When Good Intentions Go Sideways: Why You Need a Professional Workshop Designer for Your Most Important Meetings

There's a moment in every leader's journey when someone says, "We should have a workshop."

It's a great instinct — bringing people together to align, solve, or innovate is a smart move. But what happens next can define the outcome… or derail it entirely.

One of the most common missteps?
Asking a team member to volunteer as facilitator or workshop designer.

"Let's Just Run It Ourselves" — The Hidden Risk

On the surface, asking someone internally to run the session feels cost-effective. After all, they know the team, they're enthusiastic, and they're available.

But when the stakes are high — whether it's strategy alignment, culture change, cross-functional planning, or customer co-creation — workshop design is not a side hustle. It's a craft.

Poor design or facilitation can waste valuable hours, drain morale, and worse — leave the impression that your leadership lacks direction.

A True Story: "It Seemed Like a Great Idea…"

Let's talk about Maria.
She was an HR director at a large public hospital network. Her leadership team was urgently trying to find new ways to address chronic staff shortages without overloading existing personnel.

Maria proposed a collaborative workshop to engage department heads in co-designing alternative work models. Instead of hiring an external facilitator, she asked Rafael, a talented clinical supervisor with a flair for presentations, to lead the session.

Rafael accepted, eager to help. But despite his good intentions, the workshop quickly unravelled:

• Key participants felt sidelined and unheard.

• Discussions went off track, focused more on grievances than solutions.

• No one captured outcomes or next steps.

• Tensions flared, and a few department heads walked out before lunch.

By the next day, internal relationships were worse than before. Trust in the process had eroded. And Maria? She had to report to the board that no viable path forward had been defined.

The Cost of "Saving Money"

Choosing not to hire a workshop professional might save a few euros upfront, but it often leads to:

• Lack of clarity in outcomes and next steps

• Dominated discussions or conflict avoidance

• Low engagement from participants

• Reputational risk for the meeting owner

• Burnout for the internal "volunteer" who was never trained to manage group dynamics under pressure

What a Professional Workshop Designer Brings

✅ Methodologies to create clarity and alignment
✅ Tools to ensure inclusion, flow, and decision-making
✅ Emotional neutrality to manage conflict
✅ Clear documentation and follow-up plans
✅ The experience to pivot when things get complex — without losing the room

Final Thought: The Meeting Is Your Moment

Your important meetings are too valuable to leave to chance.
They shape decisions, direction, and culture.

So ask yourself — would you entrust your company's financial audit to a volunteer? Why risk the same with your strategy workshop or transformation dialogue?

Hire a professional.
Design with intention.
Protect your outcomes — and your reputation.

About the Author

Paul Nunesdea is the English pen name of Paulo Nunes de Abreu, an IAF Certified™ Facilitator, Master of Ceremonies, author, and publisher of the Architecting Collaboration book series. He designs and facilitates high-impact events for corporations, public institutions, and civic organizations across Europe and beyond.

As the curator of Architecting Collaboration, Paul writes about the intersection of collaboration, facilitation, and digital transformation, drawing from decades of practical experience and system thinking. He is also the founder of col.lab | collaboration laboratory, which serves as a hub for innovation in meeting design and participatory processes, including its spin-off, Debate Exímio Lda.

In the health data space, Paul leads the Health Data Forum, a UK-registered charity advancing ethical AI adoption and digital health transformation. He spearheads the Data First, AI Later movement and manages a curated network of independent consultants specializing in health data governance and AI strategy.