What would you do if the Product Owner is unavailable for extended periods and decisions are stalling?

1. Name the problem early and in terms of impact: which stories are blocked, how many days of team capacity are affected, and what the cost to the release date is.
2. Propose a practical mechanism rather than just complaining — a delegated decision-maker for defined categories, a short daily decision window, or an agreed default such as “no response within two working days means the documented recommendation proceeds.”
3. Batch decisions. Instead of asking questions as they arise, I would prepare a single decision pack with options, recommendations, and impacts so limited time produces the maximum number of decisions.
4. Reduce the number of decisions needed by making recommendations rather than presenting open questions. Approving a recommendation is far faster than forming a view from scratch.
5. If it persists, escalate to the sponsor as a delivery risk, not as a personal complaint. Product Owner availability is a resourcing decision the sponsor owns.