6 Essential Skills to Communicate Effectively With Stakeholders

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Communications Management   Leadership   Stakeholder Management  

A few years back, I penned an article that identified a number of skills needed to be an effective and persuasive communicator. These skills included the ability to:

1. Facilitate and build consensus
2. Use media and messaging effectively
3. Plan and deliver presentations
4. Manage formal and informal engagements and interactions
5. Lead and participate in meetings
6. Manage, diffuse and calibrate conflict

In this article, I am taking a deeper dive into these six capabilities.

Optimizing Stakeholder Communication
Whether you're facilitating a meeting, building consensus or delivering a presentation, effective communication is essential for individual and organizational success. There are a few key things to keep in mind when communicating with stakeholders:

• Understand their needs and goals
• Respect cultural differences and sensitivities
• Maintain a tone that is encouraging and positive
• Be clear and concise with messaging regardless of the delivery medium used
• Be aware of common communication challenges, such as diffusing negative emotions or conflict
• Be prepared to recalibrate your message based on feedback you are receiving.

By understanding and utilizing effective communication techniques, you can set yourself up for success in any situation. Keeping this top of mind during planning can help ensure that your communication with stakeholders is …

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