An effective project involves effective stakeholder management. Stakeholder management and stakeholder engagement are pivotal. But what does it really take to ensure that you are engaging with them effectively? This solution involves planning because with a good strategy you can handle a lot that comes your way. Let’s show you some effective methods.
A Solid Approach to Information Reporting
One of the most important aspects of stakeholder engagement is reporting everything back in a streamlined and timely manner. There are many approaches that you can take, but when it comes to new projects, solid information reporting will minimise risk and increase transparency. Conducting numerous reports, whether it is environmental reporting to ensure that the business is meeting strict regulations or improving sustainability measures, requires a comprehensive approach to reporting information. It is a skill that comes with time, but it also needs to factor in the stakeholders in question. Learning different methods of communication is so important.
Considering the Best Approaches to Communication
Stakeholders will want to engage in different ways. When we communicate with stakeholders, we have to think about four ways of breaking this down. Loosely, you can break any project down into four areas:
- Exploring and engaging.
- Building and formalizing the project.
- Implementing the project and evaluating.
- Any further developments.
Additionally, you will also need to factor in methods of communicating. Everybody wants to engage in different ways. Some will be more hands-on, yet others will want detailed reports. When you start to consider the best methods of communicating with each one, only then you will be able to streamline your communication approach that elicits the best responses.
Prioritising Your Stakeholders
Part of key stakeholder management is about identifying everyone who is affected by the project, but once these have been identified you need to determine the priority stakeholders and those that have less interest or influence but still want to be kept abreast of the activities. This means that when you prioritise your stakeholders effectively, you will have to communicate in different ways. As you can see, communication is so important, and one of the best things that you can do throughout the entire process is to be engaged with as much transparency as you can. Some will prefer regular updates but others may not have so much enthusiasm. However you report it, transparency is the most important thing.
Analysing the Relationship With the Stakeholder
You need to find the best methods to engage with the stakeholder throughout the life of the project. You need to increase project support, which means addressing the relationship as you go. You can use the findings of the information reported and glean the overall response, but ultimately, the business needs to perform better in light of specific results and findings. If this will increase stakeholder engagement resulting in a more solid set of support, you have found the key! But you have to remember that powerful stakeholder management means tracking the impact the work has on those affected while making sure that you are maximising accountability and transparency.