What are the best strategies to influence stakeholders across different functions and levels?

Building stakeholder relationships should be a key part of a job, not necessarily something you do as an afterthought. A mistake people often make is they wait to start a project to get to know their stakeholders. Whatever you can do leading up to starting the project to get to know your stakeholders and what is important to them is a key way to make sure that once you actually have to work together they are willing and able to work with you.

One aspect I find helpful is to acknowledge early the information someone gives me about their motivations. If one stakeholder appears less than honest in this process or has a more self-oriented approach vs collaborative and team-driven, understand this is a weak point on the road to success. You may not be able to overcome this stakeholder's resistance so identify ways to either shore up this weakness or find a replacement to solve for the problem.

While tailoring messages to each stakeholder's communication preferences, don't forget to make your notes and keep a journal of daily interactions that you can refer back to if the stakeholder map/goals get off-track. This helps you not miss the mark to the final results.

When building the development team for a major real estate project, I used a Team Map and identified previous projects or similar projects of team members. This human resource mapping also showed needs and gaps. We used this to shore up our team's needs and helps the members contribute in tangible ways that are measured by total success of the team and showed value in collaborations.

Making sure you understand who the people in the room who have influence in the decisions that are being made is critical to getting buy-in and support for your project, initiative, program, etc. Getting to know who they are, what they care about, their challenges and goals, etc, and then making time to get to know them to build trust is a way to ensure that when you have to ask them for help they'll be willing to support

Change is never easy, and the keys to successful change management are communication, transparency and empathy. It is important to find out what your stakeholders are resistant to, and how to allay those concerns. In many cases, it is a lack of clear and transparent information. It is important for people to understand what is “in it” for them; how the change will ultimately benefit not only the company overall but also themselves individually. It is also helpful to make sure people know what is not changing. Change is scary, and knowing that there will be things that remain as they know it can be a grounding anchor. Lastly, lead with empathy and understand that change is not easy, and is harder for some people than others.

Here are some tips for managing resistance when influencing: 1. Take the time to listen to the other person's perspective. Often, resistance stems from a lack of understanding or a fear of change. By listening, you can address their concerns and find common ground. 2. Make sure your message is clear and concise. Avoid using technical jargon or complicated language that can be confusing. Keep it simple and easy to understand. 3. If you're proposing a new idea or solution, provide evidence to support your position. This can include data, case studies, or testimonials from others who have implemented similar solutions.

I think “manage” resistance may be thinking too small. If you focus on the benefit you want to create, rather than your particular strategy for creating it, resistance can foster innovation and create even more value. Even after you’ve selected an approach, resistance may provide a fresh angle, surface obstacles, sharpen thinking, and recalibrate implementation focus. If input comes too late to be of benefit in a solution you’re already implementing, at least harvest the learning and leverage it to build relationship for next time. Consider: 1) how could we capture these ideas earlier? 2) was it psychologically safe for all relevant stakeholders to contribute? 3) how can I validate and build on this contribution for future partnership?

Demonstrating the value of the proposed change or idea is key. It is even more meaningful if you can show how this idea will benefit the individual contributor and/or their team. People will be more invested in an idea when they can see the value that is brings to themselves personally. Is this a more efficient process? Will they ultimately save time? After an initial learning curve, will their work become easier? Does it save the company money that can be used for an important initiative that people have been asking for? By showing people how the change will benefit them, they are less likely to be resistant and more likely to embrace it, or to have an open mind.

As a project manager and team leader, I ask the members to demonstrate the value of their ideas and proposals. This creates an emotional commitment by the member but allows us to make comments on concrete assumptions used in the plan that will support the final goals.

Influence takes time to build and an one-time success is not a guarantee of future buy-in. You must continue to nurture the relationships because the stakeholders’ views and priorities can shift quickly due to external factors. I’ve seen people make the mistake of assuming a stakeholder is on their side given a similar presentation a few weeks ago and was surprised when their stakeholder seemingly changed their mind overnight. The truth is, their stakeholder might have changed the position on the issue since the last time but the surprise could have been avoided with regular conversations in the first place.

In general, stay positive. Maintain a positive attitude and demeanor throughout the conversation. Avoid getting defensive or confrontational, as this can escalate the resistance.