Have you ever heard the saying, “Alone we go faster, together we go further”? I’d bet you have! It may be a cliché, but clichés often exist for a good reason. Collaborating with the individuals and organizations around us can be a powerful lever to successfully bring your projects to fruition.

In a world where everything moves quickly, where new tools disrupt how we work and interact, taking the time to talk and build a genuine human connection with your stakeholders gives you every chance to stand out!

What Are Stakeholders?

All organizations must deal with stakeholders. It’s inevitable. And stakeholders are much more than just a trendy consulting buzzword.

Individuals or groups who can affect or be affected by your activities are your stakeholders, whether they are your employees, customers, suppliers, local communities, regulatory authorities, or even sometimes your competitors. They have a “stake” in what you do, whether direct or indirect.

When an organization prepares and launches a project, whatever its form, all its stakeholders can become allies or, in some cases, obstacles. This is where effective engagement becomes crucial. To do it well, it’s important to know them well, and mapping them is one way to achieve this.

Ask yourself:

- Who will be affected by the project, directly or indirectly?

- What is their level of influence on the project’s success?

- How interested are they in the process?

- What is the nature of your current relationship with them?

- What are the best communication channels to reach them?

Engaging Means Learning to Talk to Each Other

Engaging your stakeholders is first and foremost about establishing authentic dialogue. It’s not just about informing or consulting at the last minute, but about initiating an ongoing conversation that will help identify potential obstacles early, benefit from diverse expertise and perspectives, create a sense of belonging around the project, ensure better adoption of proposed solutions, and sustain relationships beyond the current project.

Once your stakeholder map is established, engagement actions can take various forms depending on your objectives and resources. Favor approaches suited to each group: one-on-one meetings for key stakeholders, collaborative workshops for those with valuable expertise, or regular communications to maintain engagement.

Be transparent about your intentions, share relevant information in a timely manner, and demonstrate how contributions concretely influence the project. Remember, engagement is a continuous process that requires time and authenticity—it’s not a one-off checklist exercise.

You will find that when done rigorously, this exercise leads to concrete benefits for your organization. Well-engaged stakeholders help strengthen your reputation, facilitate decision-making, better manage risks, identify new opportunities for your project, and even innovate thanks to diverse viewpoints.

As we navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected business environment, the ability to engage stakeholders effectively is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It is the art of turning sometimes divergent interests into a collective force aimed at a common goal.

Learning to really talk to each other is an investment in the lasting success of your projects and your organization. And in a world where technology sometimes seems to overshadow humanity, this may be where your greatest competitive advantage lies.