Your team is in conflict over client expectations. How do you navigate miscommunication to meet deliverables?
When your team faces miscommunication about client deliverables, it's crucial to address the issue promptly and effectively. Here are some strategies to help navigate these conflicts:
How do you handle conflicts over client expectations in your team?
Your team is in conflict over client expectations. How do you navigate miscommunication to meet deliverables?
When your team faces miscommunication about client deliverables, it's crucial to address the issue promptly and effectively. Here are some strategies to help navigate these conflicts:
How do you handle conflicts over client expectations in your team?
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Start with a team meeting to clarify client expectations. Foster open communication, listen actively, and align on common goals. Ensure everyone understands their roles to smooth out deliverables. 🌟🗣️
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One technique I've used in my consulting career for more than 2 decades is to use weekly stakeholder checkpoint meetings to bring everyone on the same page and use an agreed upon framework/dashboard. Right after that, we send summary notes including a shared expectations + progress dashboard between client's internal team and my team. Any conflicts arising out of misunderstanding on roles, scope or task sequencing are addressed immediately with a quick conversations in small group setting or daily 10 min "standup" calls. On top of it, messaging on Slack channels for quick clarifications have become standard now, reducing delays
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I address the conflict by first facilitating an open discussion with the team to identify the root cause of the miscommunication and ensure everyone's perspective is heard. Then, I clarify the client’s expectations by revisiting project goals, deliverables, and timelines to ensure alignment. Finally, I encourage collaboration and realign the team on clear priorities and actionable steps to meet the deliverables while managing the client's expectations effectively.
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The first step is to actively listen to all perspectives—understanding the root causes is key. Once everyone’s input is on the table, I facilitate an internal discussion to align on priorities and clarify any misunderstandings. Together, we refocus on the client’s needs and the deliverables, ensuring our approach is collaborative and solution-driven.
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Magnitude of conflict is inversely proportional to the frequency of engagement points / meetings. If you do DAILY STANDUPs among active teams and weekly checkpoints among leaderships, even short ones, you’d be rid of surprises that later become conflicts. Add “sprint-ly demos” to the development process to add sufficient transparency.
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First, ensure the team has a unified understanding of the client’s requirements by revisiting the scope and deliverables together. Miscommunication often stems from assumptions—eliminating those is half the battle. Next, establish accountability. When roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, it minimizes overlaps and finger-pointing. Finally, encourage open communication throughout the project. A culture where team members feel comfortable addressing concerns early prevents small issues from escalating into bigger conflicts.
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