Supportive leadership

- On one of my projects the key stakeholder, let's call him Marat became unengaged and unavailable. He was going through a difficult time in his personal life and that affected his focus and attitude. Additionally, our team and our partners were impacted by market recession and funding was significantly cut across the board. With diminished support from the key stakeholder and looming challenges with funding, our project was at risk of running out of time and money. What do you do in this dire situation? How do you empower struggling stakeholders to make the project's success possible? Using my example, let's look at how you can be a supportive leader for your stakeholders. First, take a close look at what is going on with your stakeholders and your project team. Spend time with your stakeholders to understand what they hope to gain from the project and what their concerns are. Is something outside the project impacting their focus and involvement? Remember, your stakeholders are people first. Being understanding and compassionate about their frustrations will help you instill trust and boost project morale. Our team was understanding of Marat's situation. We asked if he'd be comfortable assigning a replacement. Marat was open to the idea. His project would get needed attention and he would have time to refocus without slowing down project work. Second, pay attention to other projects that might be happening at the same time. Some of your stakeholders will be involved in not one, but several projects. Did your engaged tech stakeholder became unavailable? Reach out to them, tell them that you miss their engagement and feedback, and ask what you can do to get them more engaged. Marat wanted to continue being involved in the project, so we scheduled short calls to keep him in the loop. Finally, look at the bigger picture. Is your organization going through a major change, like a merger or acquisition? What is happening in the industry? In my project, we were impacted by the recession and our funding was at risk. When Marat's replacement came on board, we had several bootcamp sessions where we reviewed and found solutions for key project risks and issues. We secured funding from additional sources. And not only for our team, but also for our key stakeholders. That allowed us to finish work on time and gain our stakeholders' support throughout the project and beyond. By being attentive, compassionate, and open, you will find solutions to support your stakeholders while making sure you cross the project finish line. So, next time you talk to your project stakeholders ask them how they're doing and what their biggest struggle is. Pay close attention to their responses and propose actionable solutions to help. By doing so, you are not just asking your stakeholders to care about your project. You are also showing that you care about their needs. This mutual support will build trust, develop strong working relationships, and drive your project to successful execution.