So what experiences do I have regarding communication within the project? Being completely honest, until a few months ago I had none. However, this is a learning process and I´m currently learning the importance of liaising with your project team and external stakeholders throughout the process. In any given acquisition, there are certain factors that tend to stand out repeatedly. For instance, there needs to be an understanding as to why the acquisition happens; what the objectives are; how the project will be implemented; what the result will be, and what sort of benefits will the outcome provide to the participants. Here is an interesting link about external communication, watch and learn: External communication
It is always important to plan the communication correctly prior, during, and after to the integration as it provides the project with a solid foundation. Without a decent communication plan, the project in question is very likely to fail. High quality communication requires establishing a timeline that can be carried out effectively. This ensures that everyone involved with the project receives the same information, and objectives can be achieved within the agreed timeframe. Establishing a timeline also allows for the correct information to reach all parties within a relatively short amount of time.
A face-to-face approach should always be the priority for communication in any given project, along with other options to support it. These other options include press conferences, exchanges of e-mail, memos, newsletters and press releases. It is, however, better to only choose a select number of channels to communicate through to ensure that all information can be verified correctly.
HOW TO GET AN EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT?
It is important to know how each stakeholder defines a project’s success, and what their expectations regarding the results and benefits are. After getting these crucial tips, it is then necessary to use them effectively and get stakeholders engaged in the project.
It seems that when I have been studying ways of communications in project I always end up reaching the conclusion that the best way to inform your stakeholders about the acquisition is to do it face-to-face. It brings an opportunity for interactive communication and both parties have a chance to ask questions and deliver answers. It reduces chances for rumours and uncertainty, and is easy to understand things differently, as we`re all different individuals.
Of course, nowadays social media is the channel that grants an opportunity to make the greatest impact on stakeholders. The acquirer can, for example, establish a page for the acquisition in Facebook and update it throughout the project. That provides real time information and gives some measurements to the acquirer through likings. However, I still recommend the old-fashioned method: FACE-TO-FACE. At least it`s needed for the key stakeholders!!
EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
What is a successful project? A project that brings about substantial benefits and effective results for use in the future. Here are some links for projects that have been successful: Successful projects
