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Ever try to herd cats?
Now imagine those cats all have opinions. Strong ones.
And calendar invites.
That’s what stakeholder alignment can feel like.
I’ve seen smart product managers doubt themselves because of it.
Not because they don’t know the work.
But because the people part gets messy. Fast.
The same can be said about your product work.
If stakeholders aren’t aligned, progress slows.
Meetings multiply. Decisions drag.
And suddenly, you're tired, frustrated, and wondering if it's you.
It's not.
That’s exactly why we recorded this episode.
In this video, Joe Ghali, product leader and co-host of the Product Porch podcast, and I break down stakeholder alignment into clear, usable moves.
No theory overload. No “just influence better” advice.
Just practical steps you can use right away.
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll get:
A simple way to define who actually is a stakeholder (and who isn’t).
How to spot real power vs. loud opinions.
A practical map to prioritize where your time goes.
Why trust beats frameworks every time.
One 30-day plan to reduce friction fast.
If you don’t fix this:
You stay stuck in meetings.
You keep reacting instead of leading.
And your best ideas never land.
But the upside?
Clear decisions.
Fewer surprises.
Stronger relationships.
More confidence in your role.
Watch the full episode here and then reply back:
👉 Which stakeholder relationship is causing you the most friction right now?
That’s all for this week.
Have a joyful week, and, if you can, make it joyful for someone else too.
cheers,
shardul
Here are 4 ways I can help you today:
Strategy Design Workshop: Transform scattered priorities into clear, actionable direction. I’ll facilitate your team through a customized workshop to align stakeholders and create strategies that actually get executed instead of forgotten. Book a call.
Product Management Audit: Get a clear picture of what’s working and what’s holding your team back. Through a systematic analysis, I’ll evaluate your strategy, processes, roles, metrics, and culture. You’ll walk away a practical set of findings and actionable recommendations to strengthen your product organization. Book a call.
Corporate Training: Elevate your entire product organization. I’ll teach your team how to think and act strategically, craft outcome-driven roadmaps, and dramatically improve how they deliver measurable results that matter to your business. Book a call.
Improv Based Team Building Workshop: Boost creativity, trust, and collaboration through improv. Your team will problem-solve faster and work better together. Book a call.
Shardul Mehta
I ❤️ product managers.