What do you do if stakeholders and clients are unaware of deadline changes?

In such a scenario, it's crucial to promptly communicate any deadline changes to stakeholders and clients. I would initiate transparent and clear communication channels, promptly informing all parties affected by the adjustment. Additionally, I would provide a rationale behind the changes, along with revised timelines and any necessary adjustments to project expectations. This proactive approach ensures alignment and minimizes disruptions, fostering trust and maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders and clients.

Based on my experience, adopting an "Assess Impact" mindset is crucial. Begin by evaluating the potential consequences of the deadline changes on stakeholders and clients. Consider factors such as project dependencies, resource availability, and the overall project timeline. Once you have assessed the impact, communicate the changes transparently to stakeholders and clients, emphasising the reasons behind the adjustments and any mitigating measures in place. This proactive approach enables stakeholders to adjust their expectations accordingly and minimizes potential disruptions to the project.

Changes to deadlines are not solely related to the timeline of a specific project; they can also affect other projects within the program or portfolio. Typically, missing deadlines is accompanied by budget overruns or scope creep. These factors should be carefully assessed to offer a comprehensive overview to the stakeholders.

My strategy for communicating with project stakeholders is to create a transparent overview of ongoing activities. To achieve this, every stakeholder should have real-time access to well-visualized data and dashboards that track progress. Effective communication means avoiding the scenario where discussing a missed deadline occurs only after it is too late to address or mitigate it. Ideally, stakeholders should receive notifications about potential risks and the possibility of missing deadlines as soon as they become a low probability. Unfortunately, unexpected setbacks can still occur, and not every adverse event can be anticipated.

Price and timeline are always the most sensitive topics in project or initiative management. Aside from health and safety concerns, quality tends to be most forgivable since for the most part, bugs and systemic problems exist in even the most mature technologies. Communication of price and timeline changes therefore require additional scrutiny. The stakeholder will want to understand the root causes of the change, and how it will be addressed so that the circumstance does not repeat for a second (or third) impact to cost/time). Be prepared for detailed answers, and specifically what changes need to be implemented to both product and prevent a future incident.

It's necessary to quickly notify stakeholders and clients of deadline changes, clearly explaining the reasons behind them and any potential implications. Establishing a communication plan outlining how updates will be conveyed moving forward, ensuring transparency and alignment, is essential. Proactively addressing any concerns or questions they may have, fostering trust, and maintaining strong relationships throughout the process should always be integral steps in project management.

I spend time with stakeholders to better understand their preferred communication methods. I strive to reach a consensus with them on how we can communicate effectively, and I am careful not to impose my own communication strategy. Instead, I work with my stakeholders to define their expectations and help them take ownership of the process.

As part of the agreed-upon status reporting procedure, stakeholders should have opportunities to engage with the project leadership team for inquiries or clarifications. In the best-case scenario, this would take place during regular status meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc., depending on the specific needs of the project) where they can ask specific questions or seek further clarification.

I typically try to ideate a few possible options and engage stakeholders in the decision-making process to determine which option to choose.

Ensure timely communication by promptly informing stakeholders and clients of any changes, clearly outlining the reasons and potential impacts. Implement a proactive approach to keep them informed throughout the process, such as scheduling regular status meetings, sending email updates, or utilising project management tools for real-time tracking. Demonstrating transparency and accountability by consistently updating stakeholders and clients helps mitigate misunderstandings and maintain trust in the project's progress.