How do you creatively engage your Project Stakeholders?
Dr. Ojiugo AjunwaExecutive Director Projects and Training| Ritetrac Consulting Nigeria LtdAbuja, Fct, Nigeria
Using the PMBOK helps with Engagement strategies but what do you do on your Projects that is out of the box to creatively engage your Project Stakeholders especially the Negative Stakeholders? Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
First thing I do is thinking that people behaves in a way for a reason then I am not assigning adjectives to stakeholers like negative or positive. After that, what helps me a lot to work with stakeholders, is some selling methods mainly "Solution Selling" or "SPIN Selling".
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1 reply by Dr. Ojiugo Ajunwa
Oct 20, 2018 7:21 PM
Dr. Ojiugo Ajunwa
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Ok,it helps not to label them. Thanks for sharing!
Saving Changes...
Dr. Ojiugo AjunwaExecutive Director Projects and Training| Ritetrac Consulting Nigeria LtdAbuja, Fct, Nigeria
Oct 20, 2018 4:49 PM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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First thing I do is thinking that people behaves in a way for a reason then I am not assigning adjectives to stakeholers like negative or positive. After that, what helps me a lot to work with stakeholders, is some selling methods mainly "Solution Selling" or "SPIN Selling".
Ok,it helps not to label them. Thanks for sharing!
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Oct 21, 2018 6:41 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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You are welcome. Regarding not leveling to stakeholders it works for me. I am not saying that labeling will not work for others.
One of the things I try to do is examine what motivates stakeholders. This is the key to a lot of human behavior and provides an avenue to influence people. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Oct 20, 2018 7:21 PM
Replying to Dr. Ojiugo Ajunwa
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Ok,it helps not to label them. Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome. Regarding not leveling to stakeholders it works for me. I am not saying that labeling will not work for others. Saving Changes...
I like the "Solution selling" expression which is working for lot of stakeholders.
(and sometimes needs a to view/understand their arguments by even repetitive meetings or let say interviews/questionnaires to get their expectations).
Sometimes I know it is difficult for stakeholder (who is a risk averse),
BR, Saving Changes...
Mark StewardDirector| Arrow Zee AustraliaSydney, Nsw, Australia
As a general rule, I have found a good way to deal with negative stakeholders is to understand their concerns and focus on what is important to them. Kind of sounds like a quote from a textbook, but by that, I mean taking the time to understand their concerns, showing genuine empathy and putting yourself in their shoes. Listening and enquiry is the key skill here. If you make it safe to do so and you are genuine then I find most people share their concerns with you. A chat somewhere private, a walk or a cup of coffee can do wonders to enable this. Of course, dealing with an angry mob or a saboteur is another issue. Saving Changes...
Lenka PincotChief of Staff to the CEO| Project Management InstituteParis, France
Hi, I agree with not labeling stakeholders as positive or negative. The reason is that stakeholders are typically people who posses a lot of knowdledge, years of experience and insight. When they seem to be negative it may be that they see certain risks or experienced similar projects that did not go well. Then it is very important to understand their motivation to take a certain standpoint.
To creatively engage stakeholders I would recomentd to always find a way how to give them active role on workshops, ask them questions, even play games that lead to solutions finding or situation analysis. Be sure that everyone has opportunity to speak up and express their opinion or concern. Saving Changes...
Lenka & Mark have good suggestions above for creating a culture of inclusion. Then plenty of open-ended questions to understand their concerns and voicing back your understanding to clarify and affirm they feel heard. Saving Changes...
Mahabubur RahmanProject Manager Structures-Bridges| Department of Infrastructure, Government of Nothwest TerritoriesYellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
I think, it is important to understand their concerns and impacts, let them feel you are trying to address those, review and update them. Plan, select appropriate tools and techniques,take every effort to resolve in process groups. Saving Changes...
Tamer Zeyad SadiqAssistant Cost Manager| Turner & TownsendRiyadh, Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia
When you identify all stakeholder both positive and negative, classify their concerns and impacts and engage and communicate with them, your project would be increased successful!!!! Saving Changes...
