Because steering committees are made up of a diverse group of individuals from different areas, they come with different perspectives. While this is desirable, it can also lead to challenges, such as these listed below.
1. Conflict of interest. The very fact that there are representatives from different areas different can cause potential conflict of interest. If a group wants to rally for being the first adopters of a project’s solution, they may use their leverage on the steering committee to push for that.
2. Conflict in general. Differing viewpoints can at times lead to conflict. While conflict itself isn’t a bad thing, unhealthy and disrespectful conflict can be. As the project manager, be aware of the relationships and communication in the group to ensure that everyone communicates respectfully and the project success is the primary focus of the group.
3. Intimidation. If there are different levels of seniority on the steering committee, depending on the company culture, others may be hesitant to speak up.
4. Delays in decision-making. It’s rare that a group votes unanimously in any decision. And having decision-by-committee can often delay a final decision being made. Which in turn delays action.
5. Misunderstanding of purpose and roles. If the group members are not familiar with participating in a steering committee, they may not be as effective as possible. This can be overcome by creating a charter and guidelines for the roles and activities of the steering committee.