An ode to proactive stakeholder management

Communication is central to everything – now more than ever as the diaspora from Covid has more people working remotely. Therefore, I thought it was timely to spare a moment to celebrate the beauty that is proactive stakeholder management.

Yes, this is an appreciation post for simple – yet often overlooked client updates. Think of these as the administrative equivalent of the garlic and onion of every meal. Simple and humble, yet a meal left unseasoned with the most basic of kitchen staples often leaves the diner disappointed and dissatisfied. Sure, they are still likely to consume the meal and it is palatable but because of one simple yet vital omission, the base lacks the flavoursome structural integrity required for maximum impact.

Let me explain.  

Proactive communication is always appreciated

There is nothing sexy or glamourous about proactive communication, but it works. I’ve seen so many professionals disregard the significance of a quick email or call to a client to provide a status update. Instead preferring to wait for a key milestone to be reached or deliver a ‘solve’ to a problem and continue radio silence until the outcome is achieved.

I have never had a client ask me to communicate less. Now I’m not suggesting you need to be calling every hour (unless of course its in the context of a crisis or an urgent media enquiry), but enriching relationships rely on two-way communication and providing access. People appreciate been listened to and heard, therefore as a practitioner by offering them access to you and opening that door to demonstrate you are approachable should never be underestimated.

This issue of refusing to communicate frequently is not quarantined within the communication sector, working remotely has allowed me to peek inside my husband’s world within the building and construction industry. I have experienced firsthand the frustration caused by suppliers, trades and yes even clients failing to communicate updates or at all.

A most recent example was a consultant, let’s call him ‘Bob’ delivering a simple drawing that would usually take a day or say a week to be fair, delivered after three months of continued chase ups.

What did that result in – apart from my husband nearly flipping a table with frustration, time wasted with follow-ups, the construction on site to be delayed and ultimately the chain reaction of an unhappy resident. See the supply chain impacts from one consultant!? We will address this issue at another time.

And why? Bob failed to communicate the expected timeline and showed a complete lack of respect for the impact his actions had on the broader project. If only he took the time to call my husband a week into the process and explain that the expected timeframe for delivery would be delayed. This would have then given the opportunity to brief another consultant or understand the delivery times and adjust the project timings accordingly. Either way, the communication would have been appreciated and a positive outcome would have likely been achieved – with the Bob’s reputation intact.

Bob did not play the long game and has instead killed any chances of future work from a growing, not to mention well connected construction company. Bob will likely be a butt of a joke on site and an exasperated punchline of war stories over a beer at the pub. Poor Bob.

Don’t be like Bob. Please stop underestimating the power in communicating updates to clients. Pick up the phone, write the email, be honest and transparent. It’s a guaranteed chef’s kiss every time.