Is it possible to get back on track when stakeholders are unhappy?

No matter how talented you are as a communications professional, there will be times when things don’t go as planned, and your stakeholders aren’t happy. The key to maintaining your professional reputation isn’t just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about how you handle those situations when they arise.

When a project gets off track, or feedback isn’t what you expected, it’s time to regroup and take a back-to-basics approach.

1. Talk It Through with Your Manager

Before diving into fixes, take a step back and speak to your manager. They’re a valuable resource, not only for advice but also for helping you navigate how to approach the situation strategically. Figure out what you think the approach should be and then talk it through with them.

2. Make sure you’re getting the small things right

Going back to fundamentals can be incredibly effective in rebuilding trust:

• Stick to deadlines and send updates when promised: If you’ve committed to sending a progress update on a specific day, make sure you do so.

• Deliver high-quality work with attention to detail: This might seem simple, but producing work that’s free from small errors, such as typos or formatting issues, can make a huge difference.

• Be transparent about progress and challenges: If something has gone wrong, be upfront. Don’t wait until the last minute to raise a red flag.

3. Keep It Solution-Focused

Once you’ve identified where things have gone wrong, focus on solutions. Instead of dwelling on the mistakes, think about how you can turn things around. Perhaps it’s revisiting your messaging, altering your communication approach, or simply tweaking your project timeline.

4. Manage Expectations Moving Forward

It’s important to ensure that you and your stakeholders are on the same page moving forward. This might mean revisiting expectations around timelines, approvals, and the level of communication they’d prefer. Sometimes the issue stems from unclear expectations from the start, so this is an opportunity to realign.