Stakeholder Engagement Is the Lynchpin of Every Successful Project

Since MCP’s founding 16 years ago, we have supported clients on an amazing array of projects, from technology implementations to facility retrofits to staff augmentations, and much more. It’s safe to say that if you can think of it, we’ve probably done it.

We have found that effective stakeholder engagement is the foundation of every successful project. We also have found that stakeholder engagement is much easier when an organizational change management (OCM) program is in place. OCM involves guiding organizations through transitions by addressing the human, structural, and operational aspects of change, which leads to more successful outcomes.

For this discussion, let’s focus on technology implementations and let’s define stakeholders as the government officials who control project funding and those personnel who will be using the new technology in the execution of their duties. If there’s one key takeaway from this blog it is that stakeholder needs must be represented at the project’s outset and their participation actively managed throughout the initiative’s duration.

If this isn’t done, the project can fly off the rails quickly with disastrous consequences. Here’s an example. A very large law-enforcement agency about a decade ago decided to procure and implement an electronic records-management system. Agency officials made this decision unilaterally and at first glance that seems understandable — this project would move them from a pen-and-paper process that was laborious, time-consuming, and prone to errors. In other words, this was a huge leap forward for the agency’s operations.

But it also was a huge change in terms of the agency’s business processes, which wasn’t considered until after the agency implemented the new system, which was a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution. As things turned out, while the solution was configurable, it couldn’t be manipulated to support their processes. Ten years later, after spending millions of dollars, the agency is seriously thinking of scrapping the system and starting over. This debacle likely would have been avoided if stakeholder representatives had been engaged from the outset to understand the full spectrum of operational needs.

Here's another one. Let’s say that an agency’s land mobile radio (LMR) system is having performance issues, which can occur for any number of reasons. Now let’s say that there is disagreement amongst system users regarding what issues are most problematic — some want coverage to be addressed because dead spots exist while others think that capacity is the top priority because they periodically receive a busy signal when they try to access the system.

Both are issues that deserve the agency’s attention and require participation by subject-matter experts (SMEs). But if agency officials don’t effectively engage stakeholder SMEs — to fully understand their perspectives and to align those perspectives effectively — they run the risk of alienating those who wanted a different decision than the one ultimately made. If that should happen, a further risk can emerge whereby the alienated become frustrated or apathetic and may even try to derail what comes next, or at least try to cause headaches for the agency, usually by spreading misinformation.

So, stakeholder engagement is essential anytime an agency is considering any major technological or operational change. Some of the key challenges that likely will emerge include:

• Many stakeholders, especially those comfortable with existing systems, may be reluctant to adopt new technology or processes.
• If key stakeholders are not consulted from the beginning, they may resist the project later, feeling excluded or unheard.
• Different stakeholders may have conflicting needs or expectations, making consensus difficult. Focusing on functional requirements rather than specific solutions helps align priorities.
• In some cases, there may be a pre-existing lack of trust between stakeholders and decision-makers, which becomes exacerbated when stakeholders perceive they have no influence or control regarding changes that affect them.
• Certain stakeholders, particularly those in leadership or with strong opinions, can dominate discussions, making it difficult to reach balanced decisions that benefit the broader group.
• The tone, method, and clarity of communication significantly impact stakeholder engagement. Missteps in communication can escalate conflicts or cause disengagement.

Stakeholder engagement is not just a box to check — it is a critical strategy for ensuring smooth project implementation, reducing risks, and maximizing solution benefits. Effective engagement leads to better decisions, stronger buy-in, and ultimately, a more successful outcome.

A future blog will shed light on the role that organizational change management plays in overcoming these challenges to achieve effective stakeholder engagement — stay tuned!

Scott Neal is MCP’s senior vice president or wireless and justice solutions. Email him at ScottNeal@MissionCriticalPartners.com.