Recognizing what the stakeholders are feeling, is a good starting point. With this awareness one can create possibilities of desired change. Listening to stakeholder concerns first without being defensive will help build trust slowly. It can be explored with the group on how frequently would they like to have regular updates or in which aspects of change would they like to get involved, based on their expertise and interest. Also, create structures around inclusive decision-making for future, so that the instances of non-inclusion can be minimized. Trust building can take time, but with regular and transparent communication, more inclusive practices, it can be built.

Some out of the box thoughts here.... First of all, not all the stakeholders must make decisions. Some of them are just affected by the decisions and that's how it should occur. Involving them in the decision-making process would be a mistake. Even competitors are stakeholders, aren't they? However, if you want to rebuild trust, no matter what, communication is key. Make regular meetings, categorized by the type of stakeholder. Get into dialogue. Expose thoughts, share decisions if that's fine. And communicate the decisions already made, explaining the reasons why they were made this way.

Say what you DO and DO what you say. ? Communication is key! ?? ? Communicate regularly, you can′t over-communicate. ? Ask about their concerns. Show empathy for their concerns and try to take these concerns away. ? Giver regular updates. ? Always be honest in your communication. It takes time to build trust again.

Excluding stakeholders from change decisions is a cardinal mistake. It doesn't matter if it wasn't intended to exclude them. But the issue is that they felt they were excluded. Here are 3 steps to take: 1. Apologise sincerely goes a long way. You must mean it. Look at them in the eyes when you apologise. It would "cool" things down a little. 2. Explain & clarify what happened which resulted in them feeling excluded. Go into the details & be specific, supported by facts & relevant information. As the change leader, take ownership & responsibility of this boo-boo. 3. Follow up with corrective actions as a true team player & business partner. Ensure nothing falls through the cracks this time, no matter how tiny they are. Brief your team too.

When stakeholders feel left out, rebuilding trust starts with transparent communication. Acknowledge their concerns and own the oversight—no excuses. Then, bring them into the conversation. Share the reasoning behind decisions and invite their input moving forward. Show them that their voice matters by incorporating their feedback and keeping them updated regularly. Trust is earned through actions, not words, so be consistent in involving them at key moments.