It was during one of the SocratesBe conferences.

There was a session called something like "fishbowl mobbing".

This was a combination of  Pattern: mob programming and Pattern: fishbowl where there is a few people on the stage, with the rest spectating.

The rules are described here: Pattern: Fish Bowl mob programming

One of the rules is

The question box is not allowed to ask Model: Leading Questions

• when you want to lead, take over navigation

And this was so hard!

I do this so often!

And many others as well, it appeared.

I couldn't keep count of the amount of times I wanted to go to the question box to ask one.

And the amount of times someone on the question box got reminded.

This pattern kept repeating:

Person asks leading question

"Shouldn't we write a test first?"

Audience points out that it's a leading question

"Leading Question!"

Person realised

*sigh*

Person sit's on the empty take-over-navigation seat

Current navigator steps aside

Person takes over navigation seat

"Write a test first"

Driver writes a test

Person walks back to the audience

And it makes so much sense!

In this safe environment, this teaches us to stand up for our opinions.

I might be biased, because I had so much fun with spotting leading questions and calling them out.

And after the session ended, I kept seeing them everywhere!

"Shouldn't we go to lunch"

instead of

"I want to go to lunch, anyone joining?"

And to the annoyance of some of my friends, I kept pointing theirs out...