Managing relations with stakeholders is one of the key elements of the implementation of activities in the field of corporate social responsibility.

• Find out who your stakeholders are

 It does not matter if you represent a local government, a municipal management company, RIPOK, a waste sorting plant, a production or service company, it is important that you have the so-called enterprise environment around you, i.e. stakeholders. These can be individuals, institutions, formal and informal groups, the media, local opinion leaders, as well as your employees. With each of these groups, you enter into direct and indirect relationships on a daily basis. You influence them with your decisions. On the other hand, stakeholders also influence the entity you represent. It’s a two-way relationship. If you want to have a social dialogue, start with this step. Get to know who these people are. This is extremely important.

• Determine the impact of stakeholders

Challenge myths and stereotypes about the power of influence of individuals or social groups. Encourage members of your organization to adopt a stakeholder perspective. Choose optics that will allow you to determine who is your fan and ally, and who is a negative hater – using youth terminology. Take into account the specificity of your environment, possible negative attitude and hermetic environment.

• Consciously manage relationships

Stakeholder frustration with not engaging in dialogue can lead to an escalation of the conflict. Picketing, strike and even aggression are the result of poor relationship management. The fear of direct confrontation gives rise to anxiety and suspicion of the interested parties themselves. That is why I strongly encourage you to anticipate possible social consequences at the stage of investment planning, modernization or change of the profile of your activity. In such cases, dialogue with stakeholders comes to the rescue, a tool very useful in the work of every manager (in conducting a dialogue with stakeholders, you can use the help of the international AA1000 series of standards, which were partly the inspiration for the creation of this text).

• Choose the best form of dialogue

Think about an idea, an idea that has a chance of success. The form of dialogue should result from knowledge, preparation, potential for opportunities and risks. What’s more, its right choice may depend on whether the goal you set will be achieved. The level of involvement of your stakeholders directly determines the form of dialogue and the language of communication. From simple information to lasting partnerships. Selected forms of dialogue are presented  below:

On-line survey, printed survey, dedicated website (landing page) with the possibility of commenting, on-line chat, direct meetings with stakeholders in the round table formula, small focus groups (in-depth direct interviews), 1:1 sessions (direct, individual conversations), invitation to submit written opinions and applications, idea box, satisfaction surveys.

• Define the purpose of the dialogue

By inviting stakeholders to talk, let them know what you’re going to talk about. Give a clear message of what you expect. It is about a short information in the style: we invite you to talk about your expectations, suggestions and needs related to the planned investment in the vicinity of the estate. A precise message gives the recipient a sense of knowledge and confidence. During the meeting, he will not feel surprised. The icing on the cake may be a pre-prepared printed invitation with a package of information materials (printed or on-line). These small gestures will certainly not go unnoticed.

• Be open to any opinion

The success of the dialogue session is determined by the conduct of the meeting itself. Keep the discussion balanced. Every vote is important. There are no better or worse here. There are opinions, suggestions, complaints and grievances. It’s nothing. Do not be afraid of them. Finally, you met to talk about an important matter. Nothing builds relationships like an honest conversation. What’s more, your role should be rather passive. Do not dominate the conversation, be responsible for it whenever they ask you. Remember that a good solution is to invite an outsider, a mediator who will lead the meeting and objectively fit in with the nature of the discussion.

• Keep your word

In fact, it is only after this meeting or series of meetings that the most important part of the plan begins. Why? The ideas, suggestions and expectations collected during the dialogue session should be turned into real actions. This means that each of them should be discussed in your organization and further forwarded to stakeholders as a feedback. You can not forget about this point! All in all, you can, but the future of subsequent projects will be in black, not colorful colors. Feedback is a signal that you are taking a stakeholder seriously. Like an adult. Not a child. It is also a signal of your responsibility and truthfulness. That is, the power of values, whose role in this type of relationship cannot be overestimated.

• See the benefits of dialogue

A manager who can see the advantages of dialogue with stakeholders will soon find out how much he has really gained. The competitive advantages or new cooperation spaces developed thanks to this allow us to create new solutions and projects in the future.

At this point, I present you with a few selected benefits: eliminating or reducing risks, preventing or reducing possible crises, rebuilding or building trust in the eyes of stakeholders, increasing loyalty, commitment and motivation of employees, improving the effectiveness of projects or programs, greater knowledge about the company, enterprise, organization or institution and improving the recognition and image of the company.

Source: http://whiteleaf.pl/blog/59-8-wskazowek-dla-managerow-o-tym-jak-prowadzic-dialog-spoleczny

Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.