# Navigate conflicting direction from two client stakeholders

A plan to resolve contradictory instructions from people on the client side without taking sides or stalling the project.

- Topic: Projects & Operations
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Leadership, Analyze, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/navigate-conflicting-direction-from-two-client-stakeholders

## Prompt

```text
Two people on the client side are giving me conflicting direction. Help me handle it.

**Stakeholder A:** [ROLE, what they want, how much authority they have]
**Stakeholder B:** [ROLE, what they want, how much authority they have]
**Who signed the contract or approves deliverables:** [ROLE]
**What the agreed scope or brief says:** [RELEVANT PART]
**Impact of the conflict:** [delays, rework, budget]
**What I've done so far:** [CONVERSATIONS, emails]

Give me:
1. An analysis of what each person actually needs underneath their position, and where they might already agree.
2. Whether the brief or SOW already settles this; quote the relevant wording if so.
3. Options: bring both together, escalate to the sponsor, present the trade-offs in a short decision memo, or propose a compromise. Give the risks of each for my relationship with both people.
4. A neutral message to the decision-maker that lays out both options, their implications for scope, timeline, and budget, and asks for a decision by a date.
5. A facilitation plan for a 30-minute alignment call, including how to stay neutral and not appear to side with whoever pays.
6. Wording for confirming the decision in writing afterward.
7. How to make sure decision rights are clear before the next project.

Keep my tone professional and neutral. Don't speculate about people's motives beyond what I've shared.
```

## What to fill in

- ROLE, what they want, how much authority they have
- ROLE
- RELEVANT PART
- delays, rework, budget
- CONVERSATIONS, emails

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.