You're struggling to build relationships with stakeholders. How can you use communication skills to improve?

3 Communicate clearly and effectively

The third step to building relationships with stakeholders is to communicate clearly and effectively with them. Communication is the key to conveying your vision, goals, expectations, progress, and outcomes to your stakeholders. You can communicate clearly and effectively by using simple, concise, and relevant language; avoiding jargon, acronyms, or ambiguity; and choosing the right medium, channel, and frequency for your messages. You can also use visual aids, stories, or examples to make your communication more engaging and memorable.

4 Manage expectations and conflicts

The fourth step to building relationships with stakeholders is to manage expectations and conflicts that may arise. Expectations and conflicts are inevitable in any stakeholder relationship, as different parties may have different views, priorities, or agendas. You can manage expectations and conflicts by setting and communicating realistic and measurable objectives, deliverables, and timelines; involving and consulting stakeholders in decision-making and problem-solving; and negotiating and compromising when necessary. You can also use conflict resolution skills, such as acknowledging emotions, clarifying issues, and finding solutions.

5 Appreciate and acknowledge

The fifth step to building relationships with stakeholders is to appreciate and acknowledge their contributions, feedback, and support. Appreciation and acknowledgment are important for maintaining and strengthening stakeholder relationships, as they show that you recognize and value their input and efforts. You can appreciate and acknowledge your stakeholders by expressing gratitude, giving praise, celebrating achievements, or rewarding performance. You can also use recognition tools, such as certificates, newsletters, or testimonials.

6 Seek continuous improvement

The sixth step to building relationships with stakeholders is to seek continuous improvement in your communication and collaboration. Continuous improvement is essential for enhancing and sustaining stakeholder relationships, as it shows that you are committed to learning and growing from your experiences. You can seek continuous improvement by soliciting and acting on feedback, evaluating and measuring results, identifying and addressing gaps, and implementing and sharing best practices. You can also use improvement tools, such as surveys, audits, or reviews.

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?