Strategic Negotiation for Smarter L&TD Priorities
How L&TD professionals align with stakeholders to focus on what truly matters
A boss once told me, “There will always be more requests than resources.” After more than 30 years in the L&TD profession, I’ve yet to find an exception. The challenge isn’t finding work to do as much as it’s prioritizing which work most deserves our time and attention.
In my last newsletter, I shared my favorite prioritization tool: the difficulty vs. impact grid. It’s an excellent way to narrow your L&TD strategy or determine where to begin. Still, even after plotting projects on the grid, you may end up with more priorities than your team can realistically complete. The reality remains, no matter the size of our team: our time and resources are finite.
That’s where stakeholder negotiation comes in.
Negotiation as Partnership
Negotiation with stakeholders brings our ideas or projects in question outside our team to those who have a stake in the decision and therefore, the prioritization of our decisions. We ask for input, creativity, and commitment so that the decision is shared.
Ideally, these conversations happen as we are planning our L&TD strategy. But the same skills apply project by project, whenever resources or priorities need to be clarified and stakeholder buy-in and commitment is necessary.
For some, negotiation can bring to mind tense, dramatic, high-stakes situations. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. In our context, negotiation is a form of partnership where we work collaboratively to solve a problem and find creative solutions that serve everyone involved.
begin. Still, even after plotting projects on the grid, you may end up with more priorities than your team can realistically complete. The reality remains, no matter the size of our team: our time and resources are finite.
That’s where stakeholder negotiation comes in.
Negotiation as Partnership
Negotiation with stakeholders brings our ideas or projects in question outside our team to those who have a stake in the prioritization of our decisions. We ask for input, creativity, and commitment so that the decision is shared.
Ideally, these conversations happen as we are planning our L&TD strategy. But the same skills apply project by project, whenever resources or priorities need to be clarified and stakeholder buy-in and commitment is necessary.
For some, negotiation can bring to mind tense, dramatic, high-stakes situations. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. In our context, negotiation is a form of partnership where we work collaboratively to solve a problem and find creative solutions that serve everyone involved.
What to Bring to the Table
What exactly are you negotiating? Often, it’s one or more of the following:
Resources Needed: Projects aligned with organizational goals where learning is the right solution, but completion requires additional resources.
Commitment Needed: Projects aligned with business strategies where additional stakeholder support is essential for success.
Prioritization Clarification: When multiple valuable projects compete for attention (or multiple demanding stakeholders), and you need agreement on which to tackle first.
The purpose of negotiation is to collectively determine the best use of limited resources, gain additional support if needed, and build shared understanding and commitment.
Prepare by Defining the Situation
Before meeting with stakeholders, reflect on the current situation and prepare to communicate it clearly. Ask yourself:
Why is this initiative critical to the business?
How does it align with business goals? What data supports its importance?
Why isn’t this idea on your scrap list?
What can your team realistically do within their current capacity?
What creative solutions might help bridge the gap (from your team and stakeholders)?
Where, and from whom, do you need help?
Having the Conversation
When it’s time to talk, approach the discussion with curiosity, creativity, and openness.
Start with alignment. Outline the project as you understand it thus far. Confirm its importance: “Am I on the right track here?”
Share the current picture. Use the answers to the questions you asked yourself earlier to share your story. “Here’s what I’ve assessed and where we’re stuck, mainly due to limited resources.”
Invite ideas. Now comes the fun part. With your curiosity hat firmly in place, ask your stakeholder to weigh in and provide their thoughts and ideas. This is creative problem solving and clarification in action through conversation. “Given this situation, what are your thoughts? Is one initiative more important than the others right now? What ideas do you have that might help us to supplement resources or take another approach altogether?”
Summarize and clarify. Confirm decisions and commitments: “It sounds like you’ll fund part of the curriculum and provide a SME from your team. Does that sound right?” or “It sounds like Project A is the current priority and we’ll revisit Project B in six months. Is that accurate?”
Clarify consequences. If the stakeholder can’t commit, outline what can realistically be done and the potential impact: “We can create one eLearning, but it won’t be comprehensive and may not drive lasting results.” “We can create some job aids, but it will be up to you and your fellow leaders to drive accountability in using them consistently if you want behavior to change.”
End with next steps. Thank them for partnering to find the best way forward, balancing impact with available resources and be sure to clarify what happens next.
Keep This in Mind
Remember why stakeholders come to you in the first place. They have a problem to solve, not necessarily a desire for training alone. Your goal is to help them solve that problem and achieve business outcomes by equipping people with the right skills and knowledge.
Bottom Line
We can’t do everything, and neither can our stakeholders. Strategic work means making smart, collaborative choices about where to focus. That requires open conversation, shared decision-making, and transparent communication about what’s possible.
When we negotiate with partnership and clarity, we pave a clear path forward for maximum impact and we prioritize together. We gain buy-in and reinforce the message that we are all on the same team.
