How to influence stakeholders of a project

VOICES ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT BLOG How Do You Influence Stakeholders to Say “Yes” to a Project? asks Jorge Valdés Garciatorres, PMP, in a blog post. Starting a project requires resources, so you can experience many obstacles until you hear “yes” to a project. Scott Cosgrove, PMP, responds: Typically, to get stakeholders' attention, the “What's in it for me?” (WIIFM) approach works well. When they perceive the outcome of a project in a light that benefits them, they feel connected. Usually this helps in getting their buy-in. Realizing, of course, there are many stakeholders and many perceptions to manage, a lot of interviewing and requirement-gathering can be necessary. It's important to listen emphatically to stakeholders if you want to take the WIIFM approach. After all, if you don't hear what their concerns are, you haven't a prayer of knowing what's in it for them. This process may feel a little like herding cats, and it is. But it's important. One thing to be cautious of is over-promising. Once a project starts, managing expectations becomes key. It's much easier to do that if the expectations are realistic. And there is nothing worse than under-delivering. And finally, deliver. Meeting the expectations is crucial to keeping stakeholders' attention. Well, keeping their attention in a good light, anyway. How do you persuade stakeholders ? Weigh in on the PMI Voices blog at PMI.org/voices. [LINKEDIN] Dave Flosi, PMP, asks: Now that I have acquired a Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential, is it appropriate to request a pay raise from my current employer? If so, generally what is the expected percentage increase? Bruce Ysselstein comments: I suppose the appropriateness of asking depends greatly on the company's culture, so that's difficult to say. In terms of the amount, it would be well worth a look at the PMI Project Management Salary Survey— Seventh Edition. This will give you a great idea of the difference between certified and non-certified, which can then be drilled down to match scenarios similar to yours (i.e., experience, company size, location, industry, etc.). Geraldine Mongold, PMP, comments: I've also found glassdoor.com to be a useful source of salary information. I used it when applying to a job in a new city and found the salary ranges to be pretty accurate, although it won't include the detail that the PMI Salary Survey has. What do you think? Join the conversation at the PMI Career Central group on LinkedIn.