Here are five simple ways to manage (and engage) your stakeholders in your project:
- Utilize a stakeholder register to track each stakeholder and contact information as well as their needs, wants and expectations as it relates to the project.
- Take the time to meet each stakeholder – either in person or via a virtual format. Get to know them and let them get to know you and the rest of the team. This builds trust with enables for a more effective relationship between the project team and the stakeholders.
- Develop a communication plan. Make sure the communications shows – at a high level – how you and the team will communicate with stakeholders throughout the initiative as well as how stakeholders can communicate with you.
- When a problem arises on the project, don’t hide it! Share challenges with the stakeholders as well as your plan to address the challenge. Get input if stakeholders have expertise that you may be able to utilize. Nothing builds trust better than sharing – and not hiding – information.
- Invite stakeholders. When the project is complete, invite stakeholders to the lessons learned meeting and ask for their input into how effectively the team interacted with and engaged stakeholders in the project.
