The team is receiving contradictory instructions
The chair, a council member and the executive director have each told the team something different about the programme this week.
The short answer
Name one person who gives instructions to the team and one place where decisions are recorded. Everyone else sends requests to that person. Until the conflict is settled, the team follows the last recorded decision and asks before acting on anything new.
Write down each instruction, who gave it and when in the decision log, then ask the committee to resolve the conflicts at one meeting.
What is known and what is not
| Known | Not yet known |
|---|---|
| The chair asked to move the awards to the final session, the council member asked to keep them before lunch, and the director asked to drop them. | Which of the three has the authority to decide, and whether the committee ever approved the original order. |
| The team has acted on two of the three instructions already. | Which changes are in the run sheet, which suppliers have been told and what each change costs. |
| The events coordinator is receiving messages by phone, chat and email. | Which instructions are in writing and which were verbal. |
| The council meets in nine days. | Whether the chair can decide before that, and whether the council needs to ratify. |
Who has authority to decide
The constitution, terms of reference or committee decision defines who may decide on the programme. If it is unclear, that is the first question for the chair and the secretary. The team does not choose between senior people, and it does not interpret the constitution. Questions about the governing documents are for the secretary or an adviser.
Ask the chair to name, in writing, the single route for instructions until the next meeting.
The realistic options
| Option | What it involves | Consequence to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Pause and ask the chair to decide | Hold the changes in question and ask the chair to decide in writing by a stated date. | Fast and clear if the chair has authority. May delay suppliers. |
| Take it to a committee meeting or written vote | Put the conflict on the agenda or circulate a short paper with the options. | Gives a record. Slower and may need an extra meeting. |
| Follow the approved plan until a decision exists | Keep the last approved run sheet and log requests for changes. | Protects suppliers and the team. Senior people may be frustrated. |
| Scale down the contested element | Remove or simplify the item in dispute until agreed. | Reduces rework. Affects speakers or sponsors. |
Communications: who says what to whom
Tell each person who gave an instruction, in a calm and identical message, that it has been logged and that a decision route is being agreed. Do not say who was right.
Tell the team, in one message, which instruction applies now and where to send questions. Tell suppliers only about decisions that have been recorded.
- Short message template: Thank you for your instruction on [item]. We have logged it with the other instructions on this item and asked [chair] to confirm the decision route. Until we hear back, we will follow the last approved run sheet and will not make changes to suppliers.
Follow-up and preventing a repeat
- Agree a decision route in writing: who gives instructions, who approves changes, and who the team asks.
- Keep the decision log visible to the committee.
- Hold a short weekly meeting where the owners confirm decisions.
- After the event, add the route to the planning brief for the next one.
Worked example · Fictional example
Persatuan Fiktif Perniagaan: three views on the awards
Fictional organisation and figures, written to show the level of detail that is useful.
At a fictional business association, the chair wants awards in the final session, a council member wants them before lunch and the director wants to drop them. The events coordinator has already told the caterer and the stage supplier about two of the three versions.
The coordinator logs each instruction and asks the chair to name a single route in writing. The chair confirms that programme changes go through the chair and the secretary until the council meets. The team returns to the approved run sheet, tells the suppliers it is under review and puts the awards on the council agenda.
Use this yourself
Instruction conflict log
Use one row per instruction. Bring the log to the person who owns the decision route.
- Item in dispute:
- Instructions received, from whom and when:
- Written or verbal:
- Already acted on and effects:
- Decision owner and how it was confirmed:
- Run sheet version in force:
- Suppliers told and what:
- Committee meeting or written vote date:
| Date | From | Instruction | In writing? | Acted on? | Decision owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Two people disagree on one small item and the chair can decide today.
- The decision route is clear in the governing documents.
- Nothing has yet been told to suppliers.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several senior people give conflicting instructions and the team is caught between them.
- Changes have gone to suppliers and cost has increased.
- The decision route is unclear or contested.
Want a decision route agreed and the team steadied?
A planning diagnostic can map where instructions come from, which decisions are open and who needs to decide, then list the next steps with dates. A conference project lead can then act as a single point of coordination for the agreed tasks for a set period. Governing and contract questions stay with your own committee and adviser.
Questions organisers ask
Whose instruction should the team follow?
The team should follow the last recorded decision and ask the person who owns the decision route. It should not choose between senior people.
What if the chair gives a verbal instruction?
Confirm it in writing straight away, for example by a short message to the chair and the secretary.
Should suppliers know about the dispute?
Tell suppliers only the decision and its date, not the disagreement behind it.
Related resources
- Professional association conference: different teams use conflicting guest lists
- Professional association conference: the rehearsal reveals an unresolved handover
- Professional association conference: last-minute additions exceed the agreed scope
- Event decision log builder
- Event weekly status report builder
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.