We’ve all been there — a 90-minute meeting ends, and somehow… nothing was decided. Everyone walks away with a different idea of what just happened. Sound familiar?

In our recent Facilitation Masterclass, we dove into the messy (and often painful) world of decision making — why teams get stuck and how to turn endless circling into clear, lasting agreements.

Here’s what stood out.

The Pain Is Real

When we polled participants, the top challenges were:

• Endless discussion with no closure

• No clear owner or next step

• Decisions that won’t stick

• Too many voices, not enough clarity

In short: everyone feels the pain, just in different ways.

The First Trap: Vague Agreements

“Let’s circle back next week.”

“We all agree, right?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

If those phrases show up a lot in your meetings, you might be skipping the structure that makes decisions real.

Here’s a simple 4-step framework shared in the session — one that works for teams, projects, even parenting teenagers (really):

1. Present a clear proposal. What exactly are we agreeing to?

2. Check for understanding. Does everyone actually get it?

3. Check for agreement. Go around and confirm. No assumptions.

4. Document it. Put it in writing. Even a follow-up email counts.

Skip any of these, and you’re leaving space for confusion — or plausible deniability.

Trap #2: Trying to Do Too Much

When everything feels urgent, we overload meetings with too many decisions. Instead, simplify.

Break big decisions into smaller ones.

Agree on the first step — then move.

Small, clear wins build momentum (and confidence) faster than big, fuzzy conversations.

Trap #3: Too Many Cooks

In growing organizations, everyone wants a say. The trick is knowing who needs to be involved, when, and how.

Ask:

• Who’s responsible for the final decision?
• Who will implement it?
• Who could block it?
• Who will be affected?

Trap #4: Unclear Decision-Making Methods

Not every decision needs a group vote. In fact, sometimes that’s the worst option.

Here are five valid ways to decide:

• Decide and announce (urgent or straightforward)
• Gather input from individuals and decide
• Gather input from the team and decide
• Consensus (everyone supports the path forward)
• Delegate with constraints (someone else decides within clear boundaries)

The Big Idea

Great facilitation isn’t just about running meetings. It’s about creating the space — and the structure — where decisions can happen, stick, and move things forward.

As Beth and David from Interaction Associates reminded us:

“When people know how a decision will be made and what their role is, trust increases — and action follows.”

Ready to Strengthen Your Facilitation Skills?

If you found these insights useful, they’re just a taste of what you’ll practice in Essential Facilitation, our flagship online workshop.

You’ll learn the frameworks and tools that make meetings more productive, decisions more durable, and collaboration a lot less painful.

👉 Learn more about Essential Facilitation