How do you balance getting feedback and buy-in with different stakeholders and resolving key differences while keeping the lift light?

I have a new hack for this: it's called Loom. I swear I'm not trying to promote this product, but marketers gonna market ;) Seriously though, Loom has been a game changer for us to keep tight feedback loops, stakeholders informed, and identifying when there needs to be a deeper dive on an area of disagreement. Record your presentation on Loom and send it to your stakeholders for feedback. Ask them to comment on the video directly and then either respond to their comments directly, or use the com ...Read More

A key part of getting buy-in from different stakeholders involves first ensuring that everyone understands the context behind the project, the objectives for the project, and the importance of moving quickly. Make sure all of this is very clearly laid out for stakeholder consumption. Set a timeline for when you need to make a decision, and make sure stakeholders also understand the consequences of not moving quickly— in some cases, it could be a tradeoff you’re willing to make. In many cases, pr ...Read More

Balancing feedback and getting buy-in from different stakeholders is always tricky, especially when opinions differ. I’ve found that using a clear decision-making framework like Gokul Rajaram's SPADE makes a big difference. SPADE helps me structure decisions by defining the situation, identifying stakeholders, presenting multiple options, and evaluating the pros and cons of each before driving alignment. For example, when I was working on a pricing and packaging recommendation at Square for my p ...Read More

Balancing feedback and buy-in while keeping it manageable is a mix of clarity, focus, and diplomacy. After several starts and stumbles learned over time, here's how I approach it: Set the stage early: Before diving into feedback, I clarify the goals and non-negotiables upfront. For example, I’ll say, “We’re aligned on launching X by this date—feedback today should focus on positioning and messaging.” This narrows the scope and avoids endless loops of input. Know your influencers: Every group has ...Read More