What do you do if R&D professionals and stakeholders clash over conflicting interests?

When Research and Development (R&D) professionals and stakeholders find themselves at odds, the situation can be as complex as any experimental formula. In R&D, professionals are often focused on innovation and the pursuit of knowledge, while stakeholders typically have an eye on marketability, return on investment, and timelines. This divergence in priorities can lead to conflicts that, if not managed properly, can derail projects and sour working relationships. Understanding how to navigate these conflicts is crucial for the success of any R&D endeavor.

1 Identify Issues

To effectively resolve conflicts between R&D professionals and stakeholders, it's essential to first identify the root causes. This involves an open dialogue where both parties can express their concerns and expectations. As someone involved in this process, you should encourage transparency and ensure that all voices are heard. By pinpointing the exact issues, whether they're related to project scope, budget constraints, or differing visions for the end product, you can begin to work towards a solution that satisfies both parties.

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Attila Balogh, EMBA

Executive I PhD student | University Assistant Lecturer | URI MBA ‘22 I MIT MMx ‘23 I University Global Ambassador I MMI mentor
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Some issues regarding conflicts of interest among team members and stakeholders can be identified even before starting the project, some of them can only be seen in planning, execution, monitoring phases. Usually R&D professionals are focusing on results which are aimed to be achieved (again R&D scopes are moving targets in most of the time!), stakeholders are usually keen on keeping the project within is predefined and approved barriers (like time, budget and quality). Issue identification would need a third person professional to be able to act as a neutral player within the project, like the project manager.

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2 Open Dialogue

Once the issues are laid bare, fostering an open dialogue becomes paramount. This is not just about talking, but about listening actively and empathetically. You need to create a space where R&D professionals and stakeholders feel comfortable sharing their perspectives without fear of dismissal or retribution. Encourage each side to consider the other's viewpoint, and remind them of the common goal: the successful completion of the project. Mutual understanding is often the key to resolving conflicts.

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3 Find Balance

Striking a balance between innovation and practicality is a delicate task. In your role, you should help R&D professionals and stakeholders find common ground by highlighting the importance of both exploratory research and market success. This might involve compromising on certain aspects of the project or finding creative solutions that address both parties' concerns. It's about harmonizing the drive for scientific breakthroughs with the realities of business needs.

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4 Develop Solutions

With a clear understanding of the issues and a commitment to collaboration, it's time to develop solutions. This often requires a level of creativity and flexibility from both R&D professionals and stakeholders. You might suggest piloting a smaller-scale project to test an innovative idea or proposing alternative funding strategies to alleviate budget concerns. The key is to find actionable steps that move the project forward while respecting the interests of both sides.

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5 Implement Changes

Once solutions are agreed upon, the next step is implementation. This stage requires careful planning and communication to ensure that changes are made smoothly and with buy-in from all involved parties. You should monitor this process closely, offering support and adjustments as needed. It's important to maintain momentum and keep all parties engaged during this transition to prevent any resurgence of conflict.

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6 Monitor Progress

Finally, continuous monitoring of the project's progress is vital to prevent future clashes. This involves setting up regular check-ins with both R&D professionals and stakeholders to review milestones, discuss any emerging concerns, and celebrate successes. By keeping the lines of communication open and regularly assessing the health of the project, you can preempt potential conflicts and ensure that everyone remains aligned with the project's objectives.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Duc Bao Doan

engineer
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Conflict prevention is important in every domain. Unfortunately, this action is usually not on the table from the maiden step of one project. Project manager and stakeholders must create favourable environment for open dialogue over all common objectives. When conflict happens, it's too late. Even one conflict is addressed, there is always one frustrated partner keeping the seed of another conflict.

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Attila Balogh, EMBA

Executive I PhD student | University Assistant Lecturer | URI MBA ‘22 I MIT MMx ‘23 I University Global Ambassador I MMI mentor
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The nature of R&D is that most probably there will be conflicts among stakeholders. The best option is to be prepared for that and also to make every party understand that the issues is not arising due to some unknown situation, but due to the different perspectives and interest of the members of the stakeholders' circle. If it is clear for everybody that there will be issues regarding interest which shall be resolved anyhow than usually all concerned parties are about to work on the solutions, instead of trying to find out how the issues came up.

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What do you do if R&D professionals and stakeholders clash over conflicting interests?

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1 Identify Issues

2 Open Dialogue

3 Find Balance

4 Develop Solutions

5 Implement Changes

6 Monitor Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

Research and Development (R&D)

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