How to Report Project Performance to Stakeholders

Your stakeholders don't need more status reports They need confidence in the plan. It's easy to think that sending MORE status updates will earn stakeholder trust → Weekly updates → Color-coded dashboards → Bullet point highlights galore The truth is: information alone doesn't build confidence. Leadership does. Stakeholders aren't just asking "where are we?" They're asking "are we in control?" They're asking "are risks being monitored/managed?" They're asking "will we hit X target?" If you just report progress, you're replaceable. If you LEAD the plan (+ manage the risks and clearly own), you become essential. Here's how you can shift from "status updater" to confident execution leader: ✅ Tell the story, not just the facts Connect updates back to goals. Make it clear how today's progress ties back to business outcomes. Add metrics to support the tale you're telling. ✅ Own the risks out loud Don't wait for someone to discover problems. And don't hide things just because they may not happen (yet). Surface risks early, brainstorm mitigation, and have it ready. ✅ Frame the path forward Every update should answer 3 things. "What are you doing?" "What's next?" "What's needed/in the way?" When teams know what to do and know when and how to ask for help (and that you'll deliver), you'll execute at a whole new level. Think ahead. Solve problems. Navigate the ship. If stakeholders see you doing this, they won't need daily updates to feel safe. They'll trust that you can run the show. PS: what's one thing you've done to build deeper trust with stakeholders? 🤙

The 1-page PDF is the GOAT of internal reporting 🐐 "Build a dashboard and they will come" is just about as true as "build a community and they will come," which is to say, not even remotely true at all. Don't get me wrong, I love a good dashboard and believe that every team should have them for their own reporting needs (primarily to copy/paste charts and tables into presentations), but your stakeholders aren't going to visit it with any regularity. Instead, you need to build the modern equivalent of a direct mail piece to communicate status, progress, value, and what's next. Here are the critical components and how to execute them. 📊 Quantitative (Numbers): + Select 3-5 of the *most important* metrics that you believe stakeholders need to see and make them the foundation of your report going forward. These numbers need to be easily understandable and tell a story. Recommended metrics: Unique Visitors, Views, New Members, Posts, Solutions + Show some sort of comparison to a previous timeframe (MoM or YoY) to bring context to the numbers. Help people understand where we've been, where we're at, and potentially where we're going + Highlight something important in the large chart. Dive deeper into a specific outcome to drive home a point. Recommendation: show something here that illustrates ROI or impact if you have it ✨ Qualitative (Narratives): + One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they throw a bunch of data at their stakeholders, but never tell a story. Bring *clarity* to what's happening and what it matters. Dedicate 1/3 of the report to qualitative storytelling and outcomes + The examples in the fictitious report below are clearly geared toward a support community. Highlight hot topics, important product issues, great contributions by members, programs you've run, and much more. These can remain static or change each reporting cycle depending on what resonates + I've always reserve a portion of the report to highlight members. It's important for internal stakeholders to understand these are real people. It's a very CX-oriented approach to ensuring we keep our customer-focus 🗺️ Roadmap (Notification): + Showcase your progress. Brag a little bit by showing how much you're doing + Eliminate surprises. Show them where we're going and when + Set expectations by showing how busy the team is 📩 1-page PDF Format: + Keep it to a single page. No one wants a spreadsheet + PDF works in every email client and is easily consumable + Email is alive and well. Everyone checks it even though they say they don't. Send it there + Post it in Slack/Teams as well. Run people out of excuses as to why they didn't see it/don't understand Lastly, here are some more resources to help you get started: 🎧 Podcast in which this is discussed at length: https://lnkd.in/gueaMpAM 👩🎓 Free course on measurement: https://lnkd.in/gvYm4e_n Go forth and report victoriously!

Data is only powerful if people understand and act on it That’s why just pulling numbers isn’t enough. A good report tells a story, answers key business questions, and helps decision-makers take action. To ensure your analysis actually gets used: ✅ Start with the right question – If you don’t understand what stakeholders really need, you’ll spend hours on the wrong metrics. It’s okay to ask clarifying questions. ✅ Make it simple, not just accurate – Clean tables, clear charts, and insights that anyone (not just data people) can understand. ✅ Provide context, not just numbers – A 20% drop in sales is scary… unless you also show seasonality trends and explain why it’s normal. ✅ Anticipate follow-up questions – The best reports answer the next question before it's asked. ✅ Know your audience – A C-suite executive and a product manager don’t need the same level of detail. Tailor accordingly. Your work should make decision-making easier. If stakeholders are confused, they won’t use your report No matter how technically correct it is. The best data professionals don’t just crunch numbers. They translate data into impact. Have you ever spent hours on an analysis only for no one to use it?