When events start to feel overwhelming, teams often default to the same solution. They hire another coordinator. They add another junior role. They assume more hands will automatically reduce pressure.
At first, this can feel helpful. However, in many cases, it creates more confusion instead of clarity.
The reality is that most event planning problems are not staffing problems. Instead, they stem from unclear leadership, weak event strategy, and inefficient event management systems. As a result, hiring another coordinator often amplifies existing issues rather than solving them.
Below are the five most common event management challenges that cannot be fixed by simply hiring another coordinator, along with what actually works.
1. No One Clearly Owns the Event
First and foremost, many organizations struggle because no single person truly owns the event. While multiple stakeholders may stay involved, no one holds final decision-making authority. Consequently, approvals slow down, vendors receive mixed messages, and coordinators wait for direction they cannot give.
In this situation, adding another coordinator only increases dependency. Instead of solving the issue, it introduces another person asking for clarity.
What fixes it:
Assign one clear event owner with the authority to make decisions. Once ownership is defined, accountability improves, timelines shorten, and coordinators can focus on execution rather than escalation.
2. The Event Lacks a Defined Strategy
In many cases, teams stay extremely busy while the event itself lacks focus. Goals remain unclear. Success metrics go undefined. Meanwhile, stakeholders continue to change direction mid-planning. As a result, the event drifts, even though the team works hard.
This is a classic example of event planning without strategy. Execution alone cannot compensate for missing strategic clarity.
What fixes it:
Establish a clear event strategy early in the planning process. Specifically, define the audience, purpose, desired outcomes, and priorities. When strategy leads the way, execution becomes faster, more confident, and far less reactive.
3. Too Many Stakeholders Control Decisions
Another common event coordination challenge emerges when too many stakeholders influence decisions. While input can be valuable, treating every opinion as a requirement creates friction. Consequently, small decisions take days, timelines slip, and coordinators spend more time managing feedback than managing logistics.
Hiring another coordinator at this stage only adds another communication layer. It does not reduce decision fatigue.
What fixes it:
Create a clear governance structure. For example, define who provides input, who makes final decisions, and when feedback windows close. In doing so, teams protect timelines, reduce frustration, and maintain momentum.
4. Event Systems Do Not Support Execution
Even strong teams struggle when systems fail them. Budgets live in multiple spreadsheets. Vendor details sit across countless email threads. Run-of-show documents fall out of date almost immediately. As a result, these event operations problems quietly slow everything down.
When a new coordinator joins, they inherit the same disorganized tools and often recreate them in a different format.
What fixes it:
Implement centralized systems, shared documentation, and repeatable event planning processes. With the right tools in place, fewer people can manage more complex events efficiently and consistently.
5. Leadership Treats Events as Side Projects
Finally, leadership behavior plays a major role in event success. When leaders treat events as extra work layered onto existing roles, event execution problems multiply. Teams lack authority, priorities compete, and decision-making slows. Eventually, leadership adds junior support instead of addressing the root issue.
As a result, workload increases, but outcomes do not improve.
What fixes it:
Leadership must treat events as strategic initiatives. Effective events require senior oversight, clear priorities, and proper resourcing. For this reason, many organizations turn to fractional event leadership to gain strategic direction without committing to a full-time hire.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, these are five common event planning problems and solutions that cannot be solved by simply hiring another coordinator.
If your organization continues to face event management challenges, this list should help clarify what is truly missing. Clear ownership, strong strategy, defined decision-making, and reliable systems allow event teams to work more efficiently and deliver stronger results.
If you would like to explore this topic further, you can read additional articles on event leadership, strategic event planning, and fractional event management, or learn how organizations use events as long-term business tools rather than one-off tasks.
Questions or comments?
Get in touch if you would like support planning your next event with more clarity and less friction.
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