The first step in building great relationships with project stakeholders is to understand them. Many projects get delayed in delivering the value because the project manager failed to identify and engage all of the stakeholders. This means that essential requirements, needs might have been missed.

To find out who all the stakeholders, groups and individuals who have an interest in the project or who will be affected by the project. Whenever you identify a stakeholder, ask them if there is anyone else and you need to speak to. Keep going until you’re sure you have identified all of them.

Look at all the stakeholders on your list who some of the  most impactful people are.It means those who have the power to define your project, who can affect its direction and who can help move it forward. Always make sure that your relationships with these influential decision-makers are the best that they can be.

Great relationships are built through one-to-one conversations where you can find out more about what makes each person open. Stakeholders are busy people, so respect their time by keeping your discussions as short as possible. Come prepared and let them know that the purpose of the meeting is to uncover anything that can help the project be successful including how the spme of you will be working together.

At the most basic level, project stakeholders will only trust you when they feel that you understand them and that you have their best interests at heart. Your most important task is to inquire about their stake in the project, their requirements and any knowledge or experience they have that can help deliver an outcome that adds more value.

Ask stakeholders what a successful project looks like, such as:

• What their hopes and concerns
• How they would like you to keep them updated throughout the project
• If a weekly status report will suffice
• They'd prefer a regular phone call

To deepen the level of trust between you and each stakeholder, it’s imperative that you communicate with clarity and honesty and that you don’t sweep anything under the rug. Your stakeholders want to know what the true state of the project is, how it affects them, and if there is anything they can do to help.

Send out weekly or bi-monthly status reports with an executive summary, an overview of which milestones have been delivered and which ones are still outstanding. Include the project’s top five risks and issues with actions and owners. Similarly, conduct a monthly steering committee presentation where you talk about the real status of the project and what support you need from the committee members, if any, to overcome roadblocks and move the project forward.

someone who is skilled at defining the project, locking down the scope, creating a realistic plan, capturing requirements, managing risks, tracking the budget, and understanding the context of the business you are operating in. You can also demonstrate your competence by keeping meetings on track, capturing agreements and decisions, and holding people accountable for their actions.

Excellent stakeholder relationships can be built through one-to-one conversations where you take an interest in each person’s world and help them get their needs fulfilled through the project. Be as open and honest as you can in your communication and treat your stakeholders like a valued client who you would like to be of service to.