6 tips to manage difficult stakeholders

One of the key areas of Project or Program management is stakeholder management. Many of you who are experienced project manager you already know how crucial and important this is in achieving client satisfaction.

Although you do everything suggested in the Stakeholder Management chapters in most of the project management books. However, in most of the cases you would have one or two stakeholders (or more if you are really unlucky!) who would make you go crazy. They are so so very difficult to work with and manage. They would try to find something negative to criticize in every situation even though project is on track and client organizational benefit realized and you have hit all the milestones, getting appreciations from everywhere, but keeping them happy and engaged.. my God it is so difficult.

 In many cases this leads to project risks, affects the moral of Project Manager and the team. Worst part is that when you need any support from them (which they supposed to provide in their role of being key stakeholders), you never get that and you started getting hopeless and nervous.

Here is few quick tips which could help address this challenging situation:

1. Try to understand their personality and motivation

Best way to do is to talk one to one in an informal environment over a coffee or lunch in case you work face to face with them. If you are remote, try to catch them up on few informal calls. Let them open up, this may not happen very soon but keep trying. Once you understand the personality, know their motivation and preferences, try adjusting your behavior and tailor communication according to that.

                                      

2. Try to understand hierarchy and there position in client organization

This helps a lot … know their influence in their own organization. Many times, I have found a contractor from client organization would behave differently compared to regular employee due to certain performance pressure or other insecurities he might have. Also, after knowing their authority level you can use below chart to strategized your dealing with them.  

3. Accept their authority and do not argue - be diplomatic

Once you know the stakeholders’ authority, accept it. Do not fight even though you do not agree with them on certain things. Prove your point backed up by data, evidences and POC outcomes. Make sure you do your homework and have got other stakeholders in your side who can help you.

4. Make your management updated on issues related to difficult stakeholders

Make sure you higher management is updated about those stakeholders who make issues out of non-issue. If needed, again back this up with the data and evidences while assuring them that you are committed and doing your best to have these stakeholder aligned. Management support would ease of a lot of pressure from you and you would be mentality better prepared to face the challenges ahead.

5. Documentation is key

This is really important and would save you and project going into the real trouble. Make sure anything discussed in any meeting with stakeholders is documented. Releasing a Minutes of Meeting immediately after the meeting or call is the best way to do that.

Make sure scope is documented and signed off from the client authority and a requirement traceability mechanism is established. 

RACI is agreed and all other artefacts are signed off and an Artefact Tracker is maintained. 

6. Give them credit when you achieve key milestones or project success

Who does not like to be appreciated and receive credit for success? Even though it was difficult dealing with them find ways to appreciate them for project success. This would help them to get engaged in less negative way in the future and could be a starting point of building rapport.

Have you ever dealt with difficult stakeholders, and what did you do to manage the situation? Please provide your comments and share. Looking forward to hearing from you.