Avoiding Misunderstandings With Stakeholders

Unclear expectations are a project killer When I first started managing projects, I thought everyone would be on the same page. Alignment on roles, responsibilities, timelines, & deliverables Spoiler alert - they weren't. Fast forward 6 months: → A task was delayed because no one owned it → A stakeholder expected something we never agreed to → The team was frustrated by murky priorities It all came back to unclear expectations. Now, every time I kick off a project, I focus on 3 key things: ☝ Define roles & responsibilities Who owns what? Don't assume people know. Spell it out. RACI charts work wonders. ✌ Clarify deliverables & deadlines What are we delivering and when? Be specific. Confirm alignment with your team/stakeholders. 🤟 Overcommunicate early Repeat key details. Document agreements/decisions. Follow-up to ensure understanding. Clarity by setting expectations prevents future problems. It also establishes trust, teamwork, and successful delivery. When everyone knows what's expected, they can execute instead of guess. PS: what's your go-to strategy for setting clear expectations? 🤙

Navigating difficult conversations…we know the terrain well in supply chain and sustainability —complex stakeholder relationships, competing priorities, and tough tradeoffs that demand honest dialogue. The first quarter of 2025 has been challenging for some clients and colleagues. Behind every successful initiative lies countless challenging conversations.I wanted to share this list that captures what I've learned (often the hard way) about handling challenging discussions: 1. Lead with empathy - acknowledge feelings before diving into issues 2. Stay calm - pause and breathe when tensions rise. Cooler heads prevail. 3. Prepare but remain flexible - rigid scripts rarely survive contact with reality 4. Ask genuine questions - "help me understand your perspective" 5. Give authentic appreciation - recognize effort before suggesting changes 6. Own your emotions - acknowledge feelings without manipulation 7. Respect others' viewpoints - validation doesn't require agreement. You can disagree and still find a happy path. 8. Be specific - vague criticisms like "you always" rarely help 9. Collaborate on solutions - problem-dumping without brainstorming fixes nothing 10. Set clear boundaries - know what you can and cannot commit to 11. Listen actively - not just waiting for your turn to speak. Read this again… 12. Apologize sincerely when needed - take responsibility, not half-measures. Accountability helps build trust. 13. End with concrete next steps - clarity prevents misunderstandings. Playing back throughout tough conversations with key points and actions shows active listening and understanding. 14. Reflect afterward - what worked? what could improve? In my experience leading global teams, the conversations I've handled poorly weren't failures of strategy—they were failures of approach and understanding context. For example, a recent negotiation with a supplier facing severe capacity constraints could have deteriorated into finger-pointing. Instead, by focusing on understanding their challenges first (point #4) and collaborating on creative solutions (point #9), we found a path forward and workable compromise. Staying calm helped too ;) What's your experience? Which of these principles has been most valuable in your leadership journey? Or is there a 15th point you'd add to this list? ___________ 👍🏽 Like this? ♻️ Repost to help someone ✅ Follow me Sheri R. Hinish 🔔 Click my name → Hit the bell → See my posts. #SupplyChain #leadership #sustainability

Stakeholder management isn't about managing stakeholders. It's about managing expectations. Most PMs get this backwards. They spend their time trying to please everyone. Sending endless updates. Attending pointless meetings. Putting out fires all day. But here's what's really happening... Your stakeholders aren't difficult people. They're people with unmet expectations. Think about it. When was the last time someone got angry because a project was delayed? Never. They got angry because they found out about the delay at the worst possible moment. Or they thought "done" meant something completely different than what you delivered. Or they assumed they'd have input on decisions that'd already been made. The solution isn't more communication. It's better expectation setting. 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: Define what success looks like. Not just deliverables - decision rights, communication frequency, and what "emergency" actually means. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥): Reset expectations immediately. Don't wait for the next status meeting. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Protect those expectations like they're gospel. When someone tries to expand the scope, remind them what we agreed to. Here's what happens when you do this right: • Stakeholders stop micromanaging. • Meetings become productive. • Surprises disappear. Your job isn't to make everyone happy. Your job is to make sure everyone knows what to expect. When you manage expectations, the project manages itself.

How I Manage Stakeholder Expectations Without Overpromising as a Program Manager at Amazon Expectation management isn’t about promising less—it’s about aligning more. Early in my career, I thought managing expectations meant setting low bars to ensure easy wins. Then I learned that real expectation management is about aligning on what success looks like—not just lowering the bar. Here’s how I manage stakeholder expectations effectively: 1️⃣ Set the ‘Why’ Before the ‘What’ I start by aligning on why a project matters—its business impact or customer benefit—before discussing what we’ll deliver. This practice ensures that everyone understands the end goal, not just the output. 2️⃣ Define Success Metrics Upfront I outline specific, measurable outcomes from day one. This clarity prevents misalignment and keeps stakeholders focused on results rather than tasks. 3️⃣ Communicate Early, Not Just Often I share updates early, especially when risks emerge. This practice has not only built trust but also prevented surprises. During a recent project, early communication helped secure additional resources to manage a sudden increase in scope. Expectation management isn’t about managing down—it’s about managing forward. If you’re struggling with stakeholder alignment, try focusing less on promising and more on aligning. How do you manage stakeholder expectations? #ExpectationManagement #Leadership #StakeholderManagement #Amazon