Introduction
Unrealistic requests are inevitable when working with clients who don't fully understand technical constraints, timelines, or costs. The challenge is addressing these requests without damaging the relationship or appearing dismissive. This skill is about finding the path between saying "yes" to everything (leading to failure) and saying "no" to everything (leading to frustration).
Why This Skill Matters
When you handle unrealistic requests poorly, clients feel unheard, dismissed, or believe you lack ambition. When handled well, you demonstrate expertise, protect project success, and guide clients toward better solutions—strengthening the relationship.
Core Principles
- Understand the underlying need before addressing feasibility
- Validate the goal before discussing the approach
- Provide alternatives rather than just saying no
- Quantify trade-offs to enable informed decisions
- Maintain respect for their vision while being honest about reality
Good Examples
Client: "Can we add real-time video chat, AI recommendations, and blockchain integration before launch next month?"
Good Response: "I love the ambition here—you're thinking about powerful features that could really differentiate the product. Let me help us think through what's possible and what sequence makes sense.
Real-time video chat: Technically feasible but would add 6-8 weeks with proper testing and security. Could we target this for Phase 2, 2-3 months post-launch?
AI recommendations: This depends on having user data to train on. We could implement a basic recommendation engine now (adds 2 weeks) and enhance it as we gather data.
Blockchain integration: I want to make sure we're solving the right problem. What specific challenge does blockchain address for your users? There might be simpler solutions that deliver the same benefit faster.
For next month's launch, I recommend focusing on the core features we've scoped, launching well, then adding these enhancements based on user feedback and priority. Which of these features would deliver the most value to users in Phase 2?"
Why It Works
Acknowledges ambition, provides specific realities, offers alternatives, connects to user value, empowers client choice.
Bad Examples
Bad Response: "No way, that's impossible. You clearly don't understand how any of this works."
Why It's Bad
Dismissive, condescending, shuts down conversation, damages relationship.
Tips for Developing This Skill
- Ask "why" - Understand the goal behind the request
- Offer alternatives - "We can't do X, but we could do Y which achieves similar goals"
- Quantify clearly - "That would add 8 weeks and $40K"
- Prioritize together - "If this is critical, what should we defer?"
- Educate gently - Help them understand constraints without condescension
- Stay positive - Focus on what IS possible
Connection to Other Skills
This skill combines gentle pushback, explaining complex concepts, setting expectations, managing scope creep, and maintaining confidence while being realistic.
Action Items
- Next unrealistic request: Use "I love the ambition, let me help us think through what's possible"
- Practice quantifying trade-offs: time, cost, and risk
- Build a library of alternative approaches for common requests
- Develop comfortable phrases for diplomatic redirection