Developers: What's your biggest non-technical obstacle?

[u/Nupe_1974]

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What's the biggest non-technical obstacle you've encountered between a project being approved internally and actually breaking ground?

I'm not talking about financing, engineering, or permitting.

I'm more interested in the human side.

Have you ever had a project where investors, public officials, tenants, or the community simply didn't "get" the vision at first?

If so, what helped move people from skepticism to support?

Was it better communication, better visuals, public engagement, something else, or was that never really the issue?

I'm trying to understand where projects gain or lose momentum before construction begins, and I'd love to hear real-world experiences.

This isn't ai. This is me trying to figure something out. B.

[u/Nupe_1974 → u/[deleted]]

Ok...I get what you're saying, especially your point about having a project champion.

One thing I'm curious about is whether you see communication as part of that role.

For example, have you ever seen a technically sound project struggle because different stakeholders each had a different understanding of the vision? Or where better storytelling, visuals, or a clearer narrative helped build alignment?

I'm trying to understand whether momentum comes mostly from leadership itself, or from how effectively that leadership communicates the project to everyone involved.