Start with the end in mind, as the saying goes. Facilitate engagement(s) where stakeholders work to agree on the outcomes that you are looking to create from a strategy, positioning, and metrics perspective. Give people time to participate, digest, breathe, and come back with ideas to build alignment. Very often the misalignment comes because not everyone agrees on the outcomes that will be created in the 1-year or 3-5 year horizons or they feel pressured to act fast. Most plans, projects, and strategies are "dead from the start" because clarity has not been reached before plans are built or work is kicked off. Chemistry is critical to winning and you need the collective energy to win!

Too often, the focus is on appeasing everyone, but seeking total agreement waters down the strategy. Instead, aim for alignment where stakeholders understand the "why" behind decisions, even if they don't fully agree. Jeff Bezos popularized the concept of "disagree and commit" for this reason. Facilitate open dialogue to ensure each voice is heard, but don’t compromise too much for harmony. True progress happens when people align behind a unified vision, not when every demand is met.

Navigating conflicting stakeholder expectations in strategic planning requires diplomacy, clear communication, and a focus on shared objectives. Here’s how to find common ground: Clarify expectations: Begin by fully understanding each stakeholder’s priorities and concerns. Hold individual or group discussions to clarify their goals, motivations, and desired outcomes. This helps ensure you’re not operating on assumptions. Identify shared objectives: Focus on the overarching goals that align all stakeholders, such as business growth, customer satisfaction, or long-term sustainability. Highlighting these shared objectives creates a common starting point for collaboration.

Primero, organiza una reunión donde todas las partes interesadas puedan expresar sus expectativas y preocupaciones. Facilita una conversación honesta para identificar puntos en común. La transparencia y la empatía son claves para entender y alinear diferentes perspectivas. Luego, presenta un plan que refleje las prioridades compartidas. Utiliza datos y ejemplos concretos para mostrar cómo cada parte se beneficiará. La colaboración y el compromiso mutuo son esenciales para encontrar un terreno común y avanzar juntos. ?La clave está en la unión y el entendimiento!

Try to meet different stakeholders in person. When you discuss and ask what they have in mind, they can say aloud both their bigger issues, but also ask something that tjey have not maybe understood. It also allows them to feel that their are understood and it creates trust to the process.