Introduction: What You’ll Learn
When stakeholders have different priorities, their requests can sometimes conflict. This simulation is designed to help you practice managing these conflicts, aligning with project goals, and maintaining clear communication.
You’ll practice:
- Understanding stakeholder priorities
- Negotiating and prioritizing requests
- Communicating decisions clearly and diplomatically
- Aligning stakeholder needs with project goals
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Identifying Conflicts
Facilitator: "Hey team, hope everyone’s doing well. We’ve got some conflicting requests from stakeholders that need our attention. Let’s go over them and see how we can align everything with our project goals."
Facilitator: "Marketing’s pushing for a new feature to be ready for an upcoming campaign, but Sales is asking us to fix some bugs that are affecting demos. We need to figure out how to handle both."
Facilitator: "Jamie, can you fill us in on Marketing’s side?"
Jamie (Marketing): "Sure thing. Our campaign in a couple of months really hinges on this new feature. It’s a big chance to pull in new leads and boost engagement. Delays could really hurt us."
Facilitator: "Got it, thanks Jamie. Chris, what's the scoop from Sales?"
Chris (Sales): "We’re losing potential deals because of these bugs in our demos. Getting them fixed is crucial to hitting our targets this quarter."
Scene 2: Prioritizing and Negotiating
Facilitator: "Okay, let’s break it down. We need to weigh the impact and timelines of these requests. How can we balance short-term revenue with long-term growth? Jamie, how crucial is this feature for the campaign?"
Jamie (Marketing): "Well, if we get it done right, it could boost our campaign results by 30%. But it’s gotta be stable."
Chris (Sales): "Fixing the bugs could help us close 5-10% more deals this quarter."
Facilitator: "Given these insights, I suggest we tackle the critical bugs first to keep demos running smoothly, and at the same time, start planning the feature development. How does this plan sound to everyone?"
Scene 3: Aligning and Decision-Making
Facilitator: "So, based on what we’ve talked about and our project goals, let's prioritize those bug fixes in this sprint and get started on the feature. Jamie, do you think Marketing can adjust the timeline a bit?"
Jamie (Marketing): "We can shift things around a little if it means a solid feature launch. It’s important that everything works smoothly."
Chris (Sales): "As long as those major bugs are sorted out quickly, this works for us."
Facilitator: "Great. I’ll update the roadmap and make sure all stakeholders are on the same page."
Scene 4: Communicating Clearly
Facilitator: "To wrap up, I’ll draft a note for stakeholders explaining our plan and how it aligns with our project goals. Any final thoughts or concerns?"
Team: (No additional concerns are raised.)
Facilitator: "Awesome, thanks everyone. Let’s keep the lines of communication open and stay aligned as we move forward."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: A stakeholder insists their request should be prioritized over others.
- Best Response: “I totally get the urgency. Let’s see how it fits in with our current priorities and find a way to meet everyone’s needs.”
Challenge 2: The team feels overwhelmed by the number of requests.
- Best Response: “Let’s focus on our main goals and see how each request lines up. We’ll tackle them step by step.”
Challenge 3: A stakeholder is not satisfied with the proposed plan.
- Best Response: “Let’s schedule a follow-up meeting to address your concerns and ensure our approach works for you.”
Optional Curveball Mode
- A stakeholder changes their request mid-sprint.
- New urgent requests come in unexpectedly.
- Stakeholders disagree publicly in a meeting.
Practice handling each scenario calmly and keeping the team focused on project goals.
Reflection Checklist
Stakeholder Management
- Did I understand each stakeholder’s priorities clearly?
- Did I facilitate a balanced discussion?
Decision-Making
- Did I ensure decisions aligned with project goals?
- Did I communicate decisions clearly and diplomatically?
Team Dynamics
- Did I keep the team focused and aligned?
- Did I encourage open communication and collaboration?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring stakeholder priorities
- Making decisions without team input
- Overcommitting to multiple requests
- Failing to communicate decisions effectively