Managing stakeholders was easier when I could walk over to their desk. In a fully remote environment, I find that "Passive-Aggressive" stakeholders or those who don't read emails are derailing my projects. How do you maintain high engagement and "Influence without Authority" when your only connection is a 30-minute Zoom call once a week? Any tips for virtual relationship building?
3 answers
In a remote setting, you have to move from "Broadcast Communication" (emails) to "Interactive Engagement." I recommend setting up a "Stakeholder Dashboard" in a tool like Miro or Mural. Instead of a static PDF report, invite them to a 15-minute "Async Video Update" (using Loom) where they can comment at their convenience. Also, don't underestimate the "Virtual Coffee." Scheduling 10 minutes of non-work chat builds the social capital you need when you eventually have to ask for a favor or deliver bad news. You have to be 2x more intentional about transparency when people can't see the work happening.
Barbara, how do you handle "Executive Stakeholders" who refuse to log into Miro or watch a Loom video and just want a summary in their inbox?
I find that a "Weekly Wins" Slack channel works wonders. It keeps stakeholders updated on small successes without cluttering their inbox with formal reports.
Slack channels are great for real-time visibility. It makes stakeholders feel like they are part of the journey rather than just receiving a final bill.
Thomas, for the "C-Suite," you have to respect their "Communication Preference." If they want an email, give them the "TL;DR" (Too Long; Didn't Read) at the very top with three bullet points: Progress, Blocker, and Ask. Use the "Executive Summary" approach. Save the Miro boards for the middle management and the project team. The trick is to identify your "Stakeholder Personas" early and tailor the medium to the person. Don't try to force a busy VP to learn a new tool just because it’s "Agile"—that will only alienate them.