Case Study #1: The Influence Domino: How Aligning One Decision-Maker Unlocked Data Sharing Across Competing Stakeholders
I was engaged to support a large, complex organisation delivering a nationwide technology upgrade designed to improve outcomes for emergency and medical services.
The work was critical but the rollout had stalled — not due to funding or technology.
The challenge was less visible, but far more influential: data sharing and the risk perceptions surrounding it.
The Challenge
Progress depended on securing key information from six major service providers — across both public and private sectors.
Each had valid concerns.
No one was prepared to move first.
As a result, the program remained stalled for 18 months until I was asked to step in.
The Approach
Rather than pursuing six separate agreements, I focused on the underlying question: Who holds the influence to shift the rest?
I identified the most respected (and most cautious) decision-maker in the group.
The strategy was clear: align the key influencer to unlock broader movement.
The Turning Point
I convened all six decision-makers for a short, focused session.
No lengthy presentations. No unnecessary complexity.
One slide. One number. (The number of individuals who remained invisible to safety systems without access to updated data).
I then outlined a scenario that made the implications tangible.
And then, I paused.
No pressure. No over-explanation. Just space for the decision to land.
The Outcome
Within 48 hours, the key decision-maker committed. The remaining stakeholders followed shortly after.
Momentum was restored. Delivery recommenced. And within months, vulnerable users were being transitioned to safer technology.
Key Insight
In complex environments, progress doesn’t always come from engaging everyone equally.
It comes from understanding where influence sits and working with it deliberately.
Practical Lens
When progress stalls, I focus on three questions:
🔴 Must — What must shift to move this forward?
🔵 Should — Who needs to be directly involved (not just informed)?
🟣 Could — What becomes possible if we approach this differently?
Simple, but not simplistic.
Why This Matters
Most complex programs don’t fail because of technical limitations.
They stall due to misalignment, risk perception and competing agendas.
Understanding and working through influence is often the difference between delay and delivery.
