Here's how you can manage unrealistic expectations or demands from stakeholders.

Listening is the key. Listen first, then you can, educate them with your functional or technical know-how, and then set boundaries in terms of scope and timeline changes. Negotiate and offer alternatives to show what you have got as value.

When stakeholders present unrealistic expectations, start by listening attentively. Understand their underlying concerns and motivations. For example, if a client demands a project completion timeline that seems too short, listen to why they need it done quickly. This empathetic approach builds trust and opens the door for a more constructive dialogue.

Gently educate stakeholders about the complexities involved. If a stakeholder expects a software feature to be developed in a week, explain the typical development process, including testing and quality assurance. Use clear, non-technical language to bridge knowledge gaps and help them understand the realistic timeline needed to maintain quality.

Establishing boundaries ensures that we understand what can be delivered within the stakeholders' expectations. Often, stakeholders may not fully grasp these boundaries, particularly when we are acting as an external vendor for their project. At a minimum, we can delineate the project's constraints, provide a rationale for these boundaries, and suggest alternative solutions to address their needs. Some techniques you may want to consider are Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Scope Modelling, and Risk Analysis.

Clearly define what is feasible and what is not. For example, if a stakeholder requests daily progress meetings that disrupt productivity, explain the impact on the team’s efficiency. Propose a more manageable schedule, such as weekly updates, to keep them informed without hindering progress. Setting these boundaries helps manage expectations realistically.

Breaking the project up into smaller, more manageable pieces is paramount to dealing with high stakeholder demand. This is my go to when a customer asks an extensive feature set in a short period of time. This allows me to focus on an MVP first and add enhancements later. Occasionally, the customer finds along the way that some of their initial asks weren't important after all.

Present viable alternatives to meet their needs. If a stakeholder demands a feature that would delay the project significantly, suggest a phased rollout. Prioritize the most critical aspects first, with additional features in subsequent updates. This approach shows your commitment to meeting their needs while maintaining project feasibility.

Engage in constructive negotiation to find a middle ground. If budget constraints limit what can be achieved, discuss potential compromises. For example, propose scaling back on some aspects to allocate resources more effectively. Highlighting the benefits of this approach ensures that the most critical objectives are still met.