Understanding what they actually care about
Step 1 / 4·A position and an interest are not the same thing
0/4 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Separate a stated position from the underlying interest
- Anticipate the typical concerns of each role in the organisation
- Write a one-page stakeholder card in their language
A position and an interest are not the same thing
See through the 'no' to the cause.
When someone says 'I don't agree with this plan', you're hearing their POSITION — a conclusion. What you need is the INTEREST behind it: what they're afraid of losing, what they have to protect, the metric they're measured on.
The distinction matters because two opposing positions can serve the same interest — and when they do, there's a way through. Argue at the level of positions and the conversation becomes win–lose.
Three questions that surface the real interest
- 'What worries you most about this option?' — asking about worry rather than objection triggers far less defensiveness.
- 'If this goes ahead, which part of your work is affected?' — surfaces the hidden cost you can't see.
- 'What metric are you measured on at quarter end?' — the most effective question of all, because most objections trace back to your proposal making someone else's numbers look worse.
Don't guess on their behalf
Plenty of engagement plans are built on assumption: 'Finance probably only cares about cost'. One wrong assumption is enough to lose an alliance. Ask directly — and ask before you need their answer.
Key takeaway: A position is a conclusion, an interest is the cause — ask about worry and about the metric they're measured on.