3 Ways you Can Advocate for Yourself in Short-term, Project-based Environments

Attention, consultants and freelancers! Have you ever struggled to make your voice heard and needs met in fast-paced, short-term, high-stakes, project-based environments? Here are some strategies to help you confidently and mindfully ask for what you need to do your best work.

Set expectations, and discuss styles, goals, and needs. Before starting any project, have an open-ended discussion about working styles and goals with your team. It sets the stage for everyone to bring their best to the work, and if not, discuss what help they need to feel supported. It is a great time to ask for your non-negotiable needs, such as sacred deep work hours, no-meeting Mondays, etc.

Regular 1-on-1 check-ins with stakeholders. It is essential to keep the communication channels open with your stakeholders through 1-on-1 meetings. Use this time to check in, and share what is going well for you and what else you need to succeed. Tip: these meetings don’t have to be formal video meetings, you can do audio-only chats if that is more comfortable.

Know your stakeholders, and know the timing of the project. It is in the best interest of your project lead/ manager to see you succeed. So definitely, ask for what you need. But don’t be tone-deaf. Be mindful about the goals of your stakeholders, as well as the timing and criticality of the project. For example, during the final project phase, focus on being solution-oriented.

These strategies have worked for me, with varying degrees of success. Curious to hear if there is any more wisdom in this crowd that I can learn from.

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