I've already seen how a decision took four months to be answered - four months of emails, follow-ups, rounds of coordination - and then a workshop was held and the decision was made two hours later. That's not an isolated case. It happens to me regularly and it surprises me every time. If you make decisions in a workshop, you save months - not days. Here I show you why this is no coincidence.
In many companies, delays in decision-making are not an exception, they are the norm. Heads of department wait for their superiors, superiors wait for the board, the board waits for the next quarter - and the project stands still What frustrates me the most is that the information is usually already available, opinions have been formed: The information has usually been available for a long time, opinions have been formed. There is no lack of knowledge. What is lacking is a space in which everyone can make decisions at the same time.
This is exactly what a good workshop is: no brainstorming, no collection of ideas - a space in which real decisions are made.
Why decisions in companies take so long
Decision-making processes in companies are not a question of intelligence or motivation, but a structural problem. The larger the company, the more levels there are between impulse and decision. A department develops an idea. The idea goes to the head of department. The head of department brings it to the management meeting. The management meeting is postponed. Next month. Then again.
I observe this in almost every medium-sized company - not because the people work badly, but because the system is built that way. Decisions are prepared in silos and passed upwards in hierarchies. At every level there are filter questions, questions of responsibility, risk assessments.
The result: no decision is ever urgent enough to be made immediately.
Then there is the feedback problem. Anyone who initiates a decision rarely receives synchronised feedback. Instead: asynchronous emails, incomplete information, different interpretations. Everyone only sees their own section, nobody sees the whole picture. This not only costs time and money - it also costs nerves!
Without a decision-maker in the room, the workshop is a waste of time
That's the one rule I never break. And I recommend everyone to do the same. If the person who has to say yes or no at the end is not in the workshop in person - then the workshop is an extended preparation round. Not a bad format, but not a decision-making workshop.
I moderated workshops in which everyone involved was extremely well prepared, all the information was open and the discussion went extremely well. And then: „We still have to agree this with the management.“ Over. The end. Nothing for weeks.
The decision-maker must be in the room
This sometimes means difficult discussions in advance. „The CEO doesn't have time for a whole day.“ Then we do half a day. Or three hours. But he has to be there. Otherwise I can't promise that decisions will be made. The good news is that if you manage to do this - if the real decision-maker is in the room - then decisions are made in almost every workshop because the situation demands it, because everyone is there at the same time and because it is no longer possible to avoid them.
What is different in the workshop than in any meeting
Meetings are asynchronous decision preparation that takes place synchronously. That sounds contradictory, but that's exactly what happens. People with different levels of information come together in meetings: One has read the report, the other hasn't, one knows the context, the other is hearing the topic for the first time. This leads to a classic pattern - the first half of the meeting brings everyone up to the same level and then there is no time left for real decisions.
This is different in a workshop because the structure prevents it from the outset. A well-moderated workshop lays all information openly on the table at the beginning - all at the same time, everyone with the same picture in mind. Then the joint analysis begins, then the evaluation, then the decision in the workshop.
The decisive factor: All participants leave the workshop with a decision. Not with a recommendation. Not with a draft. With a result. In workshops, I've seen teams decide things after three hours that had previously been stuck in email chains for months. Not because they were smarter, but because the conditions were right: common ground, shared space, a clear goal.
The real ROI of a workshop: you pay for months saved
When it comes to workshop ROI, many people think of the output document: the strategy, the roadmap, the decision. That's right - but that's only half the equation. The real ROI is the time saved. And that is massive.
Let me be specific. A decision that takes four months ties up resources during this time. Project managers writing follow-ups. Managers sitting in coordination meetings. Employees waiting for the green light before they can get started. These are not marginal costs.
Do the maths yourself: Three managers, four months on hold. Pro rata personnel costs, opportunity costs, delayed project start. I have seen scenarios where this figure quickly reaches six figures. A workshop costs one day. Maybe two. Plus preparation and moderation. And then the decision is made. This is not a premium expense - this is simple cost optimisation. Anyone who calculates differently is doing the maths wrong.
When a workshop is not the right answer
I'm saying this because I think it's important: A workshop is not a panacea. There are situations in which it doesn't work - and I'd rather say that beforehand than afterwards. A workshop doesn't work if the decision has already been made and just needs to be legitimised. A workshop doesn't work if basic information is missing. If we first have to collect data, create analyses or obtain external expertise - then we need that first and then the workshop.
And a workshop doesn't work if the conflict is too deep. If two camps have fundamentally different interests and this difference cannot be resolved in one day, a mediation process is the more appropriate format. I turn down jobs if I feel that the workshop is not the right tool.
How to set up a decision-making workshop
A workshop that really leads to decisions is not a product of chance. Careful preparation is the be-all and end-all.
Step 1: Formulate the decision question clearly
Before you invite anyone, you need to know: What should be decided at the end of the workshop? Not „we want to talk about X“. But rather: „We decide whether or not to do X - and if so, how.“
The question must be so specific that a clear yes or no is possible at the end.
Step 2: Invite the right people
Less is more. You need: the decision-maker, the people with the most relevant knowledge and - if necessary - a neutral moderator. No spectators, no politics. And anyone who does not actively contribute to the decision in the workshop has no place in the room.
Step 3: Share all information beforehand
No workshop participant should hear about important facts for the first time in the workshop. Relevant data, analyses, options - everything is provided in advance as reading material. The workshop is not there to inform. It is there to make decisions.
Workshop template for the invitation:
„We will meet on [date] for [X hours] to make the following decision in the workshop: [decision question]. Please read the attached material beforehand (approx. 20 minutes). At the end of the workshop we will have decided [yes/no/option A or B].“
Step 4: Moderate a clear structure
A decision-making workshop needs phases: Joint stocktaking - evaluate options - make a decision - determine next steps. Each phase has a timebox, so there is no room for digression.
Step 5: Document the decision and communicate it directly
At the end of the workshop there is a written protocol. Not five pages. Three sentences: What was decided? Who is responsible? What happens next, and by when? These minutes are sent to everyone involved on the same day.
FAQ: Decisions in the workshop
How long should a decision-making workshop last?
This depends on the complexity of the decision in the workshop. Three to four hours is often enough for clearly defined questions. For complex strategic decisions with many participants, it can take a whole day. What never works: calling a one-hour meeting a „workshop“ and then wondering why no decision is made. Time is no guarantee - but too little time is a guarantee of no result.
What does a professionally moderated workshop cost?
This varies greatly depending on the provider, duration and preparation. Half a day of professional moderation costs between 1,500 and 5,000 euros, depending on the market. That sounds like a lot - until you set it against the cost of delaying a decision for four months. In most cases, the moderation is the most favourable expense compared to the total outlay.
Does a workshop always have to be moderated externally?
No. Internal moderation works well if the moderator does not have their own agenda in the decision and is truly neutral. This is often more difficult than it sounds. I recommend external moderation especially if the decision is politically charged, if there are hierarchies in the room that inhibit free speech, or if internal moderation has not led to results in the past.
What happens if no agreement is reached in the workshop?
Then that is a result. Not a bad result - an honest one. If no agreement can be reached after a structured workshop, this is usually due to a deeper conflict that needs to be dealt with first. This knowledge is valuable. It prevents you from investing further months in coordination loops that lead nowhere.
Which decisions are particularly suitable for a workshop?
Strategic decisions that affect several departments. Prioritisation decisions with real trade-offs. Process decisions that affect several teams. And any decision that has been in circulation for more than six weeks without having been made. The last criterion is usually the clearest signal: if a decision gets stuck in the normal process, it needs a different framework.
A workshop is not a miracle cure. But it is the most efficient format I know of for accelerating decisions that are stuck in everyday life. What takes months in meetings takes hours in the right workshop.
If you are currently putting off a decision - write to me. In a brief discussion, we will find out whether a workshop is the right format. And if so, what it should look like.
Marco Barooah-Siebertz is the founder of Superblau in Cologne, a consultancy for positioning, go-to-market, storytelling and digital products. He supports start-ups and SMEs in developing clear brand messages and converting websites.
