Getting People to Listen
As organizational leaders, it’s our responsibility to share the truth about our projects. When the news isn’t pleasant, that can be a challenge. A greater challenge can be to get key stakeholders to listen, particularly when it isn’t the news they want to hear. Here are approaches you can utilize to help your message to be heard; a critical element when you need support from influential stakeholders.
The first is to be persistent. Getting your message across may require more than one attempt. Sometimes you might have caught the stakeholder at a bad time. Repeating the message at another time may mean it’s received more appropriately. In other cases, it might be the approach you used to deliver the message. Different words, or presenting the news in a different context, might increase your success when sharing information.
Second, think in terms of posing a multiple-choice question. You don't want to be perceived as the cat that walks in and coughs up a hairball, just bringing in a problem and walking away. Present your issue as a multiple-choice question. For example – “Mr. Stakeholder, we’ve got this issue. I was thinking about it, talked to a few people, and think we have four options to address it.” You then list the options for your stakeholders to consider. This makes an issue more digestible, and more actionable for them to process. In some cases, they may not like the options. If that is the response, you have one advantage – they have heard the message! You can then work together to design a different response to the issue.
The third possibility is to talk to your stakeholder’s trusted colleague. Even though it may be the same truth, presented the same way, coming from another trusted individual might get your message heard. Make sure you brief them thoroughly, however, so the trusted colleague can answer questions in a way that you believe is acceptable.
Try changing the source of your information.? Many people weigh the information they receive by its source. While you may have a clear issue to convey, it may take someone outside of your department, or even your company to look in and confirm the truth you are trying to share. Sometimes a consultant may need to be called. Alternatively, a trusted periodical or association newsletter may provide a story similar to the truth you are trying to share. Look for other sources that are conveying the same or similar truth to get your message across.
Consider other truths. Your experience, and therefore things you perceive are true, may not be shared by others. Talk to others to ensure they are viewing the concerning situation similarly. If not, it may be time to reconsider your views on what is happening, and what the opportunities and impacts are. A “larger collection of truth” from you and other people may shed a different light on the issue you are trying to share. It may not be as important as you believe it is, or it is important in a different context.
Stakeholders are human, like the rest of us. Sometimes they are strong and capable. Sometimes they struggle and hearing bad news brings out the worst in them. Trying these alternatives is no guarantee you will get an issue resolved. But going through these alternatives can at least give you solace that you tried your best to surface a problem and get it addressed.
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Coming Up
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Linkedin Live Project Cost Management in the Real World
The techniques project managers are taught for managing costs are sound…in theory. However, cost details that organizations collect for projects, and the timing of receiving financial reports to help project managers are typically nowhere near enough to be helpful. As a result, what we’re taught to do to manage costs isn’t pragmatic. So, what can you do? In this LinkedIn Live session, I’ll be joined by financial expert Susan Hansen and we will discuss practical strategies for proactively managing costs on your projects. Even with the common gaps in financial information, you can still effectively manage project costs. Register and listen in to our discussion, and don’t forget to bring your questions. We’ll answer them live!
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Additional thoughts can be found in my project management and outsourcing classes on LinkedIn Learning, including:
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This article is part of Bob’s Reflections newsletter series, which discusses project management, outsourcing, and “intelligent disobedience”, a leadership approach. If you want more of this content, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article is posted.
Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library or check out https://intelligentdisobedience.com/
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Project Hero | MSPM | PMP? | CSM? | CSPO? | WPS? | AH-MC? | AM-MC?
10 个月Great article Bob. In my mind, getting key stakeholders to listen to project updates is crucial for effective communication and project success. In my experience, it ensures alignment of goals, promotes transparency, and enables timely decision making. What I appreciate the most about engaging stakeholders is that it fosters a shared understanding, builds trust, and allows for adjustments based on valuable feedback, ultimately contributing to the project's overall effectiveness and achievement of objectives.