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Description

Stakeholder Tensions in Projects: Defusing Conflict, Negotiating and Building Cooperation

One day to address project tensions before they start blocking deliverables

  • 1 day — 7 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

A project brings together departments with diverging interests. A business unit drags its feet because it was never consulted. A technical expert refuses to accept a decision. A department head quietly withdraws resources. None of these tensions appear on a status dashboard, yet they are precisely what causes milestones to slip.

These 7 hours focus on relational situations with stakeholders rather than on general leadership posture. Participants analyse the stakeholder dynamics around a live project, prepare a conversation with a reluctant stakeholder and practise handling disagreement without either crushing it or avoiding it.

Learning objectives

  • Analyse stakeholder interests and room for manoeuvre
  • Detect early signs of tension before it surfaces openly
  • Conduct a conversation with a reluctant stakeholder
  • Handle a technical disagreement without turning it into a personal conflict
  • Restore cooperation after a tense situation

What makes this programme different

A stakeholder map produced on the real project brought by each participant
Difficult conversations role-played, then replayed with a different strategy
An individual engagement plan for the most obstructive stakeholder

Programme

1Stakeholder Dynamics Around the Project

Understand before reacting

  • Interests, stakes and constraints of each stakeholder
  • Allies, opponents and undecided parties
  • Real power versus displayed power
  • Impact of a project decision on business functions

2Tensions and Difficult Conversations

Speaking to the person holding things back

  • Early signs of resistance
  • Preparing a conversation with an opponent
  • Listening to objections and seeking common ground
  • Making a firm yet respectful request

3Disagreements and Lasting Cooperation

Finding the high road

  • Handling a technical disagreement between experts
  • Escalating to the sponsor and the conditions for doing so
  • Repairing the relationship after an imposed decision
  • Sustaining cooperation over time

Who is it for

Project managers, work package leaders and project owners dealing with reluctant or opposing stakeholders.

Prerequisites

Prior experience of running projects is required.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.