(This post contains affiliate hyperlinks. Please read my full disclosure.
Louise M. Worsley outlines 6 principles to engage project stakeholders in Stakeholder-led Management: Changing How We Manage Projects
These tenets were worth sharing, so I’ve included them along with my explanation of their meanings. (Plus, a handy infographic is available if you scroll further.)
This article:
1. Decisions that affect them should be made with the participation of stakeholders
2. Participation by stakeholders includes the promise of their contributions to decisions… and they are told how.
3. Stakeholder engagement is about engaging those who are potentially affected by or interested in a decision.
4. Stakeholder engagement is looking for input from stakeholders on how they might like to participate
5. Stakeholder engagement offers information, time and space that allows stakeholders to engage in meaningful ways.
6. It’s never a bad idea to be polite
1. Decisions that affect them should be made with the participation of stakeholders
People can’t do your projects. You can, however. It won’t work out.
Talk to people whose lives are being transformed, even if it seems small.
2. Participation by stakeholders includes the promise of their contributions to decisions… and they are told how.
Talking to people is not enough. Listening is essential. People who give their input deserve to be heard.
If you are unable to incorporate it, let people know why so they don’t feel disappointed later on or that they have been overlooked.
3. Stakeholder engagement is about engaging those who are potentially affected by or interested in a decision.
You must go out and locate your stakeholders. Asking your stakeholders to recommend other people to talk to is the best way to go.
Keep expanding your network. You are almost always able to find someone else who could help you.
4. Stakeholder engagement is looking for input from stakeholders on how they might like to participate
Accepts that not everyone wants to participate.
Discuss with your stakeholders what engagement means to them. Offer a variety of ways for people in your project to get involved.
5. Stakeholder engagement offers information, time and space that allows stakeholders to engage in meaningful ways.
Space is the key thing. Sometimes stakeholders will need to absorb changes more slowly than they expect.
Give them space to think and the time to make the right decisions.
6. It’s never a bad idea to be polite
Worsley seems to have that one sorted!