Stakeholder management is a critical aspect of any project or business initiative. It involves identifying, understanding, and effectively managing relationships with individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the project’s outcome. In any given project, this will include investors, employees, suppliers, and the community at large.
In this article, we will explore the concept of stakeholder management, why it is important, red flags that can signal that stakeholder management is on rocky ground, and four strategies for managing difficult stakeholders.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of dealing with difficult stakeholders yet, don’t worry. You will soon. This means you must arm yourself with strategies to manage them amicably and continue working on the project despite possible roadblocks.
We want to help. In this article, we’ll provide you with four tips for dealing with difficult stakeholders. We’ll discuss how to identify them, how to manage their expectations, and how to effectively communicate with them.
If you want to ensure that stakeholders have visibility into project progress and status updates, check out Wrike’s project schedule template. This pre-built template allows you to plan, track, and manage project tasks effectively, providing stakeholders with clear visibility into project timelines and deliverables.
As a project manager, dealing with difficult stakeholders can feel like an uphill battle. Their resistance and criticism threaten to derail your project’s progress and undermine your leadership.
When stakeholders become obstinate, angry, or withdrawn, it’s natural to get frustrated But giving in to frustration often makes the situation worse The most effective project managers stay poised under pressure. Through empathy, communication, and inclusion, they turn challenging stakeholders into engaged partners.
In this guide, I’ll share expert techniques to identify and gracefully handle troublesome stakeholders. You’ll learn how to:
- Pinpoint the roots of stakeholder difficulties
- Communicate to resolve concerns
- Involve stakeholders in decision making
- Address conflicts head-on while preserving relationships
- Cultivate trust, ownership, and commitment
Equipped with these skills, you can steer any project through rough stakeholder waters to success. Let’s dive in!
Why Stakeholders Become Difficult
The first step in handling troublesome stakeholders is understanding why they act out. Some common reasons include:
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Lack of buy-in. Stakeholders don’t see how the project benefits them, so they obstruct progress.
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Loss of control. They feel excluded from decisions that impact their work or role.
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Self-interest. The project conflicts with stakeholders’ personal goals or status.
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Previous baggage. Negative past experiences shape their skeptical outlook.
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Information gaps. They lack key details to provide meaningful input.
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Poor change management. The project pace or uncertainty is unsettling.
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Personality conflicts. You have different working or communication styles.
Pinpointing stakeholders’ motivations allows you to customize strategies to get them onboard. Now let’s explore those proven stakeholder management techniques.
Communicate Proactively and Frequently
At the heart of almost any difficult stakeholder relationship is ineffective communication. When stakeholders feel out of the loop, distrust breeds. That’s why transparent, consistent communication is critical.
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Set clear expectations upfront. Make stakeholder responsibilities and project objectives explicit. Follow up in writing.
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Give ample notice of changes. Provide regular project updates through multiple channels like email, meetings, and reports.
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Actively listen to concerns. Don’t be dismissive even if concerns seem trivial or self-serving.
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Clear up misinformation ASAP. Rumors spread quickly, so directly address any incorrect assumptions.
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Tailor messages. Use language and emphasis suited to each stakeholder’s needs and priorities.
Keeping all stakeholders informed safeguards alignment, unity, and productivity. Make communication a priority, not an afterthought.
Involve Stakeholders in Key Decisions
When stakeholders help shape plans that affect them, they gain ownership. Inclusion also leverages their expertise to improve outcomes. Ways to involve stakeholders:
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Delegation. Give stakeholders authority over elements tied to their role.
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Surveys. Solicit stakeholder perspectives and feedback on decisions through polls or questionnaires.
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Focus groups. Invite stakeholders to share thoughts in a small group discussion.
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Advisory team. Create a diverse committee of stakeholders to guide direction.
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Status reviews. Include stakeholders in analyzing progress data and identifying improvements.
Empower stakeholders to direct pieces of the project they care about most. This builds trust and defuses resistance.
Address Conflicts Openly but Tactfully
Left unresolved, small stakeholder rifts swell into major partisan factions that paralyze progress. Tackle disagreements quickly but thoughtfully:
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Discuss one-on-one first. This avoids an audience that may provoke defensiveness. Stay calm and listen.
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Find common ground. Highlight shared goals or concerns. “We both want what’s best for the client.”
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Be specific yet diplomatic. Rather than criticize, focus the conversation on project needs.
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Compromise where possible. Don’t force concessions, but offer reasonable middle ground solutions.
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Follow up respectfully. Send a brief email thanking the stakeholder for their perspective after a heated discussion.
With open and compassionate conflict resolution, stakeholders feel valued rather than alienated. You maintain goodwill to weather future challenges together.
Cultivate Stakeholder Relationships
At the heart of stakeholder management is relationships. Investing in building rapport and trust creates a buffer when difficulties arise:
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Learn stakeholders’ priorities. Ask about their responsibilities, objectives, and measures of success.
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Show genuine interest. Follow up on stakeholder concerns you’ve discussed. Check on their team.
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Socialize informally. Chat about non-work topics or have casual group lunches.
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Highlight shared goals. Reinforce that you’re both working toward the same end result.
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Grant public recognition. Thank stakeholders who contribute ideas or assist you.
When stakeholders know you care about more than their utility, they’ll extend good faith when you truly need it most.
Keeping Stakeholders on Your Side Drives Project Prosperity
Difficult stakeholders can derail even the most meticulous project plan. By identifying their concerns, communicating transparently, involving them in decisions, tackling conflicts constructively, and nurturing relationships, you can earn their trust and cooperation. With stakeholders working with you, not against you, you can overcome any obstacle on the path to project success.
Why is stakeholder management important?
If you think of a project like an engine, stakeholder management functions are the oil that keeps the wheels spinning. Without someone who can manage stakeholders’ different personalities, expectations, or communication styles, a project can be upended. Someone who is skilled in stakeholder management will be able to sort out situations that can derail or delay projects throughout their life cycles, and can adjust elements to ensure their success stays on track.
Stakeholder management is so important for a range of reasons. For instance, stakeholder management fosters clear communication between the project team and the project’s stakeholders. Proper stakeholder management involves regularly updating stakeholders on project progress, discussing any obstacles or changes that do arise so expectations can be managed, and handling misunderstandings with expectations or timelines — all of which contribute to positive stakeholder relationships.
Effective stakeholder management also enables better decision making because getting a clearer picture of stakeholder interests can lead to more effective strategies for project execution. It can also increase stakeholder engagement by making them feel heard and valued, bringing in stakeholders who might not otherwise take ownership over their piece of the project. Those involved in stakeholder management will likely find that this creates more positive feelings about the project overall.
For many project managers, stakeholder management extends beyond a single project. Building long-term relationships with stakeholders is yet another benefit of the process that can bear fruit into the future.
Listen to what they say
Don’t close communication channels because you don’t like what you hear. Try to see where difficult stakeholders are coming from and put yourself in their shoes to understand their motivation and goals.
Make an effort to understand their point of view. If what they’re saying is frustrating, ask yourself: Do their needs align with your project’s objectives? Do they simply want things done a different way? Try to find common ground.
Above all else, people want to feel understood and that their opinions are valued. Here are a few ways to manage stakeholders and show them they matter:
- Find people project roles that best match their interests and talents
- Always treat people with respect, even when tempers rise
- Give praise often, especially when you notice positive behavior
- Provide training and coaching to all involved
- Give people opportunities to share their insights and opinions with the group and help make decisions
How to Manage Difficult Stakeholders [6 COMMON CHALLENGES]
How do you manage difficult stakeholders?
Before you can manage difficult stakeholders, it’s important that you can identify your stakeholders. Make a list of everyone who has influence on the project, starting with your project team. Next include those outside your team who have some investment in the project, whether financial or because your project impacts the work they do.
What are difficult stakeholders?
Difficult stakeholders are those stakeholders who could disrupt or even bring an end to a project unless you manage them carefully. They might not be open and forthcoming in their communications, or they may only offer negative feedback.
How do you deal with difficult or unresponsive stakeholders?
The fifth step to deal with difficult or unresponsive stakeholders is to leverage support and influence from other stakeholders who can help you. Support and influence are valuable resources for dealing with stakeholders who are reluctant, hostile, or indifferent to your project or initiative.
Are You dealing with a problematic stakeholder?
To help you identify problematic stakeholders, we ’ ve put together some telltale signs that indicate you may be dealing with one: Poor communication is one of the first signs of rough seas ahead. If a stakeholder isn’t communicating well, it might mean that their expectations aren’t in line with how the project is progressing.
