8-balls in an N-of-8®? Why involve troublemakers in your big project.

Involving others in your projects and initiatives counts among the central tasks of a manager. Of course, you'll need the usual suspects: people who care about and will be affected by an initiative, who have relevant knowledge and expertise, and whose authority the work touches.

But also include troublemakers -- people with diverse points of view, those who are resisters or detractors, says change consultant Richard H. Axelrod, coauthor of You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: How to Involve Others to Get Things Done.

You'll devise more innovative solutions. And it's better to have troublemakers using their energy inside the initiative instead of stirring up angst about it from the outside.
Besides, when troublemakers see their concerns taken seriously, they may turn into instrumental team members.