When you are working on a project, a big part of it is making sure you are keeping the stakeholders happy and involved. It can be nerve wracking to have to deal with stakeholders, but if you want your project to be a success, it has to be done. Luckily, there are several ways to engage with your stakeholders that will essentially ensure success. From implementing community engagement software to ensuring there is always consistent communication, here are five helpful tips that can help you better your stakeholder management skills.
- Build Trust Early
One of the best ways to ensure that your stakeholders stay happy throughout the project is to build up trust with them early on. You can do this by engaging them and involving them in the project you are working on. By keeping them in the loop, they will feel respected and included and therefore put more trust in you. Don’t let the stakeholders be the last to know about a particular project—or worse, let them hear it from someone else. This will only result in unhappy stakeholders who will feel left out.
- Use Community Engagement Software
If you are not using it already, be sure that you implement community engagement software as soon as possible. This type of software allows different people to join and engage with each other as well as your organization. There are a variety of different platforms to choose from, but when trying to decide on the right one for your organization, keep in mind a few things. For one, you want to be able to choose a platform that allows you to communicate directly with members, especially with your stakeholders. If you are on a budget, another thing to consider would be the cost of the platform.
- Consistent Communication
As mentioned previously, consistent communication is one of the best things you can have for a successful project. Although this can involve phone calls and emails, using community engagement software can allow you to communicate effectively as well. You can post frequent updates about the project and any other information that you think would be useful for others working on the project to know. Be sure that your stakeholders are using this platform as well as it’s a great way for them to stay in the loop and know what’s going on with the project.
- Honesty Is the Best Policy
No matter how well or how poorly your project may be going, it’s extremely important that you are always honest with your stakeholders. Again, you want to be able to build up trust with them and the best way to do it is to be honest. Be as transparent as possible when it comes to your project plans and don’t try to hide things from your stakeholders. When these things come to light, it won’t look good for you. The more open you are with your stakeholders, the better.
- Be an Active Listener
Stakeholders like to know that they are being heard and listened to. As a result, it is important to be an active listener during all meetings by asking questions during a meeting, making eye contact, and taking notes. By doing all of those things, the stakeholders will feel like they are being listened to and being taken seriously. This is also a great way to continue to build a trusting relationship and to clarify any misunderstandings or bring up any concerns that you may have and vice versa.
