Establish trust with stakeholders

- You spent weeks trying to solve a complex problem at work. After asking the right questions using the Five Whys framework, you identified the root cause of the problem. You used the 80/20 rule to maximize impact and organized your thinking with the MECE principle. You then created a beautiful issue tree, followed up with the decision tree, and you landed on the best course of action to address the pressing problem. After this, you hit a barrier. No one is on board with your proposed solution, since stakeholders don't trust you or the proposed solution. At the end of the day, you can utilize every framework in the book, but if you don't build trust with stakeholders, none of your solutions will ever be implemented. You need stakeholders to give their buy-in, support, share resources, and have confidence in the proposed solution. You need their trust. Let's dive into steps to establish trust with stakeholders, starting with number one, communicate with transparency. Be honest about performance and challenges, as well as what you know or don't know. Communicate clear and measurable goals from the start and maintain a positive mental attitude. Painting a rosier picture will only hurt you in the long run. Be willing to listen to criticism and implement feedback. Number two, help both parties. When offering solutions, ensure that you understand the implications on both sides so that you can share synergies and have mutual advantages. Trust can be strengthened when stakeholders see that you have their best interests at heart, such as focusing on win-win solutions. Number three, manage stakeholders effectively. First, determine who are the relevant stakeholders to manage. Then, you don't want to just involve stakeholders at the solutioning stage. Rather, loop them in from the start and bring them along the entire process. The more invested you make the stakeholders, the more likely they will support you 'til the end. Number four, foster relationships with empathy. This means taking the time and effort to get to know your stakeholders on a deeper level. Understand their needs and priorities and do your best to find common ground. Doing this early on in the process will pay dividends in the end. Number five, follow through on commitments. Building credibility involves being proactive, accountable, and delivering the results that you promised, having a can-do attitude and mindset, and take full responsibility from the start. Number six, be adaptable and flexible. Your approach might change as you learn more information, so be willing to adjust and iterate. Welcome new ideas, data, and even feedback. Number seven, understand before being understood. Show your stakeholders empathy and do your best to understand where they are coming from, such as their perspectives or concerns. Wait to speak up about your own opinion after you have fully heard and understood the opinions of other stakeholders. This will lead to a more open and receptive group. And number eight, lead by example. Regardless of your role or title, you'll act as a project manager at times, and you need to gain respect by sending a good example, having structure, coming prepared to meetings, and demonstrating the behaviors you expect from others. Establishing this trust is no easy feat, but it is vital for greater collaboration amongst teams and sustainability of the solution in the long run. This process takes time and effort, but the more energy you invest in building trust today will lead to successful results tomorrow.