Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
You're leading a meeting to figure out the priorities for the next quarter. Every team has its own objectives and urgent requests. Your job is to guide the discussion, find common goals, and propose a priority list everyone can agree on.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Facilitator (You)
You’re leading the meeting.
Your goal: Keep the conversation on track and help everyone agree on the priorities.
Role B – Sales Lead
You need features that will help close upcoming deals, especially a CRM integration.
Your goal: Make sure what's critical for client commitments is prioritized.
Role C – Marketing Lead
You need tools for an upcoming campaign, like a new analytics dashboard.
Your goal: Ensure campaign needs are met in time.
Role D – Engineering Lead
You’re focused on reducing tech debt and maintaining system stability, such as fixing a recurring outage issue.
Your goal: Make sure essential maintenance work is prioritized.
Role E – Product Manager
You’re balancing roadmap features with stakeholder demands, like launching a new user interface.
Your goal: Align team efforts with the long-term product vision.
Suggested Openers
Facilitator:
- “Hey everyone, thanks for joining. Let’s figure out our priorities for the next quarter. Can each team share what’s most important for you right now?”
- “I want to make sure we’re all on the same page. Let’s start by hearing everyone’s top priorities.”
Sales Lead:
- “We’ve got some big deals coming up, and a CRM integration is a must-have. Can we talk about fitting this in?”
- “Our clients are asking for specific integrations. Getting these done could really boost our sales numbers.”
Marketing Lead:
- “We’re gearing up for a big campaign, and we need an analytics dashboard to track it. How can we make sure this gets done?”
- “We’re on a tight timeline, so I’d love to see the features we need prioritized.”
Engineering Lead:
- “Our systems are under a lot of stress, and we need to tackle some tech debt to keep things stable. Can we make this a priority?”
- “I’m pushing for tech debt reduction. It’s crucial for our long-term success.”
Product Manager:
- “We’ve got some roadmap items that are really important to stakeholders, like a new UI. Balancing these with your needs is crucial.”
- “Let’s try to align on what brings the most value for everyone while keeping our product vision in mind.”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Facilitator:
“Alright, let’s get started. Sales, do you want to kick things off with your top priorities?”
Sales Lead:
“Sure thing. We’ve got potential deals hinging on a CRM integration. If we can prioritize this, it’ll really help our numbers this quarter.”
Marketing Lead:
“From our side, the upcoming campaign needs an analytics dashboard. Not having it could really hurt our ROI.”
Engineering Lead:
“We’re seeing increased load on our systems, and we need to focus on stability improvements to avoid outages.”
Product Manager:
“Balancing these needs with our roadmap is crucial. Let’s see how everything fits together.”
Facilitator:
“Great, it sounds like system stability is a common thread here. Can we agree that it’s a foundational priority?”
Sales Lead:
“I get that. Maybe we can schedule the CRM integration right after we sort out the stability issues?”
Marketing Lead:
“I’m okay with that, as long as we get our analytics tools done in time for the campaign start.”
Facilitator:
“Awesome, it sounds like we’re starting to align. Let’s draft a timeline that accommodates these needs in order.”
Product Manager:
“I’ll work on mapping this out. We can adjust as needed as we move forward.”
Facilitator:
“Let’s wrap this up by finalizing the plan and sharing it with our teams. I’ll send out a summary and next steps. Thanks for the great collaboration!”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Introduce one of these during the roleplay to test adaptability:
- Sales insists the CRM integration is non-negotiable and must come first.
- Marketing mentions a surprise collaboration requiring additional features.
- Engineering faces unexpected resource constraints.
Reflection Checklist
As the Facilitator:
- Did you keep the conversation balanced and on track?
- Did you help identify common goals and overlaps?
- Did you propose a clear, collaborative path forward?
As a Participant:
- Did you communicate your needs clearly and respectfully?
- Did you listen to other teams’ priorities and show willingness to compromise?
- Did you contribute to finding a shared solution?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting any one team dominate the conversation.
- Ignoring tensions or failing to address them.
- Ending the meeting without a clear plan or follow-up.
Pro Tip
Facilitating cross-team alignment is about finding common ground and creating a shared vision. Approach the discussion with a mindset of collaboration, and emphasize the collective win.