Following on from our article that identified the SEVEN challenges to implementing IT Changes, this is the first, exploring the challenges of Stakeholder Buy In, we will also share some real world experiences of gaining support from Stakeholders/Sponsors in an IT Change.
The issue that IT Departments have when implementing IT solutions is that too many see the change as an IT change and do not see the bigger challenge and that this involves the business. IT is after all a services department servicing a customer – the Business, and so an IT Change is in effect a Business Change and needs to involve Stakeholders in the Business.
Bridging the Gap: Stakeholder Buy-In in the Project Delivery Process
In the intricate dance of project management, stakeholder buy-in isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s the rhythm that keeps everything in sync. Without it, even the most promising projects can stumble and lose their way. Gaining that genuine support, however, often feels like navigating a maze filled with unseen obstacles.
We recently undertook an IT Business Change project where the primary stakeholder/ sponsor, the CIO (name and company withheld for obvious reasons), was initially engaged
but became isolated from the project. As a pre-requisite of all projects, we produced a detailed proposal laying out our project process, delivery requirements, all the deliverables, outcomes and timeline. The CIO signed up after our sales presentation and we moved to the Project Kick Off Stage (the CIO was not present and had nominated one of this Management Team to represent him) – our Project Governance was presented including the Brief, Scope, Project Schedule and Communications Plan (replicating our proposal). At the end of the meeting, we asked for the Sponsor’s/Stakeholders (now the stand in Sponsor) permission to proceed on the basis of our presentation and documentation. This was duly provided, and we proceeded to implement our Governance structure (regular meetings and regular bi-weekly progress reporting etc. etc.). The Project was a six-month assignment. The project was progressing well and on target until it came to the implementations stage and the local tech team didn’t know how they should implement (this was a documented and agreed pre-requisite of the customer). The CIO called our team into a meeting to understand where we were with the project and then started to ask where deliverables that were not in the Scope were and had never requested were. He became very animated and when he had finished talking he closed the meeting (the last time we ever spoke to him).
After the meeting our Project nominated stand in Sponsor was shocked and apologised – he was fully aware of the situation. There was a full review of all our documentation which stood up to back our delivery promises.
The CIO (ex-Consultant and Project Manager) had not attended any of the Stakeholder meetings held although invited preferring to send his Managers in, we did have a good relationship with all other managers (technical and business). Even dedicated meetings for him were cancelled at the last minute. We published regular reporting, but, we sent SharePoint links to the documents on the Project SharePoint site – but we later learnt that he had not been set up with access.
All of our deliverables were delivered (apart from those that required the organisation’s technical team intervention), we were later to find out key systems which we had been promised were implemented, had not been and there was several months work (including additional costs) to be undertaken to get the platform ready.
We undertook our post meeting Lessons Learned review and it was interesting the key items raised – obviously –
1. Needed improved communications with the Sponsor
2. We needed to understand where (in his mind) we had not delivered to his expectations.
3. Why did the sponsor not have visibility to the regular updates and progress to plan?
Outcomes are that we have now implemented changes in our IT Change process to improve communications with the sponsor and ensure they are informed of progress (both verbally and with clear documentation) and whether they have any comments/directions in return.
Back to the IT Department and IT Change – we see most projects fail because either, the Project Manager –
1. does not have the experience, knowledge, or confidence to speak to the business stakeholder
2. does not have the gravitas to speak to senior business leaders
3. is too IT centric and so does not identify business stakeholders as key to the project
4. does not understand the key steps in Change Management
Engaging Stakeholders – The Hidden Challenges of Securing Buy-In
Stakeholders come with diverse perspectives, priorities, and concerns. They’re executives looking at the bottom line, team members juggling workloads, clients with specific needs, and end-users seeking solutions.
One major hurdle is overcoming the resistance to change. Let’s face it – change can be unsettling. It disrupts the familiar and introduces uncertainty. When stakeholders aren’t convinced of the value a project brings, doubts festers. Key stakeholders stop attending meetings, sending in more junior staff who are not briefed of the project.
The Fallout of Missing the Mark with Project slippage
Neglecting to secure stakeholder buy-in isn’t just a minor slip-up; it’s a fault line that can trigger earthquakes throughout the project lifecycle. Without buy-in:
- Project Objectives Become Blurred: When stakeholders aren’t aligned, the project’s goals can become a moving target. Conflicting agendas emerge, pulling the project in different directions.
- Project Resources Drain: Lack of support can lead to delays in decisions, causing timelines to stretch and budgets to inflate.
- Project Team Demotivation: Teams sense when the backing and management support is weak. Morale dips, productivity wanes, and that innovative spark dims. I think we have all seen projects go this way in our careers.
Ultimately, the project risks being shelved – not due to a lack of potential, but because it couldn’t secure the necessary support to thrive. The main reasons for these were that he original business case was not water tight.
Turning the Tide to poor engagement
So, how do we overcome these challenges?
It starts with authentic engagement. Early and open communication lays the foundation. Instead of presenting a finished plan, involve stakeholders in the ideation phase. Make them co-creators rather than just approvers. This investment in the process builds ownership and enthusiasm.
Empathy plays a crucial role. Step into their shoes. What keeps them up at night?
How does this project alleviate their pain points or help achieve their goals? Addressing these questions head-on turns sceptics into advocates.
We always provide an introduction to the Project but deliberately leave out the detailed how, so we can engage stakeholders in contributing to how they would like it to work in the departments. It also enables Stakeholders to ask questions which we can answer with detailed explanation, providing confidence in the team’s ability to deliver.
Looking Forward changing the way we work
With our changing world of always on culture – use of collaboration tools can help – understand how the stakeholder would like to keep engaged, do they use email, chat Apps, collaboration tools, SMS….
Remember our CIO above, I noticed that he spent all his time on his smartphone rather than his PC – he said early in the discussions at the coffee machine that he prefers working on the smartphone than his PC and our project needed to include the smartphone solution as a key deliverable.
Our Project Managers need to consider the impact of organisational culture. Cultivating an environment that values transparency and open dialogue which makes the stakeholder engagement a natural part of the process rather than a hurdle to overcome.
Beyond the Horizon – How we communicate
The one key item I learnt many years ago is telling the story.
I have never been one for presenting other peoples slides as I do not know their story, and lets face it PowerPoint slides are rarely interesting, but a good story teller is.
Story telling gains buy-in. Sharing narratives that highlight success, lessons learned, and personal impacts can resonate more than data sheets and projections. People connect with stories – it’s in our DNA.
Additionally, addressing the “what’s in it for me” factor can shift perspectives. When stakeholders see tangible benefits – for themselves and the broader organisation – their support becomes intrinsically motivated.
Final Thoughts
At its core, every project is a human endeavour. It’s not just about deliverables and deadlines; it’s about people working together towards a shared vision. Securing stakeholder buy-in is about building relationships founded on trust, respect, and mutual benefit.
If you’ve faced challenges in this arena, you’re not alone. It’s a complex facet of project management that continues to evolve.
Remember, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise. By prioritising stakeholder engagement, you’re not only paving the way for project success but also fostering a culture that values collaboration and shared achievement.
COMING NEXT
If you enjoyed this first article – please follow us at our LinkedIn page at Bushey, and keep a look out for our second of seven challenges where we will be looking at the challenges experienced when managing the Allocation of Resources to a Project.
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