How do you manage multiple stakeholders in a facilities project?

Clearly articulate what the project aims to achieve. This includes specific goals and desired outcomes that align with stakeholder expectations. Establish communication channels for ongoing updates, allowing stakeholders to remain informed and engaged throughout the project. Clearly define who is responsible for each aspect of the project. This prevents overlap and confusion about tasks. Identify key deliverables and establish milestones to track progress. This helps keep the team focused and motivated. Create a comprehensive budget that accounts for all resources needed, including personnel, materials, and any other expenses. This ensures that the project adheres to necessary regulations and stakeholder expectations.

Start by clearly defining the project's scope and objectives, and communicating them to all stakeholders. This ensures everyone understands roles, responsibilities, deliverables, milestones, budget, timeline, and quality and safety criteria. Identify risks, contingencies, and management strategies. Clear, agreed-upon scope and objectives minimize confusion, conflict, and scope creep.

Choose the right communication channels (e.g., emails, meetings, collaboration tools) that suit the preferences of different stakeholders. Create opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback, whether through surveys, meetings, or informal conversations. Celebrate achievements and milestones together, reinforcing a sense of teamwork and shared success. Consider team-building activities or workshops to strengthen relationships and improve collaboration. When disputes arise, tackle them head-on with a calm and professional demeanor, focusing on solutions rather than blame. Share both successes and challenges openly to build credibility and trust. Stakeholders appreciate honesty about project realities.

While engaging with your stakeholders be sure to identify the one or two "champions". You should have at least one, preferably in senior management that can help you as an FM or PM to get through any highly sensitive issues that may come up. Sometimes having that "champion" to help get you an audience or help to push the agenda of the project can go a long way. The champion does not always need to be the owner of the project. It could be an internal department head that has a large stake in the outcome of the project. Just make sure you build that relationship and keep it healthy.

Build trust and rapport with stakeholders by fostering a collaborative and respectful relationship. Communicate regularly and effectively, using suitable channels and tools. Listen to their feedback, concerns, and suggestions, and address them promptly and professionally. Acknowledge their contributions, celebrate achievements, and resolve disputes amicably. This will create a positive, productive environment and increase stakeholder satisfaction and engagement.

To build trust and rapport with stakeholders in any project: 1. Communicate Transparently: Share updates, risks, and progress consistently. 2. Listen Actively: Understand their concerns and priorities. 3. Deliver on Promises: Fulfill commitments promptly and with quality. 4. Engage Early: Involve stakeholders in key decisions to ensure buy-in. 5. Show Empathy: Recognize their pressures and align with their goals. 6. Adapt Quickly: Incorporate feedback and remain flexible. 7. Highlight Mutual Wins: Emphasize shared benefits of project outcomes. Consistency, authenticity, and collaboration ensure strong relationships and trust.

Use project management software (like Trello, Asana, or Microsoft Project) to assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress. Create a schedule for regular reporting (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) to keep stakeholders informed of progress. Present reports in a clear, concise format that is easy for stakeholders to understand. Use visuals like charts and graphs to highlight key points. Create opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback on reports and project progress, either through formal meetings or informal discussions. Be prepared to make adjustments based on stakeholder feedback or unexpected challenges that arise during the project.

Monitor and report project progress to keep stakeholders informed. Use a project management system to track tasks, resources, costs, and quality. Generate regular, accurate reports and share them with stakeholders. Solicit feedback and input, making adjustments as needed. This ensures the project stays on track, on budget, and meets quality standards, while keeping stakeholders aware and engaged.

Solid advice above. Delivering news that stakeholders don't want to hear is an art. One of my mentors said it best, "When you discover an issue, it is your problem. If you bring the issue to me, then it becomes our problem to solve."

Develop a clear change management process that outlines how changes can be proposed, evaluated, and implemented. Specify who has the authority to approve changes at various levels (e.g., project manager, stakeholders, steering committee). Inform stakeholders about any changes as soon as they are approved, providing details on what is changing and why. Keep stakeholders informed of progress and any additional changes that may arise, ensuring they feel involved and valued. Assess the impact of changes on the project’s scope, timeline, and budget. This evaluation should be documented and shared with stakeholders. Encourage a collaborative approach to problem-solving when challenges arise, focusing on solutions rather than obstacles.

Manage changes and expectations efficiently by implementing a clear change management process. This process should outline how to request, approve, document, and implement changes. Communicate any changes to stakeholders, explaining the rationale and impact. Be realistic and transparent about the project status, challenges, and outcomes. This approach helps avoid delays, costs, and conflicts, while maintaining stakeholder satisfaction and trust.

While it is always better to learn from the experience of others, sometimes lessons learned get left behind in the flurry of getting a project closed out and moving on to the next one. Sharing those lessons learned is an important part of leadership. I find that asking questions leads to effective sharing. Another important aspect of lessons learned is identifying stakeholders who can help build trust and confidence in the project team. Usually this is someone on the customer side who has been through similar projects with other end users.

Evaluate and learn from the project by conducting a post-project review and gathering data and feedback from stakeholders. Identify the project's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and analyze results and impacts. Document best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement, and share them with stakeholders. This process demonstrates accountability and professionalism while enhancing your skills and knowledge for future projects.