“Project manager” does not mean “stakeholder gatekeeper”. The PM always seems to control that relationship, but there is a better way: When the relationship between team members and stakeholders is working, it’s the PM’s responsibility to stay out of the way.
Want to engage all of your stakeholders quickly and communicate with them throughout the project? Stop being so selfish! It's not just about you. The decisions one PM made that supported communications on his project had mixed results, giving him some valuable lessons in the process.
Stakeholder management is a key part of any project--yet stakeholders are not always the easiest people to manage. The solution would appear to be simple--manage the performance of our stakeholders so that they better support the needs of the project. Yet we tend to be a little gun-shy. But guess what? There’s no reason for PMs to be scared of stakeholders.
Transitions can be difficult when management and stakeholders change--something that happens on a regular basis in the government. Some basic guidelines can keep the project on track.
|
"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." - Milton Berle |
