Mmm. Either they are a tough crowd and you have decided on taking short cuts to get the job done, or you have a wonderful opportunity to take a different approach and turn your stakeholder into a believer. Have a really good think about how well you understand them. (Perhaps you don’t like what you see.)

Explore new ways to communicate with them, to reach into their hearts and into their minds. Put yourself in their shoes and feel the pressure they might be under. That might change your views a little and give you the energy to try a different approach. Even if they are tough, understanding why this may be so and standing in their shoes creates opportunities to influence them.

For more in-depth advice, you may like to read my book Winning Conversations: How to turn red tape into blue ribbon or sign up to my Persuasive Advisor Program.