Working for multiple stakeholders and how to handle it?

On a project I was recently working on, I was placed in a position in which I was reporting to three stakeholders all of whom had very different goals for the project. This is not the first time I have been in this situation and if you have been in this situation before you can appreciate how complicated it can be. Overall it is an experience we would rather avoid. But we don't always have the luxury of avoiding it.

With this project, I was working with a team that had not experienced this before and it was interesting for me to see how they dealt with it for the first time. During this time I spoke to a friend of mine and asked if they had been through it and how they dealt with it. Her response was she nearly quit.

So what can you do it make this uncomfortable situation a bit more bearable and avoid having to find a new job?

How do you deal with it?

So you have found yourself reporting to two people who want very different things and have placed you in the middle of this problem, what on Earth do you do?

I am going to take you through how I deal with these situations. I am not saying these are foolproof but maybe they will help you, even if it is just a little bit.

Firstly, excuse yourself, go find a nice quiet spot and have a good cry. Life is hard, just let it all out.

Once you have got it all out, take a deep breath and try to find a sense of calm.

Things to keep in mind when you are dealing with a situation like this are to keep your cool, stay calm and stay on your toes, you never know where this is going to go.

Take some time to sit down and write out the goals or requirements each of stakeholder. This will help you get a better idea of what you are facing. You will be able to see where they overlap and highlight the problem areas. With the project, I worked on I was able to use this list to find a solution that met all of the stakeholder's requirements, but as my own history has shown me it is not always that easy.

Once you have identified the problems you need to get all of the stakeholders together. The goal is to get them all into one room. This can be quite a feat so be persistent and flexible. Be open to other ways to get them together like a Zoom call or if you have no other way on one email chain. You need to find a way to get them to interact with each other over these problems.

Before the meeting take the time to come up with one or more solutions to the problem. This solution may not meet both stakeholder's needs but the idea is to find a middle ground.

In this meeting, you need to explain to the stakeholder the problems you are facing. Make sure you keep the meeting positive. Try to get the stakeholders to understand each other's point of view so that they can actually make a connection. Empathy is a very important part of this meeting. Give them both a chance to speak about their needs.

Now present your solutions, highlight the pros and cons of each solution. Be honest, don't mislead them as this will inevitably backfire. Make sure they have all of the information and that they understand the solutions they have been offered. Get both parties to give their view on the solutions and have an open discussion.

Hopefully, this will bring a peaceful resolution to a difficult situation. If not then don't give up.

Before you end the meeting make sure you note down their feedback. Then rinse and repeat. Go back to the drawing board and come up with some new solutions and keep going until you find your solution.

Something to keep in mind throughout this process is that people are difficult and you are going to need to be flexible, use your brain and think on your feet. There is a solution out there you just need to find it.