How do you deal with difficult or resistant stakeholders?

1 Understand their perspective

The first step is to empathize with your stakeholders and try to understand their perspective. What are their goals, needs, concerns, or motivations? How do they perceive your project, your role, or your team? What are their preferred methods of communication, feedback, or collaboration? By putting yourself in their shoes, you can identify potential sources of resistance or difficulty, and also find common ground, interests, or values.

3 Involve them in the process

The third step is to involve your stakeholders in the process. Involvement can increase their engagement, commitment, and ownership of the project. You can invite them to participate in brainstorming, planning, testing, reviewing, or decision-making activities, and solicit their feedback, suggestions, or opinions. You can also acknowledge their contributions, recognize their expertise, or celebrate their achievements. By involving them in the process, you can show that you value their input, respect their authority, and appreciate their support.

4 Manage their expectations and concerns

The fourth step is to manage your stakeholders' expectations and concerns. Sometimes, stakeholders may have unrealistic, conflicting, or changing expectations, or they may express dissatisfaction, frustration, or resistance to your project. You should address these issues proactively and constructively, and avoid ignoring, dismissing, or arguing with them. You should listen to their concerns, acknowledge their emotions, and validate their points of view. You should also explain the rationale, benefits, or trade-offs of your project, and provide evidence, data, or examples to support your arguments. You should also negotiate, compromise, or escalate as needed, and seek win-win solutions.

5 Build rapport and trust

The fifth step is to build rapport and trust with your stakeholders. Rapport and trust are the foundations of effective relationships. You can build rapport and trust by showing genuine interest, curiosity, and respect for your stakeholders. You can also use positive language, humor, or compliments to create a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. You can also share some personal information, stories, or experiences to establish a connection and rapport. You can also demonstrate your competence, reliability, and integrity by delivering on your promises, meeting your deadlines, and following up on your actions.

6 Learn and improve

The sixth step is to learn and improve from your interactions with your stakeholders. You can always improve your skills, knowledge, and strategies for dealing with difficult or resistant stakeholders. You can seek feedback from your stakeholders, colleagues, or mentors on how you can improve your communication, collaboration, or negotiation skills. You can also reflect on your own strengths, weaknesses, or areas of improvement, and set goals and action plans to enhance your performance. You can also learn from best practices, examples, or resources on how to build effective relationships with stakeholders.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?