Struggling to bridge the gap between project teams and senior stakeholders?

Bridge the gap in communication, conflicting priority and miscommunication. Understanding the stakeholders goals, expectations and limitations. Regular meeting between stakeholders and teams of development. Types of meeting: daily stand- up, weekly status update , monthly progress review. Stakeholders have high level objectives and goals in mind,but, development teams need strong and precise requirements to work with. Bridge this gap. Development teams should use, what, why and who of any requirement. Use prototype and mockup . Then we can translate stakeholders goals into the requirement of the developer team. Encourage collaboration between stakeholders and teams. Use agile methodologies like scrum or kanban. stakeholder maps or matrices.

We have to define the roles for project team members in project so that stakeholders know point of contact for development team, testing team , business analysis team and management team because of this we can bridge the gap between teams and stakeholders. Regular basis group meeting and discuss priority with stakeholders so that team understand the project goal clearly.

Defining clear roles and responsibilities within the project team members which both the team members and the stakeholders understand plays a vital role in efficient project delivery

In the one of previous roles, I faced a challenge where the lack of clear roles was causing confusion between project teams and senior stakeholders. To address this, I together with the project manager organized a workshop to clearly define responsibilities and decision-making authority for each team member. This included outlining who was responsible for execution and who needed to be informed at different stages of the project. As a result, we established clear lines of accountability and authority, which minimized confusion, improved communication, and enabled the team to work towards common goals with a shared sense of purpose.

As a PM you have to take over and help your resources with these conversations. Lower the amount of these meetings - let yourproject team focus on what they best at. You do the stakeholder management and when it is essential to connect them, prepare both parties and have clear questions prepared.

El equipo y los involucrados del proyecto deben sentirse seguros y confiados en el momento de comunicar conflictos, novedades y/o riesgos, para que de manera preventiva se identifiquen o se ejecuten planes de acción que permitan la resolución de los mismos, en la busqueda de minimizar atrasos tomando decisiones que se requieran de acuerdo con la priorización que se haya definido para el proyecto.

A clear communication plan agreed at project kick off, is a good way to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are kept up to date on the progress as well as risks and issues.

One thing that would be helpful is to remind the staff that they can be assertive to the point when talking to senior counterparties as long as they believe in the useful point they’re making. Internal and integral hierarchy shall be respected not to mention, but never should be seen as ultimate barrier to take a floor!

Each stakeholder has different expectations when it comes to status and progress communication. Some would attend a standup, others prefer minutes or a governance forum. It’s important to get to know what they expect, the frequency and approach up front.

Effective communication in project management ensures clarity and understanding, engages stakeholders, and aids timely problem-solving, which prevents misunderstandings and errors, aligns team efforts, and keeps stakeholders supportive. It fosters team collaboration and trust, enhancing productivity and creativity. Communication improves risk management, informed decision-making, and resource optimization, leading to better project resilience and efficiency. It boosts team morale and motivation, ensuring a positive working environment. Clear communication results in accurate documentation and reporting, leading to higher client satisfaction and successful project outcomes.

In the one of projects I led, there was a disconnect between our technical team and senior stakeholders due to complex jargon and unclear project goals. To bridge this gap, I tailored our communication approach by translating technical details into business language for stakeholders and highlighting the strategic importance of the project for the team. We implemented regular updates and a two-way feedback loop to ensure clarity and alignment. This approach improved understanding, fostered collaboration, and ultimately led to the project's success, demonstrating the power of effective communication.

Ensure that the language you use is aligned, too. Objectives need to be articulated in a way that your Senior Stakeholders understand so they can easily communicate them to other people.

In the of the previous projects from the past, our team struggled because the project objectives were not clearly aligned with the company's strategic goals. This disconnect led to confusion about priorities and dissatisfaction among stakeholders. To resolve this, I facilitated a series of discussions where we mapped each project task to strategic business outcomes. This exercise helped the team understand their contribution to the company's success and provided stakeholders with a clear view of how the project added value. By aligning objectives, we improved team motivation and stakeholder satisfaction, ultimately driving the project to successful completion.

I have found it crucial to recognise that objectives may not always align when addressing challenges. Senior stakeholders often have competing priorities. The most effective approach I have found is to highlight the benefits for them and use any concerns they have as an opportunity to encourage their input. By involving senior stakeholders personally and incorporating their ideas, they feel they are guiding the process and being heard, rather than simply being instructed, which can help avoid feelings of being undermined and thus increase buy-in.

In the of the projects I managed, there was initial excitement but also unrealistic expectations from senior stakeholders about timelines and deliverables. The project team felt pressured, which led to stress and potential burnout. To address this, I organized a meeting to openly discuss project goals, timelines, and budgets, emphasizing realistic outcomes. I highlighted potential challenges and risks to ensure stakeholders were aware of possible hurdles. By setting clear and achievable expectations from the start, we prevented disappointment, kept the team focused, and maintained stakeholder satisfaction. This proactive approach helped us deliver the project successfully and strengthened our relationships.

Understanding the different needs, levels of influence and interests of key stakeholders is a crucial aspect of stakeholder management required to better manage their expectations. Another important aspect is defining how the relationship between project team and stakeholders will be managed and who within the project team will be responsible for managing identified stakeholder relationship(s).

Understand why the gaps exist and if it as a result of not doing the initial.work at the beginning of the project. There may be need to have sessions with the project teams and the senior stakeholders to understand what the issues are. Sometimes the mode of communication may be the issue.

Alignment of expectations with senior stakeholders, frequency of comms and what good looks like in terms of timelines and output per milestone is pivotal. Establish the why and what’s in it for them and why they need to care about the progress, challenges and support needed from the get go.