When a key stakeholder leaves the project unexpectedly, what do you do or what should you have done? I'll focus on my learnings on risk mitigation. 1. At the start of the project, I would like to understand my partners' organisational and team structure to develop a mental model of escalation pathways and support. Knowing who is who internally helps 2. I'll constantly check in with my key stakeholder on who is directly supporting him/her on this project and when and how are updates being played out in their organisation. 3. I'll check in on their coverage and who do I reach out for clarifications if i cannot reach my key stakeholder. 4. Keep all communications looped in the wider ecosystem so that both parties can pick it up.

Based on my about 10 years in project management and my current position - as a partnership manager; I'd like to share my opinions about this situation: 1. First, assess their impact on the project to identify any immediate resource gaps. 2. Communicate transparently with remaining stakeholders and your team to ensure alignment and trust. 3. Engage team members to help fill the void, empowering them to step up where possible. If necessary, seek a replacement or restructure roles to minimize dependency on any single contributor. 4. Lastly, consider this an opportunity to explore new partnerships or fresh ideas that can enhance the project, maintaining momentum and reinforcing project resilience.

The key to any business transaction is resiliency. Relying solely on people for partnerships can lead to trouble. Mature and robust business acumen involves building partnerships on a foundation of processes with mitigation guardrails. Building resiliency means managing foreseeable risks and preparing for the unexpected, like stakeholder changes. Mitigate these risks by creating a circle of influence and involving the right people to the necessary extent. This approach ensures that any unexpected shifts are managed, mapped, and mitigated. Remember, end of the day, we are dealing with human connections. Keeping them open and grounded in trust, transparency, and technology helps navigate unforeseen situations. Agree?

2 key principles: 1. Never let a single individual become the sole keeper of critical information. Successful projects and partnerships demand shared responsibility and transparent communication. 2. Be proactive - you should anticipate challenges and document processes across the team for unexpected scenarios, like this one.