When people speak of stakeholders, they usually do so in a business context. However, these figures are in many walks of life, including those involving the law.
Government agencies are organizations too, and they have much in common with regular businesses. Moreover, anyone can be a stakeholder. They consist of employees, customers, investors, shareholders, and more. The law has other types of people they need to appeal to as well, but more on that later.
Different government agencies have very precise responsibilities, but the overall objective is the same across the board; to enforce laws and serve the public. Delving into specifics, though, they may collect taxes or provide services in areas like education and healthcare.
So, there are a lot of bases to cover here. Improving stakeholder engagement can be a hefty challenge, especially as people are only too quick to express dissatisfaction with the authorities in almost any context. What can be done to give relations a boost for government agencies?
Know the Stakeholders
Not all stakeholders can be approached in the same way. They can be various and thus have different needs.
So, when trying to improve stakeholder engagement, it’s a good idea to list all the different types of stakeholders relevant to the agency. That way, not one of them will be left behind.
Some good examples of government agency stakeholders include:
- Steering committees – usually a group of management types that oversee an important project without working on it directly themselves. They can be advisors, for instance, and are usually internal stakeholders.
- Community groups – a type of external stakeholder that can be things like sports clubs, church groups, and youth organizations. They can depend on government agencies for support and regulation.
- Suppliers and Investors – Government agencies need resources and funding like any other organization and may approach certain businesses if prosperous deals are to be made.
- Governance boards – A group of directors with legal responsibilities around managing organizations.
There are more stakeholders to mention, but we’ve listed these four to highlight the need for both range and specificity. Noting all of their individual needs is the best place to begin.
Increase Transparency
It’s often transparency that creates trust. If people are skeptical of government representatives from the outset, then putting cards on the table can hopefully go some way in cooling tempers and lessening negative assumptions.
Government agencies can increase transparency by utilizing a state-of-the-art Project Management Information System (PMIS). Because stakeholders have such high expectations of the agencies they work with, any failure around compliance procedures can lead to hefty penalties, which can cut off funding access and either delay or kill projects entirely.
A government PMIS addresses many of these concerns, as it helps government agencies monitor rules and regulations around key projects more diligently. Kahua’s systems also offer a more flexible approach to these obligations. Using these tools, teams can establish a more robust compliance framework for each project by incorporating unique policies, regulations, and processes. These tools provide real-time reporting, insightful dashboard usage, and more accurate auditing and project status reporting.
Stakeholders like to know that government agencies are using the latest solutions and reducing risk through all means available. Openly providing those assurances is crucial. The software boosts productivity and gives stakeholder engagement a sense of structure as well. No aspect of these strategies is left up in the air.
Prioritize Face-to-Face Meetings
Government agencies are understandably pulled in many different directions. If they’re not careful, stakeholder interactions may sometimes come across as fleeting and impersonal.
Hosting in-person face-to-face meetings is the best way to dissuade those concerns. Phone calls, emails, and even Zoom calls have their place for certain correspondences, but nothing can trump a real-world sit-down regarding making a solid impression and discussing issues in more depth. So much can be lost in conversation when the tone of a message isn’t properly conveyed, or body language isn’t read. All of these things help a cause and build rapport.
Many advantages come with face-to-face meetings, not least among them being increasing engagement amongst those present. Stakeholders must be confident that their time is valued and that a genuine professional relationship is sought. If neither of those things is true, faith in the government agency will wane, and they’ll understandably look for other means of service.
Ultimately, the importance of an in-person sit down might seem like an elementary point to make, but the simplest advice is often the most effective. Some people can assume government agencies think themselves better than everybody else; an in-person meeting is a prime opportunity to prove otherwise. More than anything else, it shows respect, and that’s the foundation for positive stakeholder engagement in any context.
Conclusion
Stakeholders comprise many individuals, some of whom are itching to be critical. Government agencies can’t bulk under those pressures. By identifying the individual needs of their stakeholders, utilizing state-of-the-art software, and creating a meaningful in-person rapport, more can be done to improve relations. Trust and consistency are crucial; great things can be achieved once they’re prioritized.