How would you address a situation where key stakeholders have opposing views on the project's direction?

In situations where key stakeholders have opposing views, I apply TOGAF principles to guide resolution. I facilitate structured discussions to understand each perspective, align them with the enterprise architecture vision, and ensure decisions support long-term strategic goals. Using TOGAF's iterative process, we drive tradeoff discussions to find a balanced solution that meets stakeholder needs and drives project success, while aligning with organizational objectives.

Action: Meet individually with each stakeholder to grasp their concerns, priorities, and desired outcomes. Personal Experience: Share how actively listening to stakeholders in a past project helped uncover hidden concerns that ultimately improved the final product.

To effectively address conflicting stakeholder views, it's vital to first thoroughly understand the perspectives of all parties involved. Throughout my career at the White House, OMB, and in various consulting roles, I’ve prioritized engaging with each stakeholder individually to grasp their concerns, motivations, and desired outcomes. For example, during a major government transformation project, I conducted one-on-one meetings with different stakeholders to understand their unique viewpoints. This approach demonstrated my commitment to addressing their needs and provided valuable insights into their perspectives. By identifying overlapping interests, I was able to find common ground that served as the foundation for a consensus.

O primeiro ponto é entender de forma imparcial a visão de cada um dos lados. Aqui não estamos falando de "tomar partido", mas sim colocar de maneira clara os pontos positivos e pontos negativos de cada uma das soluções. Os pontos positivos os donos das soluções sempre terão na ponta da língua, mas os negativos precisam ser provocados, pois não existe uma solução que só gere benefícios. Então provocar e conseguir entender os pontos negativos será um trabalho difícil, porém necessário e valioso. Podemos usar ferramentas como SWOT, "Is / Is Not", Causa x Efeito, etc., mas o mais importante neste momento é a garantia que as versões sejam entendidas e sumarizadas para posterior decisão.

Start by meeting individually with each stakeholder to understand their perspectives. Listen actively and ask open-ended questions to gain insight into their concerns, motivations, and priorities. This helps build trust and demonstrates that you value their input.Compile a comprehensive document that outlines each stakeholder's views. Highlight the key points, underlying reasons, and any specific concerns they have. This documentation will serve as a reference during discussions and help ensure that all viewpoints are considered.

Action: Organize a facilitated discussion where stakeholders can directly present their views and listen to each other. Focus on understanding the "why" behind their positions. Personal Experience: Mention a time you facilitated a similar discussion and how it led to a more collaborative project environment.

Once you've gathered insights, the next step is to facilitate open dialogue between the stakeholders. Throughout my consulting career at the White House, OMB, and various roles, I’ve found that creating a safe environment where each party feels heard and respected is crucial. For example, during a high-stakes government transformation project, I organized stakeholder meetings where everyone was encouraged to share their thoughts and listen to one another without judgment. As the mediator, I ensured the conversation remained constructive and focused on finding solutions aligned with the project's goals. Facilitating open dialogue helps in resolving conflicts and building a collaborative atmosphere that drives project success.

Acredito ser quase impossível que para um mesmo problema, as versões em discussão sejam 100% diferentes, por isso com base na análise inicial, entender o que ambas as soluções tem em comum é um primeiro passo para quebrar barreiras, pois estes pontos não precisam ser discutidos. A partir do momento que fica claro aquilo que é igual para ambos os lados, existe uma possibilidade de que percebam que independente de qual solução for a escolhida, que o mais importante é que o objetivo venha a ser atingido. Importante nesta etapa mostrar que não existirão ganhadores e perdedores, mas sim a escolha de uma solução que atende de forma mais assertiva os requisitos definidos pela empresa (que podem ser prazo de implementação e/ou custo e/ou etc.)

Reiterate the overall objectives and goals of the project. Emphasize the shared vision and the importance of working together to achieve it. Identifying common goals helps shift the focus from individual preferences to collective success.Look for areas where stakeholder interests overlap. Highlighting these commonalities can help build consensus and create a foundation for collaborative problem-solving. Use these shared interests as a starting point for finding mutually agreeable solutions.

Action: Look beyond the differing viewpoints to identify the common goals everyone wants the project to achieve. Personal Experience: Describe a situation where focusing on a shared objective helped bridge stakeholder divides in a previous project.

Amidst opposing views, there is often common ground to be found. Throughout my career at the White House, OMB, and in various consulting roles, I’ve learned the importance of highlighting shared objectives and goals that all stakeholders can agree on. For example, during a complex government transformation project, stakeholders had differing opinions on various aspects. By identifying and emphasizing their shared goals, such as improving efficiency and reducing costs, I was able to redirect the conversation towards common interests. This fostered a sense of collaboration and helped build a revised project direction that satisfied all parties.

Action: Based on the common goals and understood views, brainstorm potential solutions that address stakeholder concerns while keeping project goals in mind. Personal Experience: Share how proposing a solution that incorporated elements from different stakeholder ideas led to a successful outcome in the past.

With a clear understanding of the common goals, you can now propose solutions that reconcile the differing views. Throughout my career at the White House, OMB, and in various consulting roles, I’ve successfully balanced stakeholder interests with project requirements by presenting well-rounded options. For instance, during a major government transformation project, stakeholders had conflicting priorities regarding resource allocation. By proposing a solution that integrated elements from each perspective—such as reallocating resources in phases and incorporating feedback loops—I was able to balance their interests and project needs.

Based on the gathered insights, develop several potential solutions that address the various concerns and priorities of the stakeholders. Present these options with a clear explanation of how each one aligns with the project’s objectives and stakeholder interests.Facilitate a discussion on the pros and cons of each proposed solution. Encourage stakeholders to consider the long-term impact and feasibility of each option. This helps create a balanced view and fosters a more objective decision-making process.

Criar uma matriz de escolha dando pesos para os critérios mais importantes pode ser uma forma de facilitar a decisão. Esta matriz terá todos os pontos importantes a serem considerados e cada um destes pontos será avaliado de forma comparativa entre as soluções que estão sendo propostas. Exemplo, se a meta de reclamações de clientes é 100ppm e ambas atingem esta meta, mas uma delas tem potencial para chegar em 50ppm, deve receber uma nota melhor que a outra. Se ambas batem a meta de custo, mas uma tem desempenho melhor que a outra, está também precisa receber uma nota melhor, pois a avaliação é comparativa entre as soluções e não contra as metas propostas. Ao final, a maior nota é que aliará melhor todos os pontos e seus pesos.

If there are differing points of view, they are likely to have good reasons. But rather than get into them, first bring the concerned people along with key stakeholders to an offsite workshop where broader goals and objectives are brainstormed in a controlled session. These sessions usually throw all squabbles out of the window as professionals realign themselves to the larger organization goals.

Action: Establish a clear decision-making process that respects stakeholder input while ensuring progress. This may involve voting, weighted voting based on stake in the project, or following a pre-defined escalation process. Personal Experience: If relevant, discuss a time when a clear decision-making process helped resolve stakeholder conflicts and kept the project moving forward.

Navigating towards a decision requires a structured approach. Throughout my career at the White House, OMB, and in various consulting roles, I’ve found that establishing a transparent and fair decision-making process is crucial. For example, during a significant government transformation project, we faced multiple conflicting viewpoints. To navigate towards a decision, I established a clear process that included consensus-building exercises and structured voting. This process ensured that all stakeholders' inputs were considered systematically. By having a transparent decision-making process in place, stakeholders were more likely to commit to the outcome, knowing their perspectives were valued and included.

Diz a lenda que no Rio de Janeiro quando dá escolha do samba enredo de uma escola de samba, todos os compositores defendem a sua letra. Porém, apenas um será escolhido. E ao final, após a escolha, o papel com as letras que não ganharão é rasgado para simbolizar uma metáfora que agora só existe um samba, que representa a escola. Então, no mundo corporativo, esse é o momento de "rasgar o samba" e não vir com aqueles comentários "eu avisei que não ia dar certo", "na nossa proposta isso era diferente", "se tivessem levado o meu projeto em frente não seria assim"... a partir do momento que uma versão foi escolhida, ela passa a ser a única versão da empresa, independente de quem a desenhou. Agora é bola pra frente e fazer acontecer!

Action: Develop a clear action plan and assign ownership for implementation. Communicate the plan effectively to all stakeholders. Personal Experience: Mention a past project where a well-defined action plan with clear ownership led to a smooth implementation of the chosen direction.

Once a decision is made, create a detailed action plan outlining the steps to implement the agreed solution. Assign responsibilities, set timelines, and establish milestones to track progress. Ensure that all stakeholders are aligned on the plan.Regularly monitor the implementation of the agreed solution. Keep stakeholders informed of the progress and address any issues that arise promptly. Be prepared to make adjustments if necessary to ensure the project stays on track.

Project Manager Role: If you're the project manager, emphasize the importance of your neutral role in facilitating discussions and finding solutions. Escalation: If stakeholder conflict remains unresolved, consider escalating the issue to a higher authority who can make a final decision. Documentation: Keep clear records of all discussions, decisions, and action items to avoid confusion later.

Throughout the process, maintain transparency in communication and decision-making. Keeping stakeholders informed and involved builds trust and reduces the likelihood of future conflicts.Promote a culture of collaboration and mutual respect within the team and among stakeholders. Encourage open communication, active listening, and a focus on shared goals. This helps create a positive working environment conducive to successful project outcomes.