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Dealing with pushback is one of the most frustrating and hardest things about being a program manager.

Someone always has an opinion. It can feel like they are out to get you. In reality, it’s not like that all.

It’s often due to a lack of alignment - not understanding the why, unclear expectations or something else.

Regardless, you must own the situation and get to the root cause so you can address it (without losing your cool).

Let me share with you an example I dealt with this week.

I was leading a meeting with 10 leaders to align on our 2024 OKRs aka goals for the year (here’s what OKRs are).

As I was sharing expectations for next steps, I had one leader shout:
Jean, I disagree with everything you’re saying”

Okay, can you imagine how I felt? My heart sank. It was embarrassing. I was being called out in front of 9 other leaders including my boss.

But here’s what I ended up doing instead (and what not to do).

PS My boss praised me in the end.

Here’s what not to do

 ❌ “Hey, we had never agreed to that. We can’t do it.”

• Shows you’re inflexible

• Shows you’re defensive

• Doesn’t address the root issue

How I addressed the pushback

✅ “I stand corrected. If all of you agree that this is the path forward, I’m here for it. Here’s what I will do next: X, Y, Z. Any concerns with that?”

• Demonstrates that I’m solutions-oriented

• Shows that I’m humble (I don’t need to be right)

• Bridges broader alignment with my last question - any concerns with that?

Next time you’re in a pickle with a tough stakeholder, take these actions:

• Take a minute to understand what is the root issue

• Then address that root issue

• And create a path forward

Remember, sometimes just owning the situation is the best policy. See what my boss said.

(And I highly recommend checking out this article about 4 strategies for dealing with difficult stakeholders .

Or check out my other posts here. I write a lot!

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