𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 (𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱)

Every STEM leader has them.

The stakeholder who constantly shifts priorities.

The one who pokes holes in your data like it’s a competitive sport.

Or the one who replies to your well-thought-out proposal with: “Hmm, I’m just not feeling it.”

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 - 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹. So how do you work with them without going full passive-aggressive in a project update?

Start with curiosity over combat.

📌 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲. Sometimes what feels like resistance is really fear, confusion, or their own pressure talking. Ask what’s 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 their concerns.

📌 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲. You may be fluent in systems architecture, but they may only care about risk, timeline, or cost. Make your communication hit their priorities, not just yours.

📌 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 - 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆. Being collaborative doesn’t mean being a doormat. If scope creep is wrecking your timeline, it’s OK to say, “We can add that, but it will push delivery by two weeks. Are we aligned on that?”

📌 Don’t take it personally. Difficult doesn’t mean malicious. They’re likely under pressure too. Center yourself in facts, not frustration.

📌 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀. If something’s stuck, show you’ve thought through options. This builds trust and positions you as a partner, not a problem.

And here’s the truth: working well with difficult stakeholders isn’t just about keeping the peace. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. When you can stay steady, empathetic, and effective under pressure, people notice.

𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘚𝘛𝘌𝘔 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 - 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 - 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.