Managing Stakeholder Groups-- Test and Refine the Solution

Implementing the solutions implies acknowledging that the project manager and team are operating under imperfect information. We assume that stakeholders will react to certain initiatives in predictable ways. Obviously, such assumptions are usually erroneous. In testing and refining solutions, the project manager and team should realize that solution implementation is an iterative process. We make our best guesses, test for stakeholder reactions, and reshape our strategies accordingly. Along the way, many of our preconceived notions about the needs and biases of various stakeholder groups must be refined as well. In some cases, we made accurate assessments. At other times, our suppositions may have been dangerously naive or disingenuous. Nevertheless, this final step in the stakeholder management process forces the project manager to perform a critical self-assessment. It requires the flexibility to make accurate diagnoses and appropriate mid-course corrections.