How validation builds trust and project buy-in

How I transformed chaos into a high-trust environment (Just by asking better questions.) Stakeholder alignment is not easy And this situation tested everything I knew about it. I was leading a critical project with tight deadlines. But one stakeholder was not aligned. She didn’t trust her team. She believed control delivers results. Her working style caused chaos: → She’d would approve a plan, then reverse it. → She would micromanage every detail. → Decisions were emotional, not strategic. This had a negative impact on the project: → The team was frustrated. → Deadlines were slipping. → Team morale was dropping. Here’s how I shifted her mindset and got her to trust the process: 1/ Addressed the fear behind the behavior ↳ I asked: “What’s your biggest concern right now?” ↳ She admitted she feared the project would fail and reflect poorly on her. ↳ Identified what was driving the micromanagement. 2/ Created structure that builds confidence ↳ I shared a clear roadmap with milestones. ↳ Then I asked: “Can we agree to revisit changes only in our weekly syncs?” ↳ She agreed, and we avoided frequent disruptions. 3/ Shifted her from control to contribution ↳ I asked: “Which part of the project would you like to own?” ↳ She chose one area and took full responsibility. ↳ Sharing regular updates reduced her doubts. 4/ Made progress visible ↳ Each week, I presented results in data, not opinions. ↳ Her trust grew as she saw the team’s delivery data. The result? → Frantic emails stopped. → Last-minute changes stopped. → She started trusting the team and the plan. This wasn’t just a project win. It transformed how we worked together. The lesson: You don’t manage stakeholders. You align them. So, always= Ask questions → Set boundaries → Build trust. PS: Ever turned a difficult stakeholder into a champion?

A few years ago, I was working with a team that had just undergone a significant organizational restructuring. One of the team members had been with the company for over a decade and was deeply uncomfortable with the sudden changes. He shared with me privately, “I’m not sure I can adapt to all of this. It feels like everything I’ve known is being turned upside down.” I could see how his discomfort was starting to impact his engagement and overall performance. So, I took a step-by-step approach to help him navigate his uncertainty: 1. Start with Listening and Acknowledgment Instead of jumping straight into action mode, I took time to truly listen to his concerns. I acknowledged his feelings and the simple validation by saying something along the lines of, “It’s completely normal to feel uncertain right now. Change can be difficult, especially when it’s unexpected.” This simple validation made him feel heard and respected. 2. Reframe the Situation I asked him to share what he found most frustrating about the change. As he explained, I guided him to see it from a different angle. Instead of focusing on what was being lost, I encouraged him to think about what new opportunities could emerge. This wasn’t an immediate shift, but by asking questions like, “What’s one thing you’re curious to try now that this change is in place?” he started to see small, potential positives. 3. Set Small, Actionable Steps To make the change less overwhelming, we broke down the new expectations into smaller steps. We set goals for the week—things he felt comfortable trying, like using a new project management tool or participating in a different type of team discussion. Each time he completed a small step, I made sure to celebrate the progress, reinforcing his willingness to adapt. 4. Encourage Peer Support I paired him with another team member who was more comfortable with change. They became accountability partners, exchanging tips and supporting each other through the transition. This peer connection made him feel less isolated and more willing to experiment with the new way of working. 5. Reflect and Reinforce After a few weeks, I scheduled a follow-up conversation with him to reflect on his journey. He shared that while he wasn’t completely comfortable with the changes yet, he felt more capable and confident in handling them. I reinforced the progress he had made, reminding him of where he started and how far he’d come. The transformation wasn’t overnight, but by meeting him right where he was and guiding him through small, intentional actions, I watched him shift from resistance to a willingness to try. That’s the power of patience and coaching through change. If you have a team member struggling with change - be patient. Start small, listen deeply, and celebrate every step forward. #Leadership #ChangeManagement #TeamDevelopment #CoachingThroughChange

Ever delivered an #evaluation report only to receive negative feedback on the methods used? It can be disheartening, especially after putting in a lot of work. Managing the evaluation process to invite early input can reduce late-stage criticisms. Here are 5 tips to enhance stakeholder satisfaction and handle criticisms constructively, with a link to the full article. Tip 1: Invest in genuine relationships with stakeholders Building genuine relationships with stakeholders creates a foundation of trust and respect. This doesn't mean avoiding unpopular findings, but it does mean fostering an environment where feedback is productive. Knowing each other as people and colleagues helps in this regard. Tip 2: Involve stakeholders in the evaluation design process Engage stakeholders, rights-holders, and end-users in designing the evaluation. Their expertise strengthens the design and reduces criticisms downstream. Co-designing an evaluation ensures a shared understanding of the appropriate questions, criteria, and methods, leading to greater stakeholder ownership. Tip 3: Use #rubrics to increase understanding of how judgements are made Rubrics make evaluative judgements transparent. Collaboratively developing rubrics with stakeholders ensures that their values are reflected and understood, increasing validity and reducing the risk of feeling blindsided by findings. Rubrics also facilitate precise conversations if specific aspects of the evaluation are challenged. Tip 4: Get formal sign-off on the evaluation framework Draw a clear line between the design phase and implementation phase of the evaluation. Formal sign-off on the evaluation framework ensures agreement on the approach and allows any valid criticisms of the methods to be addressed before implementation or recorded in the limitations section. Tip 5: Pinpoint the reasons for criticism Despite best efforts, criticisms may still arise. It’s important to pinpoint exactly what aspects are being criticised. The article provides tips for addressing common criticisms about the reliability of evidence, criteria, standards, and evaluative judgements, including issues of buy-in to the use of rubrics. Bottom line: Evaluation isn't just about methods - it's about reasoning and power dynamics. Criticisms levelled at methods may sometimes stem from discomfort with the reasoning process or power structures in the evaluation. By investing in relationships, involving stakeholders, using rubrics, and securing formal sign-off, we can enhance the evaluation process and address criticisms effectively. Scroll down for the full article👇

🎯 The ROI of Acknowledgment Why This is So Valuable In HealthTech 👇 📝 From my 15 years in clinical practice, I've discovered a skill that's critical to HealthTech Success: Effectively using Acknowledgement as the starting point for solution adoption. 🔍 Clinical Practice Insight > Patient engagement starts with validation > Solutions only work when patients feel heard > Trust building precedes treatment acceptance This skill is especially applicable to HealthTech with the proliferation AI. ⚠️ Current HealthTech Challenge > Companies focus heavily on feature promotion > Technical capabilities dominate sales pitches > Customer pain points often get secondary attention > Missing the necessary step of validation 💡 Key Translation to HealthTech > Success requires understanding before selling > Features mean nothing without context > Customer problems need explicit acknowledgment > Building trust precedes solution presentation 🎯 Critical Implementation Points > Lead with listening, not selling > Demonstrate genuine understanding of challenges > Show recognition of specific pain points > Create connection before presenting solutions 🎖️ Strategic Takeaways ✅ Validation before solution ✅ Understanding before features ✅ Acknowledgment before implementation ✅ Trust-building as foundation The most effective healthtech solutions emerge when companies demonstrate genuine understanding of their customers' challenges. This principle, deeply rooted in clinical practice, remains equally powerful in the technology sector. #healthtech #healthcare #ai #genai #customerengagement #healthcareai #digitaltransformation 🤙DM me if you want to ensure your building healthtech that creates undeniable value.