It's really a 1 step process - the engineering lead has to work with whoever is making the requests to reasonably document expectations. It helps immensely to h

It's really a 1 step process - the engineering lead has to work with whoever is making the requests to reasonably document expectations. It helps immensely to have a paper trail. It also helps to say, "If this goes in, what goes out?" and to push for changes earlier than later. "If you change your mind in a week, it's low cost. If you change your mind in 6 weeks, it will force a slip." Most people will respect an engineering manager that pushes back if the engineering manager can show quantifiable progress, and can deliver. In the absence of progress metrics or a reputation for delivery, the engineering leader does look like an obstructionist.