5 ways to show stakeholders you really listened

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Sometimes stakeholders choose not to engage with a project. It may be that they genuinely have low interest, but more often than not it’s because of something that likely happened long before you came on the scene. Every engagement practitioner has heard a stakeholder say:


“They never listen anyway. They just do what they want.”


“The decision was already made. They were just ticking a box.”


“They asked us the same thing 10 years ago and nothing changed.”


So how do we address these legacy issues and show stakeholders that we do listen and are interested in what they have to say? Here are five simple ways to demonstrate listening.


1. Allocate resources
If you know you’ll be engaging with multiple stakeholders, make sure you have the time and ears to listen effectively. That’s not to say you should let Beryl with an axe to grind commandeer all your time, but you should have enough staff to assist so other stakeholders also have someone to speak to. Allow time that’s proportionate to the issues at hand. Don’t try and solve a major issue in a one-hour workshop if a series of workshops is more appropriate. If you’re really interested in what stakeholders have to say, set aside the appropriate time and staff to listen.


2. Take note of small details
I once had an editor who always wanted to know the name of the dog in a photo, even if the story was unrelated to the dog itself. It struck me as strange the first few times, but I came to understand later that small details like this show we care. In community engagement, I’ve learned that noting details like a dog’s name, the name of their kids, what they do for work, any health issues or even their hobbies can be enough to give me a starting point to launch a more difficult conversation later. Asking after someone’s dog can turn a formal exchange into a meaningful conversation.


3. Be an active listener
Sounds simple doesn’t it, but it actually takes some practice. Active listening is where we set aside our own internal dialogue and focus only on what the stakeholder is saying. This means we don’t interrupt, we maintain eye contact and we make those small sounds and body movements that respond to what’s being said. Avoid gestures that could be mistaken as defensive such as crossing your arms.


4. Repeat and clarify
This is an old technique used by counsellors and psychologists the world over also called reflective listening. By repeating or paraphrasing a stakeholder’s key points back to them, you are confirming that what you heard is what they wanted to say. This gives the stakeholder an opportunity to clarify any details and reduces the risk of misinterpretation and bias in your reporting.


5. Close the loop
Closing the loop should be on any list related to engagement, but it’s worth mentioning here because this is where we show stakeholders that we not only heard what they said, but how their idea was considered in decision-making. Listening doesn’t mean we have to act on every idea, but it does mean we need to acknowledge those ideas and justify our reasons for adopting them or not. It’s OK to say, “no we’re not doing that” but follow it up with “and this is why”.

Alysia Norris, Senior Communications and Engagement Consultant