"At the onset, I would establish a communication plan with a timeline for information milestones. For example, I would first identify with the project sponsors which employees or departments would have signed the non-disclosure agreement by months 1, 2, and so on. My approach with the employee will depend on where we are in the project timeline. When we meet, I will use hypothetical scenarios or inquire in business-as-usual terms. Let's say that I need their help in requesting a budget for hardware. Instead of asking, 'Could you walk me through how to request the budget for 50 new monitors,' I would say, 'Would you have process maps or any process documents for budget requisition? I'm helping the CFO identify how we can operate lean' That way, they understand that it's a general project management task and doesn't necessarily fall under any one project."
