Here's how you can handle power dynamics when collaborating with senior stakeholders as a beginner.

Based on my experience in the C-suite, you need to focus on what will improve the business from a financial perspective. Be sure to listen and understand the opinions and views of your peers. Collaboration, demonstrating mutual respect and communicating your ideas clearly without verbosity will gain the respect of your peers. Articulate your ideas in advance individually with your peers to gauge their reactions and ensure you have their support. Establishing positive relationships and showing how you can support others goes a long way.

In my experience, we have all been in such tricky situations where balancing becomes crucial. Some of things to follow would be: 1) Go fully prepared knowing who are the people you are going to deal with. 2) Show respect to the people by listening carefully to their views. 3) Try to get input and then put forth ones point of view. This is a signal that you are willing to see the other person's view too. 4) Tailor-made approach. Adjust your own approach based on the stakeholder you are dealing with. Simple things like F2F meetings or Virtual or emails only. 5) Maintain a balance (this comes with experience) in thoughts and actions. These are, but, pointers and not an exhaustive list.

Trusted relationship is the bastion of stakeholder management. This is quirky because there are some relationships you manage that you would not have trust. For these ones your intent, motive and respect needs to come through. While you may not share a thrilling enthusiasm for the person, the role/chair held by the person requires it. Complexity happens when there is power play and you are asked to pick sides. This is hard to be honest, but my modus operandi is to try your best not to be involved in the power play. State with absolute respect your position on the matter and articulate your position of loyalty to a cause. The cause needs to be larger and benefits both stakeholders. Mediate the conflict to common ground.

For me, managing expectations is just as important as completing the job itself. So I first try to understand what the Management Level Staff requires from me, and I estimate how long it would take for me to complete the job and add a 40% increase to that time, such that I’m able to underpromise and over deliver. It’s essential that you’re seen as competent and efficient by your superiors, as it would definitely help with career growth as they are usually the decision makers at the company.

Everyone has both personal and professional objectives. Eliciting the former helps to anticipate and mitigate political impact on projects. If a stakeholder is into empire buildin, what they're realling seeking is public recognition. The detractors often need extra personal attention and want to be heard to dissipate any perception of threat. Passives may have other priorities so find out what they are and demonstrate how your project aligns their objectives. Never play politics. Be the diffuser. Work on strengths and don't exploit weaknesses no matter how tempting or annoying a stakeholder can be. In the end, they are all human with dignity, pride and strong opnions. Don't let them push you around and do give credit where it's due.