The Snapshot
The Problem: You have the funding and the mandate, but you’re still getting ghosted by the other teams you need to actually execute.
The Fix: The Alignment Protocol — Three steps to move your project from a lonely authorized task to a shared team project.
The Result: Moving your work from a "nice-to-have" to a confirmed, collaborative win on other teams' roadmaps.
The Insight
Most people stop at Budget Buy-In, thinking the money is the hard part. But in many organizations, the real challenge is Bandwidth Buy-In.
Budget is permission; bandwidth is the actual currency of an organization. If the teams you depend on haven't made room for you, your project will stall.
To ship, you have to stop managing the spreadsheet and start managing the Passive No—that space where people agree with your project in principle but don't have the space to help you in practice.
The Method: The Alignment Protocol
1. Identify Your Silent Partners
Identify every person whose expertise is required to ship (e.g., your SEO lead, a legal reviewer, or a social strategist). Don't view them as gatekeepers, but as co-authors of the project’s success. Reach out early and ask for their perspective before the work is finalized. People are far more likely to prioritize a project they helped shape.
2. The Bandwidth Handshake
Instead of just asking for approval, look for a Bandwidth Handshake. This is about finding a realistic window that respects their existing workload. Ask: “I want to make sure we’re not dropping this on your desk at the wrong time. When is the best week for us to tackle this together?” By respecting their time, you earn a spot on their roadmap.
3. Maintain the Momentum Loop
In large organizations, "out of sight" leads to a loss of enthusiasm. Establish a Momentum Loop—a brief, high-signal update that celebrates small wins and keeps the project's value visible. When people feel like they are part of a winning, moving thing, they are much more likely to keep it at the top of their list.
Source: Adapted from Content Blockers: How Content Projects Go Wrong on Medium.
