{"id":4075,"date":"2026-11-04T08:55:40","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T08:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/?p=4075"},"modified":"2026-11-05T13:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T13:23:15","slug":"stakeholders-who-dont-know-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/stakeholders-who-dont-know-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Stakeholders who don\u2019t know you don\u2019t like you (yet)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4077\" src=\"https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet-300x169.png\" alt=\"Woman facing a group of four sceptical-looking colleagues with folded arms, with the headline \u201cStakeholders who don\u2019t know you don\u2019t like you (yet)\u201d and the Indigo logo\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet-500x281.png 500w, https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Stakeholders-who-dont-know-you-dont-like-you-yet.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>You\u2019ve 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\u2026 lukewarm. A polite \u201clet\u2019s see\u201d. A meeting that keeps moving. A question that sounds more like an objection.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s easy to take that personally, or to decide the project has a problem. More often, it\u2019s simpler than that. People who don\u2019t know you yet are rarely ready to back you. You can\u2019t assume stakeholder support at the start of a project. You have to build it.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"5\">Why new stakeholders start out wary<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When someone doesn\u2019t 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:<\/p>\n<ul dir=\"ltr\">\n<li><strong>Extra work<\/strong> on top of an already full week.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A risk<\/strong> to something they\u2019re responsible for.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Change<\/strong> they didn\u2019t ask for and haven\u2019t had a say in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">People also rarely decide on logic alone. Alongside the facts, they\u2019re thinking about how it will look to their colleagues and how it feels to them. A well-argued business case won\u2019t win someone over if they feel left out, rushed or exposed.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">So initial caution isn\u2019t necessarily opposition. People simply don\u2019t know enough about you, your intentions or how the project might affect them to feel comfortable committing their support.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"5\">Where stakeholder support really comes from<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">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.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It also helps to remember that most people aren\u2019t for or against you. They\u2019re 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"5\">One small habit that makes a big difference<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Before you ask someone for their support, ask for their advice.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cCan I get your view on something?\u201d is a very different opening from \u201cI need you to approve this.\u201d It shows respect for their experience, gives them an opportunity to influence what happens and helps you understand what matters to them.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">You might discover a concern you hadn\u2019t considered, an easier way to get something done or someone who can help move the project forward.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Consulting someone doesn\u2019t mean promising to do everything they suggest. It means taking their perspective seriously, understanding their concerns and explaining how you\u2019ll use their input. People who feel heard are far more likely to stay with you when the project hits a difficult moment.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"5\">Building stakeholder support is a skill<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Some people seem to win others over naturally. But building stakeholder support isn\u2019t luck or personality. It\u2019s 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\u2019t just for projects. Whether you\u2019re leading change, winning over a client or getting a new policy approved, the same principles apply.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">That\u2019s what our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indigobusiness.co.uk\/Workshop\/stakeholder-engagement-including-simulation\"><strong>Stakeholder Engagement<\/strong> workshop<\/a> helps you develop. You\u2019ll learn how to identify, engage with and manage stakeholders, then put your skills to the test in a realistic, AI-powered business simulation.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Working in small teams, you\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">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.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indigobusiness.co.uk\/Workshop\/stakeholder-engagement-including-simulation\">Find out more about the Stakeholder Engagement workshop<\/a><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Running a project alongside the day job? Read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indigobusiness.co.uk\/blog\/project-checklist-non-project-managers\/\">2027 survival checklist for non-project managers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"5\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Who are stakeholder engagement skills useful for?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Anyone who needs other people\u2019s 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&amp;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.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Why don\u2019t stakeholders support my project or Idea straight away?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">People who don\u2019t know you have little to go on except your request. What you\u2019re proposing may look like extra work, a risk or a change they haven\u2019t had a say in. Initial caution usually means people don\u2019t yet know enough about you or your plans to feel comfortable committing their support.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>How do I build stakeholder support early?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">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\u2019ve helped to shape.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Should I focus on the people who are against my project?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Not only on them. Most people aren\u2019t strongly for or against a project; they\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Can you learn stakeholder engagement?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">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.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>What is a stakeholder simulation?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve 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\u2026 lukewarm. A polite \u201clet\u2019s see\u201d. A meeting that keeps moving. A question &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/wpblog.indigobusiness.co.uk\/stakeholders-who-dont-know-you\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":4077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,170],"tags":[289,183,242,138,171,95,288],"class_list":["post-4075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-and-programme-management","category-stakeholder-engagement","tag-influencing","tag-managing-projects","tag-managing-stakegholders","tag-project-success","tag-stakeholder-communication","tag-stakeholder-engagement","tag-stakeholder-management"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Stakeholders who don\u2019t know you don\u2019t like you (yet) - the indigo blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stakeholders who don&#039;t know you rarely back your project straight away. 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