Playbook
A stakeholder is blocking us
Someone delays approvals, or argues against the project.
First 24 hours
- Ask what they’re protecting.
- Check whether they have a valid point.
- Find out who they trust.
Then
- Meet one to one, not in a group.
- Adjust the plan if they’re right.
- Offer something that helps them.
- Escalate only after trying directly.
Message you can adapt
I’d like to understand your concerns about the rollout. Could we take 20 minutes this week? I want to be sure we aren’t missing something.
Avoid
Don’t go over their head first. It may work once and cost you for the rest of the project.
Tools for this
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Practitioner review pending