Evaluating Change Management Stakeholder Engagement

Project success doesn't always mean stakeholder satisfaction You delivered on time. You stayed on budget. You met the project's scope. So the project was a success, right? Then feedback comes in. "I should've been looped in sooner." "This isn't what I expected." "My team wasn't considered with this implementation." Delivery is only half the job. Stakeholder/customer experience is the other. Here's how you successfully drive both: ✅ Align on what success FEELS like, not just what it is Go beyond metrics. Ask stakeholders "what would a great outcomes look like to you?" Then listen and work to mirror your implementation & delivery to their expectations. ✅ Communicate early and way more often than you think Stakeholders start to get nervous when they don't hear from you. And with other priorities + day-to-day duties, they aren't going to seek you out. Make sure they're aware of every step being taken. ✅ Measure engagement, not just execution Did your stakeholders feel heard? Did you give them space to weigh in? People support what they help build. A successful project no one feels good about isn't a success at all. Balance delivery with stakeholder trust and satisfaction. It'll lead to better outcomes and a solid reputation. 🤙

How I turned chaos into collaboration. All by asking the right questions. Stakeholder engagement isn’t easy. I once worked with a stakeholder who didn’t trust her team. She believed control was the only way to get results. Her working style caused chaos: → She would agree one day. → And, change her mind the next. The team was frustrated. → Deadlines were slipping. → Team morale was dropping. And I needed to fix this issue. Here’s how I shifted her mindset and got her to trust the process: 1. I asked, “What’s your biggest worry?” → I genuinely listened to her concerns. → I realized her constant changes came from fear of failure. 2. I asked, "How can we stick to a plan?" → I shared a roadmap with defined milestones and explained the impact of last-minute changes. → She agreed to revisit decisions only during weekly reviews. 3. I asked, " Can you take ownership here?". → I assigned her specific deliverables to oversee. → Sharing regular updates reduced her doubts. 4. I asked, "What type of data will build your trust?" → Every week, I showed progress with data. → She saw the team could deliver. The result? → No more frantic emails. → No last-minute changes. → She trusted the team and the plan. Takeaways: 1. Listen to your stakeholders’ concerns. 2. Set clear boundaries. 3. Give ownership so they can drive without control. 4. Build you trust by consistently supporting them. In just three weeks, I turned chaos into collaboration. This wasn’t just a win for the project it transformed how we worked together.   So, I always say, you don’t manage stakeholders; you engage them. Ask questions → Set boundaries → Build trust. PS: What’s your story of turning a difficult stakeholders around?

Why I'm Breaking Up with Feedback After years of loyally asking for "feedback" during change initiatives, I've made a decision: we're breaking up. It's not you, feedback. It's me. I've found someone else: Advice. ✨ Here's what sparked this relationship shift: I recently learned how Pixar transforms their creative process by showing early storyboards to their "Brain Trust" - not for feedback, but specifically for advice. This seemingly small linguistic shift creates a fundamentally different dynamic: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: - People become critics evaluating our work - Responses feel obligatory and often generic - Contributors don't know how their input will be used - The power dynamic positions us as seeking approval 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: - People become collaborators sharing expertise - We acknowledge their specific knowledge or experience - The request feels more intentional and targeted - We signal genuine interest in their perspective 🤔 Think about it: when a friend asks for "feedback" on a presentation, it feels like homework. When they ask for your advice on making their presentation stronger, you feel valued for your expertise, right? People love giving advice! In change management, this distinction is particularly powerful. Instead of: "We'd like your feedback on the new process" 💡 Try: "Based on your experience with the current workflow, what advice would you give us to make this transition smoother?" The first approach invites criticism. The second invites partnership. This isn't just semantics. It represents a fundamental shift in how we engage stakeholders during change. By requesting advice rather than feedback, we: 1. Signal that we value specific expertise 2. Create psychological ownership in the solution 3. Transform critics into collaborators 4. Receive more actionable input I'm testing this approach in my current transformation project, specifically asking different stakeholders for advice based on their unique perspectives rather than generic feedback. Have you experienced the difference between these approaches? Would you be willing to experiment with asking for advice instead of feedback in your next change initiative or project? #ChangeManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #StakeholderEngagement #OrganizationalChange #Feedback