This evening was an extraordinary experience. In an intense session, we dove into the action together – true to the motto “bold as a trio.” After the turbulent COVID years, when many lamented the “age of polycrisis” and the VUCA world, it felt almost liberating to finally work out together how we can deal with the disruptive signals we face every day.
The event at a glance
On March 12, 2025, despite the typical Berlin ups and downs at that late hour, the evening was all about quality over quantity. Of four registrations, two brave participants showed up – and that was perfectly fine, because we worked according to the Open Space principle: the right people matter more than the numbers – whoever came were the right people!
What we experienced:
- Creative scenarios: Right at the start, we developed three disruption scenarios that reflected organizational madness.
- “Helix 4”: This scenario showed what happens when you blindly follow a predetermined direction – even when the flaws are obvious.
- “Twister”: With “Twister,” we simulated the pressure of pushing ahead faster and faster even though the conditions have long since started to wobble – team spirit fell by the wayside, and you quickly feel backed into a corner.
- The highlight: the business theater “Short-Term Thinking”: Everyone drew a card, acted out a situation, and added their own experiences. Several clear insights emerged, including:
- Manipulation mantras such as:
- “The quickest way to solve problems is to replace them with other problems.”
- “All that matters is that the numbers add up – no matter what you do!”
- “Never involve the people directly affected in unpleasant decisions.”
- and the unpleasant fact that communication often doesn't happen directly, because people assume others will fetch the information themselves later.
Key insights
The insights were crisp: direct availability, transparency, deliberate time buffers, and well-thought-out dialogue and reflection processes are the secret weapons against the constant noise and the pressure to make decisions in a hurry. The conditions have to be right. Then there is also time to analyze things thoroughly and check proposed solutions for plausibility. Living and demanding credibility and authenticity also means reflecting on failures and wrong decisions internally. Authenticity also means openly reflecting on your own wrong decisions.
Personally, it opened my eyes – not only to how fragile our working environment is, but also to how important it is to consciously stand up to manipulative behavior. If you are on the receiving end, your basic sense of security crumbles. A narrowed perspective fuels adrenaline and pressure to decide. Arguments are readily adopted, and a sense of being forced to act sets in. Only the reduced options and the facts presented are considered. A feeling of lost trust sets in when your own opinion apparently doesn't matter and nobody gives it to you straight.
If you find yourself on the dark side of the force, the reasons for this internally driven, optimization-focused behavior are just as varied.
- The conditions don't match the goals. There isn't enough working time to bring others along effectively and start comprehensive dialogue processes.
- Being able to wield your own power is fascinating. Deliberately steering things creates a sense of effectiveness.
- Effectiveness also comes from short-term action – here, the ability to force decisions into your own time frame.
- Reducing response time means less resistance – and who likes things complicated anyway?
- Creating facts on the ground often makes matters irreversible, so no time is “wasted” on communication and discussion. After all, what is, stays. Could-haves and would-haves are “sunk costs” and therefore don't need to be considered.
And the workshop trial kit?
For everyone who wants to do more than watch, there is now the workshop trial kit “Short-Term Thinking: Dealing with Events and Disruptions Caused by Manipulation.” This innovative card set – including a compact guide – serves as a toolbox for anyone who wants to take action. Feedback and your own examples are explicitly welcome, so we can find out together how to act smartly in the short term without losing sight of the long term.
Interested? Just send us an email at hello@schaltzeit.com with the subject line “Berliner Klartext.”
Conclusion
The evening was a successful mix of creative ideas, honest conversations, and a healthy dose of Berlin bluntness – always professional and authentic. A big thank-you to everyone who was there. Thank you, André Schulz, for making this innovative spirit possible at such short notice.
Here's to next time, when we turn uncertainty into opportunity together! Stay relaxed and see you soon!
