You’ve got a clear plan and a good reason for the project. You send the email, book the meeting and explain what you need. And the response is… lukewarm. A polite “let’s see”. A meeting that keeps moving. A question that sounds more like an objection.
It’s easy to take that personally, or to decide the project has a problem. More often, it’s simpler than that. People who don’t know you yet are rarely ready to back you. You can’t assume stakeholder support at the start of a project. You have to build it.
Why new stakeholders start out wary
When someone doesn’t know you, they have little to go on except the request in front of them. And from where they sit, your project may look like:
- Extra work on top of an already full week.
- A risk to something they’re responsible for.
- Change they didn’t ask for and haven’t had a say in.
People also rarely decide on logic alone. Alongside the facts, they’re thinking about how it will look to their colleagues and how it feels to them. A well-argued business case won’t win someone over if they feel left out, rushed or exposed.
So initial caution isn’t necessarily opposition. People simply don’t know enough about you, your intentions or how the project might affect them to feel comfortable committing their support.
Where stakeholder support really comes from
Strong stakeholder support usually comes from relationships, not requests. The people who back your project are often the ones who understood it early, felt listened to and could see how it connected to their own priorities.
It also helps to remember that most people aren’t for or against you. They’re somewhere in the middle, waiting to see how things develop. The temptation is to pour your energy into the loudest critic. But the bigger opportunity may be the people who haven’t formed an opinion yet. Involve them early, understand what matters to them and give them a chance to shape the project. They could become some of your strongest supporters.
One small habit that makes a big difference
Before you ask someone for their support, ask for their advice.
“Can I get your view on something?” is a very different opening from “I need you to approve this.” It shows respect for their experience, gives them an opportunity to influence what happens and helps you understand what matters to them.
You might discover a concern you hadn’t considered, an easier way to get something done or someone who can help move the project forward.
Consulting someone doesn’t mean promising to do everything they suggest. It means taking their perspective seriously, understanding their concerns and explaining how you’ll use their input. People who feel heard are far more likely to stay with you when the project hits a difficult moment.
Building stakeholder support is a skill
Some people seem to win others over naturally. But building stakeholder support isn’t luck or personality. It’s a skill: knowing who matters, understanding what they care about and choosing how and when to involve them. Like any skill, it gets easier with practice. And it isn’t just for projects. Whether you’re leading change, winning over a client or getting a new policy approved, the same principles apply.
That’s what our Stakeholder Engagement workshop helps you develop. You’ll learn how to identify, engage with and manage stakeholders, then put your skills to the test in a realistic, AI-powered business simulation.
Working in small teams, you’ll interact with virtual stakeholders, each with their own priorities, concerns and influence. Every decision you make shapes how they respond. You can try different approaches, deal with difficult reactions and see the consequences of your choices in a risk-free environment.
You can attend a public workshop alongside people from other organisations, or bring the training in-house for your team, online or face to face. Training together has real advantages: everyone develops a shared language and approach, making it easier to agree who to involve, share insights and communicate consistently. You can even use the workshop to explore a live project challenge.
Find out more about the Stakeholder Engagement workshop
Running a project alongside the day job? Read our 2027 survival checklist for non-project managers.
Frequently asked questions
Who are stakeholder engagement skills useful for?
Anyone who needs other people’s support to get something done. That includes managers at all levels, project managers, sponsors and project team members, but also people leading change or transformation, sales and account managers working with several decision-makers, HR and L&D teams introducing new initiatives, public sector teams balancing ministers, partners and the public, and senior leaders aligning boards and teams behind a strategy. The skills help you build agreement, handle conflicting priorities and win support, inside and outside your organisation.
Why don’t stakeholders support my project or Idea straight away?
People who don’t know you have little to go on except your request. What you’re proposing may look like extra work, a risk or a change they haven’t had a say in. Initial caution usually means people don’t yet know enough about you or your plans to feel comfortable committing their support.
How do I build stakeholder support early?
Talk to people before you need something from them. Ask for their advice, listen to what matters to them and keep them informed as the project develops. People are far more likely to back a project they’ve helped to shape.
Should I focus on the people who are against my project?
Not only on them. Most people aren’t strongly for or against a project; they’re waiting to see how it develops. Spending all your time on the loudest critic can mean missing the much larger group you could bring on board.
Can you learn stakeholder engagement?
Yes. Stakeholder engagement involves practical skills you can learn and develop, including identifying key stakeholders, understanding their priorities, building relationships and adapting your approach. Training and simulation give people the opportunity to practise these skills before applying them to real projects.
What is a stakeholder simulation?
It’s an interactive, computer-based business game that recreates a real project with a range of virtual stakeholders, each with their own interests, concerns and influence. Working in small teams, you consult them through meetings, emails, phone calls and the media, decide on a course of action and see how they react to every choice you make. A facilitator then helps you reflect on what worked and how to apply it back at work. Shell originally commissioned the simulation we use on our workshop, and blue-chip organisations and MBA programmes use it today.
