Projects don’t struggle because teams lack initiative.
They struggle when work moves forward without alignment from the people who depend on the outcome.
I was pulled into a project just weeks before it was scheduled to wrap up. The team had taken a thoughtful step to streamline a fragmented process by consolidating multiple versions of the same report into a single regional view.
The intent was good.
The work was solid.
The execution was careful.
The team worked closely with the users who created and maintained the report every day. They documented requirements. They delivered exactly what was asked for.
What was missing was alignment with the end users of the report: the managers, senior managers, directors, and executives who relied on it to make decisions.
The initiative hadn’t come from them, and they hadn’t been brought into the conversation early. From their perspective, the existing reports were sufficient. As a result, the work was viewed as unnecessary by stakeholders beyond the users, not because it lacked value, but because they were never given the context or opportunity to weigh in.
Without that alignment:
- The purpose of the work wasn’t clear.
- Impacts beyond the immediate users were missed.
- Ownership was never fully formed.
- Change management became reactive.
The team built a solution, but they did it without visible support.
And work that moves forward without support rarely sticks.
If you don’t engage the end users of your solution, you could miss opportunities for improvements and an even better outcome!
Here’s the lesson:
Taking initiative is a strength.Taking initiative without alignment creates risk.
If stakeholders didn’t ask for the change, that doesn’t mean the work isn’t needed. It means leaders need the context, the value, and a chance to be part of the decision.
Otherwise, even well-designed improvements can be deprioritized or quietly reversed.
Final question: If your current project went live tomorrow, would the people who rely on it recognize the value, or question why it happened at all?
At evolv Consulting, strong product ownership means building alignment early so good work is understood, supported, and adopted. Connect with us.
Susan Toppert is a seasoned product owner and senior consultant at evolv Consulting, bringing over 28 years of experience in delivering technology and business solutions. She has a proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional projects that span global teams and multiple business and IT domains. Susan specializes in translating business objectives into actionable solutions, ensuring clear communication of scope, dependencies, and challenges across all stakeholders. Her expertise in agile methodologies and solution ownership enables her to drive alignment, foster collaboration, and deliver measurable value. Based in the Dallas area, Susan is known for her strategic mindset, ability to navigate complexity, and commitment to guiding teams toward meaningful, high-impact outcomes.
