How do you manage senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands?

1 Understand their goals and motivations

The first step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to understand what they want and why they want it. What are their strategic objectives, priorities, and pain points? How do they measure success and value? What are their assumptions, expectations, and concerns about your project or initiative? By understanding their goals and motivations, you can tailor your approach, messages, and solutions to address their interests and needs. You can also anticipate and prevent potential conflicts, risks, or issues that may arise from misalignment or misunderstanding.

2 Establish clear roles and responsibilities

The second step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to establish clear roles and responsibilities for yourself and them. Who is the sponsor, the decision maker, the influencer, the advisor, the user, or the beneficiary of your project or initiative? What are their levels of authority, involvement, and accountability? How often and how will you communicate with them? What are the deliverables, milestones, and feedback mechanisms that you will use to keep them informed and engaged? By defining and agreeing on the roles and responsibilities of each senior stakeholder, you can avoid confusion, duplication, or gaps in your project or initiative. You can also set realistic and mutually acceptable expectations and boundaries for your collaboration.

3 Communicate effectively and proactively

The third step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to communicate effectively and proactively with them. Communication is key to building trust, rapport, and credibility with senior stakeholders. You need to communicate in a way that is clear, concise, and relevant to their needs and preferences. You also need to communicate in a timely, consistent, and transparent manner, especially when there are changes, issues, or challenges that may affect your project or initiative. By communicating effectively and proactively with senior stakeholders, you can keep them informed and involved in your project or initiative. You can also solicit their feedback, input, and support to ensure alignment and buy-in.

4 Manage their expectations and demands

The fourth step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to manage their expectations and demands. Senior stakeholders may have high or unrealistic expectations and demands that may not be feasible, practical, or beneficial for your project or initiative. They may also have conflicting or changing expectations and demands that may create challenges or risks for your project or initiative. You need to manage their expectations and demands by negotiating, prioritizing, and compromising with them. You also need to manage their expectations and demands by setting and managing scope, quality, time, cost, and resources for your project or initiative. By managing their expectations and demands, you can balance their needs and wants with the realities and constraints of your project or initiative. You can also deliver value and satisfaction to them while achieving your project or initiative goals.

5 Build relationships and rapport

The fifth step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to build relationships and rapport with them. Relationships and rapport are essential to influencing, persuading, and collaborating with senior stakeholders. You need to build relationships and rapport with them by showing respect, empathy, and appreciation for their perspectives, opinions, and contributions. You also need to build relationships and rapport with them by demonstrating competence, confidence, and credibility in your work and results. By building relationships and rapport with them, you can establish trust, loyalty, and respect with senior stakeholders. You can also leverage their influence, power, and resources to support your project or initiative.

6 Learn from feedback and experience

The sixth and final step to managing senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands is to learn from feedback and experience. Feedback and experience are valuable sources of learning and improvement for your stakeholder management skills. You need to learn from feedback and experience by seeking and receiving constructive feedback from senior stakeholders on your performance, communication, and collaboration. You also need to learn from feedback and experience by reflecting and evaluating your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges in managing senior stakeholders. By learning from feedback and experience, you can enhance your stakeholder management skills and competencies. You can also adapt and improve your approach, methods, and tools to manage senior stakeholders' high expectations and demands more effectively.

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?