Most organizations, regardless of size or mission, answer to a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders. These distinct parties typically share an end goal, but may have different ideas about how to communicate toward those goals.
For example, a new park project is about to be announced, with elected officials, the park organization, donors, and grassroots leaders each expecting to provide input on the project and its communications. Or, a new partnership is launching between two companies, and each comes to the table with their own expectations for the announcement.
It takes the skill of an adept communicator to convene and align these groups with multiple or competing priorities.
By adopting the following practices, leaders can find common ground amongst internal stakeholders and build a cohesive communications strategy to communicate effectively with external audiences.
- Act as servant leaders
The philosophy of servant leadership can be summarized as serving in the interest of others above your own. It requires a mind open to others’ ideas, not a presupposition that one idea or answer is the “right” one. This is an important position to adopt when working in a complex communications environment with different, invested parties. Each group must feel heard before alignment or consensus can be reached.
- Foster productive dialogue
Everyone at the table has their own priorities. Synthesize and find commonalities by understanding each party’s goals and decision-making process. Convene, listen, and align by posing questions like:
- What is their criteria for decision making?
- Who do they answer to (board, public, voters, county commissioner, donor)?
- What are they interested in accomplishing?
- How does the success (or failure) of this initiative impact their reputation?
- What are their sensitivities?
Facilitating a productive discussion around these questions is key to understanding everyone’s contexts and establishing common ground.
- Turn conversations into consensus and an actionable plan
Once you have had these important dialogues, agree upon what success looks like. Develop clear objectives and KPIs. Draft a plan that assigns roles and expectations of each party.
Once the campaign is underway, keep lines of communication open through recurring meetings and regular check-ins.
If your organization needs help building consensus in complex communications environments, reach out. At Elmore, we serve in the best interest of our clients. We facilitate constructive and productive discussions amongst stakeholders to find alignment, build a plan, and execute communications strategies that exceed expectations.
