Hello Indiana, So, here's the thing. Dealing with stakeholders is the single most requested topic you all have asked me to write about. However, I have continually put off addressing it because I hit a mental barrier when I sit down to write. It is just such a big subject, and I do so many little things that collectively make working with stakeholders much easier. There's far too much to include in a newsletter.
Try listening to your stakeholders, but not before youlisten to me!
That said, I want to leave you with one piece of advice: if you want to influence your stakeholders, take the time to get to know them and engage with them.
Take the Time to Engage Your Stakeholders
Often, bad experiences with stakeholders in the past cause people to try to exclude them from projects as much as possible. Unfortunately, this is the worst thing you can do. When you exclude stakeholders, they become resentful and critical. But when you involve them in the creation process, they feel listened to and, most importantly, have a sense of ownership over what is produced. The more involved they are, the more ownership they feel, and the more likely they are to defend, rather than criticize, the chosen approach.
Engaging with stakeholders also gives you a chance to educate them about your approach and take them on the journey with you. Workshop exercises and regular updates work great, but you shouldn't just engage with your stakeholders as a group. It is incredibly important to engage with the most important stakeholders individually as well.
By taking the time to talk to stakeholders one-to-one, you make them feel even more valued. More importantly, it provides you with the opportunity to tailor your message to them and their objectives.
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You can find out what your executives are already convinced of. Once you start talking about what the executives are already convinced of, it becomes easier.
When communicating with stakeholders individually, it's important to identify and address the things they care about. For example, when speaking with a marketing executive, emphasize how your design will generate more leads. If you're speaking with the head of finance, focus on how your design will save the organization money.
This approach is similar to user experience design, where we tailor the experience to the needs of our users. Similarly, we must take the time to understand and connect with our stakeholders.
Nothing Will Be More Effective
During our Zoom discussion, we can explore more techniques, but I believe that understanding our stakeholders and involving them in the process is the most effective approach. Rather than keeping stakeholders at arm's length, or worse, excluding them, we should make an effort to become their ally and involve them as much as possible. This will make a significant difference in the outcome.
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