This week we talk about a tough subject – how to handle an outside senior stakeholder who wants to exert influence on your project. This can be very tough when that influence is contrary to decisions already agreed in the project by senior stakeholders, or if that influence is uninformed.

 

In this episode, Kate outlines a formula that she uses to effectively manage such requests. Following that 5 step formula results in the following response statement:

Knowing that we wanted to achieve [project success definition]

within [success criteria],

we looked at [new random request from the stakeholder]. 

This would give us [positive thing about random request].

However, with [the impacts of the request], 

it makes us [exceed constraint or missed objective].

 

For example:

Knowing that we wanted to obliterate the rebellion

By next Friday,

We looked at Lord Vader’s request to implement a swimming pool on the Death Star.

This would give us a great way to chill out once we rule the galaxy.

However, since this would have to replace the Tie fighter bay and delay completion of the main reactor,

It makes it impossible to destroy the rebellion by next Friday, and risks the rebel scum destroying the Death Star, since we would have no Tie fighter defense

 

Listen in to find out how you can effectively use this formula, whether or not you have a Death Star

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*Death Star, Tie fighters and Darth Vader are all copyright of Star Wars, Disney and people who could sue us into oblivion.