Decision MakingAdvanced
The Stakeholder Conflict
When This Happens
Two senior stakeholders have fundamentally different visions and each is pulling the team in a different direction.
How To Do It — Interest-Based Negotiation
- 1.Separate positions (what they want) from interests (why they want it).
- 2.Ask each stakeholder to articulate their underlying interest, not their position.
- 3.Identify shared interests — there are almost always some.
- 4.Generate options that serve both sets of interests, even if they don't match either original position.
What To Say
I can see we have two strong perspectives. Before we debate solutions, I want to understand the "why" behind each. [Stakeholder A], what outcome are you ultimately trying to protect? [Stakeholder B], same question. [After responses.] Interesting — it sounds like you both care about [shared interest]. Let's see if there's an approach that serves both needs.
Pro Tip
When stakeholders feel their core interest is understood and protected, they become dramatically more flexible on the specifics.
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