In this episode we speak to Rob Stinton, Charted Project Professional and Senior Program Manager, about the complexity of projects, stakeholder plans, maintaining momentum, and executing project delivery over a long timeline.
We begin by defining complexity in projects; Rob speaks from over 20 years of experience on how to recognize and handle a complex environment. For Rob, size isn’t what equals complexity; it’s the solution that does. He further explains until you get to this solution, the scale of change needed isn’t always realized.
Next, we ask Rob how he arrives at a manageable stakeholder strategy when there are so many interested parties, as he covers breaking down barriers to stakeholder engagement and constructing the right plan.
For Rob, Direct communication is key. “You need to get clear about project objectives from day 1”.
We discuss maintaining momentum - Rob highlights understanding where each stakeholder’s influence and interests lie is vital in projects with a long lifespan.
“How you communicate is part of your stakeholder management plan; to keep the momentum it is your responsibility to constantly remind them why you’re doing what you’re doing. What’s right today might not be right in a year’s time, and so it's your job as a Program Manager to check-in, adapt to, and communicate change."
Finally, we wrap up the episode by asking Rob what he knows now, that he wishes he had known when initially leading his first major infrastructure project.
This episode is a must if you want to level up your stakeholder engagement.
🔗 Connect with Rob: linkedin.com/in/rob-stinton-chpp-3aaa7825
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