natural habitat is any meeting with no agenda and too many attendees, they thrive best when no one dares interrupt.
Today’s Report from the Resistance brings you a field guide to four of the most common offenders. Consider this your survival manual.
1. The Summarizer
"What I’m hearing is..."
If your meetings are starting to feel like a podcast where every episode is just a recap of the last one, congratulations—you’ve got a Summarizer.
This person doesn’t speak first, but they always speak last. Right after someone has made a clear, concise, and useful point, the Summarizer swoops in to lovingly repackage that thought in five times as many words. Their sentences often begin with, “Let me build on that,” but rarely go anywhere new.
Why They Do It
- Desperate need to be perceived as thoughtful
- Belief that ideas only exist once they’ve passed through their vocal cords
- A manager once told them, “You really synthesize well,” and they never looked back
Resistance Tactic
Preempt them. “Thanks, Maya, I think that idea is pretty clear. Let’s build on it by…” (Move on fast, before the thought gets recycled again.)
2. The Thought Performer
"Just thinking out loud here…”
Let’s be honest: they’re not thinking out loud. They’re performing thought. These are the people who narrate their internal logic like a TED Talk nobody asked for, turning minor decisions into dramatic journeys of self-discovery.
You just wanted to decide on a template.
They want to take you back to first principles, their past three jobs, and “a great article they read on Medium.”
Why They Do It
- Confuse verbosity with value
- Mistake attention for influence
- Mistake influence for intelligence
Resistance Tactic
Set time boxes. “Let’s take 60 seconds each to share ideas, then decide.” Bonus: Watch them physically contort trying to squeeze the soliloquy down to a haiku.
3. The Karaoke Thief
"I’d like to expand on what Jordan said…”
No, they wouldn’t. They’d like to restate what Jordan said, louder, with mild paraphrasing and a confident nod.
This species specializes in idea-laundering: cycling your insight through their own vocal cords so it becomes theirs. Often seen interrupting others, junior staff, or anyone not currently making eye contact with the VP.
Why They Do It
- Corporate karaoke: they know the tune, but want to sing it themselves
- Political instincts honed for upward recognition
- Belief that style outranks source
Resistance Tactic
Be the hype person. “As Jordan already said, [restate the idea]—and yes, let’s go with that.” Credit is resistance.
4. The Oracle
"Here’s what’s really going on…”
Ah yes. The self-appointed sage. The one who returns from a long silence or an executive meeting with a mystical proclamation that somehow changes everything. Usually delivered in a voice just a few notches quieter than everyone else’s—forcing the room into reverent hush.
The Oracle’s job isn’t to collaborate. It’s to pronounce.
Why They Do It
- Conflation of confidence with clarity
- The illusion of elevation: they don’t have to engage if they’re “above the fray”
- Might actually believe they’re the protagonist of the organization
Resistance Tactic
Ground the insight. “Interesting. What data is that based on?” or “Can you show us how that changes our next step?” Prophecies don’t hold up well to practical questions.
Bonus Sighting: The Combo Package
Sometimes, you’re not dealing with one of these personas. You’re dealing with a hybrid.
The Summarizing Oracle. The Thought Performing Karaoke Artist.
God help us all.
Final Thought: Silence as Strategy
If you’ve seen yourself in any of these descriptions, don’t panic. We all fall into these traps from time to time—especially when we’re trying to prove our worth, be seen, or make sense of something messy. But talking more isn’t always doing more. And in the war for better meetings, silence isn’t passive. It’s powerful.
The Resistance isn’t anti-voice. We’re pro-purposeful voice.
Speak up—but know when not to.
Talk less—say more.
And if someone’s still monologuing by minute 43? You have our blessing to fake a frozen Zoom screen and dip out early.
ChangeGuild: Power to the Practitioner™
Frequently Asked (and Silently Screamed) Questions
Q: How do I know if I’m the Summarizer?
A: If you speak immediately after someone else and begin with, “What I’m hearing is…”—you are. And no, rewording it slightly doesn't help.
Q: What if I am the Thought Performer?
A: Good news: you’ve already prepared a five-slide deck and a metaphor about mountaintop clarity. Bad news: no one asked for either.
Q: Can the Karaoke Thief be stopped?
A: Only if someone braver than you credits the original idea in real time. Otherwise, prepare to hear your own idea applauded at tomorrow’s stand-up.
Q: Is The Oracle ever actually helpful?
A: Occasionally. Usually just vague enough to escape accountability, but occasionally stumbles into truth like a horoscope that accidentally lands.
Q: What species is the project manager caught between them all?
A: Coordinitus Miserabilis. Endangered. Often seen clutching a deck of action items no one will read.
We Don’t Just Mock Dysfunction—We Help Fix It
If you’re surrounded by Summarizers, Karaoke Thieves, and Thought Performers, you don’t need another playbook. You need a sparring partner.
We coach change leaders who are doing serious work in ridiculous environments. Want support with strategy, stakeholder sanity, or staying employed while staying honest?
Let's talk before someone recaps this article out loud in your next meeting.
That counts as value. We're fueled by cold coffee and righteous indignation. If that’s worth anything to you, hit the tip jar. [Support the Work]
![This Town Hall Was Proudly Sponsored by [REDACTED]](/content/images/size/w1304/format/webp/2025/06/ohyeah.png)
