Stakeholder Relationships.
Personalise your message to who you’re speaking to.
So they can hear what you have to say.
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Anytime you’re speaking, you’re presenting.
At work, time is currency. When you communicate a succinct update to your peers and stakeholders you’re not only making their lives easier, you’re doing a great job at role modelling confident communication too.
What’s in it for them?
You’re highly knowledgeable about what you do. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person you’re giving an update to needs the same level of detail that you know.
Before communicating with anyone you’re looking to get the attention of at work, ask yourself this:
What’s the benefit to them knowing this?
How does it help them?
Who are their stakeholders?
If they have your information, what does that enable them to do next?
Once you know the answers to this, you can figure out how to communicate it.
Here are some examples:
A CEO might only need to know the high level update and any risks they need to escalate to other stakeholders. Your update benefits them as they can make that call with confidence knowing they have the right information.
A senior exec may only need to know only the essential information so they can pass it on to the executive team. If they know the risks and reputational flow on effects, they can have a more productive conversation with their peers.
An advisor needs to know what’s coming up so they can figure out what their response is going to be. This helps them as they need to be able to think on their feet with changing circumstances.
A specialist needs to know the minutiae of the detail so they can look into a potential problem. The additional context helps them enormously as they can work faster if they have all the facts.
An intern needs to know what is expected of them. This helps them as they need to know where to focus their time so they can get results.
As you can see, thinking about what the benefit is to your stakeholder and what they will then do with that information, helps you figure out what to share with them and then, how.
Challenge yourself to prepare a five minute update.
We often teach this in our presentation training as it forces you to really distil your message. It not only saves time but it gives you confidence to be really clear without adding unnecessary context that isn’t as relevant for the sake of it.
If you had only three sentences to sum up what you want your stakeholder to know, what could it be?
Here are a few examples.
“Emotional management is about focusing exclusively on what you can control and creating a personal toolkit around that. So, if you’re feeling stressed, here are three strategies you can think about. 1, 2, 3.”
“The main thing is that the project will be delivered on time. You’ll be slightly inconvenienced in that it’ll take up most of your time this week, but next week onwards, we’ll be super close to achieving the goal.”
“I only need you to approve this one thing. Everything else is on track and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.”
“We have a problem and I think you’re the only one who can help. We really need someone to call the CEO and tell them we’re going to be late. We think it needs to be you.”
So here’s something to think about: if I was to sum up the essential information, what would that be in 1-2 sentences?
Everyone learns differently, meaning everyone ‘hears’ information differently.
In our work, we’ve discovered there are five typical archetypes of communication that people tend to gravitate toward.
We’ve noticed that when we personalise our approach to each of these people and present our training differently to each of them, they are so much more likely to hear what we have to say.
By doing so, we can increase the likelihood of our message being understood.
Governance Guider
A Governance Guider is motivated by certainty and evidence-based thinking. Looking for facts, not jargon or hyperbole, a Governance Guider can hear you best when it’s clear you are considered, thoughtful and precise.
Give a Governance Guider the facts, without any bells or whistles. Be precise with your language. A nuance of a Governance Guider is that their remit is typically to mitigate or minimise risk. When they test an idea, it can sound like a critique. It’s not - all it is is seeking the facts to clarify what the next steps are.
An unfortunate reality is that many Governance Guiders are seen as tick the box exercises, meaning they will put boundaries up if you approach it as a last minute exercise. Instead, engage them early and seek their counsel to make your work stronger. Not as a last resort.
Detail Rockstar
A Detail Rockstar has brilliant attention to detail, and knows that excellence is a series of tiny details executed perfectly. A Detail Rockstar gets irritated when people gloss over the minutiae; they know it’s what makes something truly great.
A Detail Rockstar will make you better at your job, so think twice before you overlook their contribution. Instead, ask them what they need ahead of a meeting so you are prepared with the details to share.
If you are presenting to a Detail Rockstar, prepare notes and be prepared for questions on what could go wrong, and to clarify facts. If you are ever unsure, build trust by writing down things you don’t know and making sure you get back to them in a timely manner. Actions, not words, resonate with a truth seeker like a Detail Rockstar.
GSD ‘Get Stuff Done’ Doer
A Get Stuff Done doer is an asset to any company. They can literally make anything happen.
Typically a GSD Doer moves fast. Motivated by the end product, they’re motivated by efficiency and completion. Typically frank communicators, they don’t beat around the bush. They loathe small talk, hoping people will secretly get on with the ‘real work’.
Speak a GSD Doer’s love language by getting right into it. Show how what you are doing moves the project forward. Before you connect, ask yourself how what you’re about to tell them shows progress.
Vision Builder
A Vision Builder is an ideas person. Thriving on big picture ideas and analogies, they are brilliant at seeing a future state and optimistic about what is achievable.
Because a Vision Builder’s focus is on the future, focussing on the detail is something they entrust to their team. Showing how what you do helps them achieve their vision enables them to hear you vividly.
A Vision Builder is essential during a time of change. They are able to see what’s possible. When speaking with a Vision Builder, prepare visual cues or imaginative analogies to paint a picture of how what you’re saying helps them achieve their end goal.
If you have bad news, make sure you have an alternative prospect showing how they can get what they want by looking at something differently.
Heart Superstar
A heart superstar is motivated by instinct and intuition. They are excellent at ensuring everyone feels included. As a result, they’re excellent at bringing people together, particularly during a time of change.
Their superpower is identifying what people are craving and helping people deliver that. When presenting to a Heart Superstar, outline how people feel more included and engaged at work.
Real life customer stories paint a vivid picture for a Heart Superstar. The more you can show a real life experience, the more likely they can hear your perspective.
Communication has two parts: what you say and what someone hears.
At work, this presents a neat opportunity to personalise what we say, and how, to whom, so they have the best possible chance of hearing what we have to say.
When we personalise the info we have to share to match the way someone else prefers to hear it, they’re so much more likely to pay attention.
Managing stakeholders is an essential leadership skill.
A big part of a leader’s role is keeping stakeholders informed. Bring this essential skill of managing stakeholders to your leaders. It’s one part of our essential leadership skills training that equips leaders with the foundation for positive leadership.