How do you include stakeholders in airport projects?

2 Communicate clearly and regularly

The second step is to communicate with your stakeholders clearly and regularly throughout the project lifecycle. You need to establish a communication plan that defines the objectives, methods, frequency, and responsibilities of your communication activities. You also need to tailor your messages to suit the different stakeholder groups and address their questions, feedback, and issues. You can use various communication channels such as meetings, newsletters, websites, social media, or workshops to reach out to your stakeholders and keep them informed and engaged.

3 Involve them in decision-making

The third step is to involve your stakeholders in the decision-making process of your project. You need to create opportunities for your stakeholders to participate in the project design, evaluation, or monitoring and provide their input, suggestions, or concerns. You can use techniques such as focus groups, interviews, surveys, or co-creation sessions to solicit and incorporate stakeholder views and preferences. You also need to acknowledge and respond to stakeholder feedback and demonstrate how their input has influenced your project outcomes.

4 Manage expectations and conflicts

The fourth step is to manage the expectations and conflicts that may arise among your stakeholders during your project. You need to set realistic and clear expectations for your project scope, timeline, budget, and benefits and communicate them to your stakeholders. You also need to identify and address any potential or actual conflicts that may occur between or within stakeholder groups and seek to resolve them in a constructive and respectful manner. You can use tools such as negotiation, mediation, or arbitration to facilitate dialogue and agreement among your stakeholders.

5 Build trust and relationships

The fifth step is to build trust and relationships with your stakeholders throughout your project. You need to demonstrate your commitment, transparency, and accountability to your stakeholders and deliver on your promises. You also need to show appreciation and recognition for your stakeholder contributions and achievements and celebrate your project milestones and successes. You can use strategies such as feedback loops, testimonials, awards, or events to build rapport and loyalty with your stakeholders.

6 Evaluate and improve

The sixth step is to evaluate and improve your stakeholder engagement practices and results. You need to measure and monitor the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of your stakeholder engagement activities and outcomes. You also need to collect and analyze stakeholder feedback and data and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of your stakeholder engagement process. You can use methods such as surveys, interviews, or audits to evaluate and improve your stakeholder engagement performance and quality.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?