They All Think They're Right
READ TIME - 5 MINUTES
"So Corporate wants everyone using the new digital approval workflow, but the regional teams are pushing back hard," said Jordan from Finance.
"They reckon their assessors are on the road 90% of the time and need a different process."
Lisa nodded, adding another sticky note to her change impact canvas.
IT wanted a single, standardised process for cyber security. HR needed flexible options for their part-time managers. And the field teams? They were adamant their 5:00 am starts in remote areas meant any system requiring a laptop was a deal-breaker.
Through her home office window, Lisa watched autumn leaves scattering in different directions.
Five different business units, five different ways of working, and one enterprise-wide change that needed to land by July.
"Well, this is fun," she sighed, reaching for her notebook. "Another 'one size fits nobody' situation to sort out."
When your business units are as aligned as cats at bath time, here's how to navigate the "but we're different!" conversations without losing your mind:
1. The "Different Doesn't Mean Wrong" Strategy
First up, let's stop pretending everyone needs the exact same solution.
Sometimes different really is okay.
How to do it:
Map out what actually needs to be consistent vs flexible
Identify genuine "non-negotiables" (system limitations, compliance requirements)
Document each area's unique challenges and constraints
Look for where flexibility won't break the overall solution
Understand and articulate clear criteria for what can actually be customised
Show stakeholders where you're accommodating their needs
Pro tip: Sometimes "different" just means "I need to feel heard." Make sure you're solving for real needs, not just responding to the loudest voices.
2. The "Common Ground" Approach
There's usually more agreement than first appears - you just need to find it and amplify it.
How to do it:
Start with shared pain points everyone wants solved
Focus on common desires and outcomes, not common processes
Create a "Shared Needs" wall everyone can see (digital works!)
Use real-world examples that resonate across divisions
Build your core strategic narrative for the change initiative around common experiences and benefits
Show how different approaches can lead to the same goal
3. The "Decision Making Framework"
The idea here is to help people understand how different needs will be balanced and decisions made.
People can accept a 'no' much better when they understand the why behind it.
How to do it:
Work with the tech and project teams to create clear criteria for evaluating and prioritising different requests
Show how decisions will impact other areas
Make trade-offs visible and understood
Build and communicate a simple process for raising unique requirements
Keep a visible log of what's been considered (let all stakeholders see this, and link to it on the intranet)
Share the reasoning behind decisions, not just the outcome
Truth is, having different business units want different things comes with the territory.
Your job isn't to make everyone happy; it's to find a path forward that meets the core needs while keeping the solution manageable.
The secret? The best solution rarely makes everyone happy.
But if it's something everyone can live with and still delivers the benefits we need, that's a win.
That's it for this week.
Next Tuesday we're tackling what happens when your project timeline keeps shifting right - don't miss it!
See you then,
Team EVER
PS: Someone pass this on to you?
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