Handling Last-Minute Changes in Client Meetings

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?

We once built an entire email strategy around a client's product launch date, only for them to delay by 3 months. That miscommunication cost us $200K in projected revenue. Here's the system we now follow to prevent it from happening again. 1. Document everything in writing No more verbal only agreements or assumptions. Every key date, deliverable, and dependency gets documented and shared with all stakeholders. This creates accountability and gives everyone a single source of truth to reference. 2. Implement regular check-ins Schedule brief status meetings to confirm timelines are still on track. These quick touchpoints help catch potential delays early before significant resources are invested. 3. Build buffer time into all schedules Add extra time to every major milestone (just in case). This padding accounts for the inevitable hiccups that occur in any project without derailing the entire strategy. 4. Create contingency plans For every campaign, develop Plan B scenarios: - What if key elements are delayed? - What if resources are limited? - What if priorities change? Having these alternatives ready means you can pivot quickly without starting from scratch. 5. Leverage dependency roadmapping Implement a visual system that shows how each part of your strategy connects to deliverables. This makes it immediately clear to everyone what happens if one piece gets delayed. The biggest lesson? Communication breakdowns are expensive, but they're also preventable. By implementing these systems, we've reduced timeline-related issues dramatically and saved countless hours of rework. What systems have you built to prevent costly miscommunications?

Overcommunicate! If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working on same/different clients and recently on a CME project, it’s this: Do not assume anything. Be proactive and ask questions. I learned this firsthand while working on a Rett syndrome needs assessment and slide deck. A few key moments could have thrown the project entirely off track: ➡️ Outdated prevalence data: The numbers the client provided were years old. We would have misrepresented key disease burden stats if I hadn’t double-checked against the latest research. ➡️ Shifting focus mid-project: Halfway through, the client realized they needed the slide deck to focus more on emerging therapies rather than early diagnosis. Luckily, I had been sending regular updates, so we caught it early—before I spent hours going in the wrong direction. ➡️ Last-minute SME scheduling issues: One of our key neurologists had to reschedule their review at the last minute. Because we had built-in buffer time for feedback, it didn’t cause a crisis. Lesson learned? Over-communication isn’t annoying. It’s essential. ✔️ Clarify deadlines & expectations upfront esp. for multi-phase projects. ✔️ Check in regularly. A quick “Here’s where we are” email can prevent major rewrites later. ✔️ Flag potential issues early, whether it’s missing data, SME/KOL delays, or shifting goals. 💡 Pro Tip: Clients appreciate writers who proactively communicate—not just react when things go sideways. Clear communication keeps projects on track, avoids wasted effort, and makes you the kind of partner they want to work with again. Now, I’d love to hear from you! 💬 How do you handle communication challenges in CME or other projects? Have you ever saved a project by speaking up at the right time? Let’s swap insights! 👇 #CMEWriting #MedicalWriting #MedicalEditing #MedComms #FreelanceSuccess #KJCmediahealth #Sciencewriting #scienceediting