Managing project stakeholder issues

Project derailment is frequently attributed to stakeholder management issues; not just scope creep, unrealistic deadlines, or resource constraints. Here’s how Project Stakeholder Management issues can be addressed:

1. Misaligned priorities:

  • Challenge: Stakeholders with divergent agendas or conflicting goals.
  • Solution: Initiate a project kick-off with all key personnel. Establish, document and maintain alignment on success metrics and objectives. Revisit shared goals regularly; especially when any key new stakeholders engaged/replaced during the project.
  • Artefacts: The Project Brief (Start Project stage), Business Case and Project Initiation documents should identify the stakeholders and their contributions/responsibilities to the project. Any dependencies on them for decisions, resources or approvals should be clearly articulated and preferably formally approved by email, meeting notes or even signed printouts.

2. Conflicting expectations and excessive stakeholder involvement:

  • Challenge: Discrepancies in stakeholder expectations regarding timelines, deliverables, and outcomes. An unmanageable number of stakeholders leading to decision-making bottlenecks or confusion.
  • Solution: Conduct early expectation clarification via interviews or surveys. Within Project Initiation documents employ a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI) to define roles and responsibilities. Document and confirm deliverables, timelines, owners, reviewers and approvers.
  • Artefact: The Glidepath Stakeholder Relationship Organiser (GLP034) is useful to compile and maintain the stakeholder list in collaboration with the Project Executive and project sponsors.

3. Stakeholder silence and communication deficiencies:

  • Challenge: Stakeholder disengagement, delayed responses, or complete silence. Stakeholders feeling uninformed and excluded.
  • Solution: Implement regular check-ins with key stakeholders. Solicit direct feedback. Offer asynchronous communication options for stakeholders with time constraints and engage cover for absenteeism of key stakeholders. Get agreement on standardised email updates and/or circulated project presentation decks.
  • Artefact: Use the Glidepath Communication Plan to drive consistent engagement.

4. Late-stage feedback and unrealistic demands:

  • Challenge: Significant stakeholder input received late in the project lifecycle or stakeholders making requests without understanding the impact.
  • Solution: Implement a change control process. Clearly communicate trade-offs. Ensure stakeholders understand downstream effects. Share early drafts or prototypes and enforce feedback deadlines.
  • Artefact: The Glidepath Change Control Plan is useful to outline the process.

5. Power dynamics and politics:

  • Challenge: Stakeholder competition for control or conflicting agendas.
  • Solution: Identify key influencers early, understand objectives, and build alliances with sponsors and informal leaders. Establish escalation pathways.
  • Artefact: The Glidepath Stakeholder Relationship Organiser (GLP034) supports ongoing stakeholder tracking.

Further Insights: Contact us for support and more information on effective project management.