How do you become a senior relationship manager?

1 Assess your current situation

The first step is to evaluate your current level of senior stakeholder management skills and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can use a self-assessment tool, such as the Stakeholder Management Skills Matrix, or ask for feedback from your peers, managers, or mentors. You should also review your existing stakeholder relationships and map out their level of influence, interest, and satisfaction with your performance. This will help you prioritize your actions and focus on the most important or challenging stakeholders.

2 Develop a stakeholder management plan

The next step is to create a stakeholder management plan that outlines your objectives, strategies, and actions for each stakeholder group or individual. You should consider their needs, expectations, and preferences, and how you can meet them or exceed them. You should also define how you will communicate with them, how often, and through which channels. You should also identify potential risks or issues that might affect your relationship, and how you will mitigate or resolve them. Your plan should be flexible and adaptable, as stakeholder dynamics can change over time.

3 Build trust and rapport

The third step is to establish and maintain trust and rapport with your stakeholders. You can do this by being transparent, honest, and respectful, and by delivering on your promises and commitments. You should also show genuine interest and empathy, and listen actively to their concerns and feedback. You should also seek to understand their perspective, motivations, and values, and find common ground or shared goals. You should also recognize and appreciate their contributions and achievements, and celebrate successes together.

6 Evaluate and improve

The final step is to evaluate and improve your senior stakeholder management skills and relationships. You should monitor and measure your progress and results, by using indicators such as stakeholder satisfaction, engagement, loyalty, and advocacy. You should also solicit and accept feedback from your stakeholders, and use it to identify areas for improvement or development. You should also reflect on your own performance and behavior, and learn from your successes and failures. You should also seek new opportunities and challenges, and continuously update your stakeholder management plan.

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?