One implication concerning tension over results is that CBA projects may avoid the more contentious issues or try to minimize ‘rocking the boat.’ The potential for such tension should not, however, distract from the benefits of CBA; rather, the example of wildlife management further emphasizes the importance of the process of CBA involving continual dialogue and transparency between researchers and communities, beginning at project inception, so that all parties are aware of the direction the work may take and offer their free, prior, and informed consent; ongoing during analysis of results as they emerge to limit the likelihood of surprise; and continuing during communication of findings with different stakeholders. Researchers also need to be aware of the potential for conflict from the beginning of CBA projects, and be careful not to overprivilege one source of knowledge or evidence if conflict does arise. In this way, CBA processes may help to create balance across different ways of knowing, helping to ensure that Western approaches do not repeat past mistakes where research undermined traditional knowledge and community perspectives.38, 85 Managing expectations: the focus of CBA on building adaptive capacity and developing interventions can result in high expectations within partnering communities that projects will directly influence policy and programming. Yet, not all CBA projects have discernible outcomes, especially in the short term, and even where they do, may have difficulty in sustaining them or face significant barriers impeding success. Failure to manage expectations and the overselling of potential benefits by researchers can result in conflict with local partners if there is a mismatch in expectations. Indeed, funding agencies increasingly want to see decision‐making and action‐oriented outcomes as explicit objectives in project proposals, often supported by letters of support from communities, pushing researchers to sometimes list outcomes which may or may not happen and to which partners may or may not be committed. Managing research promises and funding agency demands is important for creating realistic expectations of CBA projects. The multifaceted role of the researcher: Researchers (be they students, faculty, consultants, community members, or government‐ or NGO‐based) play various roles in CBA projects, including as educators, communicators, community workers, promoters, facilitators, and negotiators. These roles reflect the nature of CBA work, where researchers are continuously asked and challenged by community partners to go beyond the standard academic practice of only generating new knowledge. Such roles attract many to CBA research; yet such demands and responsibilities can also compromise the integrity and quality of the research component of projects. For example, a number of workshop participants reported being frequently requested to provide educational resources and training outside of the research parameters, requested to search out funds for other projects, and asked to advise on other topics. While providing this level of support was deemed rewarding and critical for establishing trust, the time commitments required can have implications for the quality and impact of the actual research. It is important, therefore, for researchers to be open about these challenges, and negotiate relationships with community partners in a transparent manner, starting at the onset of a project.